November 15, 2025 • 10 mins
A former royal chef calls Prince Andrew “demanding” and “arrogant,” revealing tales of midnight TV calls, golf-ball retrievals, and butlers summoned just to open curtains. Meanwhile, biographer Andrew Lownie says Sarah Ferguson dined nightly like a Tudor monarch, complete with beef, lamb, and chicken fit for Henry VIII. Elsewhere, King Charles earns praise as the royals’ most adventurous eater, a butler hints Christmas could move back to Windsor, and Meghan’s “boiled water recipe” sparks fresh ridicule online. Plus, Norway’s future queen studies Down Under — and handles the paparazzi better than most Windsors ever did.
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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 (00:00):
A calorogu shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue.
I am your host, Mark Rancis. In his book entitled
Royal biographer Andrew Lowney delves into some of the more
extravagant aspects of Sarah Ferguson's spending. Among the more eyebrow
(00:22):
raising claims is the revelation that she once dined nightly
as if she were hosting a Tudor feast. One format
staff member, who Loudey says was dismissed from their post,
claimed every night she demands a whole side of beef,
a leg of lamb, and a chicken, which are laid
out on the dining room table like a medieval banquet.
It's a feast that would make Henry the Eighth proud.
(00:43):
But often there is just her and her goals be
a Eugenie, and most of it is wasted. There is
no attempt to have it called the next day. Even
the Duchess of staff reportedly felt the strain, with one
butler said to have arrived at four thirteen in the
morning just to put watercress on. Ice Dan Ottaway, who
cooked for Queen Elizabeth Iond during his time at Buckingham
(01:04):
Palace told The Irish Independent that not all Royal diners
were created equal. According to Ottaway, Andrews stood out for
all the wrong reasons. We used to say that he
was quite difficult. He would have been more demanding than
the rest of them, for sure, he recalled. There would
have been last minute requests for lunches, guests and stuff
like that. Other family members would have told us weeks
(01:25):
in advance because they understand we needed to prep for them.
The chef said Andrew's behavior stemmed from knowing he could
get away with anything, really, because who's going to tell
him off? And he was probably the Queen's favorite child.
He was definitely different to the rest of the family
in his meal requirements. Ottaway, however, had far kind of
words for the Princess of Wales. He revealed that Kate
(01:45):
would often bring her children to the kitchen after a
meal to thank the staff. She didn't want them to
be ungrateful or whatever, but it meant a lot to
us in the kitchen to see the kids really bubbly,
he said. A source told the biographer that Andrew believed
his staff were there to serve and not to question
his actions. Describing extravagant behaviors such as ordering maids to
clan four flights of stairs to open his curtains while
(02:06):
he lay in bed beside them. On another occasion, he
is said to have summoned a television technician to his
home in the middle of the night to explain how
a remote control worked, and even instructed police protection officers
to retrieve his used golf balls. Lowney said, he's a
very self entitled, arrogant, pompous guy who has never really
been given any boundaries in his life, has never actually
(02:28):
been disciplined, I mean even talking to his school friends,
they said this was an accident waiting to happen. When
it comes to Royal kitchens, the King has officially earned
the crown for being the most daring diner in the family.
According to former Royal chef Darren McGrady, his Majesty brought
a much needed culinary shakeup to palace menus during his
time as Prince of Wales, and his influence still lingers
(02:51):
Prince Charles now King Charles was the most adventurous, McGrady
told Hart Bingo. He brought organic food into the Royal
kitchens long before it became mainstream, he'd bring his own
hampers with homegrown fruits and vegetables, especially at Sandringham. It
didn't stop with produce. The King is said to have
a strong love for Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, nunting the
royal chefs away from the stiffer fair of classic British
(03:13):
and French dishes. He loved Italian cuisine and introduced Mediterranean
dishes to the menu, said McGrady. He also enjoyed foraging
for wild mushrooms, which he would bring to the kitchens
for us to use in meals. His healthy approach to
food has long been a hallmark of his lifestyle. At
High Grove House, Charles keeps chickens that supply his preferred
eggs and Clarence House once confirmed he enjoys them in
(03:34):
the morning, adding a handful of nuts and seeds and
a cup of tea, reportedly also a daily staple, and
you have the makings of a king's breakfast. As for lunch,
don't expect to find Charles lingering over a midday meal.
It's well known that the monarch often skips it entirely
in favor of packing in more royal engagements. Dinner, however,
is another matter. The King reportedly goes big on seasonal ingredients,
(03:56):
favoring meals made from fresh producee sourced directly from his own.
Former royal butler, Grant Harold, believes King Charles could soon
bring a major change to the Royal family's Christmas traditions.
For decades, the royals have gathered at Sandringham, walking to
church on Christmas Morning to greet the public. But Harold,
who worked for Charles at Highgrove House between two thousand
(04:17):
and four and eleven, told gb News that the King
may eventually shift the holiday back to Windsor Castle. After
the fire at the Windsor Castle, the Royal family were
forced to relocate their Christmas holidays from Windsor to Sandringham.
The trip to Norfolk has been a part of their
annual diary ever since. But I think the King may
make another change and bring Christmas back to Windsor Castle,
(04:39):
he explain. Harold said the move would make sense given
that many senior royals, including the Prince and Princess of
Wales and their children, are now based near Windsor. It's
where the King's parents and grandparents are laid to rest.
So it's very special to him, he noted, though he
also pointed out that Charles remains fond of Sandringham and
may find it hard to abandon completely. More palacing just
(04:59):
a moment. Meggan is facing ridicule from Royal Watches and
social media users alike after sharing what many have dubbed
her boiled water recipe. The Duchess of Sussex posted a
video to promote her new as ever holiday collection, featuring
a spiced cider mulling spice kit. In the clip, Megan
(05:20):
demonstrates how to make what she calls a really cozy,
warm beverage that everyone can enjoy by placing a pouch
of a spice blend into a pan of hot water.
She then pours the mixture into glasses, adding cinnamon sticks,
a slice of lemon, and a teaspoon of her brand's honey.
Viewers were quick to mock the demonstration, accusing the Duchess
of reinventing mulled water. One user commented, so she boiled water,
(05:43):
while another joked next week, Megan chose us how to toast
bread where it. Watches also questioned the simplicity of the content,
suggesting the video was tone deaf given its branding as
a luxury product. She's selling an image, not a recipe,
one critic said, but even the image feels hollow. Newly
declassified files have revealed that North Korea once tried to
(06:03):
cash in on Britain's royal wedding fever. In nineteen eighty one,
as the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
captivated hundreds of millions around the globe, Pyongyang quietly issued
commemorative stamps of the royal couple. The move was part
of the Kim regime's broader use of philately, the collection
and sale of stamps as a way to earn hard
(06:24):
currency and weave itself into the global pop culture markets.
British diplomatic memos from nineteen eighty two show officials were
both bemused and weary after learning of the stamps, which
depicted Charles and Diana at Saint Paul's Cathedral, on the
Buckingham Palace balcony and in the throne room, alongside images
of the concord Jet. One diplomat in Beijing joked that
(06:45):
the British Post Office should retaliate with the geriatric dictators
of the world. Set featuring Kim Il Sun. The Royal
philatelic collection, worth an estimated one hundred million pounds, only
automatically accepted stamps from commonwealths, though officials admitted the Palace
would probably still accept the North Korean issues if they
were formally presented. North Korea's intentions were seen as purely pecuniary,
(07:11):
with one note in the fail remarking that the stamps
could only be purchased in Britain as part of a
full royal wedding collection priced at six hundred pounds. The
wedding stamps were only the start. Pyongyang went on to
issue stamps marking the couple's first anniversary, Prince William's birth
in nineteen eighty two, even Princess Diana's twenty first birthday.
Later sets featured portraits of European monarchs, including Charles and Diana,
(07:35):
Georgia sixth and Queen Victoria or aimed squarely at the
lucrative British stamp collecting market of the nineteen eighties. Princess
Ingrid Alexandra of Norway has given her first major interview,
and she did it from Sydney, where she is now
living as a university student. The twenty one year old
heir to the Norwegian throne, spoke to her country's national
(07:56):
broadcaster and Arka from the University of Sydney campus, where
she begins her studies in August. I'm enjoying it very
much so far, she said. I think Sydney was the
right choice for me. She described the Australian city as
a beautiful place, but admitted she hasn't seen much of
it yet. I haven't explored as much as I'd like,
but I've been here for three years, she said. A
keen surfer, she added that she's already had a chance
(08:17):
to experience the local waves. The princess is studying social science,
specializing in international relations and political economy, a degree she
says will help her prepare for her future role. I
definitely think that my education will be very relevant to
the job I will do in the future, she said.
I think it is important to have a basic understanding
of the political system of international relations and how things work.
(08:41):
Princess Ingrid Alexandra will one day become Norway's first reigning
queen in more than six centuries. For now, her move
to Australia means stepping away from royal duties for three years,
though she plans to return to Norway for holidays. She
will set her university exams in mid November before heading
home for Christmas. Adjusting to life abroad has been mostly smooth,
though she admitted the mediate attention in Sydney has been
(09:03):
more intrusive than at home. I have experienced some paparazzi here.
There have been some situations that may seem a little uncomfortable,
but fortunately it has calmed down a lot over time,
she said. The princess also spoke about her mother, Crown
Princess Madame Marie, who has battled a chronic lung disease
for several years. Mama's had a chronic illness for a
long time, she said, but I try to keep in
(09:24):
good contact with her. We often talk on the phone,
but of course it's hard to be far away, she said,
her grandparents, King Harold and Queen Sonia staying in touch
from Oslo. Grandma is very good at sending long messages
on behalf of both her and Grandpa, but admitted she
misses her family and even her dog Molly. Princess Ingrid
Alexander also addressed the difficult situation involving her half brother
(09:46):
Marius borg Hoebi, who faces criminal charges in Norway for
alleged domestic abuse and rape. Of course, it's difficult, she said,
both for those of us who are around, for me
as a sister, and for mum and dad, and of
course for everyone affected by the case. The trial is
due to beginning Oslo in February and run through March.
To learn more about the Norwegian Rebels, listen to our
(10:08):
season of Crown and Controversy Norway's Royal Rebels, and to
find that just look for season one on the series
currently labeled Crown and Controversy Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew is
the second season. The Norway's are the first season, So
just look for Crown and Controversy Prince Andrew in your
podcast app and you'll find the Norway Royal Rebels there
(10:28):
as well at the habit If you like to email
us addresses the Palace intrig at Gmail a dad com.
Please follow us on Spotify, Apple or the Apple You're chosen.
Believe it's a nice review. If you're enjoying the show
and my francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is
Palace intriguan good terims
A calorogu shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue.
I am your host, Mark Rancis. In his book entitled
Royal biographer Andrew Lowney delves into some of the more
extravagant aspects of Sarah Ferguson's spending. Among the more eyebrow
(00:22):
raising claims is the revelation that she once dined nightly
as if she were hosting a Tudor feast. One format
staff member, who Loudey says was dismissed from their post,
claimed every night she demands a whole side of beef,
a leg of lamb, and a chicken, which are laid
out on the dining room table like a medieval banquet.
It's a feast that would make Henry the Eighth proud.
(00:43):
But often there is just her and her goals be
a Eugenie, and most of it is wasted. There is
no attempt to have it called the next day. Even
the Duchess of staff reportedly felt the strain, with one
butler said to have arrived at four thirteen in the
morning just to put watercress on. Ice Dan Ottaway, who
cooked for Queen Elizabeth Iond during his time at Buckingham
(01:04):
Palace told The Irish Independent that not all Royal diners
were created equal. According to Ottaway, Andrews stood out for
all the wrong reasons. We used to say that he
was quite difficult. He would have been more demanding than
the rest of them, for sure, he recalled. There would
have been last minute requests for lunches, guests and stuff
like that. Other family members would have told us weeks
(01:25):
in advance because they understand we needed to prep for them.
The chef said Andrew's behavior stemmed from knowing he could
get away with anything, really, because who's going to tell
him off? And he was probably the Queen's favorite child.
He was definitely different to the rest of the family
in his meal requirements. Ottaway, however, had far kind of
words for the Princess of Wales. He revealed that Kate
(01:45):
would often bring her children to the kitchen after a
meal to thank the staff. She didn't want them to
be ungrateful or whatever, but it meant a lot to
us in the kitchen to see the kids really bubbly,
he said. A source told the biographer that Andrew believed
his staff were there to serve and not to question
his actions. Describing extravagant behaviors such as ordering maids to
clan four flights of stairs to open his curtains while
(02:06):
he lay in bed beside them. On another occasion, he
is said to have summoned a television technician to his
home in the middle of the night to explain how
a remote control worked, and even instructed police protection officers
to retrieve his used golf balls. Lowney said, he's a
very self entitled, arrogant, pompous guy who has never really
been given any boundaries in his life, has never actually
(02:28):
been disciplined, I mean even talking to his school friends,
they said this was an accident waiting to happen. When
it comes to Royal kitchens, the King has officially earned
the crown for being the most daring diner in the family.
According to former Royal chef Darren McGrady, his Majesty brought
a much needed culinary shakeup to palace menus during his
time as Prince of Wales, and his influence still lingers
(02:51):
Prince Charles now King Charles was the most adventurous, McGrady
told Hart Bingo. He brought organic food into the Royal
kitchens long before it became mainstream, he'd bring his own
hampers with homegrown fruits and vegetables, especially at Sandringham. It
didn't stop with produce. The King is said to have
a strong love for Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, nunting the
royal chefs away from the stiffer fair of classic British
(03:13):
and French dishes. He loved Italian cuisine and introduced Mediterranean
dishes to the menu, said McGrady. He also enjoyed foraging
for wild mushrooms, which he would bring to the kitchens
for us to use in meals. His healthy approach to
food has long been a hallmark of his lifestyle. At
High Grove House, Charles keeps chickens that supply his preferred
eggs and Clarence House once confirmed he enjoys them in
(03:34):
the morning, adding a handful of nuts and seeds and
a cup of tea, reportedly also a daily staple, and
you have the makings of a king's breakfast. As for lunch,
don't expect to find Charles lingering over a midday meal.
It's well known that the monarch often skips it entirely
in favor of packing in more royal engagements. Dinner, however,
is another matter. The King reportedly goes big on seasonal ingredients,
(03:56):
favoring meals made from fresh producee sourced directly from his own.
Former royal butler, Grant Harold, believes King Charles could soon
bring a major change to the Royal family's Christmas traditions.
For decades, the royals have gathered at Sandringham, walking to
church on Christmas Morning to greet the public. But Harold,
who worked for Charles at Highgrove House between two thousand
(04:17):
and four and eleven, told gb News that the King
may eventually shift the holiday back to Windsor Castle. After
the fire at the Windsor Castle, the Royal family were
forced to relocate their Christmas holidays from Windsor to Sandringham.
The trip to Norfolk has been a part of their
annual diary ever since. But I think the King may
make another change and bring Christmas back to Windsor Castle,
(04:39):
he explain. Harold said the move would make sense given
that many senior royals, including the Prince and Princess of
Wales and their children, are now based near Windsor. It's
where the King's parents and grandparents are laid to rest.
So it's very special to him, he noted, though he
also pointed out that Charles remains fond of Sandringham and
may find it hard to abandon completely. More palacing just
(04:59):
a moment. Meggan is facing ridicule from Royal Watches and
social media users alike after sharing what many have dubbed
her boiled water recipe. The Duchess of Sussex posted a
video to promote her new as ever holiday collection, featuring
a spiced cider mulling spice kit. In the clip, Megan
(05:20):
demonstrates how to make what she calls a really cozy,
warm beverage that everyone can enjoy by placing a pouch
of a spice blend into a pan of hot water.
She then pours the mixture into glasses, adding cinnamon sticks,
a slice of lemon, and a teaspoon of her brand's honey.
Viewers were quick to mock the demonstration, accusing the Duchess
of reinventing mulled water. One user commented, so she boiled water,
(05:43):
while another joked next week, Megan chose us how to toast
bread where it. Watches also questioned the simplicity of the content,
suggesting the video was tone deaf given its branding as
a luxury product. She's selling an image, not a recipe,
one critic said, but even the image feels hollow. Newly
declassified files have revealed that North Korea once tried to
(06:03):
cash in on Britain's royal wedding fever. In nineteen eighty one,
as the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
captivated hundreds of millions around the globe, Pyongyang quietly issued
commemorative stamps of the royal couple. The move was part
of the Kim regime's broader use of philately, the collection
and sale of stamps as a way to earn hard
(06:24):
currency and weave itself into the global pop culture markets.
British diplomatic memos from nineteen eighty two show officials were
both bemused and weary after learning of the stamps, which
depicted Charles and Diana at Saint Paul's Cathedral, on the
Buckingham Palace balcony and in the throne room, alongside images
of the concord Jet. One diplomat in Beijing joked that
(06:45):
the British Post Office should retaliate with the geriatric dictators
of the world. Set featuring Kim Il Sun. The Royal
philatelic collection, worth an estimated one hundred million pounds, only
automatically accepted stamps from commonwealths, though officials admitted the Palace
would probably still accept the North Korean issues if they
were formally presented. North Korea's intentions were seen as purely pecuniary,
(07:11):
with one note in the fail remarking that the stamps
could only be purchased in Britain as part of a
full royal wedding collection priced at six hundred pounds. The
wedding stamps were only the start. Pyongyang went on to
issue stamps marking the couple's first anniversary, Prince William's birth
in nineteen eighty two, even Princess Diana's twenty first birthday.
Later sets featured portraits of European monarchs, including Charles and Diana,
(07:35):
Georgia sixth and Queen Victoria or aimed squarely at the
lucrative British stamp collecting market of the nineteen eighties. Princess
Ingrid Alexandra of Norway has given her first major interview,
and she did it from Sydney, where she is now
living as a university student. The twenty one year old
heir to the Norwegian throne, spoke to her country's national
(07:56):
broadcaster and Arka from the University of Sydney campus, where
she begins her studies in August. I'm enjoying it very
much so far, she said. I think Sydney was the
right choice for me. She described the Australian city as
a beautiful place, but admitted she hasn't seen much of
it yet. I haven't explored as much as I'd like,
but I've been here for three years, she said. A
keen surfer, she added that she's already had a chance
(08:17):
to experience the local waves. The princess is studying social science,
specializing in international relations and political economy, a degree she
says will help her prepare for her future role. I
definitely think that my education will be very relevant to
the job I will do in the future, she said.
I think it is important to have a basic understanding
of the political system of international relations and how things work.
(08:41):
Princess Ingrid Alexandra will one day become Norway's first reigning
queen in more than six centuries. For now, her move
to Australia means stepping away from royal duties for three years,
though she plans to return to Norway for holidays. She
will set her university exams in mid November before heading
home for Christmas. Adjusting to life abroad has been mostly smooth,
though she admitted the mediate attention in Sydney has been
(09:03):
more intrusive than at home. I have experienced some paparazzi here.
There have been some situations that may seem a little uncomfortable,
but fortunately it has calmed down a lot over time,
she said. The princess also spoke about her mother, Crown
Princess Madame Marie, who has battled a chronic lung disease
for several years. Mama's had a chronic illness for a
long time, she said, but I try to keep in
(09:24):
good contact with her. We often talk on the phone,
but of course it's hard to be far away, she said,
her grandparents, King Harold and Queen Sonia staying in touch
from Oslo. Grandma is very good at sending long messages
on behalf of both her and Grandpa, but admitted she
misses her family and even her dog Molly. Princess Ingrid
Alexander also addressed the difficult situation involving her half brother
(09:46):
Marius borg Hoebi, who faces criminal charges in Norway for
alleged domestic abuse and rape. Of course, it's difficult, she said,
both for those of us who are around, for me
as a sister, and for mum and dad, and of
course for everyone affected by the case. The trial is
due to beginning Oslo in February and run through March.
To learn more about the Norwegian Rebels, listen to our
(10:08):
season of Crown and Controversy Norway's Royal Rebels, and to
find that just look for season one on the series
currently labeled Crown and Controversy Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew is
the second season. The Norway's are the first season, So
just look for Crown and Controversy Prince Andrew in your
podcast app and you'll find the Norway Royal Rebels there
(10:28):
as well at the habit If you like to email
us addresses the Palace intrig at Gmail a dad com.
Please follow us on Spotify, Apple or the Apple You're chosen.
Believe it's a nice review. If you're enjoying the show
and my francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is
Palace intriguan good terims
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