They follow every move of the English royal family. And in the good books of Buckingham Palace, as opposed to the tabloid royal experts…provided they respect the rules of the game.
In London they are called “Royal Watchers”. As their name suggests, these journalists constantly follow the members of the royal family. At Buckingham or around the polo fields, they scrutinize their every move, their every move cup of tea with high-ranking palace officials or attend minor garden parties in exchange for exclusive information. Often hiding behind their “royal sources”, they reported on the dispute between William and his brother Harry, the internal tension in the palace caused by Meghan Markle, the noisy departure of the Sussexes from the firm (the nickname given to the royal institution). .. In short, royal reporters have their work cut out for them in recent years.
It must be said that the Windsors have had some setbacks, between the fratricidal war, the deaths (of Prince Philip and Elizabeth II) and members in poor condition. 32 years laterannus horribilis The year 2024 of the royal family was set under the sign of Charles III and his daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, getting cancer. To deal with the news, royal correspondents had to redouble their efforts to inform the public without unduly offending the palace; a balancing act in the age of social media and fake news. Sky News reporter Rhiannon Mills is the latest to pay the price. After Kate Middleton wrote in September that “pre-cancerous cells were found after abdominal surgery”, conspiracy theories emerged online suggesting that the Princess of Wales never had cancer; Today, everything suggests that the reporter’s information was wrong. The article has since been corrected, but following this inconvenience, we think: Will Rhiannon Mills face the wrath of Buckingham Palace after her blunder? Is he in danger of being expelled from the Royal Rota, the one who belonged to these few reporters picked and chosen by the House?
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Cream of the crop
To better understand what’s at stake here, we first need to know the hierarchy that prevails among royal correspondents across the Channel. At the bottom of the pyramid are the paparazzi. The top tier includes well-known tabloid professionals The Daily Mirror, The Daily Mail Or The sun These dailies have cells dedicated to covering the royal family and have the right to pay their informants in exchange for scoops. And finally, at the top of the pyramid is the Royal Rota, the royal correspondents accredited by Buckingham Palace. “In short, the cream of the crop,” sums up journalist Mark Roche. He once belonged to this select group of reporters when he wrote The world. “Royal Rota counts major British press titles such as The Times (And The Sunday Times) Or The Telegraph. The media is, let’s say, quite conservative. For example, none The Guardian:a newspaper known to be anti-monarchist. There are also reporters from several magazines. Tatler, Greetings, Okay. And some foreign media. The Globe and Mail, The Australian… The worldin my time.”
Being part of the Royal Rota is the Holy Grail for any journalist covering Windsor news. This means being informed about all events attended by the Royal Family, receiving briefings before an official visit, being invited to social events (such as the opening of an exhibition at the Royal Gallery), attending a member’s farewell party at the Palace’s informal aperitif… But the price to pay is high; “When you belong to a royal company, you are subject to draconian rules,” says Mark Roche. “Thus, articles should never disclose an official citation, nor the name of the source. It is also strictly forbidden to approach members of the royal family or their entourage (private secretaries or assistants) unless they come to you naturally. The only contact is the communications director and his deputies.”
The art of reading between the lines
But one thing leads to another, the web is woven and doing its job. “You see people so much that they eventually trust you. You’re having a beer in the pub one night, you’re exchanging pints on an official visit, and it’s all about subtlety. You need to know how to act well and above all master the art of reading between the lines. For my part, after a long apprenticeship, I now know social codes like the back of my hand. For example, if someone said to me, ‘That’s a good idea,’ that meant it was actually a crazy idea.”
There is no question of breaking the rules in the royal company. “Every journalist is sitting on the ejection seat. If you don’t behave well, they thank you,” says Mark Roche. This is one of the reasons that will explain the reservations of the British press about Kate Middleton’s health. Which constitutes certain death.” In recent months, obviously, all the royal correspondents have played the palace game.
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Source: Le Figaro
