October 26, 2025 • 15 mins
This week brought an avalanche of Prince Andrew revelations that dominated royal headlines. We break down Virginia Giuffre's explosive memoir "Nobody's Girl" with its shocking allegations, the Metropolitan Police investigation into Andrew's attempts to dig up dirt on his accuser, and excerpts from a new biography revealing his appalling treatment of staff and dangerous driving habits. Plus: Why hasn't Andrew paid real rent on Royal Lodge in over 20 years? Will the U.S. Congress call him to testify? And what about those alleged meetings with Chinese spies? In lighter news, King Charles makes history praying alongside the Pope in the Sistine Chapel, William and Kate prepare to move into their "forever home" at Forest Lodge, and Meghan hints her Netflix cooking show might be toast. We also round up the week's best (and most brutal) commentary on what the Andrew scandal means for the future of the monarchy—and why Prince William is already planning a much harsher approach when he becomes King.
Hear our new show "Crown and Controversy: Prince Andrew" here.
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👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram or click the links to start your royal journey!
Hear our new show "Crown and Controversy: Prince Andrew" here.
Check out "Palace Intrigue Presents: King WIlliam" here.
👑 Follow our hit series Crown and Controversy! Season 1 is fully available now for everyone. Season 2 has new episodes every Sunday on the regular feed. GET THE FULL SEASON 2 BEFORE REGULAR LISTENERS as a subscriber! Hit that "UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING" Banner on the top of the Apple player. AND listen to Crown and Controversy "NORWAY'S ROYAL REBELS" here and get the full season as a premium subscriber now.
👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram or click the links to start your royal journey!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Calorogus Shark Media.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hello and welcome to Pallas Weekly. I am your host,
Mark Rancis. This is your comprehensive roundup of the biggest
royal stories from the past seven days. And this week
has been absolutely dominated by the Prince Andrew scandal, with
shocking new revelations, a historic people visit, and plenty of
commentary about what it all means for the monarchy. It's
(00:37):
dive in. If you thought the Prince Andrew story couldn't
get any worse, this week proved otherwise. On Monday, we
learned that Andrew's decision to surrender all of his royal
titles brought renewed attention to his former wife, Sarah Ferguson.
The Telegraph Reporter that Sarah will no longer use the
style Duchess of York and will instead be known officially
(00:58):
as Sarah Ferguson. The title originally granted on her nineteen
eighty six marriage to Prince Andrew, was retained after their
divorce in nineteen ninety six, but is now being relinquished
in keeping with the King's decision to strip Andrew of
his honors. This change came just weeks after Ferguson was
dropped from her remaining charity patronages, where it emerged that
(01:20):
she had sent emails to Jeffrey Epstein following his conviction,
referring to him as steadfast, generous and supreme friend. While
Andrew retains his private lease on Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Royal observers say Sarah Ferguson's position at future family events
may now depend more on personal goodwill than protocol. But
the real bombshell dropped on Tuesday with the release of
(01:41):
Virginia Geoffrey's memoir Nobody's Girl. The book, obtained in full
by the BBC ahead of its official release, is a
first hand account of Geoffrey's experiences with Jeffrey Epstein and
Galaene Maxwell. Much of it is harrowing in detail, with
Jeoffrey alleging that she was abused, trafficked, and form was
to have sex with Prince Andrew on three separate occasions, once,
(02:03):
she claims, in a group setting involving Epstein and approximately
eight other young women. Prince Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing,
and in twenty twenty two reached a financial settlement with Jeoffrey,
accepting no liability, but the memoir presents the allegations in
Geoffrey's own words, framing them as part of a broader
network of exploitation involving powerful men. According to the book,
(02:26):
Geoffrey first met Andrew in March two thousand and one,
when Maxwell told her she was going to meet a
handsome prince. She claims Andrew guessed her age correctly seventeen,
and said, my daughters are just a little younger than you.
That evening they attended London's Tramp nightclub, where Geoffrey says
the Prince sweated profusely. Back at Maxwell's house, she writes,
the head sex the next morning. Maxwell allegedly told her
(02:48):
you did well. The Prince had fun. Geoffrey writes that
Epstein later paid her fifteen thousand dollars for the encounter.
The memoir also includes disturbing details about a third alleged
encounter on Epstein's private cause Arabbian Island, where Jeoffrey claims Epstein, Andy,
and approximately eight other young girls and I had sex together.
She writes that the other girls all appeared to be
(03:09):
under the age of eighteen and didn't really speak any English. MPs,
including Richard Maskell and Stephen Flynn have called for Andrew's
Prince title to also be removed. Maskell said it's incredibly
strange that you can give a title, but you can't
remove a title, while Flynn added that the family of
Virginia Jeoffrey, whose life was destroyed, are angry and aghast.
(03:31):
The scandal intensified when the Metropolitan Police announced they are
actively looking into reports that Prince Andrew asked a protection
officer to obtain personal information about Jeoffrey in twenty eleven.
According to The Mail on Sunday, Andrew provided her date
of birth and social security number to a member of
the elite SO fourteen Royalty Protection Group in an attempt
(03:52):
to uncover damaging information. The publication claims it has seen
an email sent by Andrew just hours before a notorious
photograph of him with the then seventeen year old Geoffrey
was released, in which the Duke reportedly wrote, it would
also seem she has a criminal record in the United States.
I have given a DOB and social security number for investigation.
(04:13):
Her family denies she has any criminal record. Broadcast to
Emily Maitlis, who conducted Andrew's infamous newsnight interview, said she
was glad the met were taking the claims seriously, stating
if there had been people responsible for trying to make
her life even more unbearable than it was, than I
would like to see justice done. Meanwhile, a senior member
of the US House Oversight Committee, Stephen Lynch, told the
(04:35):
BBC's Newsnight, that he was sure an invitation would be
sent to Andrew to testify, saying we would be extremely
interested in hearing from Prince Andrew regarding his involvement in
all of this. Epstein victim Andi Farmer urged Andrew to cooperate,
though she said she wasn't holding my breath. The controversy
deep and further, with The Telegraph reporting that Andrew met
(04:56):
to alleged Chinese spies during a twenty nineteen trip to
China promoting his Pictured Palace initiative. According to the paper,
he met Kai Chi, now described as the spy master
at the center of major espionage case, and businessman Yang Tengbo,
who was later banned from Britain over suspected spying. Perhaps
(05:19):
most damaging this week was the publication of excerpts from
Andrew Lowney's book entitled The Rise and Fall of the
House of York. The book paints a portrait of a
man whose behavior behind palace doors was as arrogant as
it was erratic. According to the book, Andrew allegedly demanded
that maids climbed four flights of stairs each morning to
open his bedroom curtains while he lay in bed beside them.
One form of staff acclaimed his bedtime habits as a
(05:42):
single man left a lot to be desired, with a
collection of scrunched up soil tissues left staff to clear away.
On another night, Andrew reportedly summoned a television technician to
his royal residence to explain how the remote control worked.
The Duke even allegedly sent his armed protection officers to
retrieve lost golf balls. Dangerous driving was described as one
(06:04):
of his favorite games, with Andrew allegedly speeding down motorways
in an attempt to lose his protection officers. Windsor estate
workers once petitioned the late Queen after he nearly hit
them while racing through the park in his Aston Martin
in twenty sixteen. When gates at Windsor malfunctioned, he allegedly
rammed them with his range rover, causing thousands of pounds
in damage. As a trade envoy, Andrew allegedly instructed staff
(06:28):
to invite attractive women to official functions. One diplomat recalled
being told he likes blondes, to which he replied, I'm
a diplomat, not a pimp. Lawney claims the Duke boasted
of sleeping with more than a thousand women. During a
trip to Thailand for the King's Diamond Jubilee, Andrew allegedly
entertained as many as forty women in his hotel suite,
(06:48):
with one leaving as another arrived. Royal reported Tom Sykes
described it as a revolving door of female bodies carried
out under the auspices of royal diplomacy. Adding another layer
to the story, newly released documents from the Crown Estate
revealed that Andrew has not paid any meaningful rent on
his sprawling Royal Lodge home for more than two decades.
(07:10):
The tenancy agreement shows that Andrew paid one million pounds
for a seventy five year lease in two thousand and three,
plus at least seven and a half million pounds for
refurbishments two years later. Since then, his annual rent has
amounted to just one peppercorn if demanded. The thirty bedroom
Royal Lodge, set on ninety eight acres and Windsor Great Park,
is leased until twenty seventy eight, effectively giving the disgraced
(07:32):
royal a lifetime residence. Royal author Norman Baker said the
public deserves to know whether the Prince could be forced out,
calling for transparency about the arrangement. For now, the Duke
no longer Duke, remains firmly in residence, rent free, scandals
shadowed and increasingly isolated within the walls of Windsor Great Park.
More pounce in just a moment, providing welcome relief from
(07:59):
the andrew Sar. King Charles and Queen can millamarked a
historic moment in Rome, joining Pope Leo the fourteenth for
an ecumenical service inside the Sistine Chapel, believed to be
the first time in hundreds of years that a British
monarch as head of the Church of England has publicly
prayed with a pope. The setting underscored the significance the
very chamber where Pope Leo was recently elected. The King
(08:20):
and Queen attended as part of a state visit aligned
with the Catholic Church's jubilee year. During the service, prayers
were led in English and Latin by Pope Leo and
the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, while Anglican and Catholic
choirs performed. From there, the King and Queen moved on
to a second service at the Basilica of Saint Paul
(08:41):
outside the Walls, where the King assumed the honorary title
of Royal Confrata, reflecting historic ties between the British crown
and the Basilica, The Vatican designed a chair for the
King and his success as bearing the royal coat of
arms and the inscription that they may be won. Church
leaders stressed the symbolism. The Vatican's Reverend Martin Brown said
(09:03):
the services were intended as a sign of our closeness
and willingness to see one another as brothers and sisters
despite differences. While Andrew dominated headlines, William and Kate did
their best to provide positive royal news. The Prince and
Princess of Wales marked the arrival of autumn with an
official visit to long Meadow Cider Farm in Craigavon, Northern Ireland,
(09:24):
where their coordinated seasonal style once again drew admiration. Kate
wore a forest green jacket paired with dark trousers and boots,
while William echoed her look with a brown coat, lay
it over a green sweater. During the visit, Kate shared
a glimpse of family life, revealing a very messy DIY
project she recently tried with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and
Prince Louis. We tried this at home with a hand press,
(09:47):
she said of cider making. It was quite good fun
with the children. It was all very messy. The couple
are currently on half term break with their children. Those
speculations suggest they'll soon be moving into their new home,
Forest Lodge on the Windsor Estate. According to The Daily Mail,
builders have been working tirelessly to ensure the new home
will be ready by early November, hopefully in time for
(10:08):
Bonfire Night. An insider told The Mirror that Adelaide Cottage
really does have some difficult memories associated with it. Sadly,
they have experienced some of their most challenging times there.
The family are really happy about this move and excited
for a fresh start. Kate has reportedly taken an active
role in the renovation process, personally selecting furnishings in Decort
(10:29):
from the British design houses. The whole process has been
fun for her. Source explained she loves interior design and
is very keen to support the UK textiles industry. In
other William news, the Prince enlisted Brazilian supermodel and environmentalists
activists to sell Bunchen as the newest member of the
Earthshot Prize Council. She joins a distinguished group including Queen
(10:50):
Rainier of Jordan, Sir David Attenborough, and Kate Blanchett. Over
in California, Meghan made headlines with her appearance at Fortune's
Most Powerful Women's Summit INN one Rington, d C, where
she teased a new direction for her content strategy. When
asked whether fans could expect a third season of With
Loved Megham, the Duchess offered a cryptic answer that seemed
to Hinty's show might be over. The holiday special is
(11:13):
coming out in November. It's a really good one, she said.
So we're able to say eight episodes for two seasons.
It's a lot of work. She went on to explain
that her team is now experimenting with shorter video content
instead of full length programming, saying I also recognize how
much people want content in different sizes. Megan also reflected
on the period following their move to the United States,
(11:33):
describing it as a time of nesting and healing. She
revealed that when they first stepped back from royal life
five years ago, there was no master plan. She was
so little and I had just got pregnant with Lily
around that time, so we were nesting, nesting and healing,
she said. In more awkward news, reports suggests the Duke
and Duchess of Sussex are navigating a difficult chapter in
their marriage, with insiders describing a relationship that has grown
(11:56):
increasingly distant. According to Radar Online, admitted a gossipy source,
some close to a couple have claimed they shared little
intimacy since the birth of Princess Lilibet in twenty twenty one.
An Eyewinness account of their recent New York appearance described
Harry as looking sad, anxious and tired, with another onlooker
saying it felt so bleak, no crowds to greet them,
(12:17):
and it was very business like between the two of them.
In more positive Harry and Meghan news, the couple joined
an open letter calling for a Holt on the creation
of AI superintelligence. Harry wrote, the future of AI should
serve humanity, not replace it. I believe the true test
of progress will be not how fast we move, but
how wisely we steer. There is no second chance, more palacing,
(12:40):
just a moment. So what did the week tell us
about the state of the monarchy? The commentary pieces published
throughout the week offer some fascinating perspectives. In The Mirrick,
Kevin Maguire wrote that from day one, the monarchy has
put its own interests first, second and third by covering
for Jeffrey Epstein's buddy, he called its stomach churning that
(13:03):
the late Queen coughed up part or all of the
twelve million pounds settlement, and criticized Child for inviting Andrew
to walk to church at Sandringham and Christmas Day. In
twenty twenty two and twenty three, the BBC's Shawn Kaflan
wondered if Andrew giving up his titles even matters, noting
that on a day to day basis, he's still a
prince and he's still living in a mansion in Windsor.
He pointed out that Andrew's statement showed no sense of regret,
(13:26):
quoting a royal insider who said the grand old Duke
of York he gave twelve million quid to someone he
never met for something he never did. In The Sun,
Robert Little took a broader view, writing that it has
been a terrible century for the Windsors so far. He
noted that the family has also been seriously damaged by
Prince Harry and his gust the Missus Megan, before concluding
that despite the idiotic Andrew and the awful Harry and Meghan,
(13:48):
the royal family is still a considerable asset to our country.
The Time suggested that the next monarch will be more ruthless,
noting that Wigham is not satisfied with the outcome and
knows that andrew problem will be in his intra at
some point when William is king, Andrew will be banned
from all elements of royal life. As we close out
(14:08):
this extraordinary week, one thing is clear that Andrew scandal
isn't going away anytime soon. With the Metropolitan Police investigating,
US congressional committees interested in his testimony, and new revelations
continuing to emerge, the pressure on both Andrew and the
Palace will only intensify. For King Charles, already dealing with
his own health challenges as he continues weekly cancer treatments,
(14:28):
this presents an enormous challenge. One royal aid told the
BBC that the headlines are taking a lot of oxygen
out of the Royal room, an understatement, if ever there
was one. The contrast between charles historic ecumenical service in
Rome and the sordid details of Andrew's past couldn't be
more stark. It's a reminder that the monarchy operates on
two levels, the ceremonial and symbolic role that connects Britain
(14:50):
to its history and provides seft power on the world stage,
and the human reality of flawed individuals who happen to
be born into extraordinary privilege. As we head into the
final months of twenty twenty five, all eyes will be
on how the Palace handles this crisis. Will Andrew face
further consequences, will William take a more active role in
managing his uncle, and can Charles maintain the dignity of
(15:10):
the institution while his brother's scandals continue to unfold. One
thing's for sure, We'll be here next week with all
the latest developments. Until then, remember, in the words of
one Palace insider, the royal family may be built on
ceremony and tradition, but at the end of the day,
it's still a family, and like all families, sometimes it's
a bit of a mess. And there you have it.
(15:31):
If you like to email us her addresses The Palace
Intrigue at gmail dot com. Please follow us on Spotify, Apple, Facebook, Instagram,
all the social hubspots. Come by and say hi, I'm
Mount Francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace
Intrigue and good terms
Calorogus Shark Media.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hello and welcome to Pallas Weekly. I am your host,
Mark Rancis. This is your comprehensive roundup of the biggest
royal stories from the past seven days. And this week
has been absolutely dominated by the Prince Andrew scandal, with
shocking new revelations, a historic people visit, and plenty of
commentary about what it all means for the monarchy. It's
(00:37):
dive in. If you thought the Prince Andrew story couldn't
get any worse, this week proved otherwise. On Monday, we
learned that Andrew's decision to surrender all of his royal
titles brought renewed attention to his former wife, Sarah Ferguson.
The Telegraph Reporter that Sarah will no longer use the
style Duchess of York and will instead be known officially
(00:58):
as Sarah Ferguson. The title originally granted on her nineteen
eighty six marriage to Prince Andrew, was retained after their
divorce in nineteen ninety six, but is now being relinquished
in keeping with the King's decision to strip Andrew of
his honors. This change came just weeks after Ferguson was
dropped from her remaining charity patronages, where it emerged that
(01:20):
she had sent emails to Jeffrey Epstein following his conviction,
referring to him as steadfast, generous and supreme friend. While
Andrew retains his private lease on Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Royal observers say Sarah Ferguson's position at future family events
may now depend more on personal goodwill than protocol. But
the real bombshell dropped on Tuesday with the release of
(01:41):
Virginia Geoffrey's memoir Nobody's Girl. The book, obtained in full
by the BBC ahead of its official release, is a
first hand account of Geoffrey's experiences with Jeffrey Epstein and
Galaene Maxwell. Much of it is harrowing in detail, with
Jeoffrey alleging that she was abused, trafficked, and form was
to have sex with Prince Andrew on three separate occasions, once,
(02:03):
she claims, in a group setting involving Epstein and approximately
eight other young women. Prince Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing,
and in twenty twenty two reached a financial settlement with Jeoffrey,
accepting no liability, but the memoir presents the allegations in
Geoffrey's own words, framing them as part of a broader
network of exploitation involving powerful men. According to the book,
(02:26):
Geoffrey first met Andrew in March two thousand and one,
when Maxwell told her she was going to meet a
handsome prince. She claims Andrew guessed her age correctly seventeen,
and said, my daughters are just a little younger than you.
That evening they attended London's Tramp nightclub, where Geoffrey says
the Prince sweated profusely. Back at Maxwell's house, she writes,
the head sex the next morning. Maxwell allegedly told her
(02:48):
you did well. The Prince had fun. Geoffrey writes that
Epstein later paid her fifteen thousand dollars for the encounter.
The memoir also includes disturbing details about a third alleged
encounter on Epstein's private cause Arabbian Island, where Jeoffrey claims Epstein, Andy,
and approximately eight other young girls and I had sex together.
She writes that the other girls all appeared to be
(03:09):
under the age of eighteen and didn't really speak any English. MPs,
including Richard Maskell and Stephen Flynn have called for Andrew's
Prince title to also be removed. Maskell said it's incredibly
strange that you can give a title, but you can't
remove a title, while Flynn added that the family of
Virginia Jeoffrey, whose life was destroyed, are angry and aghast.
(03:31):
The scandal intensified when the Metropolitan Police announced they are
actively looking into reports that Prince Andrew asked a protection
officer to obtain personal information about Jeoffrey in twenty eleven.
According to The Mail on Sunday, Andrew provided her date
of birth and social security number to a member of
the elite SO fourteen Royalty Protection Group in an attempt
(03:52):
to uncover damaging information. The publication claims it has seen
an email sent by Andrew just hours before a notorious
photograph of him with the then seventeen year old Geoffrey
was released, in which the Duke reportedly wrote, it would
also seem she has a criminal record in the United States.
I have given a DOB and social security number for investigation.
(04:13):
Her family denies she has any criminal record. Broadcast to
Emily Maitlis, who conducted Andrew's infamous newsnight interview, said she
was glad the met were taking the claims seriously, stating
if there had been people responsible for trying to make
her life even more unbearable than it was, than I
would like to see justice done. Meanwhile, a senior member
of the US House Oversight Committee, Stephen Lynch, told the
(04:35):
BBC's Newsnight, that he was sure an invitation would be
sent to Andrew to testify, saying we would be extremely
interested in hearing from Prince Andrew regarding his involvement in
all of this. Epstein victim Andi Farmer urged Andrew to cooperate,
though she said she wasn't holding my breath. The controversy
deep and further, with The Telegraph reporting that Andrew met
(04:56):
to alleged Chinese spies during a twenty nineteen trip to
China promoting his Pictured Palace initiative. According to the paper,
he met Kai Chi, now described as the spy master
at the center of major espionage case, and businessman Yang Tengbo,
who was later banned from Britain over suspected spying. Perhaps
(05:19):
most damaging this week was the publication of excerpts from
Andrew Lowney's book entitled The Rise and Fall of the
House of York. The book paints a portrait of a
man whose behavior behind palace doors was as arrogant as
it was erratic. According to the book, Andrew allegedly demanded
that maids climbed four flights of stairs each morning to
open his bedroom curtains while he lay in bed beside them.
One form of staff acclaimed his bedtime habits as a
(05:42):
single man left a lot to be desired, with a
collection of scrunched up soil tissues left staff to clear away.
On another night, Andrew reportedly summoned a television technician to
his royal residence to explain how the remote control worked.
The Duke even allegedly sent his armed protection officers to
retrieve lost golf balls. Dangerous driving was described as one
(06:04):
of his favorite games, with Andrew allegedly speeding down motorways
in an attempt to lose his protection officers. Windsor estate
workers once petitioned the late Queen after he nearly hit
them while racing through the park in his Aston Martin
in twenty sixteen. When gates at Windsor malfunctioned, he allegedly
rammed them with his range rover, causing thousands of pounds
in damage. As a trade envoy, Andrew allegedly instructed staff
(06:28):
to invite attractive women to official functions. One diplomat recalled
being told he likes blondes, to which he replied, I'm
a diplomat, not a pimp. Lawney claims the Duke boasted
of sleeping with more than a thousand women. During a
trip to Thailand for the King's Diamond Jubilee, Andrew allegedly
entertained as many as forty women in his hotel suite,
(06:48):
with one leaving as another arrived. Royal reported Tom Sykes
described it as a revolving door of female bodies carried
out under the auspices of royal diplomacy. Adding another layer
to the story, newly released documents from the Crown Estate
revealed that Andrew has not paid any meaningful rent on
his sprawling Royal Lodge home for more than two decades.
(07:10):
The tenancy agreement shows that Andrew paid one million pounds
for a seventy five year lease in two thousand and three,
plus at least seven and a half million pounds for
refurbishments two years later. Since then, his annual rent has
amounted to just one peppercorn if demanded. The thirty bedroom
Royal Lodge, set on ninety eight acres and Windsor Great Park,
is leased until twenty seventy eight, effectively giving the disgraced
(07:32):
royal a lifetime residence. Royal author Norman Baker said the
public deserves to know whether the Prince could be forced out,
calling for transparency about the arrangement. For now, the Duke
no longer Duke, remains firmly in residence, rent free, scandals
shadowed and increasingly isolated within the walls of Windsor Great Park.
More pounce in just a moment, providing welcome relief from
(07:59):
the andrew Sar. King Charles and Queen can millamarked a
historic moment in Rome, joining Pope Leo the fourteenth for
an ecumenical service inside the Sistine Chapel, believed to be
the first time in hundreds of years that a British
monarch as head of the Church of England has publicly
prayed with a pope. The setting underscored the significance the
very chamber where Pope Leo was recently elected. The King
(08:20):
and Queen attended as part of a state visit aligned
with the Catholic Church's jubilee year. During the service, prayers
were led in English and Latin by Pope Leo and
the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, while Anglican and Catholic
choirs performed. From there, the King and Queen moved on
to a second service at the Basilica of Saint Paul
(08:41):
outside the Walls, where the King assumed the honorary title
of Royal Confrata, reflecting historic ties between the British crown
and the Basilica, The Vatican designed a chair for the
King and his success as bearing the royal coat of
arms and the inscription that they may be won. Church
leaders stressed the symbolism. The Vatican's Reverend Martin Brown said
(09:03):
the services were intended as a sign of our closeness
and willingness to see one another as brothers and sisters
despite differences. While Andrew dominated headlines, William and Kate did
their best to provide positive royal news. The Prince and
Princess of Wales marked the arrival of autumn with an
official visit to long Meadow Cider Farm in Craigavon, Northern Ireland,
(09:24):
where their coordinated seasonal style once again drew admiration. Kate
wore a forest green jacket paired with dark trousers and boots,
while William echoed her look with a brown coat, lay
it over a green sweater. During the visit, Kate shared
a glimpse of family life, revealing a very messy DIY
project she recently tried with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and
Prince Louis. We tried this at home with a hand press,
(09:47):
she said of cider making. It was quite good fun
with the children. It was all very messy. The couple
are currently on half term break with their children. Those
speculations suggest they'll soon be moving into their new home,
Forest Lodge on the Windsor Estate. According to The Daily Mail,
builders have been working tirelessly to ensure the new home
will be ready by early November, hopefully in time for
(10:08):
Bonfire Night. An insider told The Mirror that Adelaide Cottage
really does have some difficult memories associated with it. Sadly,
they have experienced some of their most challenging times there.
The family are really happy about this move and excited
for a fresh start. Kate has reportedly taken an active
role in the renovation process, personally selecting furnishings in Decort
(10:29):
from the British design houses. The whole process has been
fun for her. Source explained she loves interior design and
is very keen to support the UK textiles industry. In
other William news, the Prince enlisted Brazilian supermodel and environmentalists
activists to sell Bunchen as the newest member of the
Earthshot Prize Council. She joins a distinguished group including Queen
(10:50):
Rainier of Jordan, Sir David Attenborough, and Kate Blanchett. Over
in California, Meghan made headlines with her appearance at Fortune's
Most Powerful Women's Summit INN one Rington, d C, where
she teased a new direction for her content strategy. When
asked whether fans could expect a third season of With
Loved Megham, the Duchess offered a cryptic answer that seemed
to Hinty's show might be over. The holiday special is
(11:13):
coming out in November. It's a really good one, she said.
So we're able to say eight episodes for two seasons.
It's a lot of work. She went on to explain
that her team is now experimenting with shorter video content
instead of full length programming, saying I also recognize how
much people want content in different sizes. Megan also reflected
on the period following their move to the United States,
(11:33):
describing it as a time of nesting and healing. She
revealed that when they first stepped back from royal life
five years ago, there was no master plan. She was
so little and I had just got pregnant with Lily
around that time, so we were nesting, nesting and healing,
she said. In more awkward news, reports suggests the Duke
and Duchess of Sussex are navigating a difficult chapter in
their marriage, with insiders describing a relationship that has grown
(11:56):
increasingly distant. According to Radar Online, admitted a gossipy source,
some close to a couple have claimed they shared little
intimacy since the birth of Princess Lilibet in twenty twenty one.
An Eyewinness account of their recent New York appearance described
Harry as looking sad, anxious and tired, with another onlooker
saying it felt so bleak, no crowds to greet them,
(12:17):
and it was very business like between the two of them.
In more positive Harry and Meghan news, the couple joined
an open letter calling for a Holt on the creation
of AI superintelligence. Harry wrote, the future of AI should
serve humanity, not replace it. I believe the true test
of progress will be not how fast we move, but
how wisely we steer. There is no second chance, more palacing,
(12:40):
just a moment. So what did the week tell us
about the state of the monarchy? The commentary pieces published
throughout the week offer some fascinating perspectives. In The Mirrick,
Kevin Maguire wrote that from day one, the monarchy has
put its own interests first, second and third by covering
for Jeffrey Epstein's buddy, he called its stomach churning that
(13:03):
the late Queen coughed up part or all of the
twelve million pounds settlement, and criticized Child for inviting Andrew
to walk to church at Sandringham and Christmas Day. In
twenty twenty two and twenty three, the BBC's Shawn Kaflan
wondered if Andrew giving up his titles even matters, noting
that on a day to day basis, he's still a
prince and he's still living in a mansion in Windsor.
He pointed out that Andrew's statement showed no sense of regret,
(13:26):
quoting a royal insider who said the grand old Duke
of York he gave twelve million quid to someone he
never met for something he never did. In The Sun,
Robert Little took a broader view, writing that it has
been a terrible century for the Windsors so far. He
noted that the family has also been seriously damaged by
Prince Harry and his gust the Missus Megan, before concluding
that despite the idiotic Andrew and the awful Harry and Meghan,
(13:48):
the royal family is still a considerable asset to our country.
The Time suggested that the next monarch will be more ruthless,
noting that Wigham is not satisfied with the outcome and
knows that andrew problem will be in his intra at
some point when William is king, Andrew will be banned
from all elements of royal life. As we close out
(14:08):
this extraordinary week, one thing is clear that Andrew scandal
isn't going away anytime soon. With the Metropolitan Police investigating,
US congressional committees interested in his testimony, and new revelations
continuing to emerge, the pressure on both Andrew and the
Palace will only intensify. For King Charles, already dealing with
his own health challenges as he continues weekly cancer treatments,
(14:28):
this presents an enormous challenge. One royal aid told the
BBC that the headlines are taking a lot of oxygen
out of the Royal room, an understatement, if ever there
was one. The contrast between charles historic ecumenical service in
Rome and the sordid details of Andrew's past couldn't be
more stark. It's a reminder that the monarchy operates on
two levels, the ceremonial and symbolic role that connects Britain
(14:50):
to its history and provides seft power on the world stage,
and the human reality of flawed individuals who happen to
be born into extraordinary privilege. As we head into the
final months of twenty twenty five, all eyes will be
on how the Palace handles this crisis. Will Andrew face
further consequences, will William take a more active role in
managing his uncle, and can Charles maintain the dignity of
(15:10):
the institution while his brother's scandals continue to unfold. One
thing's for sure, We'll be here next week with all
the latest developments. Until then, remember, in the words of
one Palace insider, the royal family may be built on
ceremony and tradition, but at the end of the day,
it's still a family, and like all families, sometimes it's
a bit of a mess. And there you have it.
(15:31):
If you like to email us her addresses The Palace
Intrigue at gmail dot com. Please follow us on Spotify, Apple, Facebook, Instagram,
all the social hubspots. Come by and say hi, I'm
Mount Francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace
Intrigue and good terms
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