Catherine, Princess of Wales praised for chemo video

A slick video by Catherine, Princess of Wales announcing that her chemotherapy has finished marks a dramatic shift in communications for the British royal family, media and commentators said on Tuesday.

Kate, as she is widely known, posted the three-minute footage on social media on Tuesday, some six months after she dramatically revealed in another video that she was being treated for the condition.

But the intimate portrait of the 42-year-old princess, her husband Prince William and their young children was notable for its departure from the stiff formality of traditional royal public relations.

"It's groundbreaking, an absolute first, a tectonic shift in how the royal family controls its image," said PR consultant Mark Borkowski.

"Kate's journey is profound and deeply personal, but they've learned that emotion can be controlled — and weaponised — in small, potent doses.

"By doing this through a polished film, they maintain dignity and control while still appearing relatable."

The Times likened the video, shot by filmmaker Will Warr in the Norfolk countryside of eastern England where the family has a home, to a Hollywood trailer for the Instagram generation.

The daily assessed it was "the most intimate portrayal of royal family since (Queen Elizabeth II) invited a fly-on-the-wall documentary crew into her home in 1969".

"In 40 years of covering the Royal Family I have never seen anything like Catherine's video. It's a first for the royals," veteran photographer Arthur Edwards wrote in The Sun tabloid.

Newspapers sought to decode the meaning behind the soft focus scenes of the young family seeking solace in nature and enjoying each other's company.

Many saw in it a clear sign that the princess, who will be queen when William succeeds his father King Charles III, was carefully attempting to control the narrative of her illness.

"She's the one in the driving seat," said The Times, while Jennie Bond, a former BBC royal correspondent, said she was "putting down her marker" for the future.