Welcome to the 20th century—a time without the internet, social media, networking, or viral exposés. Back then, political spin happened the old-fashioned way: through newspapers, telegrams, radio, and black-and-white television. It was also an era when DisAbling secrets were quietly buried, carefully managed, or never spoken of at all. It was as though the world might end the moment that privileged information was leaked without consent.
Within American politics and the British monarchy, leaders masked physical and mental illnesses to protect their image, reputation, and position in authority. From Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)’s Polio diagnosis to Prince John’s plague, power often came with a cost: hiding any sign of human vulnerability to fabricate a picture of a strong and successful leader.
Disability, visible or invisible, was seen as a threat to leadership. Leaders feared being perceived as fragile, incapable, or unfit to serve in office. FDR, John F. Kennedy (JFK), Winston Churchill, and King George VI all worked to downplay or conceal their conditions. Whether through media blackouts, makeup, or tightly staged public appearances, their efforts were all part of a shared strategy: protect the throne, the presidency, and the illusion of invincibility and authority. In short, preserve their DisAbling secrets and pass them off as “normal” to the public eye to placate the people, assuring them that their leader had everything under control and that there was nothing to fear. In both the UK and the U.S., leaders were expected to present perfection. Vulnerability had no place in the public arena. If it had existed, it would have had to be erased to maintain the status quo.
Take King George VI, who was known to have a penchant for alcohol and cigarettes, which contributed to his early death. Years later, this led to the story of the life of the King being captured on the big screen in the film, The King’s Speech, which brought awareness to his majesty overcoming his speech impediment. But even as his health declined post–World War II, he worked to hide the truth. When the King suffered arterial blockage and had addictive vices, was diagnosed with lung cancer and arterial sclerosis, and eventually, had his left lung removed in 1951, he concealed his deteriorating state with makeup and silence. The public never saw the man behind the mask—just another DisAbling secret clad in the royal persona.
His younger brother, Prince John, experienced a different kind of erasure. Diagnosed with epilepsy and likely autism at age four, he was removed from public view and exiled to the family estate at Sandringham. Treated like a pariah, he had no visitations except for when he was relieved from royal banishment for the annual Christmas dinners—he died in his sleep at merely thirteen years old. His condition was considered a stain on the crown, a monarchical disgrace. “The Lost Prince” was denied proper care and hidden from public knowledge—another human life quietly buried under the weight of image control. Another DisAbling secret, locked away, along with its key.
Winston Churchill, too, struggled. As a child, he had a stutter, just like King George VI. But Churchill became known for his charismatic and notorious speeches, thanks to relentless practice and calculated pauses. As he aged, his health faltered. He suffered a heart attack at the White House after Pearl Harbor and experienced mini strokes in the early 1950s that left him partially paralyzed. These events were concealed from the public under Cold War media blackouts. The appearance of strength had to be maintained, no matter the price. His condition? Another DisAbling secret, sealed behind closed doors.
His successor, Anthony Eden, faced a different battle. As a result of surgery on his gallbladder, Eden lived with chronic pain and became dependent on Morphine and Benzedrine. The drugs blurred his judgment, particularly during the Suez Crisis. He tried to blame his behavior on medical complications, but it wasn’t enough. He attempted to lead while concealing both pain and addiction—yet another example of how health, when hidden, can distort history and cause chaos. Another DisAbling secret, poorly managed, simply to salvage a political career.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, the longest-serving U.S. President, was diagnosed with poliomyelitis (also known as infantile paralysis or polio) at the age of 39. He designed a compact, discreet wheelchair to use in a private setting (a dining chair on wheels) for mobility, learned how to walk with a cane and on the arm of his son or a trusted advisor for balance purposes, but never let the public see him in a state of vulnerability and malady. The press was also instructed never to photograph him walking or being transferred. In a time when disability often led to institutionalization, FDR shaped his own path. He tried to pass as able-bodied, yet quietly built his version of visibility. His was a DisAbling secret transformed into strength—but still, a secret nevertheless.
John F. Kennedy (JFK), too, was no stranger to concealment. Diagnosed with Addison’s disease as a child and afflicted by chronic back pain from his wartime service, JFK relied heavily on steroid medication. Ironically, one symptom, hyperpigmentation, gave him a naturally “tanned” appearance. That tan worked in his favor during the televised 1960 debate against Richard Nixon, giving him an aura of youth and vigor. His “weakness” became a visual strength. A DisAbling secret, a rebranded superpower.
What do all of these leaders have in common? The passion and need to fit in and maintain a state of normalcy, despite any and all barriers. Even in the 21st century, the monarchy remains deeply protective of its appearance. When King Charles and Princess Kate disclosed their cancer diagnoses, they did so with carefully measured words, vague details, and controlled visibility in efforts to maintain clout over the narrative. Back in America, Joe Biden chose to be open about his stutter, while President Donald Trump, on the other hand, deflects concerns about aging and decline with an orange tan, a well-engineered hairstyle, and inflated bravado. Different century, same fear: that any flaw, any break in the illusion, could undo a legacy and disrupt history. Power still demands perfection—or the illusion of it, to some extent. In this new media age, the DisAbling secret has not vanished—it has simply evolved.
We all carry something. Some of us wear our differences in public with pride; others hide them deep inside.
Even Royals Have DisAbling Secrets…it’s not just the average person with a disability. We try to hide our shortcomings and conceal our scars, but at the end of the day, our secrets will be revealed one way or another. It is just a matter of when and at what cost.
Nobody is perfect. And DisAbling Secrets? They remain part of the story.
About the Writer: Peri R. Finkelstein is a Marketing Consultant, Digital Creator, Keynote Speaker, Founder/CEO of the Team Peri Foundation/ Peri was featured in Forbes in December 2022, holds a Bachelor of Science and an MBA from Adelphi University, is an Emmy Award Winner, and recently released her TEDx Talk titled “Always Wanting More & Stepping Out of Line”. You can learn more about her at www.teamperi.org and follow her journey on social media on Instagram @peri.rhiannon & @team_peri_rox and Facebook under Team Peri.
Opinions expressed are solely those of the writer(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Able News at The Viscardi Center and/or The Viscardi Center.