Return to Transcripts main page
First Move with Julia Chatterley
Princess Of Wales Being Treated For Cancer; Moscow Terror Attack; At Least 40 Killed In Mass Shooting At Concert Venue In Russia; ISIS Claims Responsibility For Attack In Russia; Princess Of Wales Diagnosed With Cancer; Russian Concert Hall Attack. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired March 22, 2024 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: -- brand-new episode and the last episode of the season for my series "United States of Scandal." This one features the
identity leak by the Bush administration of CIA operative Valerie Plame. The "United States of Scandal" airs Sunday night at 9:000 Eastern on CNN.
If you ever miss an episode of "The Lead," you can listen to the show once you get your podcasts. The news continues on CNN. But I'm going to keep
going right now to back to our breaking news story. ISIS now clean --
ANNOUNCER: CNN Breaking News.
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN HOST, FIRST MOVE: You're watching CNN. I'm Julia Chatterley. And we're following two breaking news stories for you this
hour. A heartbreaking personal message from Catherine, Princess of Wales, announcing she's fighting cancer. It was discovered following her abdominal
surgery back in January. The princess is now undergoing chemotherapy.
And a mass shooting in Russia. Local media reporting gunmen opened fire at a popular concert venue in Moscow killing at least 40 people. ISIS has now
claimed responsibility for the attack. The latest on that in just a moment.
But first, to that news from Kensington Palace and from the Princess of Wales herself. Catherine letting the public know in a recorded video
message that she's being treated for cancer.
The 42-year-old mother of three described being in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy. She didn't say what type of cancer she has only
that it was found after she'd had that major abdominal surgery about two months ago. And she also made very clear that the priority has been
protecting her three young children as well as addressing her health.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATHERINE, PRINCESS OF WALES: This, of course, came as a huge shock. And William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this
privately for the sake of our young family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: Max Foster has more details on what we know at this moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A devastating announcement from the Princess of Wales.
CATHERINE: In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London. And at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous.
The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a
course of preventative chemotherapy, and I'm now in the early stages of that treatment.
FOSTER (voice-over): In a recorded message, the royals said she had begun chemotherapy to treat an unspecified cancer. After weeks of speculation
about Catherine's well-being, this is her first official appearance filmed by BBC Studios on Wednesday on the grounds of Windsor Castle, according to
a royal source. She explained why it had taken some time to go public with the news.
CATHERINE: It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte, and Louis in a way that's appropriate for them, and to reassure
them that I'm going to be OK.
As I've said to them, I am well. and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body and spirits.
FOSTER (voice-over): A royal source telling CNN Kate and William had been waiting until their children began their school holidays to share the
diagnosis publicly, to try to shield them from the news coverage.
Catherine hadn't been seen at any official public appearances since Christmas, off work and out of the public eye since then. In January, the
princess underwent an unspecified abdominal surgery and was in hospital for two weeks, a frenzy of conspiracy theories emerging on social media, but
few guessed the princess could have been dealing with such a serious diagnosis at the age of 42.
The princess' announcement comes just weeks after the royal family announced King Charles himself had cancer. The king today is saying he's so
proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did, according to Buckingham Palace.
KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL HISTORIAN: I think we are moving into a new royal world. It's totally unprecedented. The king was open, Kate is open, and I
think it really makes us think about the royal family. We can't always imagine their super humans going on forever.
FOSTER (voice-over): Prince Harry and wife Megan sent their wishes too saying, we wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope
they're able to do so privately and in peace.
Despite Catherine's unprecedented openness, it's unlikely any further details will be shared by the princess about her illness, and she's asked
to be given privacy at this time.
Catherine has said she's in good spirits, but a royal source said that she won't return to full-time duties until cleared by her doctors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: And Anna Stewart joins us now. Anna, you don't have to be what we'd call a monarchist or even care, I think, about the royal family to be
deeply moved by what was a very human statement there and giving a world some appreciation of what she's been going through for the past few months,
and I think most particularly why they've stayed silent.
[18:05:00]
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There has been so much pressure for more information on the whereabouts and condition of the Princess of Wales.
There has been speculation and intrigue. There have even been, frankly, ridiculous conspiracy theories that, at times, have been really quite
offensive.
And what was really clear from that video message we had from the Princess of Wales was that the timing of this announcement is nothing to do with
that awful pressure. The timing of this is all to do with the royal family, and not the Royal Family, the institution, the family of five with three
young children who today finished school, ready for their half-term Easter holidays, only to be told this by their parents that their mother has
cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
And of course, this comes just weeks after they found out that their grandfather was also being diagnosed with cancer. So, an incredibly
difficult time, a very personal time for the family. And the timing of this announcement very much centered around that family unit and ensuring that
they can digest this news in as much privacy as possible, which has been really quite hard, I imagine, given the speculation over the recent weeks.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, they asked for -- and she asked personally, again, for peace and privacy as they continue to come to deal with this. And
obviously, now the children are off school so they can, in some way, shelter them and keep them away from what's going to be a global onslaught,
I think, and still questions being asked because we still don't have all the details.
Anna, do you think they will be given some degree of privacy? It's very different, I think, now how the British press handle this versus what is so
uncontrollable about what's shared and viewed on social media.
STEWART: Well, I have to say there was a similar message we had in terms of briefings to not take any kind of pictures or videos of the king as he
goes about his cancer treatment, and I haven't seen anything. So, one would hope that the same could be done for the Princess of Wales.
How long that lasts, I just don't know. I'm sure there will be speculation in the weeks and months to come about what her condition is, how is she
doing, is she recovering. But the message from Kensington Palace is very clear and the message from the princess herself, they are going to take
time to focus on her recovery. And I suppose if there is news they want to share, they will.
But I don't think we'll get any detail, particularly not in terms of what the cancer is, what stage it's at. We didn't have that with King Charles.
And frankly, what's really interesting is, already, we're getting a lot more information from this royal family than we have in the past.
For instance, we still don't know what the cause of death was for her majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. So, it is a different era. We're getting lots
of information. The public have to just be satisfied with the what the -- what they've got today.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, and they know far more now, Anna. On that point though, obviously, it's -- we've got another weekend and then it's Easter weekend.
Of course, again, when we would traditionally have seen them. Do we have any sense of whether we may or may not see her at that point?
It was interesting she said, look, I am getting better and I'm OK, and I'm feeling stronger. It's just somehow, I think, finding that balance because
when we do eventually see her again the interest is going to be so great, whether that's from a good place or just general interest in who she is and
what she is.
STEWART: And I don't think you can expect people to not have that sort of interest.
CHATTERLEY: Right.
STEWART: And I imagine that will play into the decisions that are made as to whether she appears at various events. Yes, usually, there is a sort of
Easter church service for the royal family, but we don't at the stage even know where the Prince and Princess of Wales will decide to spend the Easter
holidays, whether they maybe want to go up to Norfolk and spend it privately with their children. And I'm not sure we'll get much information
on that. It would probably be wait and see.
You might remember with her majesty, the Queen Elizabeth II, before she died. We had an era where if she could make an engagement, that was great,
but there was no expectation. So, it might be a little bit like that.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, and it's the same, isn't it, for the future king, for the Prince of Wales. He's got a family to take care of, to your earlier point.
So, we'll be lucky when we see them in the interim. We wish her well. All of them well. Anna Stewart, thank you.
OK. For more now on the medical side of this story, let's bring in Dr. Curtiland Deville. He's the medical director for the Johns Hopkins Proton
Therapy Center.
Dr. Deville, thank you so much for joining us. Your observations in light of what we've heard from the Princess of Wales today. Clearly, there was
fears when we heard that she had to have a two-week or near two-week medical stay for abdominal surgery, that this might be perhaps what was
going on.
DR. CURTILAND DEVILLE, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, JOHNS HOPKINS PROTON THERAPY CENTER AND PROFESSOR, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: Yes,
well, I think it was a surprise to hear of the cancer diagnosis, but, you know, I think it makes sense in hindsight when we think about why there was
such a lag in information in really trying to get all of the information, get the diagnosis, understand the diagnosis and the appropriate treatments.
And it does often take time to get to that point as much.
As we'd like to have information right away, doing that complete analysis does take time, and the patient themselves has to recover and come to an
understanding of that diagnosis to move forward and be able to deal with it. So -- but, you know, some timely and important information, I think,
was shared today.
[18:10:00]
CHATTERLEY: Can I ask -- and again, we don't have the facts on what type of cancer this is. We've been told, again, major abdominal surgery, but we
don't know what part of the abdomen, what was going on in terms of where the cancer is located to.
Your observations about what she described as preventative chemotherapy post a period of healing after the surgery, what does that say to you?
DR. DEVILLE: Yes, it's a challenge. I mean, we could speculate a lot. I mean, if we think about the -- you know, fact that there was a major
abdominal surgery that leads us often to think of, you know, what's in that area, gastrointestinal tumors such as the colon, you know, small bowel,
large bowel, but also, you know, what's common in women of a younger age might be gynecologic type tumors, which are generally lower in the pelvis,
but may, you know, require abdominal surgery or an abdominal approach and still be considered in sort of an abdominal surgery. So, we really don't
know too much in terms of the tumor type or that not much is sort of revealed from that perspective.
If we think about the need for chemotherapy afterwards as a preventative or what we would call adjuvant chemotherapy are sometimes, you know, in
discussions with patients, we talk about it as sort of an insurance policy. It's this idea that, you know, all the cancer has been removed, the visible
cancer has been removed, the imaging studies, the follow-up scans show that there is no visible signs of cancer.
But for -- in the analysis of the tumor and in different tests that we can do, we may be concerned that there's still a high risk for having some
residual cancer cells left in the body. And there have been, you know, again, across many different tumor types, there's lots of evidence that
additional treatments like chemotherapy or radiation therapy, immunotherapies, hormonal therapies even, that those may help to eliminate
any residual cancer cells and therefore, improve the survival and the longevity.
And so, you know, there are some particular tumor types that may, you know, portend to that, such as colon cancer that I mentioned before, or some of
the gynecologic tumors. But, you know, we didn't get more details around that to sort of know.
The other thing I'll say is, you know, these chemotherapies, these sort of preventive -- in this preventative state, there may be a variety of types
of chemotherapy that can be given as an IV, an intravenous infusion, or they may be just an oral, you know, a pill or an oral medication that the
patient can take as sort of completely outpatient and not have to come into a center.
They can also be for a very prolonged course. And so, they may be, you know, just three months, six months, or much longer, depending on the
aggressiveness or the concern of the aggressiveness of the tumor.
CHATTERLEY: Yes. I mean, the sheer breadth of your answer just highlights, again, how much we don't know and perhaps shouldn't know, quite frankly,
because this is her own personal health and a battle that she's going with as much as we -- you know, I think people emotionally want to provide
support in some way.
Can I ask about the mental aspect of this and how you would be talking to a patient? She's a working mother. She has three young children. We clearly
understood today that, in many ways, that became the priority, it seems, and protecting them from what other children perhaps might say or seeing
news headlines or their mother appearing on the TV in speculation like this about what's going on with her. What would you be talking to a patient like
this about -- in terms of mentally dealing with this?
DR. DEVILLE: Yes. It's tough for any patient, at any age, in any circumstance to deal with a cancer diagnosis. I mean, we hear, you know,
the sort of big C diagnosis.
And I think the good thing is that over time, you know, our prognosis survival has improved. So, you know, I think that's a big piece in helping
people understand that this does not necessarily mean it's a terminal diagnosis that the person can have, you know, excellent survival,
longevity, functional status, you know, they can work, do all of the activities that they like to do on a daily basis.
I think for the sort of mental health aspect and helping the patient, you know, come to what I mentioned before, some level of acceptance of
understanding the diagnosis, what are the treatments that are going to be needed? It is really challenging. And these are very long, intense
conversations that an oncologist has that we have with patients and their families and their caregivers.
And -- you know, and asking them, you know, people are at different places. Some want to be very open and transparent, others want to maintain, you
know, very much privacy, and we respect that and we want to help each individual wherever they are in that.
There are very practical aspects, as you mentioned, you know, do they work? Is there -- are there conversations that they need to have with their
employers or their -- you know, their coworkers? You know, what's the level of support that they might need in helping to communicate that information?
Are they going to need time off from work? Usually, some disclosure is going to be needed there, or how can we help them navigate through that,
again, at whatever their comfort level is.
[18:15:00]
And then with, you know, family members, children, spouses, partners, you know, how do we help them mediate those conversations, often there's a lot
of fear, right? And so, if we can help address the fear that, again, this does not necessarily mean it's a terminal diagnosis that -- especially if
it's something very early stage and we're thinking that this is something that is dealing with even just preventative treatments, that the person is
going to still be there for them, that, you know, they're going to be able to experience their family member and help alleviate some of the concerns,
the anxieties, and the worries that they might have.
So, that is happening all in parallel to the actual treatment, to the actual management, but it's important to have those conversations so that
people can actually get through their therapy and actually have -- you know, hopefully, living the -- you know, the happy lives that we all want,
the happy, fulfilled lives, but not ignoring the concerns, but helping to manage and navigate through them.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, and it's not just about the fear for your own health, which is perhaps bad enough, but again, as she illustrated, the fear of
what it means for her family and the people around her, too.
I think one observation on this, Dr. Curtiland, is that she is so, sort of, powerful and has such a strong voice that if she did indeed decide,
hopefully when she's through this, perhaps to come forward and say, look, these were my symptoms, perhaps I was caught off guard, whatever it is, it
could be an incredible push for others out there to go and get symptoms that they may be ignoring or not even realize the symptoms checked.
DR. DEVILLE: Yes, it's very important. That's why, you know, certainly I do encourage patients, again, when they're comfortable, when they've
reached those points that, you know, if they want to share their stories or their testimony, it can be so powerful, you know, talking about -- our
outcomes are always best when we have early detection, you know, early screening diagnosis.
And so, reporting those symptoms, doing screening tests, and as a young a young person at diagnosis, you know, may have not come up through an actual
screening test, it may have been actual symptoms that the individual is experiencing and had, you know, a workup for, and, you know, hopefully what
it seems was picked up in an early state, and therefore, they can have that best prognosis. But that's why it is ultimately important to be able to
talk about it.
I'll also say for the perspective of family history, which you were sort of mentioning before, we know in this sort of modern era of personalized
medicine, as we're understanding the genes of the tumor, the genes of the individual, all of these things are important in understanding our risks
and risk factors for certain cancers. And so, it is important for us to understand our family history and certainly amongst -- share it with our
family members so that, you know, our siblings, our children, they can also be -- have an awareness and be tested and be followed for certain things
that they may be at risk for as well.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, such a vital point. So great to get your insights, Dr. Curtiland Deville. Great to have you on the show. So, thank you.
DR. DEVILLE: Thank you.
CHATTERLEY: OK. Coming up, the other major developing story this hour, a deadly attack and fire at a concert hall near Moscow. Reports say 40 people
were killed and many others injured. The terror group ISIS has claimed responsibility. We've got the very latest ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:20:00]
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back. We continue to follow a major story still unfolding in Russia, the terror group ISIS now claiming responsibility for
Friday night's horrifying attack at a concert hall near Moscow.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: Reports say at least 40 people were killed, more than 100 were injured when multiple attackers dressed in combat fatigues opened fire with
automatic weapons and detonated explosives.
This eyewitness described how the attack unfolded.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)'
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I was sitting in the hall upstairs where the balconies were. We heard gunshots. At first, we didn't understand
what had happened. Then I personally saw how the terrorists came in, started shooting everyone.
In the end, they threw a Molotov. Everything was set on fire. We were led to the exit. Turned out the exit was locked. We ran all over Crocus City
trying to find an exit but to no avail. We went into the basement of Crocus City Hall and waited for the emergency services and got out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: The attackers have not been apprehended at this hour. Matthew Chance joins us now. Matthew, obviously I mentioned what is the latest,
which is ISIS claiming responsibility for this, but can we start with giving our audience a sense of perhaps how many people were there and who
was there at this concert?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean look, this is a big shopping center and a big concert venue on the outskirts of
the City of Moscow. And so, a lot of people would have been there. We're talking about potentially thousands of people.
In fact, I read that some six and a half thousand tickets for the concert in that giant auditorium you can see there had been sold to see a Soviet
era band called Picnic (ph) that didn't appear on stage because this attack happened before they had a chance to. And then, the people inside the
shopping center as well. And so, we're talking about large numbers of Muscovites, large numbers of people in this place when the attack took
place.
I mean, what we know so far is that there were at least four attackers, at least that's what the local authorities say, and it's what we've seen on
some of the extraordinary video that's been filmed on social media and broadcast as well. Firing automatic weapons, dressed in camouflage
fatigues, several explosions can be heard as well.
The casualty figures are high, and they're only preliminary at the moment, but we're talking about 40 people at this stage, according to Russian state
media, who were confirmed dead as a result of these attacks, and at least 140 others, more than that in fact, again, according to Russian state
media, who have been injured, including several children as well, who are out there presumably with their parents.
And so, that's the casualty situation at the moment. But, you know, the fire is still raging. Apparently, it's been localized, according to the
Russian authorities, but it hasn't been extinguished yet. And we know from Russian state media as well that the roof of this concert venue in shopping
mall, which is a big, huge, huge, you know, many thousands of square feet of commercial space, the roof of it has collapsed as well. And we don't
know how many people, if anyone, are maybe trapped inside the rubble and the flames.
CHATTERLEY: And, Matthew, can we talk about, obviously, the timing of this? Just days after President Putin consolidated power, the geography of
this, how close this is to the Kremlin. We keep talking about this being near Moscow. Just how this will have been taken, both by the Kremlin, but
also by the Russian people, at what is, as we've discussed many times, a very sensitive moment for many reasons in the country.
[18:25:00]
CHANCE: Well, first of all, it essentially is Moscow. I mean, it's outside the city limits, but it's in the suburbs, you know, the conurbations
outside of Moscow city limits and the Moscow region. But certainly, many people from Moscow would use that facility to go and see concerts and to do
shopping in.
Look, I mean, you're right. I mean, it comes just -- what was it -- a week or so, less than a week, since Vladimir Putin got that fifth presidential
term with a landslide victory. He casts himself very much, at every opportunity in fact, as the sort of symbol and the sort of anchor of
security and stability in Russia. And that's one of the reasons, you know, of many, but one the of reasons why he's so popular and why so many people
vote for him, apart from the fact there isn't much option when it comes to this kind of undemocratic elections that Russia holds.
But I mean, the truth is, is that Russia is looking more unstable now than it has for many years. You know, Putin is facing, you know, assaults on
multiple fronts. He's got the war in Ukraine, of course, in which potentially hundreds of thousands of people, according to western
estimates, are casualties in that confrontation.
Last year, of course, there was an uprising by one of his own supporters, one his allies, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Mercenary Group,
that rose up and marched on Moscow in an unprecedented challenge to Putin's authority. And now, we're seeing a major event like this one, a terrorist
attack in the Russian capital, on the outskirts of the Russian capital.
And so, there are all these elements of instability which are affecting the government and the rule of Vladimir Putin, despite what he wants to say and
despite how he wants to portray himself publicly.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, and the Ukrainians coming out immediately and saying this was not us. And as I mentioned, ISIS claiming responsibility in the last 30
minutes or so. Matthew, I have to let you go for now. Thank you. Matthew Chance there from London.
OK. After the break, we'll continue our coverage of the Princess of Wales' revelation that she's been diagnosed with cancer. Stay with us. More to
come.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:30:00]
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back.
And a reminder of one of our top stories this hour, the Princess of Wales has revealed she's been diagnosed with cancer. Catherine made the
announcement in a video, it was released just hours ago, more than two months after her abdominal surgery. She said that at the time, her
condition appeared to be non-cancerous, but that tests after the surgery revealed that cancer had been present.
The Princess says, she's now in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy. She also says, it's one of the hardest things she's been
explaining all of this to her young children.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATHERINE: This, of course, came as a huge shock. And William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the
sake of our young family. As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment.
But most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte, and Louis in a way that's appropriate for them and to reassure
them that I'm going to be OK.
As I've said to them, I am well, and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body, and spirit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: The Princess of Wales has also received a public showing of support from her family after the announcement. Her father-in-law, King
Charles, is said to be, "So proud of Catherine for speaking out." The King is battling cancer, of course, himself after being diagnosed earlier this
year. Other well-wishers include Prince Harry and Meghan. And Catherine's brother posting an early photo of the two together on Instagram saying,
"Over the years, we've climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too."
Max Foster is our role correspondent and he joins us now from London. Max, I don't know how you felt watching that video but quite frankly all I
wanted to do was give her a hug not only for what she's clearly struggling and suffering with now, her, and the family, but also the unnecessary
stress that she's been put through over the last couple of months as well.
FOSTER: Yes, and all of that would have been her decision. To sit there and say the way she did and the word she used as well. You know, she's
obviously focused in her work with children and she's studied, you know, how you handle mental health with children and I think that this is a big
part of the message she's putting out at the moment.
I mean some of the stories have come out, she -- I know that she's been kept updated about all the coverage, and that will include the social media
coverage and it has been really tough. But she's been absolutely steely minded about making sure she does the right thing for her family.
So, initially, it was recovering from what she now says was major surgery. Then it was figuring out, you know, what they're going to do with the
diagnosis and starting that treatment. In late February, I understand the chemo started. Then, of course, it was how to present this to the children
and, indeed, the world. And the two were linked because today was the last day of school, and they wanted to announce it to the world. And they -- you
know, my sources are telling me they didn't want the kids seeing the news and everyone at school talking about it whilst they were at school.
So, now the process starts where it's out. We've got to go out into the world. We're going to carry on as normally as we can, which is why they
have always -- also made this big request to the media, but also to the public to say, if they're seen out and about, if you see her going for
treatment, don't take videos, don't share them, just allow them this privacy.
And the whole, sort of, media package, I guess, that we received today was all about, you know, giving out as much as they're willing to do in one go,
so we can then step back and they can try to, sort of, rebuild.
CHATTERLEY: Imagine that they're doing their best to keep the children away from televisions, as well, with the coverage that it's likely to get.
Not only today, of course, but in the coming days, too. Max, it is an important point because she does need privacy and she needs time to heal
and they need time just, I think, just to spend together and to allow her that space.
I think the British press will understand that. As you've said, everybody's been called in and spoken to and told, look, please, this is the way we
want to handle this. But what about social media? How do you stop the paparazzi and the, sort of, crazy conspiracy theories that we've seen
presented over the past few weeks? Do you think this draws a line under that now finally?
FOSTER: Well, it shows up a lot of those conspiracy theories, doesn't it?
CHATTERLEY: Yes.
FOSTER: A lot of them driven by people that just want to make money from views. I think what -- what's -- I mean, there is a parallel here with what
Diana went through with the tabloids. She was dehumanized. She became a commodity for tabloids to sell pictures.
[18:35:00]
And Harry and William have both spoken about that and how distasteful all of that was, particularly the pictures around the crash.
I think that this -- the conspiracy theory, the social media surge has taken everyone by surprise. It just went completely out of control. And in
this situation, I think, you know -- I mean, I'm part of the mainstream media, but I'm looking at the U.K. media, they had, broadly, acted really
responsibly.
The problem has been with social media. And that's where she's been -- Kate's been dehumanized and turned into a commodity. And I don't know if
anyone, any of us, knew how to handle it. The palace struggled with it. And we, the media, struggled with it.
I mean, I've been on your show, Julia, talking about all the issues. I only had a few facts to work with. And yes, there was conspiracy theory bubbling
up in the gaps. You know, do I address them? Do I not address them? I mean, it's a huge problem.
But I think, at least today, we all know who those main conspiracy theorists were on social media. And they have to -- you know, one hopes
they'll look at what they did and hopefully, they've been discredited. And you can't just point at the theorists. It's the people that consumed it.
I'm sure you had, Julia, what I had, really sensible people in the last couple of weeks coming up to me saying, I cannot believe some of this. And
I just -- you know, it was unbelievable.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, I couldn't agree more with you. And I think you make a brilliant point, which is, we as individuals have to work out whether we're
going to share it, retweet it, consume it, because that's what allows these things to build and build and build and go viral.
So, I think, yes, there's some self-reflection that we all need to do, media or as individuals over what we talk about and what we share and what
we don't, ultimately. And Max, I know you certainly will wish her well as we all do. Great to have you with us. Thank you. Max Foster there.
OK. World all historian, Kate Williams joins us now. Kate, you and I have spent a lot of time together talking about the Royal Family. I'm sure you
first and foremost just wish her well and your heart goes out to her.
KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL HISTORIAN: Yes, I -- of course -- I mean, it's just such shocking news, isn't it, Julia? I was watching you talking about
Kate earlier. Saying, you know, she was a princess and how at the end of her statement she said that she wished everyone well who was suffering from
cancer or touched by cancer. And that's such an important message.
And I just -- you know, it's just that it was a huge shock for her. Obviously, huge abdominal surgery. Then cancer found after that. I mean,
and surgery followed by chemotherapy, it's just -- you know, it's so tough on the body.
And I think really people are shocked now across the world that, you know, she is the picture of health. She's so young and it is really shocking news
and reminds us that cancer can touch us at any stage of our life and it can touch anyone.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, and Kate, what do you make of the fact that she chose -- because I think what struck me in the first few moments of watching this
was the decision to do this alone, to sit there alone, to provide such a strong message in many ways about why she chose to be quiet and protect the
family.
But to your point as well, at the end, even making this about others that are suffering too and less about her, quite frankly. It was a -- well, it
was a princess-like moment. For me, it was a sort of coming of age in the royal family and her status moment as much as anything else.
WILLIAMS: Well, you're so right, Julia, it was a princess-like moment. And what was so different about this is that it was a video call. It wasn't a
statement put out by Kensington Palace saying, the princess has cancer and we will update you surely.
This was Kate speaking to us by video call. And you know what it made me think of? It made me think of how the queen was such an effective user of
TV throughout her reign, the eve of Diana's funeral, the COVID speech, when she said, we will meet again, reminding us in those dark days of COVID
would be out of there sometime.
And this, I think, is -- you know, unprecedented in terms of its openness as a royal family member saying, I have cancer. I'm having chemotherapy,
very open. And also, in the way she addressed us directly by video call. And I think we are seeing -- you know this is uncharted waters. This is
huge changes from the royal family in terms of the openness and the use of a direct video call in the way that normally we associate that only with
the monarch in key constitutional moments.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, modern monarchy, it seems even where our poor health is concerned. We wish her well, Kate. I know you do too. Thank you for your
time. Kate Williams there.
All right, still to come. ISIS claiming responsibility for carrying out a deadly attack at a concert hall in Russia. We've got reaction now from a
former U.S. national security official. Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:40:00]
CHATTERLEY: We're following a major story from Russia. The terror group ISIS has now claimed responsibility for carrying out Friday night's deadly
attack at a concert hall near Moscow. At least 40 people have been killed after gunmen opened fire on the crowds. State media says, children are
among the victims.
Oren Liebermann is standing by. Oren, this attack comes at a time where we had a warning from the U.S. embassy in Moscow on March the 7th, warning
Americans to avoid large gatherings for a period of 48 hours. There's also, in light of the taking of responsibility by ISIS, of suggestion that the
United States had also warned Russia about the potential of attacks by ISIS-K that had been a steady stream of information, I believe, since back
in November. What more do you know? And are these two things tied from what you understand?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: We haven't yet been able to link them, but there is the specific point in time, as you point out, that
is a March 7th warning from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow to American citizens there to avoid large gatherings, and it specifically says including
concerts because of the potential for extremists to carry out an imminent attack in Russia.
Now, it was specific to 48 hours, so it was from March 7th to March 9th. So, what we don't know is if that attack carried over beyond that because
this is now more than two weeks past that date, past the date of March 7th. So, whether the warning on March 7th is linked to the attack we're seeing
right now, we still don't have the answer to that question yet. But that March 7th warning was a specific point in time.
In general, the U.S. intelligence community was watching a steady stream of warnings, according to two sources familiar with the intelligence, going
back to November. Warning that ISIS-K, or ISIS Khorasan, was trying and planning to carry out an attack in Russia. Trying to create a mass casualty
incident.
According to one of those sources, it was fairly specific intelligence that rose to the level of a duty to warn, meaning that U.S. officials warned the
Russian government, warned their Russian counterparts that the U.S. had an intelligence. The U.S. does that even in the cases of enemies or
adversaries warning of the potential of a terror attack here.
Now, again, we haven't been able to link that, and we don't know for sure if that stream of threats and warnings led to the attack we're seeing
tonight. But this all paints a picture of a space the U.S. was closely watching. Now, ISIS has claimed responsibility, according to a news
organization or agency affiliated with ISIS. But currently, at least at this point, they've provided no evidence to support that claim.
[18:45:00]
We're now waiting to see the U.S. and Russia way in to see if they corroborate that claim. Russia launched a criminal investigation already
into this, but this is still very early into the investigation, into what happened here. Moscow is still reeling from this here, and the U.S. still
watching from a distance, seeing what it's able to learn.
CHATTERLEY: And did Russia respond in the event of the warning from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow when it was saying to Americans, be careful. Because
there were suggestions or at least suggestion that President Putin was not very friendly in his response from that warning.
LIEBERMANN: That's a -- the very delicate way to put it. He was just outright dismissive. He said, this was provocative. He said this last week
to the FSB, in fact, or earlier this week, dismissing outright the U.S. warnings. Calling them provocative, essentially, saying the U.S. was trying
to create instability.
So, at least on the outside, from the public facing persona of Russian President Vladimir Putin, he dismissed the U.S. warnings here. Now, whether
somebody below him or beneath him or whether he took it seriously behind closed doors here, that's a question that is much more difficult to answer.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, difficult to speculate at this stage. Oren Liebermann, thank you for that report.
Joining us now is Brett Bruen, who was a National Security Council official in the Obama administration. Brett, good to have you with us. I think we
should always be careful about jumping to conclusions in any event, but always where Russia is concerned. What is your early observations about
what we've seen from Russia Friday evening and, of course, the claiming of responsibility by ISIS?
BRETT BRUEN, FORMER U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL OFFICIAL: Well, a couple fold, Julia. One I would say that this is obviously based on just
what Oren was reporting. Very concerning situation from a security standpoint. It means that Putin is going to have to focus more resources
domestically, even as he tries to gain ground in Ukraine.
But it also doesn't mean, Julia, that he won't try to spin this to his favor to try to justify both what he's doing in Ukraine, but potentially
with other crackdowns as well, domestically and in other places across what is known as Russia's near abroad, some of those countries bordering it in
Central Asia and Europe. So, I think American officials, other Europeans will keep a close eye on Putin's next move.
CHATTERLEY: I mean, Brett, you were also listening to what Oren was saying, and I was discussing with him about the potential warning from the
United States to Russia about the potential for attacks from ISIS-K, more specific, obviously, than just ISIS, who's claimed responsibility at this
stage. But also, more recently, March the 7th, a specific 48-hour warning about potential locations such as a concert. Interesting that President
Putin himself was so skeptical in response to the warning from the United States.
Just from your background and the kind of situations that you've been in understanding these, how does that strike you?
BRUEN: Well, I have to say, having participated in deliberations at embassies about releasing this kind of information, that is quite specific.
And it stems from an obligation that American officials have in the wake of the Lockerbie bombings, where we did at the time have information about
Muammar Gaddafi's agents' attempts to bomb trans-Atlantic flights. And we didn't take action at the time, informing Americans, but we did with
official Americans.
So, this March 7th warning was because U.S. officials had information -- specific information that they were warning U.S. officials to avoid those
kinds of venues in Moscow. They needed to tell Americans, and that's why they issued a warning, despite obviously the reception -- chilling
reception it got from Putin.
CHATTERLEY: -- of not having shared the information or intel that you had - - an election victory, an orchestrated electoral land --
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:50:00]
CHATTERLEY: Welcome back. And I apologize for the sound issues we have there. We're back up and running.
And a reminder, once again, of one of our top stories today. Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has received an outpouring of support from around the
world after announcing her cancer diagnosis. British opposition leader Keir Starmer is sending his best wishes to the Princess, commenting that public
speculation in recent weeks must have added to the stress of her diagnosis.
French President Emmanuel Macron posted on X saying, Catherine's "Strength and resilience inspires all." American First Lady Jill Biden who has
herself has had cancerous skin lesions removed in the past, called Catherine's announcement, brave. Here's the entire video statement from the
princess she shared just hours ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATHERINE: I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you personally for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding whilst
I've been recovering from surgery. It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I've had a fantastic medical team who
have taken great care of me for which I'm so grateful.
In January I underwent major abdominal surgery in London, and at the time it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was
successful, however. tests after the operation found cancer had been present.
My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I'm now in the early stages of that
treatment. This, of course, came as a huge shock and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the
sake of our young family.
As you can imagine this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But most importantly it
has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that's appropriate for them and to reassure them that I'm going to be
OK.
As I've said to them, I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body and spirit. Having
William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too, as is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It
means so much to us both.
We hope that you'll understand that as a family we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought
me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I'm able. But for now, I must focus on making a full recovery.
[18:55:00]
At this time, I'm also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do
not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHATTERLEY: I think she is not alone. And we wish the princess well. That's it for the show. I'll see you next week.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
