Following weeks of speculation and questions, Catherine, Princess of Wales, revealed Friday that cancer was found following her January abdominal surgery and has been undergoing chemotherapy, the BBC reported.

Many communications professional have been watching the Princess Catherine situation closely after an edited photo of Catherine and her three children was retracted by wire services, causing a PR scandal and deepening the mystery around the princess’ absence.

But the reason is now all too clear.

Catherine said in a video message that the unspecified form of cancer was discovered after a previously disclosed abdominal surgery. She needed time to recover from that operation and has only recently begun chemotherapy, she said.

Read more: After the Princess Catherine photo disaster, have this conversation with your clients

In the video message, she said, “William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.”

“I am well and getting stronger every day,” she added.

A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2024

In addition to Catherine’s diagnosis, her father-in-law, King Charles III, is also undergoing treatment for cancer.

Why it matters: It’s not easy being a royal. Yes, they get fairy tales and fancy lives but lose all semblance of privacy.

We now know that the radio silence and lack of public appearances by the princess were due to serious illness rather than something more nefarious. But while a regular person has the right to conceal their illness if they choose, that same luxury is simply not afforded to a monarch-to-be.

In the absence of information, the frenzied, fevered rumor mill filled in the blanks with the worst, most conspiracy-laden theories possible.

From the outside, it’s impossible to say who drove the PR strategy of silence, though a dignified lack of comment has long been a hallmark of the royal family. But it’s possible that Catherine herself, striving to keep some autonomy over herself and her family, insisted on waiting to reveal the news until it became clear that the scandal would not subside without a clear, direct explanation of what had been going on with one of the most visible women in the world.

It’s a horrible, heartbreaking situation. There’s no real way to win here. The conspiracy theories won’t end, especially not with cancer cropping up twice in the same family at the same time. Catherine will continue to have to fight for any shred of privacy, as even her medical records were breached.

It’s all a sad, weary echo of the life (and death) of Princess Diana, Catherine’s late mother-in-law whom paparazzi hounded until the very moment she was killed by their voracious appetite for another photo of her.

It also calls to mind another recent scandal over the non-disclosure of a medical condition. Lloyd Austin, the U.S. defense secretary, came under fire for failing to disclose to the White House or his temporary replacement that he had been hospitalized for cancer surgery.

All of this demonstrates how messy and complicated communications can be when it comes to a personal health issue.

There are no easy answers here. No finger-wagging maxims about what you should always do in these situations or what you should never do. Only that if you find yourself in a situation where you are helping a principal, client or even a friend deal with whether or how to disclose a medical issue that is impacting their official duties, lead with empathy. With listening. By releasing what information you can while fighting like hell to preserve as much privacy as the client wants.

There will be times when this balance is difficult — even impossible — to maintain. When stakeholders’ right to know will outweigh an individual’s own personal tragedy.

If that day comes, be as kind, as sensitive and as understanding as you can be.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery for Princess Catherine and all those battling cancer.

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post Princess Catherine reveals cancer treatment after weeks of PR unrest appeared first on PR Daily.

Research reveals growth and top priorities of burgeoning wellness industry, while virtual conference includes speakers from Facebook, IBM, Intel, PwC, PepsiCo, Nvidia, VMware, and more.

The post Exclusive new research to be unveiled at Ragan’s Workplace Wellness Conference, set for next Wednesday appeared first on PR Daily.

Dear friends of Ragan,

As our nation grieves over the death of George Floyd and seeks to come out of ongoing demonstrations and protests more unified, our team at Ragan stands in solidarity behind Black Lives Matter. As an organization serving communicators whose critical role it is to share the authentic truths and stories of their brands and their people, we also are processing what is happening to this country before our very eyes.

The Ragan team wants to tell your stories and support your efforts. We will advocate for Black rights in meaningful ways. We commit to use our platform to ensure that people of color in our profession are heard and included. We want to learn more about the issues impacting, and infecting, our country, as well as your experiences.

It is our goal as a company for communicators to connect you with ideas and people to help you succeed. It is our goal as daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, friends, cousins, aunts, uncles, and citizens, to endeavor to do better. We respect and embrace that our differences are what unites us.

Sincerely,

Diane Schwartz, CEO, Ragan Communications

And

Mark Ragan, Chairman of the Board, Ragan Communications

The post Statement from Ragan Communications on Black Lives Matter appeared first on PR Daily.

Diane Schwartz, former publisher of PR News and one of the nation’s most recognized experts in corporate communication, has joined Ragan Communications as Chief Executive Officer, effective May 13.

The Chicago-based media company is best known for its PR and communication news sites and its growing conference, training and membership divisions. Its daily news sites—PR Daily, Ragan.com and HealthCareNews—are read by more than 600,000 internal and external communicators monthly.

“Diane Schwartz is known by nearly every communicator and PR professional in the country,” said Mark Ragan, owner and chairman of the board at Ragan. “I can think of few people in corporate communication as influential as Diane.”

The hiring of Schwartz coincides with Ragan’s plan to open a New York City office later this year. “New York is one of the epicenters of PR and corporate communication,” Ragan said. “We have long needed a presence there, and soon we’ll have one.”

Among many of Schwartz’s accomplishments at PR News was the launch of the world’s leading PR awards program, its successful conference division and its critically acclaimed newsletter, which for the past 75 years has been widely read by key industry influencers.

As CEO, one of Schwartz’s priorities will be the continued growth of Ragan’s hugely successful Communications Leadership Council. Launched in 2017, the Council has grown to include nearly 100 Fortune 500 brands, including The Coca-Cola Company, Disney, Amazon, Aflac, Target and Microsoft. Ragan also runs The Social Media Leadership Council, whose members include digital and social media communicators and marketers.

Schwartz joins Ragan Communications after 23 years at Access Intelligence, where she was senior vice president and group publisher of the Media & Communications Division, including head of the PR News Group. An accomplished business leader and innovator, Schwartz has a proven track record of driving organic growth while delivering top-notch customer experience across a multitude of vertical markets, including communication, marketing, media and entertainment. At Access Intelligence, Schwartz brought a customer-first mentality to the brands under her watch, including PR News, AdExchanger, Admonsters, Folio, Cablefax, Cynopsis, StudioDaily and Social Shake-Up.

A longtime PR advocate, Schwartz founded the PR News Measurement Conference and Hall of Fame, the Platinum PR Awards, the Crisis Management Summit, Media Relations Conference and numerous training and recognition programs to shine a bright light on PR’s contribution to an organization’s reputation and bottom line.

Schwartz, a 30-year media veteran and former journalist, serves on the boards of the Institute for Public Relations and the Alliance for Women in Media. She will embark on an industry listening tour in the coming months and plans to announce several groundbreaking Ragan initiatives in the fall.

For media interviews, contact Jennifer Mazurek at 312-960-4220 or Mandy Zaransky at mandyz@ragan.com.

The post Ragan Communications welcomes Diane Schwartz as new CEO appeared first on PR Daily.