Kate Middleton becomes tangible in a video with William and blades of grass

To announce the happy news on Monday that she has completed her cancer treatment and is ready to resume royal duties, Catherine, Princess of Wales – and her palace staff – turned to a London-based filmmaker to produce a video full of movie-like moments and uplifting nature images that seems designed to offer a casual and surprisingly intimate look at her, Prince William and their family.

It is striking that Catherine has frequent physical contact in the video, including with William, as if to emphasize her statement that the “complex, frightening and unpredictable” cancer journey she and her family have gone through has reminded her and her husband “to reflect on and be grateful for the simple but important things in life… to simply love and be loved.”

Before and after Catherine's statement, “To love and be loved,” she is often seen hugging her children as the family of five enjoys walks in the woods or a picnic on the beach, presumably near their country estate in Norfolk, England. What may surprise royal watchers most is the physical affection Catherine and William show for each other, as the couple are never seen holding hands or touching on royal occasions.

At one point, the future Queen and King of England lie side by side on a blanket in the sand. At other moments, they cuddle, their hands wrapped around each other or on each other's legs, or she rests her head on his shoulder. The video is mostly shot in hazy light and in parts has the quality of an old home video. It was created by Will Warr, a filmmaker known for his work in advertising and for shooting wedding videos, according to the Daily Mail and the New York Times.

“Summer is coming to an end and I can't tell you what a relief it is to have finally finished my chemotherapy,” Kate begins the voice-over for the video.

“The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family,” Catherine continues. “Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and the unknown path.”

For the public, Catherine's health woes began back in January, when Kensington Palace announced that she had undergone “major abdominal surgery” for an undisclosed condition and would remain in hospital for up to two weeks. In March, she revealed that the surgery had revealed cancer and that she was undergoing chemotherapy to treat it.

On one hand, the video “lifts a cloud from the British royal family” after an “agonizing period” in which both she and her father-in-law, King Charles III, were afflicted with cancer, according to the New York Times. On the other hand, however, the video leaves many questions unanswered. She and Kensington Palace have never revealed what type of cancer she had or how advanced it was out of respect for her medical privacy. Nor has Kensington Palace itself declared that Catherine is cancer-free.

But the video is obviously intended to inform the British public about Catherine's condition and give them hope that she is doing well, as she is often considered one of the monarchy's most valuable possessions.

“I'm now focused on doing everything I can to stay cancer free,” Catherine says in the video, being cautious about her health. “Although I've completed chemotherapy, my road to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”

At the beginning of the video, the princess is seen literally in the driver's seat – both of the narrative and of the hand-driven SUV in which the family sets off on their shore excursion.

“With humility, (the cancer diagnosis) also confronts you with your own vulnerability in ways you’ve never considered before, giving you a new perspective on everything,” Catherine continues.

Throughout the video, there are also quick cuts to images of leaves, ferns, and the princess walking alone through the forest or standing next to what looks like an oak tree and looking up at the sky. Wearing a simple cotton peasant-style dress and sneakers, she also enjoys the feeling of the wind in her hair or the touch of odd-looking pebbles or twigs that she finds and picks up along the way.

And in a somewhat cliched moment, the camera follows Catherine from behind as she walks through a field of tall grass, her left hand brushing the tips of the grass. The scene is reminiscent of others in countless films or commercials, most notably Gladiator, when Russell Crowe's Maximus ponders his fate while running his hand through a field of wheat.

To conclude the video, Catherine lets viewers know that she will resume her royal duties in the coming months, but she explains that these may be limited, saying that she will take on “some” of them when she is able.

“I begin this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and a greater appreciation for life,” Catherine said, ending the video with a nod to others who are also living with a cancer diagnosis.

“To all of you continuing your own journey through cancer, I stand with you, side by side, hand in hand,” she says. “Out of the darkness can come light, so let that light shine brightly.”

Originally published: September 9, 2024 at 12:09