The Princess of Wales’ use of an outdoor setting and bench in her emotional cancer video was ‘a scene every family could relate to’, an expert has said.
Yesterday Catherine announced in a moving video how she is undergoing ‘preventive’ chemotherapy following her recent diagnosis.
The princess sat on a bench outside in Windsor and spoke to the world with her shocking news as the sun shone on a spring day.
It came after weeks of speculation about her health and whereabouts following planned stomach surgery in January.
Royal biographer Phil Dampier told MailOnline how the ‘daffodils in the background’ and the ‘simple wooden bench’ made it ‘a scene every family could relate to in their own gardens’.
Yesterday Catherine announced in a moving video how she is undergoing ‘preventive’ chemotherapy following her recent diagnosis
The princess sat on a bench outside in Windsor and spoke to the world with her shocking news as the sun shone on a spring day. Pictured: Diana and Charles with William in the garden at Kensington Palace in 1984
It came after weeks of speculation about her health and whereabouts following planned stomach surgery in January. Pictured: A family photo for the King’s 70th birthday in 2018
He said: ‘I thought it was brilliantly done because it was in such a lovely, relaxed, informal setting.’
Catherine was wearing a striped jumper and jeans – setting a casual tone for the video in what Phil described as a “flash out of the blue” announcement.
Phil said how, ‘there were moments where her voice wavered’, but the princess still ‘seemed to be fairly in control’ and ‘sort of relaxed about it, sticking to the facts’.
He added: ‘I thought it was just the right combination of getting across a serious message but not being too over-dramatic.’
The choice to film outdoors on a bright day helped convey the message “that they’re going to make it and hopefully she’s on the mend,” Phil said.
The royal biographer added: “I think if it had been behind a desk and inside, in a formal setting … it might have been a bit more somber.”
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams described the announcement as ‘deeply moving’.
He told MailOnline: ‘…It wasn’t set in a palatial room in Windsor Castle, it was set on a simple bench. It could be in any park, the daffodils behind you.’
Richard added that the ‘simple’ setting made it even more relatable for people.
He said: ‘There is a sense that she identified with anyone who, and anyone can get it, had this disease and she was vulnerable, there’s no doubt about that.’
Many past royal photographs and video footage have been set in gardens and centered around a bench.
The late Queen Elizabeth was pictured with her children, Princess Anne and now King Charles, in 1952 sitting outside in the grounds of Balmoral Castle.
Diana and Charles were also snapped in a simple family photo with a young Prince William on a bench in Kensington Palace gardens.
Many past royal photographs and video footage have been set in gardens and centered around a bench. Pictured: William with (left to right) Tyrone Mings, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Gail Porter and David Duke last year
The late Queen Elizabeth was pictured with her children, Princess Anne and now King Charles, in 1952 sitting outside in the grounds of Balmoral Castle.
Meghan Markle even released a children’s picture book in 2021 called The Bench, which was inspired by Prince Harry and her son Archie
A more recent family photo was taken for the King’s 70th birthday in 2018 – again centered around the outdoors as the family was positioned next to a wooden seat.
Meghan Markle even released a children’s picture book in 2021 called The Bench, which was inspired by Prince Harry and her son Archie.
Last year, Prince William met with Tyrone Mings, Gail Porter, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton and David Duke ahead of the launch of Homewards.
He was pictured sitting outdoors in a setting similar to Kate’s video to mark the start of his five-year program to demonstrate that ending homelessness in the UK is possible.