BBC defends coverage of Kate Middleton’s cancer news coverage

Documents are the lifeblood of historians, the tools with which we build our picture of the past. For most historians and biographers there is a surfeit of sources to draw from, ranging from documents in public archives and private collections to accounts in books and interviews.

For the royal historian, however, there is very little beyond often inaccurate press cuttings, and briefings by “sources” in royal circles. Even Netflix reenactments of infamous interviews only allow an interpreation of what the royals themselves chose to put in the public domain.

This is because there remains a deference and culture of secrecy with regard to the royal family. They are largely exempt from the Freedom of Information Act; the Royal Archives have no public inventory – rather like a restaurant with no menu; what papers are deposited in the National Archives are subject to a series of exemptions; and those who have worked with them are almost inevitably subject to confidentiality contracts.

The British actor, 58, recently addressed the speculation during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. During the 3 April episode, Hurley insisted she wasn’t the unnamed “older woman” who the Duke of Sussex wrote about losing his virginity to in his 2023 memoir, Spare.

“That was ludicrous!” Hurley said, in response to the speculation. “He said: ‘She was English. She was older than me. It was in Gloucestershire.’ And they were like: ‘Ah, it’s Elizabeth.’ It was absurd. It was ridiculous.”

The Duke of York was seen waving as he rode around Windsor on Friday as Netflix drama Scoop, which reenacts the story of how the BBC secured the now infamous interview, went live.

Alexander Butler reports:

A royal author has claimed Prince Harry will have to meet with his father King Charles and his brother Prince William if the Duke of Sussex makes a trip to the UK next month for a celebration of 10 years of the Invictus Games.

Tom Quinn told the Mirror: “If he decides not to come, it will take some explaining because everyone will assume it’s because he doesn’t want the awkwardness of having to meet his brother or having to choose not to meet him.

”Not coming would be worse than finding some sort of compromise where Harry sees William for 10 minutes or comes up with some reason why he doesn’t have time to see his brother and his father and has to get back to the States quickly to be with his children. But no one is going to be fooled by these excuses.”

The BBC has said it received complaints from people who believed its coverage of the Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnosis was “excessive and insensitive”.

Kate revealed she was undergoing treatment for cancer in an emotional video message released on March 22, in which she told others battling the disease “you are not alone”.

The broadcaster had aired the full video and said it was “mindful” of its reporting approach, and did not speculate on details that had not been made public.

Prince Harry will swerve a royal wedding this year to avoid an awkward encounter with William, according to a Royal expert.

Royal biographer Tom Quinn said the Duke would miss the wedding of Hugh Grosvenor, the 7th Duke of Westminster, in June, as it would be “too awkward”.

Prince William is set to attend the ceremony in Chester, Cheshire, as Grosvenor is Prince George’s godfather, Mr Quinn said.