Such a personal video is a strikingly different approach for a health update about the Princess of Wales. #googlenewslive #google #bbcnewslive #bbclondon #bbc #worldnews #bbcworld
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00:00Such a personal video is a strikingly different approach for a health update about the Princess
00:04of Wales. It is highly emotional and full of harvest colours heading into an almost melancholy
00:11tone as Catherine walks in the countryside with her family. There could have been a traditional
00:16press release or a statement delivered to the camera but instead there's a soft focus,
00:21cinematic touch to this message. Instead of footnotes and explainers about the completion
00:27of her chemotherapy, there's stylised filming and an intimate first-person narration.
00:32This is clearly a well-planned approach to releasing information, with the filming by
00:37Will Waughar taking place in Norfolk last month and the changes of clothes suggesting more than
00:42one filming session. It's a world away from old-school royal releases which stuck to the
00:47barest of details and stayed as dry as the desert. This much lusher treatment follows the trend of
00:53celebrities and public figures taking their messages straight to the public, using the
00:58language of social media rather than conventional news or an interview. It allows a great deal of
01:03control over the message, with evocative music and slick editing driving the story forward,
01:09rather than any questions that might arise about her health or treatment.
01:13We see Catherine, in a 1970s-style long flowing dress, spending time with her family in the woods
01:19and by the beach, playing a game with her own parents. These are framed in a relatable way,
01:25a family relaxing after really tough times, in a rural setting that's meant to send a message
01:30about the soothing powers of nature. Over the top of the pictures is Catherine's narration,
01:36in a movie voiceover style, capturing her sense of cautious optimism as she welcomes
01:41the end of her chemotherapy while at the same time recognising the fragility of life.