If you are like me — unfortunate enough to have been discovered as a young woman by various social media algorithms — then you, too, have likely been force-fed content and news updates regarding the rumored whereabouts of the Princess of Wales. It has been recently announced that Princess Kate has begun chemotherapy treatment for a cancer found after an abdominal surgery performed in January and that this treatment is the reason for her much-discussed disappearance from the public eye.
Before this announcement, however, one could not escape the various theories surrounding her absence. Ideas ranged from questions of whether the princess had been secretly assassinated to rumors that she was undergoing cosmetic surgery. The maelstrom was only worsened by a photo released by the Royal Family, which appeared to be heavily edited.
Now the question must be asked; why did one woman’s time off work for an intensive medical procedure cause an international scandal?
For decades, the Royal Family has operated on a public relations motto of, “Never complain, never explain.” In essence, the monarchy has sought to protect itself by divulging as little information to the public as possible. This practice has been fueled by and promoted an air of mystique and reverence around the family. However, in the modern era, that is quickly dissipating.
Groups like Republic, as well as many individual citizens, call increasingly for an abolition of the monarchy. The claims argue that apart from providing little to no benefit to the United Kingdom, the monarchy represents corruption, elitism and disproportionate privilege at the expense of the general population. In addition, the monarchy is partially funded by the Sovereign Grant, a sum of money equaling £86.3 million in 2022-2023, which is funded by taxpayers.
As the illusion of the royal family slowly breaks, so too does their apparent protection from public inquiries, a change felt by some of the younger royals. Prince Harry and his wife, Megan Markle, in particular, have gained notoriety for their willingness to speak out about the goings-on of Buckingham Palace.
Despite the prince’s royal ancestry, this openness has earned the couple a spot lower than alleged sex offender and disgraced royal Prince Andrew, whose military affiliations and patronages were stripped by the crown in 2022, on the Royal Family’s hierarchical list of members.
Why is there so much importance placed on protecting the public image of this family? Simply put, it is all that remains for them.
The United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy, and the family maintains no real governing power. The days of the British Empire are long gone, and yet they have left scars across the globe in various ex-colonies. After the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, many individuals around the world were clear in their condemnation of the Queen and the monarchy as a whole, citing its atrocious colonial history.
In addition to the memory of the crown’s past crimes against humanity, the members of the family find themselves unable to escape questions of their moral character, a trend that has extended back generations. Among the rumors surrounding the Princess of Wales was the thought that the disappearance had something to do with Prince William’s alleged affair with the Marchioness of Cholmondeley.
Rumors of infidelity are nothing new to British Royalty, but they are nothing to ignore either, as one such rumor has now managed to become the Queen of England. Following the death of the much-beloved Princess Diana, the current King married Camilla Parker-Bowles, with whom he had a long-running affair. Such rumors, true or otherwise, are just one of many factors in the sinking reputation of the monarchy.
The crown has long survived on the false impression that its members are images of perfection–divinely appointed bastions of grace meant to give hope to the lowly commoners beneath them. What, then, might become of these elite angels when their golden halos prove to only be brass-plated?
To preserve what is left of the crown’s reputation among a growing awareness of its futility and questionable morality, the family is now engaged in the world’s most publicized popularity contest. With Queen Elizabeth II gone and her legacy increasingly questioned, the monarchy can only rely on meager attempts to maintain its brand and convince the public of its worth.
If successful, the sovereigns may be allowed to continue their existence as essentially taxpayer-funded prom queens and kings. If the attempt fails, as is likely to happen with increased scrutiny, the United Kingdom may soon see an unprecedented transformation of its government and social structure.
