October 11, 2025 • 12 mins
The festive diary is set: towering trees at Holyroodhouse and Windsor, carols at the Abbey with Princess Catherine, and Buckingham Palace’s first-ever Christmas pop-up shop. Also today: What Andrew’s scandal means for Beatrice and Eugenie, debate over William’s appetite for “change,” Eugene Levy explains why he didn’t ask about Harry and Meghan, and a flurry of art news—from the Waleses’ joint portrait to the King’s watercolours and a Buckingham Palace colouring book.
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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.
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Callaroga Shark Media.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am your host,
Mark Francis. Christmas may still be weeks away, but royal
preparations are already taking place. King Charles and his team
have finalized the festive calendar across the royal residences, and
this year visitors will be welcome to enjoy the seasonal
splendor up close at the Palace of Hollywood House in Edinburgh.
(00:39):
Decorations will go up on November twenty and remain until
January fifth. Inside two towering twelve foot Christmas trees will
stand in the Throne Room, while a fifteen foot Nordman
fair will dominate the Great Gallery. The palace will also
host carol evenings on December ninth and tenth, and a
family Christmas Activity Day on this Say thirteenth, featuring crafts
(01:02):
and music. Over at Windsor Castle, the twenty foot tree
from Windsor Great Park will once again take pride of
place in Saint George's Hall. From November twenty seven. A
second sixteen foot tree will sparkle in the Crimson Drawing Room.
The castle will also offer children's workshops over the holidays,
letting younger visitors craft their own Royal themed decorations, and
(01:25):
for the first time, Buckingham Palace will join in with
a new festive addition, a Christmas pop up shop at
the Royal Mews. The Royal Collection Trust promises a cozy
boutique style experience filled with official Royal gifts and seasonal
best sellers. As for Christmas Day itself, the King and
Queen are expected to spend it at Sandringham, joined by
(01:46):
a Prince William, Princess Kate and their children, along with
other members of the extended Royal family. Continuing a cherished
tradition that stretches back through the generations, Princess Catherine will
once again lead the nation in song and spirit this December,
as Kensington Palace confirms the return of her beloved together
at Christmas Carol Concert. Now in its fifth year, the event,
(02:08):
hosted by Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey, has become a
modern Royal tradition celebrating the unsung heroes of communities across Britain.
Organized through the Royal Foundation, this year's service will once
again bring together volunteers, charity workers and families for an
evening of readings, reflection and festive music later televised nationwide.
(02:29):
A Palace statement said the concert will once again aim
to bring together communities across the UK to celebrate people
who have gone out of their way to help others
with even more impactful local services. Last years together at
Christmas carried particular emotion for the Princess as it followed
shortly after her completion of chemotherapy. The family, joined by
(02:50):
Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, were
seen smiling warmly as they welcomed guests to the abbey.
Kate's letter to guests last captured her a deep affection
for the season, writing that Christmas gives us the opportunity
to slow down and reflect on deeper things that connect
us all, to live our lives with an open heart,
(03:10):
with love, kindness, and forgiveness. So much of what the
Christmas spirit is all about. The Princess concluded, above all
else encourages us to turn to love, not fear. The
love that we show ourselves and the love we show others.
Love that listens with empathy, love that is kind and understanding,
love that is forgiving, and love that brings joy and
(03:31):
hope for many that sentiment. The annual concert itself has
become a defining part of the royal family's modern Christmas tradition.
In The Royalist, Tom Sykes wondered what the Prince Andrew's
scandal could mean for Andrew's daughters. Sykes writes Beatrice and
Eugenie were nine and eight years old, respectively when they
(03:53):
first encountered Jeffrey Epstein, whom their mother reportedly referred to
as nice. Jeffrey, Beatrice twenty seven and Eugenie thirty five,
have attempted to maintain private lives outside the glare of
their parents' missed deeds. They have long quietly lobbied for
a role as future working royals, and given their relative
youth amid an ageing core group, the suggestion had been
(04:15):
steadily gaining traction. Beatrice was present at the King and
Queen's Garden party this year. Eugenie was tapped by the
King's Foundation to mentor its under thirty five network. The
key question now is can the princess's reputations remain unsullied.
Many people argue that the scandals of the parents should
not define the children, but hanging over all this is
(04:37):
the knowledge that the parents did use the children as
part of their schemes, and not just by inviting sleazy
friends to their kid's birthday parties. Beatrice and Eugenie face
a brutal yet simple dilemma. While there is no suggestion
that they have been involved in any wrongdoing, the shadow
of their parents' choices still looms over them. The monarchy
is unforgiving, and the family's instinct for itself reservation is
(05:00):
even stronger. In The Spectator, Alexander Laman writes, Prince William
wants to change the monarchy. Oh dear. According to Laman,
William sounded more like his estranged brother than usual. He
went on to sigh, I am enjoying my job, but
sometimes there are aspects of it, such as the media,
the speculation, the scrutiny, and he might have added participating
(05:21):
in such pieces of entertainment as The Reluctant Traveler. Yet,
whether it worked or not as television, it was a
fascinating insight into a very private man's psyche. It is
widely expected that William will be a transformative monarch in
a way that his father has not been. His comments
that he will not be looking for the past and
more telling than might have been intended. William said that
(05:43):
I think if you're not careful, history can be a
real weight and an anchor around you, and you can
feel suffocated by it and restricted. It's important to live
for the here and now. But also I think you're
too intrinsically attached to history. You can't possibly have any
flexibility because you worry that the chess pieces move too much,
and therefore no change will happen. This may be true, however,
(06:05):
one hopes that if William has a trusted courtier or
two at his side, that they might be able to
convince him the change, presumably on the significant scale that
he is intending, is not always a good or even
necessary thing. In any case, a reign that may have
preemptively dismissed as dull might yet surprise the world, although
whether for good or ill remains to be seen. And
(06:28):
speaking of William, will have a new series for you
beginning to morrow called Palace Intrigue Presents King William. It's
a speculative drama imagining the moment the king dies and
William becomes king. Episode one begins with that life changing
phone call. From there, the story follows William through duty, grief,
(06:48):
Queen Catherine's transformation, a former queen struggling to hold her place,
and the reappearance of a controversial brother. The series begins tomorrow.
Subscribers Tokalaruga Plus, k can and Binge the entire season
right away, with no commercials. For everyone else, the new
episodes released weekly every Sunday wherever you enjoy your podcasts.
(07:11):
And by the way, if you're a Plus subscriber, you
can get this show along with hundreds of others from
Kalaouga Shark Media, commercial free as well plus special season previews.
Eugene Levy says he deliberately avoided asking Prince William about
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during the filmed conversation for
The Reluctant Traveler on Apple TV. Speaking to ITV News,
(07:33):
Levy explained that he wasn't given any restrictions on what
he could ask, but felt it wasn't his place to
bring up the royal rift. I was not told I
couldn't ask anything, but it wasn't really up to me
and to get into that. I had no interest in
asking him about that because it was a very delicate
issue and certainly not up to me to get into it.
He added that he preferred to focus on things that
(07:54):
might be interesting for him and interesting for the world
to hear. More balance in just a moment. We have
a lot of art related news today. An official portrait
of the Prince and Princess of Wales has been given
a new home, making it easier for the public to view.
The work, painted by artist Jamie Corrith in twenty twenty one,
(08:15):
was the first joint official portrait of William and Catherine,
then the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Julie Spence, Lord
Lieutenant of Cambridge Sheer, confirmed on Wednesday that the portrait
will now be on display at Peterborough Cathedral. Announcing the
move on x she said, our fabulous portrait of the
Prince and Princess Wales as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,
(08:35):
will now be on display at p Borough Cathedral, so
it's easily accessible for our residents and visitors in the
north of the county and they can enjoy it. The
King recently visited an exhibition in London celebrating the art
of Queen Marie of Romania, which also featured two of
his own watercolors. The display, held at the Garrison Chapel
(08:58):
and organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute with the King's Foundation,
includes works by Queen Marie, born in Britain in eighteen
seventy five, many of which have never been seen before
or shown in public. On view were also two of
the King's Romanian landscapes. Or A Woodward, director of the
Romanian Cultural Institute, said the Monarch was fascinated by Queen
(09:19):
Marie's paintings, but modest about his own, noting he didn't
want to talk too much about them, but they mean
a lot to us. Sure nobody wants to live there,
but Buckingham Palace has released its first official coloring book.
The hardbacked volume features sixteen illustrations, from the palace's famous
facade and Rose Garden to the Coronation thrones. Each image
(09:40):
is paired with an explanation of its history and significance.
Produced by publisher Colors Streets in partnership with the Royal
Collection Trust, the nineteen ninety nine pound book is designed
for Royal enthusiasts and coloring fans of all ages. The
illustrations include the Grand Staircase, the White Drawing Room, the
Music Room and the East Wing, alongside depictions of the
(10:02):
Royal Coat of Arms, fine porcelain state banquets, the gold
State Coach and the Changing of the God. This winter,
Buckingham Palace is bringing a touch of festive sparkle to
London with the launch of its first ever Christmas pop up.
From fourteenth of November to the fifth of January, the
Royal Mews will be transformed into a seasonal boutique offering
(10:24):
official Royal gifts, decorations and gourmet treats. Organized by the
Royal Collection Trusts. The pop up coincides with the release
of the annual Gift Guide. The historic two hundred year
old Stables will host an array of items ranging from
small batch gin infused with botanicals from Buckingham Palace and
Windsor Castle, to kitchenware inspired by the Great Kitchen at Windsor,
(10:47):
the oldest working kitchen in Britain. Entry is free. Proceeds
will go towards conserving the Royal Collection, ensuring that every
borble or mince pie tin purchase helps preserve the family's
vast holdings of and history. Among the highlights will be
fine chinaware made in Stoke on Trent using techniques honed
over the past two and a half centuries. Crystal wine glasses.
(11:10):
It's with designs inspired by Queen Victoria's Grand punch bowl
will also be on display, alongside hand embroidered ornaments from
India supporting traditional craftsmanship and the children's plush toys created
entirely from recycled materials. Visitors can expect everything from stocking
fillers and festive treads to luxury homeware and airloom pieces.
(11:30):
A full sized advent calendar will unveil new, limited addition
and collectors' items daily. The collection will also be available
online via the Royal Collection Trust website and shops in London,
Edinburgh and Windsor. And there you have it. If you'd
like to email us, our address is the Palace Intrigue
at gmail dot com. Please follow us on Spotify or Apple,
(11:52):
and join us on Facebook and Instagram to search for
Palace Intrigue. There. I'm Mark Francis and thanks to John McDermot,
this is palest Intrigan. Good times
Callaroga Shark Media.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am your host,
Mark Francis. Christmas may still be weeks away, but royal
preparations are already taking place. King Charles and his team
have finalized the festive calendar across the royal residences, and
this year visitors will be welcome to enjoy the seasonal
splendor up close at the Palace of Hollywood House in Edinburgh.
(00:39):
Decorations will go up on November twenty and remain until
January fifth. Inside two towering twelve foot Christmas trees will
stand in the Throne Room, while a fifteen foot Nordman
fair will dominate the Great Gallery. The palace will also
host carol evenings on December ninth and tenth, and a
family Christmas Activity Day on this Say thirteenth, featuring crafts
(01:02):
and music. Over at Windsor Castle, the twenty foot tree
from Windsor Great Park will once again take pride of
place in Saint George's Hall. From November twenty seven. A
second sixteen foot tree will sparkle in the Crimson Drawing Room.
The castle will also offer children's workshops over the holidays,
letting younger visitors craft their own Royal themed decorations, and
(01:25):
for the first time, Buckingham Palace will join in with
a new festive addition, a Christmas pop up shop at
the Royal Mews. The Royal Collection Trust promises a cozy
boutique style experience filled with official Royal gifts and seasonal
best sellers. As for Christmas Day itself, the King and
Queen are expected to spend it at Sandringham, joined by
(01:46):
a Prince William, Princess Kate and their children, along with
other members of the extended Royal family. Continuing a cherished
tradition that stretches back through the generations, Princess Catherine will
once again lead the nation in song and spirit this December,
as Kensington Palace confirms the return of her beloved together
at Christmas Carol Concert. Now in its fifth year, the event,
(02:08):
hosted by Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey, has become a
modern Royal tradition celebrating the unsung heroes of communities across Britain.
Organized through the Royal Foundation, this year's service will once
again bring together volunteers, charity workers and families for an
evening of readings, reflection and festive music later televised nationwide.
(02:29):
A Palace statement said the concert will once again aim
to bring together communities across the UK to celebrate people
who have gone out of their way to help others
with even more impactful local services. Last years together at
Christmas carried particular emotion for the Princess as it followed
shortly after her completion of chemotherapy. The family, joined by
(02:50):
Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, were
seen smiling warmly as they welcomed guests to the abbey.
Kate's letter to guests last captured her a deep affection
for the season, writing that Christmas gives us the opportunity
to slow down and reflect on deeper things that connect
us all, to live our lives with an open heart,
(03:10):
with love, kindness, and forgiveness. So much of what the
Christmas spirit is all about. The Princess concluded, above all
else encourages us to turn to love, not fear. The
love that we show ourselves and the love we show others.
Love that listens with empathy, love that is kind and understanding,
love that is forgiving, and love that brings joy and
(03:31):
hope for many that sentiment. The annual concert itself has
become a defining part of the royal family's modern Christmas tradition.
In The Royalist, Tom Sykes wondered what the Prince Andrew's
scandal could mean for Andrew's daughters. Sykes writes Beatrice and
Eugenie were nine and eight years old, respectively when they
(03:53):
first encountered Jeffrey Epstein, whom their mother reportedly referred to
as nice. Jeffrey, Beatrice twenty seven and Eugenie thirty five,
have attempted to maintain private lives outside the glare of
their parents' missed deeds. They have long quietly lobbied for
a role as future working royals, and given their relative
youth amid an ageing core group, the suggestion had been
(04:15):
steadily gaining traction. Beatrice was present at the King and
Queen's Garden party this year. Eugenie was tapped by the
King's Foundation to mentor its under thirty five network. The
key question now is can the princess's reputations remain unsullied.
Many people argue that the scandals of the parents should
not define the children, but hanging over all this is
(04:37):
the knowledge that the parents did use the children as
part of their schemes, and not just by inviting sleazy
friends to their kid's birthday parties. Beatrice and Eugenie face
a brutal yet simple dilemma. While there is no suggestion
that they have been involved in any wrongdoing, the shadow
of their parents' choices still looms over them. The monarchy
is unforgiving, and the family's instinct for itself reservation is
(05:00):
even stronger. In The Spectator, Alexander Laman writes, Prince William
wants to change the monarchy. Oh dear. According to Laman,
William sounded more like his estranged brother than usual. He
went on to sigh, I am enjoying my job, but
sometimes there are aspects of it, such as the media,
the speculation, the scrutiny, and he might have added participating
(05:21):
in such pieces of entertainment as The Reluctant Traveler. Yet,
whether it worked or not as television, it was a
fascinating insight into a very private man's psyche. It is
widely expected that William will be a transformative monarch in
a way that his father has not been. His comments
that he will not be looking for the past and
more telling than might have been intended. William said that
(05:43):
I think if you're not careful, history can be a
real weight and an anchor around you, and you can
feel suffocated by it and restricted. It's important to live
for the here and now. But also I think you're
too intrinsically attached to history. You can't possibly have any
flexibility because you worry that the chess pieces move too much,
and therefore no change will happen. This may be true, however,
(06:05):
one hopes that if William has a trusted courtier or
two at his side, that they might be able to
convince him the change, presumably on the significant scale that
he is intending, is not always a good or even
necessary thing. In any case, a reign that may have
preemptively dismissed as dull might yet surprise the world, although
whether for good or ill remains to be seen. And
(06:28):
speaking of William, will have a new series for you
beginning to morrow called Palace Intrigue Presents King William. It's
a speculative drama imagining the moment the king dies and
William becomes king. Episode one begins with that life changing
phone call. From there, the story follows William through duty, grief,
(06:48):
Queen Catherine's transformation, a former queen struggling to hold her place,
and the reappearance of a controversial brother. The series begins tomorrow.
Subscribers Tokalaruga Plus, k can and Binge the entire season
right away, with no commercials. For everyone else, the new
episodes released weekly every Sunday wherever you enjoy your podcasts.
(07:11):
And by the way, if you're a Plus subscriber, you
can get this show along with hundreds of others from
Kalaouga Shark Media, commercial free as well plus special season previews.
Eugene Levy says he deliberately avoided asking Prince William about
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during the filmed conversation for
The Reluctant Traveler on Apple TV. Speaking to ITV News,
(07:33):
Levy explained that he wasn't given any restrictions on what
he could ask, but felt it wasn't his place to
bring up the royal rift. I was not told I
couldn't ask anything, but it wasn't really up to me
and to get into that. I had no interest in
asking him about that because it was a very delicate
issue and certainly not up to me to get into it.
He added that he preferred to focus on things that
(07:54):
might be interesting for him and interesting for the world
to hear. More balance in just a moment. We have
a lot of art related news today. An official portrait
of the Prince and Princess of Wales has been given
a new home, making it easier for the public to view.
The work, painted by artist Jamie Corrith in twenty twenty one,
(08:15):
was the first joint official portrait of William and Catherine,
then the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Julie Spence, Lord
Lieutenant of Cambridge Sheer, confirmed on Wednesday that the portrait
will now be on display at Peterborough Cathedral. Announcing the
move on x she said, our fabulous portrait of the
Prince and Princess Wales as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,
(08:35):
will now be on display at p Borough Cathedral, so
it's easily accessible for our residents and visitors in the
north of the county and they can enjoy it. The
King recently visited an exhibition in London celebrating the art
of Queen Marie of Romania, which also featured two of
his own watercolors. The display, held at the Garrison Chapel
(08:58):
and organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute with the King's Foundation,
includes works by Queen Marie, born in Britain in eighteen
seventy five, many of which have never been seen before
or shown in public. On view were also two of
the King's Romanian landscapes. Or A Woodward, director of the
Romanian Cultural Institute, said the Monarch was fascinated by Queen
(09:19):
Marie's paintings, but modest about his own, noting he didn't
want to talk too much about them, but they mean
a lot to us. Sure nobody wants to live there,
but Buckingham Palace has released its first official coloring book.
The hardbacked volume features sixteen illustrations, from the palace's famous
facade and Rose Garden to the Coronation thrones. Each image
(09:40):
is paired with an explanation of its history and significance.
Produced by publisher Colors Streets in partnership with the Royal
Collection Trust, the nineteen ninety nine pound book is designed
for Royal enthusiasts and coloring fans of all ages. The
illustrations include the Grand Staircase, the White Drawing Room, the
Music Room and the East Wing, alongside depictions of the
(10:02):
Royal Coat of Arms, fine porcelain state banquets, the gold
State Coach and the Changing of the God. This winter,
Buckingham Palace is bringing a touch of festive sparkle to
London with the launch of its first ever Christmas pop up.
From fourteenth of November to the fifth of January, the
Royal Mews will be transformed into a seasonal boutique offering
(10:24):
official Royal gifts, decorations and gourmet treats. Organized by the
Royal Collection Trusts. The pop up coincides with the release
of the annual Gift Guide. The historic two hundred year
old Stables will host an array of items ranging from
small batch gin infused with botanicals from Buckingham Palace and
Windsor Castle, to kitchenware inspired by the Great Kitchen at Windsor,
(10:47):
the oldest working kitchen in Britain. Entry is free. Proceeds
will go towards conserving the Royal Collection, ensuring that every
borble or mince pie tin purchase helps preserve the family's
vast holdings of and history. Among the highlights will be
fine chinaware made in Stoke on Trent using techniques honed
over the past two and a half centuries. Crystal wine glasses.
(11:10):
It's with designs inspired by Queen Victoria's Grand punch bowl
will also be on display, alongside hand embroidered ornaments from
India supporting traditional craftsmanship and the children's plush toys created
entirely from recycled materials. Visitors can expect everything from stocking
fillers and festive treads to luxury homeware and airloom pieces.
(11:30):
A full sized advent calendar will unveil new, limited addition
and collectors' items daily. The collection will also be available
online via the Royal Collection Trust website and shops in London,
Edinburgh and Windsor. And there you have it. If you'd
like to email us, our address is the Palace Intrigue
at gmail dot com. Please follow us on Spotify or Apple,
(11:52):
and join us on Facebook and Instagram to search for
Palace Intrigue. There. I'm Mark Francis and thanks to John McDermot,
this is palest Intrigan. Good times
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