Cruel idiots led Kate to share pain

RRIGHT. Now, maybe, just maybe, the trolls, abusers, thick-as-mince conspiracy theorists and all the rest of the online rabble that have been persecuting the Princess of Wales since she was hospitalised just after Christmas will pipe down.

Perhaps even hang their heads in shame. Feel just a frisson of guilt. Shut the hell up. (I’d use a stronger four-letter word than “hell” if this wasn’t a family newspaper). But I wouldn’t bet on it, would you?

Kate’s extraordinarily brave, composed, intelligent and powerful on-camera message to the world at 6pm last night should have mortified even the most dedicated conspiracy nutjob.

Of course, the fact that most of these imbeciles hide behind stupid monikers and “handles” means that, publicly at least, they remain unexposed for the fools and fantasists that they are.

Whereas Kate, on the other hand, has been forced into a completely exposed position: reveal that she has cancer, or suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous online supposition and slander on a daily, even hourly, basis. What a grotesque pass to have come to!

A mother, already dealing with the shocking news that she has cancer – while simultaneously doing her best to recover from major surgery, tend to her children and fend off global intrusion into her private life – finally feels she has no alternative but to cave in to all that pressure and go on the six o’clock news to talk about her most private affairs.

Some of you reading this will be dealing with a diagnosis of cancer of your own. Can you even begin to imagine having to go on network TV – no, make that worldwide TV – to talk about it?

What have we become?

As I watched Kate last night, her brave, lonely composure as she shared such a personal trauma, tears came into my eyes. She should never have had to do this.

She had politely asked for patience and understanding (she only wanted to be left alone until Easter, for God’s sake) and it was ruthlessly, even contemptuously, denied her.

Worse, she was pursued by paparazzi and selfappointed online pundits, none of whom could give a tuppenny damn about her peace of mind or her chances of recovery.

Well, maybe things changed last night. I hope so.

Because if they haven’t, we’re well on our way to a hell of our own making.