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November 17, 2025 8 mins
Not even Oprah’s magic touch could save Meghan Markle’s $42 jam — sales remain flat despite a “Favorite Things” shoutout. As Meghan returns to acting, critics call her cameo “a vanity project,” while Harry played personal security at Kris Jenner’s Bond-themed birthday. One columnist calls Jenner “the mother of everything wrong with planet Earth,” and another says Harry looks like a man realizing he traded the army for aisle six at Erewhon.

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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 head long and welcome to Palace inturg Game,
your host, Mark Francis. It seems even Oprah Winfrey couldn't
rescue Meghan Markles as ever jam. According to Rob Shooter's
hashtag Shooter Scoop, Oprah quietly included the Duchess of Sussex's

(00:24):
lifestyle brand in her twenty twenty five Favorite Things list,
a movement to lend the struggling line a bit of
old fashioned Oprah magic, but insiders say the endorsement barely
made a dent. This was a favor, not a phenomenon,
one retail source told the outlet, adding bluntly, there was
no demand. Some wonder if Meghan's return to acting will

(00:45):
create more friction between the royal camps. Ingrid Seward, editor
in chief of Majesty magazine, says the royal family's fractured dynamic,
particularly between Prince William and Prince Harry, remains unresolved, with
little sign of Reconciliation's decision to re enter Hollywood, she says,
may only widen that rift. Royal commentator Hilary Fordage described

(01:06):
the cameo as a vanity project for a duchess, in
need of a reinvention. She has to make a pragmatic
pivot given the rock bottom position she's in polling wise,
Fortage told Fox News Digital Hollywood hasn't embraced her, and
it's highly doubtful the UK audiences or the Royal family
will care about this latest move. They're probably just relieved

(01:27):
she's not attacking them. But others believe Buckingham Palace has
taken notice, particularly given the timing. Royal expert Kinsey Chofield
noted that Meghan's onset photos appeared just as Prince William
was in Brazil for his Earthshot Prize ceremony. Meghan drawing
headlines away from William's high profile event will not go unnoticed,
she said. The Sussexes have the habit of re emerging

(01:49):
during William's major moments, and his team's acutely aware of it.
The Palace declined to comment, but inside to say the
overlap was eyebrow raising. Some in royal circles see it
as a pattern, while others insisted was coincidental. Supporters frame
the role as a creative homecoming, Critics call it a
calculated pr move. Public relations strategist Doug Ridge believes it's

(02:12):
smart branding in an ideal while she'd play in over
the top version of herself, a little self aware, a
little satirical, he said that would show humility and self
awareness while giving a wink to the fans and critics alike. Still,
Royal experts caution that overexposure could backfire. There is an
undeniable oversaturation of Megan in twenty twenty five. Too much visibility,

(02:35):
too little substance, said Schofield. She either needs to anchor
herself in a clear purpose or risk fatigue. Crew members
told Schooda Scoop that Megan was a total pro zero diva,
noting that she reintroduced herself to everyone from grips to lighting.
One insider added she was just cool, really relaxed, chatting
with the crew between takes, laughing, taking directions, no fuss

(02:58):
at all. And insider told People magazine that Megan genuinely
seemed excited to be on set, adding she was joking
that she felt a bit rusty, but it was obvious
that she had rehearsed and that it was a big
deal for her to be back, and she was great.
The source said, Meghan introduced herself simply as Meghan and
was very sweet and calm, adding that she had a
very warm energy and was super pleasant to be around.

(03:23):
Another source described her as the opposite of what people
might expect now entourage, no ego. She fit right in
a studio. Inside had previously told the son that the
project was a massive moment for Megan. It's her way
of gently putting her toe back in the water and
seeing how she enjoys being back on set, they said,
adding that Prince Harry is really supportive and just wants

(03:43):
Meghan to do whatever brings her joy. After years of
saying she was done with Hollywood, Meghan's return to acting,
complete with a few well rehearsed lines and the touch
of rust, marks the start of a new chapter that feels,
as one insider put it, very full circle. In the end,
and Lydia Spencer Elliott writes about Meghan's acting comeback. She
tells us Marco has been swamped with offers to get

(04:05):
back in front of the camera, but this one, perhaps
the easiest role of all time, felt right. It is
Meghan's way of gently putting her toe back in the
water and seeing how she enjoys being back on set.
They explained, adding everyone was super excited and sworn to secrecy.
Spencer Elliott wonders could playing herself fix a floundering reputation Somehow,
it seems unlikely for Markle to play herself now feels

(04:29):
more than a little overly safe and misguided. There's always
something decidedly cringe about an a lister who cameos as
their own famous face in a film. Donald Trump in
Home Alone, Alpucino and Jack and Jill, Katie Perry and
Zoolander too, to give a few examples. Yet, perhaps the
true reason Michael can only play herself is that she
has such a domineering personal brand thanks to all this

(04:51):
Netflix hullor beloo, that it's too difficult for her to
believably play anybody else without severe amounts of special effects,
makeup or some kind of elaborate costume. Still, if we
are to believe what sources say to people, Markel, who
has been put through the ringer quite enough in the
past decade, is very relaxed and happy about her small part. Maybe,
after all the criticism and the disparaging reviews, taking a

(05:13):
creative risk felt just a little too scary. Sometimes it's
better the devil, you know, even if that is yourself.
The often miserable looking Prince Harry appeared to take on
the role of Megan Michael's personal bodyguard as a couple
made their entrance at Chris Janner's lavish Double O seven
themed seventieth birthday party last week and Beverly Hills. According

(05:33):
to body language expert Judy James, James told The Daily
Mail in star terms, this reflects her return to the
big screen as an actress, while he seems to be
back in spare mode. Here. She noted that Harry's posture
mirrored that of Taylor Smiff's fiancee, Travis Kelcey. Harry's expressionless
mode directs the attention to his wife. Here, his outstretched

(05:54):
arm held behind him suggests muscle power, while his hand
grips Meghan's in a big, poor Travis style grasp that
speaks of desire to protect as they go past the press.
In The Express, Paul Baldwin writes, like every sane human
being with even an ounce of self respect, I cannot
dredge up one atom of my being to give a

(06:16):
monkey's cuss about who Chris Jenna is. I don't even
know if it's a boy or a girl or someone
cynically monetizing that indeterminate and increasingly annoying space in between.
But Prince Harry, who is still one of our most
senior royals, and whether he likes it or not, a
very high profile representative of Britain to the rest of
the world. Him I do care about. And Harry went

(06:36):
to Chris's party, so I had to clear up who
Chris Jenna is. Turns out she's the mom of Kim Kardashian,
which sort of makes her the mother of everything wrong
with planet Earth. In twenty twenty five, Encapsulated in human Form,
Baldwin mentioned how unhappy Harry looked, and adds he looked
like a man who was sulking, and he looked like
a man who was troubled. And maybe the reason, just maybe,

(06:57):
is that Harry is finally realizing the utter vacuity of
the choices he has made of the world he now inhabits.
The only part of Harry's wretched autobiography Spare, which displayed
any authenticity was when he was talking about his time
in the forces and serving his country very bravely. It
has to be said. In Afghanistan that's our Harry, if
you ask me not. The jam selling optional extra to

(07:20):
a beeless actress on the Make More Palace In Just
a Moment, Former rugby star and Royal Family member Mike
Tindall says he's ready to take on the challenge of
the Traitors. Speaking ahead of the BBC Reality Shows finale,
the husband of Zara Tyndall, granddaughter of the late Queen Elizabeth,

(07:41):
revealed during an appearance on This Morning, that he'd definitely
enjoy joining a future celebrity edition of the hit series. Tyndall,
known for his competitive streak from his days on the
rugby field and his stint on I'm a Celebrity, Get
Me out of Here, said the show's mix of strategy,
suspicion and psychology appeals to him. I'd love to do it,
he said, grinning. It looks like brilliant fun. I think

(08:02):
I enjoy trying to read people. Yeah, there have it.
Like the email us addresses the palasindricat gmail at dot com.
Please follow us on Spotify, Apple, We're on Facebook, Instagram,
all the social hubs and lives a nice review for
enjoying the show. I'm Mark Francis My thanks to John McDermott,
This is palace. Intriguan good terms
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