BBC Defends Kate Middleton Cancer Reporting After Complaints of ‘Excessive and Insensitive’ Coverage

The BBC defended its coverage of Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis after it received several complaints that it was “excessive and insensitive.”

In a statement shared Friday (via Variety), the BBC said its coverage “reflected the significance of this story and the outpouring of support for the princess from around the globe. We explained to our audience what was known about Catherine’s condition but did not speculate on details that had not been made public.”

After months out of the public eye after undergoing abdominal surgery, Middleton revealed that she had cancer in a video shared last March (BBC Studios actually filmed the two-minute clip). While Middleton did not specify what type of cancer she had, she said she’d begun chemotherapy and preventative treatment. The announcement put an end to months of gossip, speculation, and even conspiracies about her health, spurred in part by an obvious Photoshopping of a Mother’s day photo. 

In its statement, the BBC said it was “mindful at all times to approach our coverage with sensitivity.” The broadcaster did acknowledge that, as part of its analysis, there were discussions about “the intense speculation there had been in the preceding weeks about the princess’s health.” But, the BBC also noted it reported on Middleton’s “request for privacy and detailed the statement from Kensington Palace regarding the princess having the right to privacy in relation to her medical issues.”

The statement concluded: “We always give careful consideration to the editorial decisions we make.  While we have a responsibility to report on stories that are of interest to our audience, we appreciate that not everyone would have approved of the approach we took.”

Following the announcement of her cancer diagnosis, a Kensington Palace spokesperson released a joint statement on behalf of Middleton and Prince William, saying they were “enormously touched by the kind messages” they received. “They are extremely moved by the public’s warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time,” the statement continued.