The Princess of Wales’s openness is a public service to the nation

Editorial: Even the stoutest republican will acknowledge that if we are to be a constitutional monarchy, the royal family can use its role to do good – with her courageous announcement, Kate Middleton has done exactly that

The Princess’s story is a reminder that cancer can strike anyone (PA Images)

Now we understand why there seemed to be a gap between what the Prince and Princess of Wales were saying and the evidence that something was not right about the state of the royal household.

As Catherine said in her video statement on Friday, “It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK.”

She and her husband are quite right to put their children first, and many of the public figures who amplified conspiracy theories about the royal family were quite wrong to do so – and some of them have even been honest enough to say so and to apologise.