Kate’s cancer diagnosis: From conspiracies to compassion – how the tone in the US has changed
Following weeks of intense speculation, not just on social media but by some news outlets, too, there has been a change in tone from the US in its coverage of the Princess of Wales’s health.
As in the UK, Kate’s cancer diagnosis dominated the major broadcasters and newspapers on Friday.
It is a definite shift from the coverage that has played out in recent weeks, as jokes were made and conspiracy theories spread following the release of the now infamous doctored Mother’s Day photo from Kensington Palace.
The aim of the picture was to quell speculation about the princess’s abdominal surgery – but it fanned the flames when news agencies pulled it over the editing.
While rumours about Kate‘s health and personal life played out on social media here, in the US there were major celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Blake Lively sharing comments, and the rumours even made it to the mainstream.
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Blake Lively posted this apology via an Instagram story. Pic: Blake Lively / Instagram
Blake Lively pictured in February. Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
On The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, the host made jokes about the royals, while the satirical news programme The Daily Show also aired a six-minute segment on the situation.
Andy Cohen, host of US talk show Watch What Happens Live!, also tweeted “That ain’t Kate…” after pictures emerged of the Princess of Wales shopping with Prince William at a farm shop in Windsor.
The View host Whoopi Goldberg, however, took a more serious approach, suggesting conspiracy theories in the aftermath of the photo were not kind.
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Prince William and Kate at a farm shop in Windsor
Entertainment site TMZ aired a documentary, TMZ Investigates: Where Is Kate Middleton? on Fox on Thursday night, featuring comments from broadcaster Piers Morgan and Princess Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell, as well as a US surgeon.
Some details of the show now appear to have been taken down from the TMZ website.
And two podcasters who were sharing regular commentary and conspiracy theories have taken down their content from social media.
Sky News analysis found the number of mentions in the US of “Kate Middleton” on Facebook and Instagram on the day before the photo was released (9 March) was about 2,600 – the day after (11 March), there were more than 128,000 mentions.
Now, the tone in America has changed, with an outpouring of support and well-wishes being shared from around the world.
On Friday evening, hashtags including “WeLoveYouCatherine” and “GetWellSoonCatherine” were trending on X, formerly Twitter – the same website which played host to much of the fevered speculation earlier in the month.
Kate’s diagnosis was among the top stories run by the major broadcasters including CNN, CBS and Fox News on Saturday morning, and the headlines will no doubt continue throughout the weekend.
On CNN’s website, a segment is dedicated to Kate’s diagnosis and “what we know”, including commentary from royal and medical experts. CBS is running the story, as well as an article on doctors’ “insights”.
CNN is running an article titled The Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnosis: What we know. Pic: CNN
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Harry and Meghan, who now live in the US, were among the thousands of well-wishers sharing messages of support following the princess’s announcement, releasing a simple statement that referenced the noise that has surrounded her in recent weeks – a situation they know all too well themselves.
“We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace,” they said.
The US headlines – and the internet – are now looking to “be kind”.
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As the future queen, Kate will never have a typical private life – but hopefully now she can continue her treatment away from the chaos of conspiracy.
Joe Biden and Donald Trump have agreed to two head-to-head live televised debates in June and September.
After months of speculation about whether the traditional presidential debates would go ahead, the US broadcaster CNN has announced that a primetime debate will take place at its global headquarters in Atlanta on 27 June at 9pm.
ABC will host a second debate, scheduled for 10 September, just under two months before the election on 5 November.
For weeks, former President Trump has been using social media and rallies to goad President Biden into taking part in a debate.
“Anytime. Anywhere. Anyplace,” Mr Trump has repeatedly said.
Amid speculation over whether President Biden would be prepared to expose himself to the pressure and jeopardy of a live debate, the president used a radio interview in late April to confirm he would be “happy” to.
“I am happy to debate him,” he said. “I am, somewhere. I don’t know when,” he told SiriusFM radio host Howard Stern.
That revelation prompted back-channel conversations between staff from the two campaigns to agree a format.
The debates will bypass the presidential debate commission that traditionally coordinates the process.
Biden and Trump during a presidential debate in Nashville in 2020. Pic: Reuters
Mr Biden’s team have insisted that the two debates do not include a live audience, a move the Trump team are understood to have agreed to.
An hour before CNN announced that it would host the first debate, President Biden released a clip on X confirming his willingness to take part.
“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate,” President Biden said.
“Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal. I’ll even do it twice. So let’s pick the dates, Donald.”
In a jibe at Mr Trump’s court case in New York, which doesn’t sit on Wednesdays, Mr Biden added: “I hear you’re free on Wednesdays.”
‘He can’t put two sentences together’
Donald Trump responded with a lengthy statement on his own social media platform, Truth Social.
“Crooked Joe Biden is the WORST debater I have ever faced – He can’t put two sentences together! Crooked is also the WORST President in the history of the United States, by far,” he said.
“It’s time for a debate so that he can explain to the American People his highly destructive Open Border Policy, new and ridiculous EV Mandates, the allowance of Crushing Inflation, High Taxes, and his really WEAK Foreign Policy which is allowing the World to ‘Catch on Fire.'”
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The former president continued: “I am Ready and Willing to Debate Crooked Joe at the two proposed times in June and September.
“I would strongly recommend more than two debates and, for excitement purposes, a very large venue, although Biden is supposedly afraid of crowds – That’s only because he doesn’t get them. Just tell me when, I’ll be there. ‘Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!'”
The summer and autumn clashes, to be moderated by as-yet unannounced star anchors, promise to be box office occasions with huge jeopardy for both candidates.
US
Rust weapons supervisor Hannah Gutierrez appeals against conviction over fatal shooting on Alec Baldwin film set
The weapons supervisor for the Western film Rust is appealing against her conviction for involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on set, according to court documents.
Hannah Gutierrez was jailed in April after being found guilty by jurors following a trial in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the US.
She was in charge of weapons during the production of the film in October 2021, when a Colt 45 revolver fired by actor and co-producer Alec Baldwin went off during a rehearsal.
Alec Baldwin, pictured on the Rust set, faces a separate trial
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died, while director Joel Souza was injured.
A defence lawyer for Gutierrez, who is serving an 18-month sentence at a prison for women in New Mexico, filed a shortly worded appeal notice on Monday.
Her legal team has 30 days to submit detailed arguments. They previously requested a new trial following the verdict.
Hannah Gutierrez, pictured during her trial, is appealing against her conviction
Gutierrez’s trial was told she unwittingly brought live ammunition to the set, where it was expressly prohibited, and failed to follow basic gun safety protocols.
During her sentencing hearing, she told the court she had tried to do her best while working on the production, despite not having “proper time, resources and staffing”.
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Prosecutors say Baldwin had ‘no control’ of emotions on set
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins died after the gun went off. Pic: Shutterstock
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Baldwin, who was a producer for the film as well as its star, has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter.
He maintains he pulled back the gun’s hammer – but not the trigger – before it fired, and is set to face trial in July. He denies any wrongdoing.
The 66-year-old was originally charged in January 2023, more than a year after the shooting, but those charges were dropped a few months later. He was charged again in January this year.
His legal team has filed a motion calling for the charges to be dropped. Prosecutors responded with a 32-page document claiming that footage of the star on set shows he had “absolutely no control of his own emotions” and “no concern for how his conduct” affected those around him.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Assistant director David Halls, who also faced charges, entered a plea bargain for negligent use of a deadly weapon last year, receiving a six-month suspended sentence.
Filming of Rust resumed last year in Montana – with Baldwin reprising his role as the main character – after an agreement made Ms Hutchins’s widower an executive producer.
A man who scooped a $1.35bn lottery win is said to be embroiled in a legal battle – with his own family.
The Mega Millions winner, who has not been named but is believed to hail from the US state of Maine, won the fourth-largest jackpot in US history last year (worth around £1.07bn).
But the story has only grown more complex since then, and the man is now involved in legal proceedings with two members of his family, US media outlet The Daily Beast reports.
He is said to have sued his daughter’s mother for allegedly revealing his newfound wealth to other members of his family in what he claimed was a violation of a non-disclosure agreement.
The lottery winner has also reportedly demanded hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties, claiming that his child’s mother told his father, sister and stepmother about his big windfall.
But in recent court filings, the woman alleged that the man himself told his father and stepmother about the win, The Daily Beast reported.
Her lawyers said this “shatters the remaining shards” of the lawsuit.
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The unnamed lottery winner’s father has also now apparently become involved in the legal proceedings, alleging that his son misled him about a number of things since the win.
“I understand that my son has stated that he told me nothing about his money ‘other than the simple fact that I had won.’ That is not true,” he is quoted as saying in a declaration.
His dad adds that his son “told me a number of things he planned on doing with his money,” even though he never asked him for anything, The Daily Beast also reported.
These allegedly included building a new garage for his father as well as buying old cars to fix up.
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