January 7, 2026 • 9 mins
Reports say Prince Andrew urged Sarah Ferguson to send overly personal letters to King Charles and Queen Camilla as the Yorks scramble for relevance, while fresh court-file chatter revives ugly Epstein-era speculation around an unnamed “Duchess of England.” Meanwhile, Andrew’s exit from Royal Lodge is now being framed as an Easter deadline, with uncertainty over where he lands next. We also run through the latest palace diary reporting on tours, priorities, and the two unresolved family crises still hanging over the institution.
Palace Intrigue is your daily royal family podcast, diving deep into the modern-day drama, power struggles, and scandals shaping the future of the monarchy.
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 and 2 are fully available now for everyone. Season 3 has new episodes every Sunday on the regular feed. GET THE FULL SEASON 3 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 conve
Palace Intrigue is your daily royal family podcast, diving deep into the modern-day drama, power struggles, and scandals shaping the future of the monarchy.
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 and 2 are fully available now for everyone. Season 3 has new episodes every Sunday on the regular feed. GET THE FULL SEASON 3 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 conve
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Caalarogus Shark Media, Hello and welcome to Palace. Intrigued, I
am your host, Mark Francis. Former Prince Andrew was reported
to have urged his ex wife Sarah Ferguson to reach
out to senior members of the royal family as controversy
continues to surround his past association with Jeoffrey Epstein. According
(00:25):
to sources quoted by Okay magazine, the former Duke of
York encouraged Ferguson to send what inside is described as
begging letters to figures including King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The messages were reportedly sent around Christmas and expressed regret
over events linked to the House of York. The source
claimed that as Andrew struggles to come to terms with
(00:45):
the loss of his royal status and prepares to vacate
Royal Lodge, he has withdrawn from direct contact with other royals. Instead,
Ferguson was said to have acted on his behalf, with
some letters allegedly sent using both their names, creating the
impression of a joint appeal. Speaking about Andrew's mindset to
the Insider said he's finding it hard to accept the
(01:05):
loss of his status. Staff and visitors continue to be deferential,
but he still holds onto the notion that he's a prince.
Sarah seems to be trying to make up for it
in her own way, sending overly personal messages to royals
who may not even want them. A separate senior palace
source reinforced the impression that Andrew has stepped back entirely
from family correspondents. There's no sign that Andrew has sent
(01:29):
any cards to the royals himself. It seems he has
withdrawn completely from public facing correspondents, leaving Sarah to maintain
a family friendly front. Sarah has seemingly been drawn back
into the Jeffrey Epstein scandal following the emergence of US
court files that refer to eight Duchess of England allegedly
giving staff at Epstein's mansion a six word warning. The
(01:52):
files claim the unnamed duchess told staff to see nothing,
hear nothing, say nothing. The phrase appears in a manual
created by employees working for Jeffrey Epstein and Glaine Maxwell.
The manual, which also included guidance on how to properly
maintain a house, reportedly set out all of the tasks
that were demanded at Epstein's Palm Beach property. It stressed
(02:16):
the importance of appearance and behavior, stating appearance is extremely
important if high standards are to be maintained. A favorable
first impression goes a long way, and adding the personal cleanliness,
good presentation and a genuine and polite aim to please
approach are very important. Although the document was first disclosed
in twenty twenty one, there has never been any confirmed
(02:38):
evidence I identifying who helped write it. However, an anonymous
former employee has now claimed they first encountered the manual
after a visit from a woman they described as a
duchess from England, referring to the Duchess of England. The
former staff members said they remembered seeing the manual when
a duchess from England that came, describing her as a
woman who was supposed to be royalty. Ferguson has previously
(03:00):
denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, the position she
has maintained consistently. In practical terms, there are very few
royal duchesses connected to the British royal family today. That
group is limited to Megan Michael, Sophie Beregud Catherine, and
for purposes of the discussion, Sarah Ferguson. That is a
remarkably small pool, which is why any reference to a
(03:22):
duchess in a scandal heavy context immediately invites speculation. Bergitte
was born on June twentieth, nineteen forty six years seventy
nine years old. Catherine was born on February twenty second,
nineteen thirty three. She is ninety two years old. Beyond
the royal household, the picture changes dramatically. Across England and
the wider UK. There are roughly thirty active dukedoms in
(03:44):
the peerage, most with duchesses by marriage or inheritance. These
women are aristocratic, not royal. They tend to live private lives,
hold no public facing royal roles, in a largely unknown
outside specialist circles. This distinction matters when documents refer vaguely
to a duchess of England. It blurs two very different worlds.
(04:06):
If the reference is to a peerage duchess, then that
is wide and identification is difficult. If the implication is royal,
the list is so short that the phrase almost guarantees headlines.
Andrew is reportedly being pushed toward the exit at Royal Lodge,
with Easter now emerging as the hard deadline for his departure.
The timing, insiders suggest is not accidental. The Royal family
(04:29):
traditionally gathers at Windsor for Easter, attending services at Saint
George's Chapel, and there is a clear desire to avoid
what one source is described as another awkward family encounter.
With Easter falling in early April this year, Andrew is
now expected to be gone by then. Writing in The
Daily may Or, Royal editor Rebecca English said the move
would help the family sidestep another potentially tricky encounter during
(04:51):
the holiday period. She added the possibility that there may
need to be an interim solution if his next home
is not ready in time. Next home is widely believed
to be Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate, but even
that option appears less than straightforward. English reported that the
property is considered quite small and in need of a
lot of work before it can be made both habitable
(05:14):
and secure. Royal biographer Robert Jobson has suggested that Andrew's
retreat could instead stretch far beyond the UK, saying the
King saw the King of Bahrain the other day. One
never knows. It could be a place where Andrew gets
the recognition of being the second son of Queen Elizabeth.
Rather than this. Jobson noted that such a move would
(05:34):
hardly be without precedent. Spain's former monarch, One Carlos that First,
has lived in Abu Dharby since twenty twenty after stepping
back from public life amid financial scandals, effectively removing himself
from the daily glare of European media. Other disgraced people
have gone to the Middle East. Jobson added, Andrew did
a lot of business in Bahrain, and he's still relatively young,
(05:56):
more palasing just a moment. Writing in The Daily may Or,
Royal correspondent Rebecca English says twenty twenty five was a
turning point in family dynamics, writing that King Charles showed
he was finally prepared to act decisively when family members
damaged the monarchy. She described the removal of Prince Andrew's
(06:17):
dukedom and privileges as widely welcomed, surprising those who doubted
the King had the resolve to take such a step.
Looking ahead to twenty twenty six, English reports that the
King's diary is more packed than ever, with sources saying
he is raring to go. A spring tour is said
to be locked in, likely to the United States, tied
to the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of American independence
(06:39):
following President Trump's second state visit to the UK. She
acknowledges that controversy this may cause, but says it reflects
the Palace's careful handling of relations with Washington. Later in
the year, Charles is expected to travel to Antigua for
the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. English notes the political
sensitivity of the visit given the growing number of Caribbean
(07:01):
nations reconsidering the monarchy, but says the King has already
laid groundwork for a mature and sensible conversation on the
future of the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, William's preference for shorter, more
impactful overseas visits continues, with trips penciled into the US
and India, while tours to Australia and China have been
ruled out. There are currently no confirmed foreign visits for
(07:22):
the Princess of Wales, though English says her team has
not ruled one out as her recovery progresses. English also
addresses William's talk of change with the capital c and
being less royal with a small r, quoting one insider
who cautions that while the couple will modernize selectively, they
remain traditionalists. They see the power of what the institution does,
(07:44):
the source says, adding that major ceremonies like trooping the
color and a future coronation are not going anywhere. Finally,
English turns to two lingering family crises, Prince Andrew and
Prince Harry. She reports that Andrew is expected to leave
Royal Lodge by Easter, possibly relocating to March Farm at Sandringham,
though renovations may delay the move, raising the extraordinary possibility
(08:05):
that he could be temporarily without a permanent residence. An
insider is quoted describing Andrew as a man with a
habit of making terribly bad decisions. As for Harry and Meghan,
English writes that while the palace publicly downplays their activities,
there is intense private interest in the apparent struggles of
the us ventures. She reports skepticism about claims of an
(08:27):
imminent reconciliation, saying the king remains wary despite being pained
by the estrangement. One source suggests Charles felt rail roaded
into their recent meeting, believing refusal would have been weaponized
against him. English concludes that most Royal insiders believe any
genuine reconciliation would require an apology from Harry, which they
see is unlikely, and they have it like to email
(08:50):
as address is the Palace Intriy at email dot com.
Please follow us on Spotify, Apple or the Apple Choice.
I'm Mark Francis By thanks to John McDermott, Pallace Intrigue
and Times h
Caalarogus Shark Media, Hello and welcome to Palace. Intrigued, I
am your host, Mark Francis. Former Prince Andrew was reported
to have urged his ex wife Sarah Ferguson to reach
out to senior members of the royal family as controversy
continues to surround his past association with Jeoffrey Epstein. According
(00:25):
to sources quoted by Okay magazine, the former Duke of
York encouraged Ferguson to send what inside is described as
begging letters to figures including King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The messages were reportedly sent around Christmas and expressed regret
over events linked to the House of York. The source
claimed that as Andrew struggles to come to terms with
(00:45):
the loss of his royal status and prepares to vacate
Royal Lodge, he has withdrawn from direct contact with other royals. Instead,
Ferguson was said to have acted on his behalf, with
some letters allegedly sent using both their names, creating the
impression of a joint appeal. Speaking about Andrew's mindset to
the Insider said he's finding it hard to accept the
(01:05):
loss of his status. Staff and visitors continue to be deferential,
but he still holds onto the notion that he's a prince.
Sarah seems to be trying to make up for it
in her own way, sending overly personal messages to royals
who may not even want them. A separate senior palace
source reinforced the impression that Andrew has stepped back entirely
from family correspondents. There's no sign that Andrew has sent
(01:29):
any cards to the royals himself. It seems he has
withdrawn completely from public facing correspondents, leaving Sarah to maintain
a family friendly front. Sarah has seemingly been drawn back
into the Jeffrey Epstein scandal following the emergence of US
court files that refer to eight Duchess of England allegedly
giving staff at Epstein's mansion a six word warning. The
(01:52):
files claim the unnamed duchess told staff to see nothing,
hear nothing, say nothing. The phrase appears in a manual
created by employees working for Jeffrey Epstein and Glaine Maxwell.
The manual, which also included guidance on how to properly
maintain a house, reportedly set out all of the tasks
that were demanded at Epstein's Palm Beach property. It stressed
(02:16):
the importance of appearance and behavior, stating appearance is extremely
important if high standards are to be maintained. A favorable
first impression goes a long way, and adding the personal cleanliness,
good presentation and a genuine and polite aim to please
approach are very important. Although the document was first disclosed
in twenty twenty one, there has never been any confirmed
(02:38):
evidence I identifying who helped write it. However, an anonymous
former employee has now claimed they first encountered the manual
after a visit from a woman they described as a
duchess from England, referring to the Duchess of England. The
former staff members said they remembered seeing the manual when
a duchess from England that came, describing her as a
woman who was supposed to be royalty. Ferguson has previously
(03:00):
denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, the position she
has maintained consistently. In practical terms, there are very few
royal duchesses connected to the British royal family today. That
group is limited to Megan Michael, Sophie Beregud Catherine, and
for purposes of the discussion, Sarah Ferguson. That is a
remarkably small pool, which is why any reference to a
(03:22):
duchess in a scandal heavy context immediately invites speculation. Bergitte
was born on June twentieth, nineteen forty six years seventy
nine years old. Catherine was born on February twenty second,
nineteen thirty three. She is ninety two years old. Beyond
the royal household, the picture changes dramatically. Across England and
the wider UK. There are roughly thirty active dukedoms in
(03:44):
the peerage, most with duchesses by marriage or inheritance. These
women are aristocratic, not royal. They tend to live private lives,
hold no public facing royal roles, in a largely unknown
outside specialist circles. This distinction matters when documents refer vaguely
to a duchess of England. It blurs two very different worlds.
(04:06):
If the reference is to a peerage duchess, then that
is wide and identification is difficult. If the implication is royal,
the list is so short that the phrase almost guarantees headlines.
Andrew is reportedly being pushed toward the exit at Royal Lodge,
with Easter now emerging as the hard deadline for his departure.
The timing, insiders suggest is not accidental. The Royal family
(04:29):
traditionally gathers at Windsor for Easter, attending services at Saint
George's Chapel, and there is a clear desire to avoid
what one source is described as another awkward family encounter.
With Easter falling in early April this year, Andrew is
now expected to be gone by then. Writing in The
Daily may Or, Royal editor Rebecca English said the move
would help the family sidestep another potentially tricky encounter during
(04:51):
the holiday period. She added the possibility that there may
need to be an interim solution if his next home
is not ready in time. Next home is widely believed
to be Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate, but even
that option appears less than straightforward. English reported that the
property is considered quite small and in need of a
lot of work before it can be made both habitable
(05:14):
and secure. Royal biographer Robert Jobson has suggested that Andrew's
retreat could instead stretch far beyond the UK, saying the
King saw the King of Bahrain the other day. One
never knows. It could be a place where Andrew gets
the recognition of being the second son of Queen Elizabeth.
Rather than this. Jobson noted that such a move would
(05:34):
hardly be without precedent. Spain's former monarch, One Carlos that First,
has lived in Abu Dharby since twenty twenty after stepping
back from public life amid financial scandals, effectively removing himself
from the daily glare of European media. Other disgraced people
have gone to the Middle East. Jobson added, Andrew did
a lot of business in Bahrain, and he's still relatively young,
(05:56):
more palasing just a moment. Writing in The Daily may Or,
Royal correspondent Rebecca English says twenty twenty five was a
turning point in family dynamics, writing that King Charles showed
he was finally prepared to act decisively when family members
damaged the monarchy. She described the removal of Prince Andrew's
(06:17):
dukedom and privileges as widely welcomed, surprising those who doubted
the King had the resolve to take such a step.
Looking ahead to twenty twenty six, English reports that the
King's diary is more packed than ever, with sources saying
he is raring to go. A spring tour is said
to be locked in, likely to the United States, tied
to the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of American independence
(06:39):
following President Trump's second state visit to the UK. She
acknowledges that controversy this may cause, but says it reflects
the Palace's careful handling of relations with Washington. Later in
the year, Charles is expected to travel to Antigua for
the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. English notes the political
sensitivity of the visit given the growing number of Caribbean
(07:01):
nations reconsidering the monarchy, but says the King has already
laid groundwork for a mature and sensible conversation on the
future of the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, William's preference for shorter, more
impactful overseas visits continues, with trips penciled into the US
and India, while tours to Australia and China have been
ruled out. There are currently no confirmed foreign visits for
(07:22):
the Princess of Wales, though English says her team has
not ruled one out as her recovery progresses. English also
addresses William's talk of change with the capital c and
being less royal with a small r, quoting one insider
who cautions that while the couple will modernize selectively, they
remain traditionalists. They see the power of what the institution does,
(07:44):
the source says, adding that major ceremonies like trooping the
color and a future coronation are not going anywhere. Finally,
English turns to two lingering family crises, Prince Andrew and
Prince Harry. She reports that Andrew is expected to leave
Royal Lodge by Easter, possibly relocating to March Farm at Sandringham,
though renovations may delay the move, raising the extraordinary possibility
(08:05):
that he could be temporarily without a permanent residence. An
insider is quoted describing Andrew as a man with a
habit of making terribly bad decisions. As for Harry and Meghan,
English writes that while the palace publicly downplays their activities,
there is intense private interest in the apparent struggles of
the us ventures. She reports skepticism about claims of an
(08:27):
imminent reconciliation, saying the king remains wary despite being pained
by the estrangement. One source suggests Charles felt rail roaded
into their recent meeting, believing refusal would have been weaponized
against him. English concludes that most Royal insiders believe any
genuine reconciliation would require an apology from Harry, which they
see is unlikely, and they have it like to email
(08:50):
as address is the Palace Intriy at email dot com.
Please follow us on Spotify, Apple or the Apple Choice.
I'm Mark Francis By thanks to John McDermott, Pallace Intrigue
and Times h
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.