Not just a "privacy" issue

and those who are still claiming they have a "right" to know need to shut their mouths and pull their heads in.

The news that the Princess of Wales has cancer is not perhaps as great a shock to many as it might have been. Thoughtful people would have realised that it was something serious. The fools who hang on every word uttered about "the Firm" or Royal Family of course did not realise that. All they were concerned with was that "information" was "being kept from them". 

Well it was information they had no right to have. Yes, that's right...it was information they had no right to have.

My late mother had cancer. She died following a diagnosis of stomach cancer. Our family had to go through all the associated problems of supporting her, supporting each other, dealing with all the well wishers and much more. There were issues some families did not have when faced with such a diagnosis. My mother was a Christian Scientist, a member of a sect which believes any illness is an "error" of mind which can be treated without medical intervention. Now she had to accept medical intervention in an attempt to save her life. My youngest sister did not cope at all and caused all of us even more worry when she tried to make the problems all about her instead. The Senior Cat, a man who did not even notice other women, had to face the fact he was going to lose the love of his life. Brother Cat and Middle Cat had to find ways of telling their children their grandmother was ill and going to die. In the middle of it all I was trying to make sure a household was kept running as well. 

Mum left us of course. We were adults. We knew what the diagnosis - stomach cancer - meant. We knew our mother was going to die. It was a matter of finding ways of coping with that and, apart from the Black Cat, doing our best to support the Senior Cat. 

Although we had many people give us support, something I will always be grateful for, it was still a family thing. We did not have to endure the media constantly speculating. There were things we could still keep to ourselves. There were no demands for statements, interviews, announcements or details - and those demands from strangers, from people who had never met our mother.

There are three young children in the other scenario. They will know their mother is not well. They will know it is serious. What they do not need is the scrutiny which is currently taking place. They do not need the other children at their school asking questions, perhaps even making fun of the situation. They do not need the paparazzi trying to take photographs or intrude on their lives at any time but they especially do not need it now.  They do not need the constant, time consuming criticisms made of their parents for refusing to share the details of what for anyone else would be a private matter. 

To anyone out there who thinks they have a "right" to know the most intimate details of all this - you don't. You have never had that right. It doesn't matter what position someone holds in the community you will never have the right to such information.