Princess Kate has cancer. The royal family created a scandal by bungling the story.

Editor's note: Princess Kate has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatment, Kensington Palace announced in a video released Friday. The announcement follows months of rumors and conspiracy theories about her health and whereabouts after she first stepped back from public duties in January to recover from abdominal surgery.

The British royal family and Kate Middleton have inadvertently created a royal scandal by distributing altered photos, including one released last year in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's 97th birthday.

In times of a reputational crisis, how you react many times determines whether you can salvage your character at all. These moments of adversity can be opportunities to shine, but unfortunately, the royal family did not handle this situation well.

The distribution of altered photographs is yet another in a long line of public relations fiascos for the royals with the last one not too far in the rear-view mirror: The Harry and Meghan departure from royal duties and their move to the United States.

How the royal family should have handled media crisis

Here's what the palace communications team could and should have done to salvage themselves from this current scandal:

Own the edited photos: We all edit and enhance our photos, whether it's removing wrinkles, adjusting lighting with filters or even trying to make a frowning child smile. In today's society, every photo needs to be perfect, and technology allows us to achieve that near-perfection. Did we really think the royal family's holiday card photos were not edited? They should have owned up to it and said, "Yes, we photoshopped it like many people do worldwide, and perhaps we went a bit too far, but how many of us do the same thing every single day?" This approach could have immediately diffused the situation rather than letting it escalate.

Be truthful: Instead of maintaining silence, Kensington Palace should have been transparent about Kate Middleton's abdominal condition and recovery timeline following her surgery. Statistically, not many people stay in the hospital for 10 to 12 days for abdominal issues, and this fueled rumors that her condition was much worse than initially thought. The lack of information created an information vacuum filled with rumors, speculation and gossip.

Don't hide or ignore the press: Kate Middleton and Prince William have been able to control their narrative because they have been active on social media, sharing photos, videos and statements rather than letting the media control them. They have given the public what they want and thus avoided much of the paparazzi and gossip surrounding Princess Diana. While Kate Middleton was entitled to privacy, as a public figure living in the age of social media, where public interest in the royal family is quite high, and as the future Queen Consort of England, the Palace could have provided more updates about her recovery rather than remaining silent and elusive.

Princess Kate conspiracies abound: Is Kate Middleton secretly holed up at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort? Yes, absolutely.

Address the allegations directly: Prince William should firmly deny the allegations as false (if they are not true) and offer to take legal action against media outlets that publish any rumor or statement that is not truthful. He should state they are damaging to him, his wife and all others involved. By not addressing anything regarding their current situation head on, speculation will continue to fuel more rumors and continue to damage the royal family's reputation.

Royal family bungled opportunity to protect their public standing

The royals missed an opportunity to uphold their reputation and public standing amid this latest crisis. While operating under intense scrutiny is to be expected for the royal family, deploying basic crisis communications best practices could have allowed them to control the narrative.

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Being forthright about personal matters, addressing gossip directly and leveraging social media transparency create good faith with the public. For an institution steeped in tradition yet operating in modern times, adapting their overall response to a crisis is crucial to preserving the monarchy's relevance and admiration across the globe.

Eleanor McManus, a former journalist with CNN, is co-founder and partner of Trident DMG, a Washington, D.C.-based strategic communications firm.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kate Middleton has cancer. The palace mishandled it, and created chaos