On Friday, the BBC said its coverage of Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis was done out of “sensitivity” and “the importance of this story”, responding to complaints from some viewers and listeners that it was “excessive and insensitive.”
Britain's public broadcaster acknowledged “not everyone would have approved of the approach we took” in covering Middleton's revelations last month, following weeks of speculation and conspiracy theories shared on social media.
A BBC statement emphasized that “the approach reflects the importance of this story and the outpouring of support for the princess from around the world.” “As part of our analysis we looked into the intense speculation that has been raised about the princess’s health over the past few weeks. We also reported on Catherine’s privacy requests and detailed Kensington Palace’s statement that the princess has privacy rights in relation to her medical matters.”
Middleton, Princess of Wales, recently posted on social media, “I had major abdominal surgery in London last January, and at the time my condition was not thought to be cancerous.” The surgery was successful. However, after surgery, tests revealed cancer.” She added that she had started a course of preventive chemotherapy treatment as per her medical advice.
The BBC emphasized on Friday that “the editorial decisions we make are always carefully considered.”
Overall, Britain's public broadcaster responded to news reports about Middleton's cancer diagnosis, asserting: “Our reporting makes it clear that this is a difficult time for the princess and the rest of the royal family.” The bottom line is: “We have always tried to approach our reporting sensitively.”