Is Kate the Real Power Broker? Inside the Feud with Andrew and the Waleses Win

Royal watchers say Catherine’s quiet influence is reshaping the monarchy as long-simmering tensions with Andrew come into focus—rooted, insiders claim, in his jealousy and early rudeness toward the future Princess of Wales. We cover the Waleses’ legal victory over Paris Match, Jonathan Dimbleby’s blunt take on the King’s decision, the Royal Lodge repayment math, signs of activity at Frogmore Cottage, and what Andrew’s next chapter may look like—right down to that Pizza Express near Sandringham.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Calarogus Shark Media that low and welcome to Palace intrigue.
I am your host, Mark Francis. Is Kate actually the
most powerful member of the royal family while Prince William
is currently seen as king in all but name, Perhaps
we should be looking more closely. Royal commentators say the

(00:24):
tension between Prince William and his uncle Andrew has deep roots,
and at the center of it, all, they claim, is
Andrew's jealousy of the Princess of Wales. Speaking to Fox
News Digital, several experts suggested that Andrew, once regarded as
Queen Elizabeth's favorite son, resented Catherine's growing popularity as the
modern face of the monarchy. Royal commentator Hilary Fordage said

(00:47):
the feud between Prince William and Prince Andrew started primarily
due to Andrew's jealousy and resulting disparaging remarks regarding Kate Middleton.
Prince William was infuriated. Being fiercely protective, he instituted a
zero tolerance policy toward any wayward behavior or scandals involving
Prince Andrew. Biographer Andrew Lowney, whose recent book entitled The

(01:10):
Rise and Fall of the House of York examines the
Duke's turbulent life, alleges that Andrew was rude to Catherine
early in her royal life, a slight that William has
not forgotten. Lowney said, my source said Andrew was rude
to Kate, and I think he was probably rude because
he's a real snob. He may have felt that Kate
wasn't aristocratic enough to marry William. While I can only speculate,

(01:32):
no one has a harsh word to say about Kate.
She's been the savior of the royal family. Andrew has
always thought that he should be king rather than Charles.
There's always been a festering envy for many years. It's
probably why William is now taking a very strong line
against Andrew. Royal Inside a Deep Crown tells us William
is very much his own man, fiercely so in fact.

(01:52):
But one would be remarkably naive to discount Catherine's influence
in shaping the strategic direction of their household, particularly regarding
matters of reputation and family protection. Fordage added that Andrew's
bitterness grew as Catherine's popularity sword All the more daunting
for Andrew was his displacement as his mother's golden boy.

(02:14):
His resentment grew with his plummeting popularity and was then
further exacerbated by Kate's prominence and poise. Royal analyst Ian
Pallam Turner said Andrew's frustrations also stemmed from comparisons between
his daughters and William's wife. Andrew has always wanted more
adulation for his two daughters. When Kate came along and
was protected by other royals, it was like a red

(02:36):
flag to a bull, he said. He always thought he
should be king rather than Charles. There's always been a
festering envy. Lost in the shuffle on Andrew Gate was
news that the Prince and Princess of Wales have won
their legal case against a French magazine which published photographs
of their private family ski holiday earlier this year. Kensington

(02:57):
Palace confirmed that Paris Match magazine was found to have
briefed the privacy and image rights of Prince William, Catherine
and their children after printing long lends photographs to the
family during their April trip to the Alps. In a statement,
a Pallace spokesperson said the pictures were grossly intrusive, adding
The ruling affirms that, notwithstanding their public duties as members

(03:18):
of the royal family, their Royal Highnesses and their children
are entitled to respect for their private lives and family
time without unlawful interference and intrusion. The Prince and Princess
of Wales are committed to protecting their private family time
and ensuring that their children can grow up without undue
scrutiny and interference. They will not hesitate to take such

(03:40):
action as it is necessary to enforce those boundaries more
powace in just a moment. Broadcaster and longtime friend of
King Charles Jonathan Dimbleby has spoken publicly about the monarch's
decision to finally act against his brother Andrew out Baton Windsor,

(04:01):
describing the move as the culmination of years of embarrassment
for the royal family. Speaking on BBC Breakfast and later
on Radio fours Today program, Dimbleby said the King had
reached the point where one of the proper things to
do now is to have made it clear that the
Prince his brother is beyond the pale. Pressed by presenter
Charlie State about comments from Virginia Jeffrey's family, who have

(04:23):
said they believe Andrew should face justice in the United States.
Dimbleby was unequivocal. Asked whether the King would intervene if
Andrew were called before the US Senate to answer questions,
he replied no, because he will want to keep out
of this the judicial process. If there is an extradition,
it will not have to do with the King himself.

(04:43):
Dimbleby described Andrew as arrogant, boorish, entitled and embarrassment for
a long time. For the BBC, Shawn Coughlin points out
there have been questions about whether and why Andrew might
get money back from the Crown of State when he
leaves Royal Lodge. When Andrew he took on the seventy
five year lease for the winds of property in two
thousand and three, he paid more than eight million pounds

(05:06):
up front to cover renovation and rent. Under the terms
of the agreement, if he were to leave within the
first twenty five years, a period that runs until twenty
twenty eight, he would be entitled to reclaim a portion
of that advance payment. The repayment has been structured to
taper each year. It began at approximately seven million pounds
and reduces annually with the current value calculated at around

(05:28):
one hundred eighty six thousand pounds for each remaining year
up to twenty twenty eight. On that basis, the Public
Account's Committee previously suggested that Andrew could receive more than
five hundred thousand pounds, with a projective figure of roughly
five hundred sixty thousand if he were to vacate the
property next year. However, sources indicate that some of this

(05:48):
compensation may need to be directed towards repair costs at
Royal Lodge, meaning the ultimate sum returned to Andrew is
still unclear. Interestingly, workers have been coming and going from
Frogmore Cottage day and night in recent weeks. According to
The Sun, teens have been inside the Windsor home for
several weeks with lights burning late into the night. People

(06:10):
have been inside Frogmore Cottage working day and night, a
source told the paper. Over the weekends, the lights were
on after dark and workmen have been coming and going
for weeks. The Grade two listed cottage, located on the
Windsor estate, was famously home to Prince Harry and Meghan
Markel from April twenty nineteen until they stepped back from
royal duties in early twenty twenty, the Duke and Duchess

(06:32):
of Sussex spent two point four million pounds refurbishing the property,
covering the cost of repairs themselves after criticism over public funding.
We may not have seen the last of Andrew. Royal
commentator Alistair Bruce tells the BBC it must have been
quite a challenge personally for the King because it's his brother,
but the monarchy is his principal responsibility and serving the

(06:55):
nation comes first. This was entirely necessary to make it
clear that the King which is to put distance between
these horrific Epstein allegations and the work he does as
head of state. Bruce said the decision marks a defining
moment in the King's reign. It's a huge humiliation for him,
he added, and I also think leaving the house that
you have come to know as home is extremely unsettling

(07:17):
for anybody. On the question of how Andrew will now
be supported financially, Bruce noted that the Lake Queen was
likely to have made private provisions for her son. Bruce
said he also will have his pension from the Royal Navy.
He served as an officer in the Royal Navy until
he left that service and went into royal duties, and
so I suppose that will be part of it. I

(07:38):
think what we won't see is Andrew Mountbatten Windsor using
the main door of churches when there was a public
interest in the attendance of members of the royal family.
I think he will come in and leave those events privately.
Residents living near the Sandragammon State have expressed dismay at
the prospect of Andrew moving there. Local retireing Susan Larkin's
told reporters he's a horrible man. We don't want him

(07:59):
up here. Another resident, Jackie Cruckshenk, added He's got to
do it somewhere, hasn't he. I just hope when he
does it doesn't come here. They don't ruin it all
with all the photographers because they're not going to let
him go, are they. One of the most memorable and
bizarre moments of Andrew Mountbatten Windsors and Now, in from
his BBC Newsnight interview with Emily Maitliss, was his insistence

(08:20):
that he could not have met seventeen year old Virginia
Jeffrey in London on the tenth of March two thousand
and one, as she alleged because he had taken his
daughter to a Pizza Express in Woking that day. The
Express decided to be helpful and let mister MW that
his new residence. Will find it not far from another
branch of the same restaurant, the Pizza Express and Kings

(08:41):
Lynn rated four point four styles on trip Advisor. Sits
just eight miles from the Sandringham Estate. Andrew will find
it located opposite Saint Margaret's Church, about a sixteen minute
drive from the Royal Estate. Yeah, they have it. He'd
like to email us addresses the Palace Entry at a
gmail dot com. Please followus on Spotify, Apple or the
app of your choice and leaves a nice reviews. If

(09:01):
you're enjoying the show, Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott,
This Palace intrigue and good ms MHM.