Kate's Announcement: Our Invitation to Vulnerability

Today’s statement from Kate, the Princess of Wales, had me feeling so many simultaneous emotions: compassion, sadness, sympathy as a mother myself, and hope for her continued recovery.

A quick glance at the reaction on social media showed me many felt the same. But there was another emotion I readily picked up on: regret. And it was at a couple of unlikely targets: ourselves and the media. People seemed overwhelmingly appalled at those who created conspiracy theories and hounded the royals. “Now can we leave her alone please?!” “Wow. We should all feel like jerks for all the conspiracy theories, speculation and rumours. Let’s leave her and her family at peace!” And then there were the messages of support. So, so many messages of support: "The world is with you!" "Hope you make a full recovery!" "Bless them all!" I was surprised and even heartened at the shift in tone, which went seemingly overnight from mean spirited, cynical, and conspiracy laden to sympathetic, self reflective, and compassionate. 

So what can we take from this? What can we make of it?

I believe it’s a call to us as humans to share our vulnerability and our truth in whatever way we can, as soon as we can. No doubt Kerry Patterson, author of Crucial Conversations, would agree. Patterson says we can measure the health of a relationship by measuring the average lag time between identifying a problem and discussing the problem. While the book was likely not written as a PR tome, it fits into the zeitgeist of this very moment, as we navigate a world in which the line between media and reality, between public and private, is blurrier than ever before. We feel more connected to the Royals than ever before, and we demand, necessarily, to know more.

Being so transparent and vulnerable - while seeming entirely natural for the engaging and media savvy Kate - is a new practice for the Royal Family. Ailments have been traditionally hidden from the public. After such a turbulent year for this family, there is no playbook for how to deal. But it was clear that in the face of photoshop and “kill” orders, accusations, conspiracy theories and social media spats, The Firm had no choice but to work quickly to mobilize. And while it’s a shame that they had to work under such pressure, I applaud them for the message they delivered today. Beyond Kate’s message of disclosure was an overarching message of understanding: We’re listening. We’re getting it. We’re working hard to catch up.

I cannot begin to fathom what this family is going through, and how Kate and William are navigating this crisis within their own small family. What I can say, as a media trainer and leadership communications consultant, is that when we are transparent within reason, the circus almost always settles down. It’s human nature to push for answers; it’s also human nature to feel empathy when faced with another’s struggle. In fact, with Kate’s announcement today, she brought out the best in us; the part of us that wants to be let in, yes, but also the part that wants to support a member of our ever growing global family.

Thank you, Kate. Be well.