One of the biggest mysteries in #KateGate has been why Kensington Palace has been willing to let the rumors grow and the conspiracies fly. The normally buttoned-up royal family feels like they are falling apart at the seams and their traditional PR approach has been criticized from The New York Times to TMZ.
The Princess of Wales is reportedly set to return to public life on Easter Sunday, March 31, per The Daily Beast, and that will likely end the constant speculation about her whereabouts. However, the royal family is going to have to grapple with the consequences of their actions (or lack of inaction) when it comes to their communications style. Their silence has hurt them in the long run.
U.K. PR expert Mark Borkowski told Page Six that the warning bells should be going off at the palace because the public perception of the royal family has dramatically shifted in an alarmingly fast three-month period. Queen Elizabeth II’s mantra of “Never complain, never explain” doesn’t hold up in 2024 where social media platforms dismantle even the best PR strategy. “They’ve failed to navigate the treacherous waters of social media, sticking to traditional tactics,” he explained. “The blunt truth is, in the realm of celebrity, privacy is a myth.”
Borkowski also criticized Prince William’s belief that he could be a part-time prince, which has been a hot topic of anti-monarchists for quite some time. “Even before the recent crisis, [William] has been adamant about keeping royal duties separate from family time. But this ‘half in, half out’ approach has clearly faltered,” he noted. He thinks the palace was foolish to think that the public would honor the request for privacy when Kate is their biggest superstar. When she’s out of the public eye, there isn’t much excitement at the palace.
It’s time for the royal family to truly modernize the monarchy and adapt to the “ever-changing tides of public perception,” according to Borkowski. They let social media and the press run away with a very strong narrative, and now, the publicist noted, “They are looking through the wrong end of the telescope.” Let’s see how the royal family recovers from their latest controversy — will the public have a short memory and forgive them?
Before you go, click here to see more photos of Prince William & Kate Middleton through the years.
Leave a Comment