August 25, 2025 • 9 mins
The British press is coming for Prince William’s work ethic—or lack thereof. While Anne racks up engagements, William and Kate rack up holidays. Plus: Epstein redactions in a royal biography, a $300 teddy bear at Highgrove, Charles hiring new staff, the rarest Queen coin enters circulation, and a new royal job listing that offers free lunch and constitutional headaches.
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👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation with fellow fans, share your thoughts and royal stories, and dive deeper into the drama behind the crown. Get full episodes, exclusive sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes videos, and more. Don’t miss a moment—find us on Facebook and Instagram or click the links to start your royal journey!
👑 Follow our hit series Crown and Controversy! Season 1 is fully available now for premium subscribers, while new episodes drop every Sunday on the regular feed. Don’t miss a moment of the drama!
🚀 Go Premium – Listen Uninterrupted! No ads. No feed drops. Just pure, uninterrupted entertainment. Apple users, tap the UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING banner in your Podcasts app and unlock 25+ series covering comedy, paranormal, royals, romance, trivia, politics, movies, music, true crime, sports, travel, spirituality, celebrity gossip, feuds—and thousands of episodes, all ad-free!
All this for just $4.99/month with a free trial month. Plus, premium subscribers get early access to shows and exclusive subscriber-only episodes.
👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation with fellow fans, share your thoughts and royal stories, and dive deeper into the drama behind the crown. Get full episodes, exclusive sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes videos, and more. Don’t miss a moment—find us on Facebook and Instagram or click the links to start your royal journey!
👑 Follow our hit series Crown and Controversy! Season 1 is fully available now for premium subscribers, while new episodes drop every Sunday on the regular feed. Don’t miss a moment of the drama!
🚀 Go Premium – Listen Uninterrupted! No ads. No feed drops. Just pure, uninterrupted entertainment. Apple users, tap the UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING banner in your Podcasts app and unlock 25+ series covering comedy, paranormal, royals, romance, trivia, politics, movies, music, true crime, sports, travel, spirituality, celebrity gossip, feuds—and thousands of episodes, all ad-free!
All this for just $4.99/month with a free trial month. Plus, premium subscribers get early access to shows and exclusive subscriber-only episodes.
Dive into all our shows at Caloroga.com—your next obsession awaits!
Subscribe to Deep Crown’s free newsletter here.
👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation with fellow fans, share your thoughts and royal stories, and dive deeper into the drama behind the crown. Get full episodes, exclusive sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes videos, and more. Don’t miss a moment—find us on Facebook and Instagram or click the links to start your royal journey!
👑 Follow our hit series Crown and Controversy! Season 1 is fully available now for premium subscribers, while new episodes drop every Sunday on the regular feed. Don’t miss a moment of the drama!
🚀 Go Premium – Listen Uninterrupted! No ads. No feed drops. Just pure, uninterrupted entertainment. Apple users, tap the UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING banner in your Podcasts app and unlock 25+ series covering comedy, paranormal, royals, romance, trivia, politics, movies, music, true crime, sports, travel, spirituality, celebrity gossip, feuds—and thousands of episodes, all ad-free!
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Caloroga Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Ballast Intrigue Game,
your host Mark Francis and the Daily Mail Liz Jones rights, careful, William.
I've always supported you, but now your behavior has left
me call and I'm not alone. Jones mentions the recent
(00:25):
cruising around the Greek Islands aboard a superyacht, adding the way,
was this recent Mediterranean sojourn is just one of the
four or five vacations at least they've taken so far
this year. Shame there was no time for the Prince
and Princess of Wales to attend the VJ Day ceremonies.
William remember will be head of the Armed Forces and
(00:45):
the not too distant future. Yet all the couple did
to mark the moment, the eightieth anniversary of the end
of the Second World War was posted a message on
social media. It seems to some of us that William
and Kate want the privileges of their position. The on
board share the freedom of never having to take out
a mortgage or apply for a Capital one card, but
not the tedium the job so often entails, or the scrutiny.
(01:09):
Of course, I have some sympathy for Kate she has
undergone major surgery. She is in remission from cancer, but
the whales Is, both forty three, are still young. Up
until June twenty twenty five, William had performed seventy one
engagements Kate nine they conducted twenty two jointly. Yet King Charles,
who is seventy six, carried out two hundred and thirty
(01:29):
three engagements in the same period, even though he too
has been having cancer treatment. The late Queen Elizabeth undertook
two hundred and one official engagements at the age of
ninety six. William should remember that he is a popular
figure who, in the words of the late Queen, must
be seen to be believed. That is true now and
will be all the more so when he eventually becomes king.
(01:53):
Princess Anne is in many ways the opposite of William.
Last year alone, the Princess Royal carried out two hundred
and seventeen official engagements, cementing her reputation as the hardest
working member of the family. Former Royal butler Grant Harold
told Royal Insider that Anne's importance has only grown since
the passing of Queen Elizabeth. She was with the Queen
(02:14):
at the end of her life alongside the King, and
I think people now see her not just as the
Queen's daughter, but as a true pillar of the family.
She's deeply admired and many people are reminded of the
late Queen when they see her. She's absolutely vital to
the monarchy, and even when William becomes king, I have
no doubt she'll remain a working royal. Anne herself has
(02:35):
been candid about her views on the monarchy's future, cautioning
younger generations against unnecessary reinvention. In an interview with Vanity Fairs,
she remarked, please do not reinvent that particular will We've
been there, done that. Some of these things don't work.
You may need to go back to basics. Recent reports, however,
suggest some friction with her nephew. According to The Sunday Times,
(02:58):
Anne has been tired and annoyed that she continues to
shoulder many of the bread and butter duties, such as
investitures at Windsor, while William, who lives nearby, has been
less visible in this respect. A source claimed she's still
doing most of the investitures even though William lives there.
It annoys her. Royal commentator Robert Jobson warned Prince William
(03:19):
to be careful of what he wishes for. Jobson told
the Son people do turn out when they see, particularly
people like Sophie Wessex and the new Duke of Edinburgh,
Prince Edward. They turn out and droves. They like that connection,
and if you lose that connection, the monarchy actually loses
something that it's about. I think you've got to be
careful what you wish for. It's not a question of choice,
(03:40):
it's a question of duty. I think that William has
got to be quite careful whilst doing this balancing act.
The role of the monarch is one way. Duty has
to come first. I don't think there's anywhere around that
unless you want to have a part time monarch or
a president. The reality is that is the job. It's
a job for life, and it's a job that's pretty relentless.
(04:01):
Entitled The Rise and Fall of the House of York
by a royal biographer Andrew Lowney, has included a claim
that Jeffrey Epstein was the person who introduced a certain
really famous American politician to his future wife. Around sixty
thousand copies of the book were printed with the passage
but the publisher, Harper Collins, has since confirmed that all
future editions will omit the allegation. The ebook and audiobook
(04:25):
versions have already been updated. In a statement, a Harper
Collins spokesperson said, we can confirm that several passages from
entitled The Rise and Fall of the House of York
by Andrew Lowney have been removed in consultation with the author.
While Harper Collins publishes the book in the UK, Lowney
is self publishing the title in the United States. The
(04:47):
disputed story has a complex history. Author Michael Wolfe first
floated the claim during a now retracted Daily Beast podcast interview,
saying MISSUS Politician was very involved in Epstein's circle. Biden
repeated the suggestion in a July interview, sparking a furious response.
MISSUS Politician has since threatened Biden with a one billion
(05:09):
dollar lawsuit, describing the remarks as false, disparaging, defammatory, and
extremely sillacious. More palace in just a moment, we have
some more details on those three hundred dollars. Teddy bears
the King is selling at High Grove House. The estate's
gift shop has unveiled the limited edition silver Teddy Bear,
(05:30):
created to honor the King's roles both as monarch and
as a former serviceman in the Royal Air Force and
Royal Navy. Only nine hundred and forty eight bears have
been produced, each individually numbered and supplied with a certificate
of authenticity. Handcrafted by the traditional toy maker Mery Thought,
the bear features silver mohair fur, cotton velvet paws, deep
(05:53):
blue eyes, and a handstitched smile. Its left poor bears
the King's Royal cipher and golden thread, while the right
plays the Merrythought logo. The bear is also adorned with
a miniature Royal Victorian Order sash and a detailed enamel
replica of the Order of the Garter Star, one of
Britain's most prestigious chivalric emblems. Highgrove has stressed, however, that
(06:15):
the bear is not suitable for children. Marketed as a
rare and treasured collectible, it comes presented in a luxury
gift box and is intended solely for adult collectors. The
release forms part of an expanded High Grove retail collection,
which now also includes luxury fashion items created in collaboration
with Berbery. These range from trench coats priced at nearly
(06:35):
four thousand dollars, to silk scarves costing around five hundred
dollars each, featuring designs inspired by the flowers and features
of Highgrove's gardens. Charles is seeking a new member of
staff to help manage the complexities of royal life at
Buckingham Palace. A role for a Royal Engagements Officer has
(06:55):
been advertised on the Royal Household's official website. The successful
candidate joined the Private Secretary's Office on a fixed one
year contract from November twenty twenty five, earning forty thousand
pounds a year for a thirty seven and a half
hour week Monday to Friday. The Engagements team is tasked
with ensuring meaningful contact between their Majesties and the world
(07:16):
through careful coordination, thoughtful briefings and seamless delivery of engagements.
Duties will include planning and delivering the King's official visits
at home and abroad, coordinating audiences, and supporting speeches and
joint appearances by the King and Queen. The post requires
excellent project management and organizational skills, the ability to process
(07:37):
complex and sensitive issues quickly, and a talent for concise
communication knowledge of current affairs the UK and Commonwealth, and
Britain's political and constitutional framework would also be considered an asset.
In return, the Palace is offering twenty five days of
annual leave rising to thirty plus bank holidays on Excellent
Pension scheme and free mills while on duty. Iplications close.
(08:00):
On Aucus thirty first, the Royal Mint is confirmed that
the final batch of one pound coins bearing the image
of Queen Elizabeth Second is now entering circulation, marking the
end of an error in British coinage. More than twenty
three million of the late Queen's coins dated twenty twenty
one and twenty twenty two are being released, alongside seven
point five million new coins featuring the portrait of King
(08:23):
Charles the Third. The Mint describes the moment as pivotal,
symbolizing the transition between monarchs in everyday currency. Rebecca Morgan,
the Mint's director of Commemorative Coins, said, as we release
more than as we release more of the King Charles
the Third one pound coins into circulation alongside the final
coins of Queen Elizabeth I, we're witnessing the physical representation
(08:45):
of our monarchy's transition. She added that discovering one in
your change could spark a rewarding hobby for collectors. The
twenty twenty two Elizabeth the Second coins, with just seven
point seven to three five million being issued, will become
the rarest in circulation. The new Charles coins are gradually
being introduced. Elizabeth the Seconds coins remain legal tender and
(09:06):
are expected to circulate for decades to come, with most
coins lasting around twenty years. Collect five hundred of them
and you should be able to ford yourself in high
grove silk scarf and there you have it. Go back
to email us our addresses The Palace Intrigue at gmail
dot com. Please follow us at Spotify or Apple and
the app choice, and find us on Facebook or Instagram.
(09:29):
Just search for Palace Intrigue or click the link in
the show notes. I'm Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott.
This balance Intrigue in good terms
Caloroga Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Ballast Intrigue Game,
your host Mark Francis and the Daily Mail Liz Jones rights, careful, William.
I've always supported you, but now your behavior has left
me call and I'm not alone. Jones mentions the recent
(00:25):
cruising around the Greek Islands aboard a superyacht, adding the way,
was this recent Mediterranean sojourn is just one of the
four or five vacations at least they've taken so far
this year. Shame there was no time for the Prince
and Princess of Wales to attend the VJ Day ceremonies.
William remember will be head of the Armed Forces and
(00:45):
the not too distant future. Yet all the couple did
to mark the moment, the eightieth anniversary of the end
of the Second World War was posted a message on
social media. It seems to some of us that William
and Kate want the privileges of their position. The on
board share the freedom of never having to take out
a mortgage or apply for a Capital one card, but
not the tedium the job so often entails, or the scrutiny.
(01:09):
Of course, I have some sympathy for Kate she has
undergone major surgery. She is in remission from cancer, but
the whales Is, both forty three, are still young. Up
until June twenty twenty five, William had performed seventy one
engagements Kate nine they conducted twenty two jointly. Yet King Charles,
who is seventy six, carried out two hundred and thirty
(01:29):
three engagements in the same period, even though he too
has been having cancer treatment. The late Queen Elizabeth undertook
two hundred and one official engagements at the age of
ninety six. William should remember that he is a popular
figure who, in the words of the late Queen, must
be seen to be believed. That is true now and
will be all the more so when he eventually becomes king.
(01:53):
Princess Anne is in many ways the opposite of William.
Last year alone, the Princess Royal carried out two hundred
and seventeen official engagements, cementing her reputation as the hardest
working member of the family. Former Royal butler Grant Harold
told Royal Insider that Anne's importance has only grown since
the passing of Queen Elizabeth. She was with the Queen
(02:14):
at the end of her life alongside the King, and
I think people now see her not just as the
Queen's daughter, but as a true pillar of the family.
She's deeply admired and many people are reminded of the
late Queen when they see her. She's absolutely vital to
the monarchy, and even when William becomes king, I have
no doubt she'll remain a working royal. Anne herself has
(02:35):
been candid about her views on the monarchy's future, cautioning
younger generations against unnecessary reinvention. In an interview with Vanity Fairs,
she remarked, please do not reinvent that particular will We've
been there, done that. Some of these things don't work.
You may need to go back to basics. Recent reports, however,
suggest some friction with her nephew. According to The Sunday Times,
(02:58):
Anne has been tired and annoyed that she continues to
shoulder many of the bread and butter duties, such as
investitures at Windsor, while William, who lives nearby, has been
less visible in this respect. A source claimed she's still
doing most of the investitures even though William lives there.
It annoys her. Royal commentator Robert Jobson warned Prince William
(03:19):
to be careful of what he wishes for. Jobson told
the Son people do turn out when they see, particularly
people like Sophie Wessex and the new Duke of Edinburgh,
Prince Edward. They turn out and droves. They like that connection,
and if you lose that connection, the monarchy actually loses
something that it's about. I think you've got to be
careful what you wish for. It's not a question of choice,
(03:40):
it's a question of duty. I think that William has
got to be quite careful whilst doing this balancing act.
The role of the monarch is one way. Duty has
to come first. I don't think there's anywhere around that
unless you want to have a part time monarch or
a president. The reality is that is the job. It's
a job for life, and it's a job that's pretty relentless.
(04:01):
Entitled The Rise and Fall of the House of York
by a royal biographer Andrew Lowney, has included a claim
that Jeffrey Epstein was the person who introduced a certain
really famous American politician to his future wife. Around sixty
thousand copies of the book were printed with the passage
but the publisher, Harper Collins, has since confirmed that all
future editions will omit the allegation. The ebook and audiobook
(04:25):
versions have already been updated. In a statement, a Harper
Collins spokesperson said, we can confirm that several passages from
entitled The Rise and Fall of the House of York
by Andrew Lowney have been removed in consultation with the author.
While Harper Collins publishes the book in the UK, Lowney
is self publishing the title in the United States. The
(04:47):
disputed story has a complex history. Author Michael Wolfe first
floated the claim during a now retracted Daily Beast podcast interview,
saying MISSUS Politician was very involved in Epstein's circle. Biden
repeated the suggestion in a July interview, sparking a furious response.
MISSUS Politician has since threatened Biden with a one billion
(05:09):
dollar lawsuit, describing the remarks as false, disparaging, defammatory, and
extremely sillacious. More palace in just a moment, we have
some more details on those three hundred dollars. Teddy bears
the King is selling at High Grove House. The estate's
gift shop has unveiled the limited edition silver Teddy Bear,
(05:30):
created to honor the King's roles both as monarch and
as a former serviceman in the Royal Air Force and
Royal Navy. Only nine hundred and forty eight bears have
been produced, each individually numbered and supplied with a certificate
of authenticity. Handcrafted by the traditional toy maker Mery Thought,
the bear features silver mohair fur, cotton velvet paws, deep
(05:53):
blue eyes, and a handstitched smile. Its left poor bears
the King's Royal cipher and golden thread, while the right
plays the Merrythought logo. The bear is also adorned with
a miniature Royal Victorian Order sash and a detailed enamel
replica of the Order of the Garter Star, one of
Britain's most prestigious chivalric emblems. Highgrove has stressed, however, that
(06:15):
the bear is not suitable for children. Marketed as a
rare and treasured collectible, it comes presented in a luxury
gift box and is intended solely for adult collectors. The
release forms part of an expanded High Grove retail collection,
which now also includes luxury fashion items created in collaboration
with Berbery. These range from trench coats priced at nearly
(06:35):
four thousand dollars, to silk scarves costing around five hundred
dollars each, featuring designs inspired by the flowers and features
of Highgrove's gardens. Charles is seeking a new member of
staff to help manage the complexities of royal life at
Buckingham Palace. A role for a Royal Engagements Officer has
(06:55):
been advertised on the Royal Household's official website. The successful
candidate joined the Private Secretary's Office on a fixed one
year contract from November twenty twenty five, earning forty thousand
pounds a year for a thirty seven and a half
hour week Monday to Friday. The Engagements team is tasked
with ensuring meaningful contact between their Majesties and the world
(07:16):
through careful coordination, thoughtful briefings and seamless delivery of engagements.
Duties will include planning and delivering the King's official visits
at home and abroad, coordinating audiences, and supporting speeches and
joint appearances by the King and Queen. The post requires
excellent project management and organizational skills, the ability to process
(07:37):
complex and sensitive issues quickly, and a talent for concise
communication knowledge of current affairs the UK and Commonwealth, and
Britain's political and constitutional framework would also be considered an asset.
In return, the Palace is offering twenty five days of
annual leave rising to thirty plus bank holidays on Excellent
Pension scheme and free mills while on duty. Iplications close.
(08:00):
On Aucus thirty first, the Royal Mint is confirmed that
the final batch of one pound coins bearing the image
of Queen Elizabeth Second is now entering circulation, marking the
end of an error in British coinage. More than twenty
three million of the late Queen's coins dated twenty twenty
one and twenty twenty two are being released, alongside seven
point five million new coins featuring the portrait of King
(08:23):
Charles the Third. The Mint describes the moment as pivotal,
symbolizing the transition between monarchs in everyday currency. Rebecca Morgan,
the Mint's director of Commemorative Coins, said, as we release
more than as we release more of the King Charles
the Third one pound coins into circulation alongside the final
coins of Queen Elizabeth I, we're witnessing the physical representation
(08:45):
of our monarchy's transition. She added that discovering one in
your change could spark a rewarding hobby for collectors. The
twenty twenty two Elizabeth the Second coins, with just seven
point seven to three five million being issued, will become
the rarest in circulation. The new Charles coins are gradually
being introduced. Elizabeth the Seconds coins remain legal tender and
(09:06):
are expected to circulate for decades to come, with most
coins lasting around twenty years. Collect five hundred of them
and you should be able to ford yourself in high
grove silk scarf and there you have it. Go back
to email us our addresses The Palace Intrigue at gmail
dot com. Please follow us at Spotify or Apple and
the app choice, and find us on Facebook or Instagram.
(09:29):
Just search for Palace Intrigue or click the link in
the show notes. I'm Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott.
This balance Intrigue in good terms
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