Why Kate Middleton’s video marks a radical change in the royal family’s communication strategy

Releasing such a personal video is a surprisingly different approach to an update on the health of Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales.

The video is quite emotional and full of autumnal colors, which denote an almost melancholic tone, as she walks in the countryside with her family.

There could have been a traditional press release or on-camera statement – but instead there is a soft focus, a cinematic touch to this message.

Instead of footnotes and explanations about the princess’s completion of chemotherapy treatment, there is stylized footage and an intimate first-person narration.

Kate revealed in March that she was undergoing treatment for cancer, and has been out of the public eye for much of this year.

This is clearly a well-planned approach to disseminating information – the footage, shot by cinematographer Will Warr, was filmed in Norfolk, England, last month, and the costume changes suggest more than one filming session.

It’s completely different from the old-school royal communiqués, which stuck to the smallest details and remained as dry as the desert.

This much softer treatment follows the trend of celebrities and public figures taking their messages directly to the public, using the language of social media, rather than conventional news or an interview.

This allows for a great deal of control over the message – with evocative background music and skillful image editing driving the story, rather than any questions that might arise about your health or treatment.

We see Kate, in a long, flowing 1970s-style dress, spending time with her family in the woods and on the beach, and interacting playfully with her own parents.

These moments are framed in a way that many can relate to – a family relaxing after some very difficult times, in a rural setting that aims to send a message about the calming powers of nature.

Over the images is the princess’s voice, in the style of a film narration, capturing her sense of cautious optimism as she welcomes the end of chemotherapy while also acknowledging the fragility of life.

It’s where Norfolk meets Hollywood—and Instagram.

There’s almost an echo of a film like “About Time” in the video, with its melancholic music, sad themes and an uplifting narrative about how a family’s life can be changed forever by unexpected events.

The comparisons are to film styles and flashback sequences rather than press releases.

There is also a clear awareness of how this short film might resonate with the many families facing cancer in their own lives. It is a sensitivity that seems to be close to the surface.

And it practically becomes a prayer at the end, with the invocation: “To all those who are continuing their own journey with cancer – I stand with you, side by side, hand in hand. Out of darkness, can come light, so let that light shine bright.”

This text was originally published here.