October 3, 2025 • 9 mins
A new column in The Times asks whether the public is growing weary of Prince Harry’s steady stream of grievances, with royal experts warning he is entering “high-risk territory.” Elsewhere, King Charles is reportedly allowing Prince Andrew to continue hosting shooting parties despite public unease, leaving Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie caught between family loyalty and Sandringham tradition. Commentators say Sarah Ferguson’s troubled royal history should serve as a warning for Meghan Markle, while Prince William lightened the mood by sharing Tom Hanks’s unlikely reason for becoming an Aston Villa supporter. Also today, locals near Windsor grumble as William and Kate’s move to Forest Lodge closes off long-treasured dog walking paths. And in Luxembourg, Grand Duke Henri formally abdicates after 25 years, with Prince Guillaume stepping into his new role.
👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation 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 everyone. Season 2 starts Sunday 9/21 with 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 listent to Crown and Controversy "NORWAY'S ROYAL REBELS" here and get the full season as a premium subscriber now.
PREMIUM SUBSCRIBERS get Crown & Controversy seasons including Norways Royal Rebels, Deep Crown Sunday episode and COMMERCIAL FREE LISTENING!! NO ADS!!
Plus you unlock 25+ series from Caloroga Shark Media!
👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation 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 everyone. Season 2 starts Sunday 9/21 with 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 listent to Crown and Controversy "NORWAY'S ROYAL REBELS" here and get the full season as a premium subscriber now.
PREMIUM SUBSCRIBERS get Crown & Controversy seasons including Norways Royal Rebels, Deep Crown Sunday episode and COMMERCIAL FREE LISTENING!! NO ADS!!
Plus you unlock 25+ series from Caloroga Shark Media!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Calorogus Shark Media.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am your host,
Mark Francis. In The Times, Shane Watson wonders are we
getting bored of the Duke of Sussex and his endless bombshells?
Although I'll download numbers disagree. Watson writes he has got
the message that he can't keep trashing his closest family,
half of whom are in recovery from cancer, all of
(00:35):
whom are more popular than him, including William in America.
But for Harry, that simply creates a vacancy for number
one villain, an obstacle to his happiness. Who to blame
now for the fact that there isn't any instantaneous thawing
of relations. Harry doesn't get that there's more on people's
minds here than being upstaged by Megan's radiance. He can't
(00:56):
see why when his trip to the UK a couple
of weeks ago was such a success. Yes, the Royal
family are not in full reproachment mode, calling emergency summits
to discuss how soon they can get their most valuable asset,
Harry the Charmer, back on the team. So it makes
perfect sense that he should go full circle and point
the finger at the staff the Royal Household aids the
people his mother, Diana first christened the Men in Gray Suits,
(01:19):
which brings us to the second point, Harry using the
phrase his mother used as both incendiary and delusional. She
was a breath of fresh air and a stuffy dated
institutions who shook up the etiquette and expectations of the time. Yes,
we're all agreed on that, but Harry thinks that's what
he's done by leaving and getting a deal with Netflix.
There's something else too about this latest Men in Gray
(01:40):
Suits bombshell. It's the fact that it's not a bombshell.
It's just the next round in this increasingly dull and
childish monathon. Harry has tested everybody's patience while somehow not
losing our affection. But now he's entering high risk territory.
There's a very real possibility that we're getting bored of him.
Royal watcher Emma Fabiana observed the Sussexes have been relatively quiet,
(02:02):
and that usually indicates preparation. We'll see if a new
project or release arrives, but without forcing the timing, King
Charles Is said to be allowing Prince Andrew to retain
his long standing role in hosting shooting parties. According to
The Royalist, Andrew continues to organize such gatherings on royal estates,
including his Family Day at Windsor, traditionally held at the
(02:25):
start of the pheasant shooting season in November. The parties,
considered important for maintaining social connections, are thought to be
one of the few areas where Andrew still holds sway
behind the scenes. Andrew's biographer Andrew Lowney told The Royalist
King Charles does not want to antagonize his younger brother entirely,
but he needs to recognize that the public wants some
(02:46):
answers about the York's connections with Jeffrey Epstein and how
they have exploited their royal status for personal financial gain.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie is said to be facing a
very difficult position this Christmas, as King Charles were awardedly
intends to keep their parents away from official holiday festivities.
Royal commentator Phil Dampia told the paper. If it turns
(03:08):
out that they are not invited or decide themselves not
to go, then it makes it very difficult for Princesses
Beatrice and Eugenie. They may feel it would be unfair
of them to go when their parents aren't there, and
it simply rubs salt in their wounds. The King has
a soft spot for both Beatrice and Eugenie and feel
sorry for the situation they are in, so to rual
dilemma for him, and one he could do without. The
(03:32):
Prince of Wales is also thought to have sympathy for
his cousins and would not wish them to be excluded
on account of their parents. Last Christmas, Eugenie celebrated with
her husband Jack Brooksbank's family, while Beatrice attended Sandringham with
the royals. The only other time they missed Royal Christmas
traditions was during the COVID pandemic in twenty twenty. Commentators
(03:54):
are warning that Sarah Ferguson's troubled path within the royal
family should serve as a cautionary tale for Megan Mirkell.
Writing in The Daily Mail, Sarah Vine suggested that Megan's
close friendship with filmmaker Tyler Perry illustrates the danger of
relying too heavily on powerful benefactors. While Perry who offered
the Sussexes his Los Angeles home and security after their
departure from Britain, and later became godfather to Princess lilibet
(04:18):
Is no Epstein. Vin argued that his own complicated reputation
could prove problematic. He's also not a wholly straightforward acquaintance.
Vin also noted parallels between the two duchesses, a taste
for luxury, reliance on wealthy friends, and an appetite for
commercial ventures. Ferguson has launched lifestyle products in a television
series about her personal struggles. Another similarity lies in their
(04:42):
royal roles. Both women married the monarchy's spare rather than
the heir, arrived as unconventional outsiders who initially injected energy
but later clashed with the institution's constraints. While Vine stressed
that Megan is not yet in the same league as
the Duchess of York, she argued that the warning sign
are clear. It's a cautionary tale. Let's hope they take heed.
(05:04):
Other critics go further. Writing for gb News, Lee Cohen said,
if the Yorks are a liability due to their ineptitude,
the Sussexes are a threat because of their intent. Their
departure from royal duties might have been understandable had they
gone so quietly. Instead, they chose spectacle overdiscretion, grievance over gratitude.
Cohen added that any suggestion of Prince Harry resuming royal
(05:26):
duties in Britain should be immediately extinguished, describing him as
dangerous and untrustworthy, more balance in just a moment. Hey,
it's October and that means Halloween, and we've got a
couple of great channels for you to listen to and follow.
The first is Ghost Scary Stories and there are hundreds
(05:49):
of horror stories in there, plus a new episode every
day this month. Check out Ghost Scary Stories. Plus we
have a Halloween pop up channel. To search Halloween Up
and you'll find shows from all of our genres, from
romance to trivia, to murder mysteries to ghost stories, music
(06:10):
or with a Halloween theme. And they're all there every
day on the Halloween Pop Up Channel. So Talloween Pop
Up Channel wherever you get your podcasts. Prince William has
opened up about his love of football and why Hollywood
star Tom Hanks is an unlikely aston Villa supporter. During
a candid conversation with actor Eugene Levy for Apple TV
Plus is The Reluctant Traveler. Speaking to Levy inside Windsor Castle,
(06:34):
the Prince of Wales proudly declared, I'm a football fan.
I support aston Villa. You heard of them. Tom Hanks
is a big fan. I love the story that Tom
tells about why he suddenly supported aston Villa. When he
was looking for a team to support, he saw the
words aston Villa and thought that sounded quite like a sunshine,
nice villa place to go, when actually, if he turns
up to Birmingham, it's not that sunshiny. The full episode
(06:57):
of The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy is available on
Apple TV Plus. Today dog walkers are not happy with
William and Kate as they prepare to settle into their
new residents, Forest Lodge by the end of the year.
Forest Lodge and eight bedroom Georgian home formerly known as
Holly Grove, since within one hundred and fifty acres of land,
now being designated as a Crown Protection Zone under new
(07:19):
security provisions. Access via Cranborne Gate, long used by local
dog walkers and ramblers, was permanently closed this past Sunday.
The gates adjacent to car park, which have required an
annual fee of one hundred and ten pounds, has also
been shut. Visible changes include the installation of large wooden fencing,
surveillance cameras and freshly planted trees for additional privacy. Mourning
(07:41):
science will soon go up around the two point three
mile perimeter and trespasses may now face arrest. Tom Bunn,
who regularly walked his dog Mister Brown in the fields nearby,
and said, obviously it's disappointing as my dog loves it here,
but I completely understand the safety of William, Kate and
their family is paramount others worth less pathetic. A woman
from nearby Winfield told The Sun many of us have
(08:03):
been walking out dogs here for twenty years, so to
be told we can't anymore as a kick in the teeth.
We pay annually towards the upkeep of a park, but
we are no longer going to be allowed to use
part of it. One wonders the media reaction if this
were megan, But since Kate wants a new house, it's fine.
Move along. A historic moment awaits the Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg today When Grand Duke on Ree formally abdicates after
(08:26):
twenty five years of service, the throne will pass to
his oldest son, Prince Guillome, who has already spent the
past year quietly preparing in his role as Lieutenant Representative.
The transition will be marked with a modern touches. Luxembourg
unveils a new royal monogram. The familiar stylized H of
Grand Duke on Re will give way to fresh G
(08:48):
symbolizing Grand Duke Guiloam. The updated emblem will gradually appear
across official institutions, including the Army, police, Customs, CGDIS and
prison services. The abdication serah your schedule for ten am
at the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxembourg City, followed by
Prince he Owm's formal swearing in at the Chamber of
Deputies just after midday of the Grand Ducal family will
(09:11):
appear on the palace balcony before attending a reception at
City Hall. Celebrations will span three days as Luxembourg welcomes
a new chapter in its constitutional monarchy. And there you
have it. If you like to email us and tell
me how many pronunciation errors I just made in that
last story. Our addresses the Palace Intrigue at gmail dot com.
Please follow us on Spotify, Apple and the Apple off
(09:32):
your choice, and leave us some nice review if from
joining the show, I'm Mark Francis My thanks to John McDermott.
This is Palace Intrigue and good terms
Calorogus Shark Media.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am your host,
Mark Francis. In The Times, Shane Watson wonders are we
getting bored of the Duke of Sussex and his endless bombshells?
Although I'll download numbers disagree. Watson writes he has got
the message that he can't keep trashing his closest family,
half of whom are in recovery from cancer, all of
(00:35):
whom are more popular than him, including William in America.
But for Harry, that simply creates a vacancy for number
one villain, an obstacle to his happiness. Who to blame
now for the fact that there isn't any instantaneous thawing
of relations. Harry doesn't get that there's more on people's
minds here than being upstaged by Megan's radiance. He can't
(00:56):
see why when his trip to the UK a couple
of weeks ago was such a success. Yes, the Royal
family are not in full reproachment mode, calling emergency summits
to discuss how soon they can get their most valuable asset,
Harry the Charmer, back on the team. So it makes
perfect sense that he should go full circle and point
the finger at the staff the Royal Household aids the
people his mother, Diana first christened the Men in Gray Suits,
(01:19):
which brings us to the second point, Harry using the
phrase his mother used as both incendiary and delusional. She
was a breath of fresh air and a stuffy dated
institutions who shook up the etiquette and expectations of the time. Yes,
we're all agreed on that, but Harry thinks that's what
he's done by leaving and getting a deal with Netflix.
There's something else too about this latest Men in Gray
(01:40):
Suits bombshell. It's the fact that it's not a bombshell.
It's just the next round in this increasingly dull and
childish monathon. Harry has tested everybody's patience while somehow not
losing our affection. But now he's entering high risk territory.
There's a very real possibility that we're getting bored of him.
Royal watcher Emma Fabiana observed the Sussexes have been relatively quiet,
(02:02):
and that usually indicates preparation. We'll see if a new
project or release arrives, but without forcing the timing, King
Charles Is said to be allowing Prince Andrew to retain
his long standing role in hosting shooting parties. According to
The Royalist, Andrew continues to organize such gatherings on royal estates,
including his Family Day at Windsor, traditionally held at the
(02:25):
start of the pheasant shooting season in November. The parties,
considered important for maintaining social connections, are thought to be
one of the few areas where Andrew still holds sway
behind the scenes. Andrew's biographer Andrew Lowney told The Royalist
King Charles does not want to antagonize his younger brother entirely,
but he needs to recognize that the public wants some
(02:46):
answers about the York's connections with Jeffrey Epstein and how
they have exploited their royal status for personal financial gain.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie is said to be facing a
very difficult position this Christmas, as King Charles were awardedly
intends to keep their parents away from official holiday festivities.
Royal commentator Phil Dampia told the paper. If it turns
(03:08):
out that they are not invited or decide themselves not
to go, then it makes it very difficult for Princesses
Beatrice and Eugenie. They may feel it would be unfair
of them to go when their parents aren't there, and
it simply rubs salt in their wounds. The King has
a soft spot for both Beatrice and Eugenie and feel
sorry for the situation they are in, so to rual
dilemma for him, and one he could do without. The
(03:32):
Prince of Wales is also thought to have sympathy for
his cousins and would not wish them to be excluded
on account of their parents. Last Christmas, Eugenie celebrated with
her husband Jack Brooksbank's family, while Beatrice attended Sandringham with
the royals. The only other time they missed Royal Christmas
traditions was during the COVID pandemic in twenty twenty. Commentators
(03:54):
are warning that Sarah Ferguson's troubled path within the royal
family should serve as a cautionary tale for Megan Mirkell.
Writing in The Daily Mail, Sarah Vine suggested that Megan's
close friendship with filmmaker Tyler Perry illustrates the danger of
relying too heavily on powerful benefactors. While Perry who offered
the Sussexes his Los Angeles home and security after their
departure from Britain, and later became godfather to Princess lilibet
(04:18):
Is no Epstein. Vin argued that his own complicated reputation
could prove problematic. He's also not a wholly straightforward acquaintance.
Vin also noted parallels between the two duchesses, a taste
for luxury, reliance on wealthy friends, and an appetite for
commercial ventures. Ferguson has launched lifestyle products in a television
series about her personal struggles. Another similarity lies in their
(04:42):
royal roles. Both women married the monarchy's spare rather than
the heir, arrived as unconventional outsiders who initially injected energy
but later clashed with the institution's constraints. While Vine stressed
that Megan is not yet in the same league as
the Duchess of York, she argued that the warning sign
are clear. It's a cautionary tale. Let's hope they take heed.
(05:04):
Other critics go further. Writing for gb News, Lee Cohen said,
if the Yorks are a liability due to their ineptitude,
the Sussexes are a threat because of their intent. Their
departure from royal duties might have been understandable had they
gone so quietly. Instead, they chose spectacle overdiscretion, grievance over gratitude.
Cohen added that any suggestion of Prince Harry resuming royal
(05:26):
duties in Britain should be immediately extinguished, describing him as
dangerous and untrustworthy, more balance in just a moment. Hey,
it's October and that means Halloween, and we've got a
couple of great channels for you to listen to and follow.
The first is Ghost Scary Stories and there are hundreds
(05:49):
of horror stories in there, plus a new episode every
day this month. Check out Ghost Scary Stories. Plus we
have a Halloween pop up channel. To search Halloween Up
and you'll find shows from all of our genres, from
romance to trivia, to murder mysteries to ghost stories, music
(06:10):
or with a Halloween theme. And they're all there every
day on the Halloween Pop Up Channel. So Talloween Pop
Up Channel wherever you get your podcasts. Prince William has
opened up about his love of football and why Hollywood
star Tom Hanks is an unlikely aston Villa supporter. During
a candid conversation with actor Eugene Levy for Apple TV
Plus is The Reluctant Traveler. Speaking to Levy inside Windsor Castle,
(06:34):
the Prince of Wales proudly declared, I'm a football fan.
I support aston Villa. You heard of them. Tom Hanks
is a big fan. I love the story that Tom
tells about why he suddenly supported aston Villa. When he
was looking for a team to support, he saw the
words aston Villa and thought that sounded quite like a sunshine,
nice villa place to go, when actually, if he turns
up to Birmingham, it's not that sunshiny. The full episode
(06:57):
of The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy is available on
Apple TV Plus. Today dog walkers are not happy with
William and Kate as they prepare to settle into their
new residents, Forest Lodge by the end of the year.
Forest Lodge and eight bedroom Georgian home formerly known as
Holly Grove, since within one hundred and fifty acres of land,
now being designated as a Crown Protection Zone under new
(07:19):
security provisions. Access via Cranborne Gate, long used by local
dog walkers and ramblers, was permanently closed this past Sunday.
The gates adjacent to car park, which have required an
annual fee of one hundred and ten pounds, has also
been shut. Visible changes include the installation of large wooden fencing,
surveillance cameras and freshly planted trees for additional privacy. Mourning
(07:41):
science will soon go up around the two point three
mile perimeter and trespasses may now face arrest. Tom Bunn,
who regularly walked his dog Mister Brown in the fields nearby,
and said, obviously it's disappointing as my dog loves it here,
but I completely understand the safety of William, Kate and
their family is paramount others worth less pathetic. A woman
from nearby Winfield told The Sun many of us have
(08:03):
been walking out dogs here for twenty years, so to
be told we can't anymore as a kick in the teeth.
We pay annually towards the upkeep of a park, but
we are no longer going to be allowed to use
part of it. One wonders the media reaction if this
were megan, But since Kate wants a new house, it's fine.
Move along. A historic moment awaits the Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg today When Grand Duke on Ree formally abdicates after
(08:26):
twenty five years of service, the throne will pass to
his oldest son, Prince Guillome, who has already spent the
past year quietly preparing in his role as Lieutenant Representative.
The transition will be marked with a modern touches. Luxembourg
unveils a new royal monogram. The familiar stylized H of
Grand Duke on Re will give way to fresh G
(08:48):
symbolizing Grand Duke Guiloam. The updated emblem will gradually appear
across official institutions, including the Army, police, Customs, CGDIS and
prison services. The abdication serah your schedule for ten am
at the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxembourg City, followed by
Prince he Owm's formal swearing in at the Chamber of
Deputies just after midday of the Grand Ducal family will
(09:11):
appear on the palace balcony before attending a reception at
City Hall. Celebrations will span three days as Luxembourg welcomes
a new chapter in its constitutional monarchy. And there you
have it. If you like to email us and tell
me how many pronunciation errors I just made in that
last story. Our addresses the Palace Intrigue at gmail dot com.
Please follow us on Spotify, Apple and the Apple off
(09:32):
your choice, and leave us some nice review if from
joining the show, I'm Mark Francis My thanks to John McDermott.
This is Palace Intrigue and good terms
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.