Princess Kate's Cancer Update Video Contains Powerful "Symbolism," According to a PR Expert

I never thought of it that way.

Kate Middleton wears a flowy, patterned dress in her video announcing the end of her cancer treatment
(Image credit: Instagram / The Prince and Princess of Wales)

Princess Kate recently shared a cancer update video with the happy news that she has completed chemotherapy.

The video was an emotional look into Kate's family life with husband Prince William, and their children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.

And, perhaps importantly, it was set in woodlands—which one PR expert believes wasn't just because it made a pretty background.

"Perhaps this is me reading too much into this. But, I have a suspicion that I’m not," Edward Coram-James, chief executive of GoUp, told Express.

"Much of the Princess’s latest video was shot in a woodland setting. But with smiling children and a happy family," Coram-James added, explaining that by his interpretation of things, "The Princess of Wales is not yet out of the woods. But, she’s on her way. And she has her family. And, for her, that makes things okay."

Much of Princess Kate's cancer update video was set in the woods.

Much of Princess Kate's cancer update video was set in the woods.

(Image credit: Courtesy of The Prince and Princess of Wales / Instagram)

Essentially, Coram-James is saying that the woodland setting is a stand-in for Kate not being completely "out of the woods" health-wise. While we don't know if this was a deliberate choice on the Waleses' part or not, it certainly stands to reason.

"The Royal Family for centuries used subtle symbolism in their portraits, statements, photographs and films to make a point," Coram-James said. "It seems that this may be another example of it."

As for the expression "out of the woods," it's one that Kate herself used in one of her cancer updates back in June, sharing a photo that appeared to have been taken in—if not exactly the same—at least a very similar setting to the one in the recent video.

In her latest update, Kate's tone was hopeful yet cautious. "Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus," she told royal fans. "Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes."

Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.