November 7, 2025 • 10 mins
Palace Intrigue delivers explosive royal warfare as Meghan Markle deliberately sabotages Prince William's Rio Earthshot triumph by announcing her return to acting in Amazon MGM comedy Close Personal Friends. The Duchess appears as herself alongside Brie Larson and Lily Collins, with sources declaring "this is a massive moment for Meghan"—timed precisely to steal headlines from William's globally-televised ceremony with Kylie Minogue and Shawn Mendes. Alexander Larman exposes the calculated attack: "Although Harry claims Buckingham Palace was informed of his movements, it feels like a deliberate attempt to draw attention in his own direction." The Sussex moves continue undermining William's "tightly choreographed" reset after Andrew's disgrace.
Meanwhile, explosive revelations expose Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor being offered a lavish 6-bedroom Abu Dhabi waterfront palace by UAE president—his longtime Gordonstoun school friend. The Sea Palace compound villa includes home cinema, indoor pool, gym, and gold-detailed fixtures, offering the disgraced royal a golden Middle Eastern exile. Plus, Kate takes leading Armistice Day role, while Max Hastings demands royal reform declaring Andrew the "rottenest apple."
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 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.
👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram or click the links to start your royal journey!
Meanwhile, explosive revelations expose Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor being offered a lavish 6-bedroom Abu Dhabi waterfront palace by UAE president—his longtime Gordonstoun school friend. The Sea Palace compound villa includes home cinema, indoor pool, gym, and gold-detailed fixtures, offering the disgraced royal a golden Middle Eastern exile. Plus, Kate takes leading Armistice Day role, while Max Hastings demands royal reform declaring Andrew the "rottenest apple."
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 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.
👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram or click the links to start your royal journey!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Calorogus Shark Media. Hello and welcome to ballas Indrigue. I'm
your host, Mark Francis. Megan Michael has returned to acting
for the first time since stepping away from royal life,
appearing as herself in the upcoming Amazon MGM comedy Close
Personal Friends. The Duchess of Sussex was seen on set
(00:25):
in Pasadena, filming alongside Breed Larson, Lily Collins, Jack Quaid,
and Henry Golding. An insider told People that Megan appeared
relaxed and happy during the shoot, adding she introduced herself
to everyone, who was very sweetened down to earth. The
film follows a couple who befriend a famous pair during
a trip to Santa Barbara, fittingly close to Megan and
(00:47):
Prince Harry's home in Montecito. According to a studio source
quoted by The Son, this is a massive moment for
Meghan and signifies a return to doing what she truly loves.
She has been swamped with offers, but this one felt right.
The source added. It's Meghan's way of gently putting her
toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys
being back on set. Everyone involved is super excited and
(01:08):
has been sworn to secrecy about her involvement. The small
role marks Meghan's first appearance on screen since leaving her
role in Suits eight years ago following her engagement to
Prince Harry, and according to the Insider, the Duke of
Sussex is of course really supportive and quite simply wants
Meghan to do whatever brings her joy. The Meghan news
stepped on Prince William's Big Night, which is surely not
(01:30):
to be received well by the Wales family. Prince Williams
Earthshot primee ceremony brought global superstars to Rio on Wednesday night,
with Kylie Minogue and Shawn Mendez headlining the awards show
at the Museum of Tomorrow. William arrived wearing a black
tie tom Ford suit. Appropriately given the environmental theme, it
(01:50):
was a reware. Kylie also wore a stella. McCartney rewaar
and praised the awards as amazing people doing incredible things.
The Prince walked the green carpet, meeting performers and stopping
to chat with a group of one hundred local young people.
Among them was thirteen year old Giovanna Castro, who had
traveled one hundred and thirty kilometers, with the father bringing
(02:11):
the drawing of William and Kate on their wedding day.
William stopped a chat for several minutes and appeared touched
by the gift. In his speech, William acknowledged current uncertainty
but remained optimistic. I understand that some might feel discouraged
in these uncertain times. I understand that there was still
so much to be done, but this is no time
for complacency. The five winners included Ree Green for restoring
(02:34):
Brazil's Atlantic Forest, the High Seas Alliance for Ocean Protection,
Legos Fashion Week for sustainable fashion, Friendship for Climate solutions,
and the City of Bogatar for reducing air pollution by
twenty four percent. William also met with Prime Minister so
Kia stamer form at New Zealand PM just In the
(02:54):
Adern and Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silver. When asked about
recent references to making changes to the monarchy, William replied,
I think the Earth Shop Prize is a classic example
of change. Rather than talking about it, we're doing it.
After the ceremony, William joked with presenter Sebastian Vettel, gesturing
to Brazilian football legend CAFU. We played football together yesterday
(03:16):
and I beat him. In the Spectator, Alexander Laman writes,
cometh the hour, cometh the Prince of Wales. At least
that is what Prince William and those around him will
be desperately hoping the result of his trip this week
to Rio will be a reset for the royal family
after weeks of terrible, existentially damaging headlines mainly but not
(03:37):
entirely revolving around the Andrew formerly known as Prince. Whether
he will be successful in this, especially given the current
actions of his estranged younger brother, is another question Altogether.
The Prince's tour is a tightly choreographed series of days
that combines stunts typical of the Royal family for time immemorial.
Of course, William with photographed hugging an oblivious but perogenic baby,
(04:01):
with a new focus on environmentalism and the climate. The
speech of Cop thirty is expected not only to dominate headlines,
but also to show him as a globally engaged figure,
a politician in orbit name. This is what he and
the firm have been planning ever since his grandmother's death.
A smoothing of the legacy, so that when he eventually
becomes king, he will be seen as a truly modern monarch.
(04:23):
In what the Duke of Sussex's camp insists is mere coincidence.
He has headed to Canada for a series of Remembrance
Day events, which is also a reminder that he, rather
than his older brother, is the royal most closely associated
with the military. Certainly, although Harry claims that Buckingham Palace
was informed of his movements, it feels like a deliberate
attempt to draw attention in his own direction, and once
(04:45):
again it might succeed in doing so. And with the
prospect of a whole tranch of Jeffrey Epstein's emails still
waiting to emerge, as well as whatever Harry does next,
this will not be the last time that a royal
visit runs the risk of being relegated to the other
news column. Catherine, the Princess of Wales will play a
leading role in next week's national commemorations, joining veterans and
(05:07):
service families at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to
mark Armistice Day. Kensington Palace confirmed that Catherine will attend
the remembrance service at the Armed Forces Memorial, where she
will lay a wreath and join the nation in observing
the two minutes silence at eleven am. The event will
be a central part of the country's tributes to those
(05:27):
who have served and sacrificed in conflict. The Princess's visit
follows a weekend of remembrance that will see the King,
Queen and other senior royals attend at the Festival of
Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday evening and
the annual service at senataff in London on Sunday morning
at the Arboretum. The service will feature a reading of
a specially commissioned poem by poet in residence R G. Melalpillae,
(05:52):
exploring themes of connection, duty and the shared experiences of
military families, subjects that have long been close to the
Princess's heart. Musical performances will come from talent in the
Ranks and Black Voices. Following the ceremony, Catherine will view
the newly dedicated names inscribed on the Armed Forces Memorial
and meet veterans in attendance. She will also spend time
with secondary school students from military families whose parents are
(06:15):
currently deployed to highlight the often unseen contribution made by
service families. The Princess is also expected to tour letters
from the front line words War and Victory, a special
exhibition produced in partnership with the BBC radio stations across
the Midlands, which showcases correspondence between service members and their
loved ones during the closing months of the Second World War. Meanwhile,
(06:39):
King Charles will lead the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph,
laying a wreath designed in the style of those placed
by his grandfather, King George the Six and his mother,
Queen Elizabeth, Queen kr Miller's wreath will be laid on
her behalf by her equerry, echoing the design of the
Queen mothers. Princess Anne will represent the Crown overseas, attending
a remembrance service of the Ansek Memorial in Sydney, Australia,
(07:02):
alongside her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence More Palace.
In just a moment, Andrew mount Batton Windsor may soon
be living in quiet exile on the shores of the
Persian Gulf. The disgraced royal has been offered use of
a lavish waterfront villa within the Abu Dhabi's Sea Palace Compound,
(07:24):
the heavily guarded residents of the United Arab Emirates ruling
family and home to the Amarati Navy's headquarters. The property
was made available to Andrew by UAE President Sheikh Muhammad
bin Zaid al Nahyan, known as MBZ, a longtime acquaintance
from their school days at Gordonstown. Following the death of
(07:44):
Queen Elizabeth, the Sikh reportedly ordered a full refurbishment of
one of the private villas in the complex. Designers said
the updated home aims to blend classical grandeur with youthful
and playful elements, using bold colours and marble finishes to
modernize the palace ste setting. The six bedroom residents includes
a home cinema, indoor plunge, pool and gym, as well
(08:05):
as a large kitchen staffed by Cordon Blue chefs, with
gold detailing on the lamps, taps and even the light switches.
When the Sea Palace compound, originally built in the eighteenth
century as a watchtower, was placed at Andrew's disposal in
twenty ten, Buckingham Palace, Buckingham Palace stressed it was not
a gift, but the offer of renewed use now gives
(08:25):
the former prince a way to retreat from the glare
of public life. For Bloomberg, Max Hastings, rits exhaling Andrew
over Epstein isn't enough to fix the Royals. Per Hastings,
the squalid story should properly be viewed in a wider
context of the royal family's historic sense of entitlement. This
has caused even its junior members for centuries to pursue
(08:48):
ill judged friendships with rich and often disreputable people who
are eager to entertain and fund princelings in pursuit of
their own respectability and advancement. As Prince of Wales, King
Charles rowed yachts from controversial Greek tycoons such as John
Latsis and Theodore Angelopoulos, and accepted cash for his favorite
causes from Arab princes whose affairs did not bear scrutiny.
(09:11):
Queen Elizabeth I regularly entertained and was entertained by Middle
Eastern potentates who shared her passion for horses. She attended
the Royal winds At horse Show in company with the
late businessman Muhammed Fayed, then owner of Harod's, who, according
to Hastings, was widely recognized as a scoundrelman sexual predator.
During World War II, when the former King, Edward the Eighth,
(09:32):
who had renounced the throne in nineteen thirty six, was
exiled as Governor of the Bahamas, the security services expressed
alarm about his links to pro Nazi figures with whom
he consorted on the islands. The story is always the
same as it remains today with Andrew windsor those who
were born royal demanded standard of living that their incomes
cannot support. The question in some of our minds as
(09:54):
whether as Britain slips deeper into economic woe, the King's
subjects will continue to indulge both his private extravagance and
his obsessive secrecy that shrouds the royal finances. Royal wills
are never published. Little is disclosed about Charles and Camilla's spending.
My personal guess is that somehow the crown will come through,
but it has to change. The rotten apples of whom
(10:14):
Andrews by father Rottennist must be purged. The financial excesses
must be curbed, The property portfolio slashed. The mystique of
royalty must be preserved, but windows must be thrown open
against its obsessive secrecy. We are fortunate enough to have
a good king, but Charles heads an institution that appears
vulnerable to winds of change, even if Donald Trump goes
(10:35):
weak at the knees whenever he gets to have dinner
at Windsor Castle. And there you have it. If you'd
like to email us attresses the Palace Entry get gmail
dot com. Please check in on us on Facebook and Instagram.
Come say hi, I'm Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott.
This is Palace intrigue in good times
Calorogus Shark Media. Hello and welcome to ballas Indrigue. I'm
your host, Mark Francis. Megan Michael has returned to acting
for the first time since stepping away from royal life,
appearing as herself in the upcoming Amazon MGM comedy Close
Personal Friends. The Duchess of Sussex was seen on set
(00:25):
in Pasadena, filming alongside Breed Larson, Lily Collins, Jack Quaid,
and Henry Golding. An insider told People that Megan appeared
relaxed and happy during the shoot, adding she introduced herself
to everyone, who was very sweetened down to earth. The
film follows a couple who befriend a famous pair during
a trip to Santa Barbara, fittingly close to Megan and
(00:47):
Prince Harry's home in Montecito. According to a studio source
quoted by The Son, this is a massive moment for
Meghan and signifies a return to doing what she truly loves.
She has been swamped with offers, but this one felt right.
The source added. It's Meghan's way of gently putting her
toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys
being back on set. Everyone involved is super excited and
(01:08):
has been sworn to secrecy about her involvement. The small
role marks Meghan's first appearance on screen since leaving her
role in Suits eight years ago following her engagement to
Prince Harry, and according to the Insider, the Duke of
Sussex is of course really supportive and quite simply wants
Meghan to do whatever brings her joy. The Meghan news
stepped on Prince William's Big Night, which is surely not
(01:30):
to be received well by the Wales family. Prince Williams
Earthshot primee ceremony brought global superstars to Rio on Wednesday night,
with Kylie Minogue and Shawn Mendez headlining the awards show
at the Museum of Tomorrow. William arrived wearing a black
tie tom Ford suit. Appropriately given the environmental theme, it
(01:50):
was a reware. Kylie also wore a stella. McCartney rewaar
and praised the awards as amazing people doing incredible things.
The Prince walked the green carpet, meeting performers and stopping
to chat with a group of one hundred local young people.
Among them was thirteen year old Giovanna Castro, who had
traveled one hundred and thirty kilometers, with the father bringing
(02:11):
the drawing of William and Kate on their wedding day.
William stopped a chat for several minutes and appeared touched
by the gift. In his speech, William acknowledged current uncertainty
but remained optimistic. I understand that some might feel discouraged
in these uncertain times. I understand that there was still
so much to be done, but this is no time
for complacency. The five winners included Ree Green for restoring
(02:34):
Brazil's Atlantic Forest, the High Seas Alliance for Ocean Protection,
Legos Fashion Week for sustainable fashion, Friendship for Climate solutions,
and the City of Bogatar for reducing air pollution by
twenty four percent. William also met with Prime Minister so
Kia stamer form at New Zealand PM just In the
(02:54):
Adern and Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silver. When asked about
recent references to making changes to the monarchy, William replied,
I think the Earth Shop Prize is a classic example
of change. Rather than talking about it, we're doing it.
After the ceremony, William joked with presenter Sebastian Vettel, gesturing
to Brazilian football legend CAFU. We played football together yesterday
(03:16):
and I beat him. In the Spectator, Alexander Laman writes,
cometh the hour, cometh the Prince of Wales. At least
that is what Prince William and those around him will
be desperately hoping the result of his trip this week
to Rio will be a reset for the royal family
after weeks of terrible, existentially damaging headlines mainly but not
(03:37):
entirely revolving around the Andrew formerly known as Prince. Whether
he will be successful in this, especially given the current
actions of his estranged younger brother, is another question Altogether.
The Prince's tour is a tightly choreographed series of days
that combines stunts typical of the Royal family for time immemorial.
Of course, William with photographed hugging an oblivious but perogenic baby,
(04:01):
with a new focus on environmentalism and the climate. The
speech of Cop thirty is expected not only to dominate headlines,
but also to show him as a globally engaged figure,
a politician in orbit name. This is what he and
the firm have been planning ever since his grandmother's death.
A smoothing of the legacy, so that when he eventually
becomes king, he will be seen as a truly modern monarch.
(04:23):
In what the Duke of Sussex's camp insists is mere coincidence.
He has headed to Canada for a series of Remembrance
Day events, which is also a reminder that he, rather
than his older brother, is the royal most closely associated
with the military. Certainly, although Harry claims that Buckingham Palace
was informed of his movements, it feels like a deliberate
attempt to draw attention in his own direction, and once
(04:45):
again it might succeed in doing so. And with the
prospect of a whole tranch of Jeffrey Epstein's emails still
waiting to emerge, as well as whatever Harry does next,
this will not be the last time that a royal
visit runs the risk of being relegated to the other
news column. Catherine, the Princess of Wales will play a
leading role in next week's national commemorations, joining veterans and
(05:07):
service families at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to
mark Armistice Day. Kensington Palace confirmed that Catherine will attend
the remembrance service at the Armed Forces Memorial, where she
will lay a wreath and join the nation in observing
the two minutes silence at eleven am. The event will
be a central part of the country's tributes to those
(05:27):
who have served and sacrificed in conflict. The Princess's visit
follows a weekend of remembrance that will see the King,
Queen and other senior royals attend at the Festival of
Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday evening and
the annual service at senataff in London on Sunday morning
at the Arboretum. The service will feature a reading of
a specially commissioned poem by poet in residence R G. Melalpillae,
(05:52):
exploring themes of connection, duty and the shared experiences of
military families, subjects that have long been close to the
Princess's heart. Musical performances will come from talent in the
Ranks and Black Voices. Following the ceremony, Catherine will view
the newly dedicated names inscribed on the Armed Forces Memorial
and meet veterans in attendance. She will also spend time
with secondary school students from military families whose parents are
(06:15):
currently deployed to highlight the often unseen contribution made by
service families. The Princess is also expected to tour letters
from the front line words War and Victory, a special
exhibition produced in partnership with the BBC radio stations across
the Midlands, which showcases correspondence between service members and their
loved ones during the closing months of the Second World War. Meanwhile,
(06:39):
King Charles will lead the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph,
laying a wreath designed in the style of those placed
by his grandfather, King George the Six and his mother,
Queen Elizabeth, Queen kr Miller's wreath will be laid on
her behalf by her equerry, echoing the design of the
Queen mothers. Princess Anne will represent the Crown overseas, attending
a remembrance service of the Ansek Memorial in Sydney, Australia,
(07:02):
alongside her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence More Palace.
In just a moment, Andrew mount Batton Windsor may soon
be living in quiet exile on the shores of the
Persian Gulf. The disgraced royal has been offered use of
a lavish waterfront villa within the Abu Dhabi's Sea Palace Compound,
(07:24):
the heavily guarded residents of the United Arab Emirates ruling
family and home to the Amarati Navy's headquarters. The property
was made available to Andrew by UAE President Sheikh Muhammad
bin Zaid al Nahyan, known as MBZ, a longtime acquaintance
from their school days at Gordonstown. Following the death of
(07:44):
Queen Elizabeth, the Sikh reportedly ordered a full refurbishment of
one of the private villas in the complex. Designers said
the updated home aims to blend classical grandeur with youthful
and playful elements, using bold colours and marble finishes to
modernize the palace ste setting. The six bedroom residents includes
a home cinema, indoor plunge, pool and gym, as well
(08:05):
as a large kitchen staffed by Cordon Blue chefs, with
gold detailing on the lamps, taps and even the light switches.
When the Sea Palace compound, originally built in the eighteenth
century as a watchtower, was placed at Andrew's disposal in
twenty ten, Buckingham Palace, Buckingham Palace stressed it was not
a gift, but the offer of renewed use now gives
(08:25):
the former prince a way to retreat from the glare
of public life. For Bloomberg, Max Hastings, rits exhaling Andrew
over Epstein isn't enough to fix the Royals. Per Hastings,
the squalid story should properly be viewed in a wider
context of the royal family's historic sense of entitlement. This
has caused even its junior members for centuries to pursue
(08:48):
ill judged friendships with rich and often disreputable people who
are eager to entertain and fund princelings in pursuit of
their own respectability and advancement. As Prince of Wales, King
Charles rowed yachts from controversial Greek tycoons such as John
Latsis and Theodore Angelopoulos, and accepted cash for his favorite
causes from Arab princes whose affairs did not bear scrutiny.
(09:11):
Queen Elizabeth I regularly entertained and was entertained by Middle
Eastern potentates who shared her passion for horses. She attended
the Royal winds At horse Show in company with the
late businessman Muhammed Fayed, then owner of Harod's, who, according
to Hastings, was widely recognized as a scoundrelman sexual predator.
During World War II, when the former King, Edward the Eighth,
(09:32):
who had renounced the throne in nineteen thirty six, was
exiled as Governor of the Bahamas, the security services expressed
alarm about his links to pro Nazi figures with whom
he consorted on the islands. The story is always the
same as it remains today with Andrew windsor those who
were born royal demanded standard of living that their incomes
cannot support. The question in some of our minds as
(09:54):
whether as Britain slips deeper into economic woe, the King's
subjects will continue to indulge both his private extravagance and
his obsessive secrecy that shrouds the royal finances. Royal wills
are never published. Little is disclosed about Charles and Camilla's spending.
My personal guess is that somehow the crown will come through,
but it has to change. The rotten apples of whom
(10:14):
Andrews by father Rottennist must be purged. The financial excesses
must be curbed, The property portfolio slashed. The mystique of
royalty must be preserved, but windows must be thrown open
against its obsessive secrecy. We are fortunate enough to have
a good king, but Charles heads an institution that appears
vulnerable to winds of change, even if Donald Trump goes
(10:35):
weak at the knees whenever he gets to have dinner
at Windsor Castle. And there you have it. If you'd
like to email us attresses the Palace Entry get gmail
dot com. Please check in on us on Facebook and Instagram.
Come say hi, I'm Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott.
This is Palace intrigue in good times
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