The BBC on Friday pushed back against allegations that its coverage of Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis was “excessive and insensitive.”
The U.K.’s national broadcaster defended its editorial choices following the Princess of Wales’ bombshell health announcement last month. The future queen revealed she is receiving chemotherapy after intense international speculation as to her condition following abdominal surgery in January.
The BBC said it had “broadcast in full the highly personal video message” in which Kate revealed her diagnosis and claimed its coverage “reflected the significance of this story and the outpouring of support for the princess from around the globe,” The Mirror reports.
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“We explained to our audience what was known about Catherine’s condition, but did not speculate on details that had not been made public,” the broadcaster added. “Our reporting made clear that this is a difficult time for the princess and the rest of the Royal Family; we have been mindful at all times to approach our coverage with sensitivity.”
The BBC also said that while its analysis of the story did include an examination of the speculation about Kate’s health, it “also reported on Catherine’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.”
“We always give careful consideration to the editorial decisions we make,” the broadcaster said. “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.”
