Top 25 Royal Stories of 2025 Part One: Royal Year From Hell as Sussex Staff Flee and Charles Faces New Health Fears

From Montecito staffers bolting to Princess Anne unexpectedly going viral, the royal rollercoaster started early. We count down #25 to #11, including Netflix slicing the Sussex deal, Harry drowning in lawsuits, Meghan’s Paris limo fiasco, and growing concern over King Charles’ health. These are the stories the royals wish we’d stop bringing up.

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 and 2 are fully available now for everyone. Season 3 has new episodes every Sunday on the regular feed. GET THE FULL SEASON 3 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!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Caloroga Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue, Iam
your host Mark Francis, and for the next three afternoons,
we're going to take a special look back on the
events of twenty twenty five and the top twenty five

(00:23):
royal stories. Now, twenty twenty five will be remembered as
one of the most turbulent royal years in recent memory.
A year of concern for senior members of the family,
of rising tensions between households, and of public scrutiny unlike
anything we've seen in decades. Across London, Windsor and Montecito.

(00:43):
The headlines rarely stopped. As we review the top twenty
five royal stories of the year, we revisit the moments
that reshaped the monarchy. At number twenty five, another wave
of Sussex staff departures. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
saw another shake up within their team this year, as
four staff members departed following the arrival of Meredith Mainz,

(01:06):
their new chief communications officer, With at least twenty two
staffers having moved on since the couple relocated to California,
turnover remained one of the quieter yet most persistent storylines
of twenty twenty five. At number twenty four, King Charles
and Queen Camilla's visit to the Vatican. One of the

(01:27):
quieter but symbolically significant moments of the year came when
King Charles and Queen Camilla made a formal visit to
the Vatican. The King, continuing his long standing interest in
interfaith dialogue, met with senior church figures to discuss shared
concerns including climate action, cultural preservation, and religious coexistence. The

(01:48):
visit was noted for its warmth and the depth of conversation,
with Vatican officials describing the meetings as constructive and forward looking.
Royal commentators highlighted the significance of the monarch engaging so
directly with the Holy See during his ongoing health challenges,
presenting the trip as both a diplomatic gesture and a
reaffirmation of Charles' commitment to global faith outreach. At number

(02:14):
twenty three, Beatrice and Eugenie Sussex Wales or their own
track with parents still casting a shadow. Princesses Beatrice and
Eugenie spent the year under quiet analysis as observers tracked
whether the sisters were drifting closer to the Wales household
or maintaining warmaties to the Sussexes. Their public schedules, from

(02:35):
charity events to environmental initiatives, were scrutinized for clues about
alignment inside a shifting monarchy. At the same time, the
reputational turbulence surrounding their parents remained unavoidable. Prince Andrews continued
withdrawal from public life, and Sarah Ferguson's title complications ensured
that York sisters were regularly mentioned, not for controversy of

(02:59):
their own, but for the family context surrounding them. Number
twenty two hits US with the Royal sex Bomb Princess Anne.
One of the year's most unexpected viral stories can courtesy
of Princess Anne, or rather Mike Tindall talking about her.
During a lighthearted interview on his The Good, The Bad
and the Rugby podcast, Tindall recalled early memories of Anne's

(03:22):
commanding presence at royal events, joking that she carried so
much authority she could have been a royal sex bomb
in her day. The off the cuff remarks at social
media alight, with clips circulating widely and comments delighting in
the rare glimpse of humor directed toward one of the
most disciplined members of the royal family. While Anne has

(03:43):
ever offered no public reaction, the moment became an unexpected
favorite among royal watchers, coming in at number twenty one.
Netflix downgrades the Sussex Deal. Netflix confirmed a major shift
in his partnership with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
This year, replaced the couple's exclusive twenty twenty contract with
a significantly smaller first look deal. Projects such as Harte Invictus,

(04:09):
Live to Lead and Polo drew more modest audience than
the original documentary that kicked off the deal. Megan's lifestyle
series with Love Megan produced mixed results. Season one debuted
to criticism in March, while a second season compiled from
previously filmed material, generated limited impact. In Meghan's holiday Special

(04:30):
was widely mocked at number twenty in the top twenty
five stories of twenty twenty five. Prince Harry's legal battles
continue on multiple fronts. Prince Harry spent much of the
year moving between the High Court and ongoing legal negotiations
as three major cases progressed his claim against Newsgroup Newspapers

(04:51):
advanced with further hearings over alleged unlawful information gathering. He
also continued as a claimant in the action against Associated Newspapers,
which denies the accusations. At the same time, Harry pressed
forward with his challenge to the Home Office over the
removal of automatic police protection during visits to the United Kingdom.
Each case carried implications not only for Harry, but for

(05:14):
Royal security procedures and for wider press industry practices, keeping
the Duke at the center of some of the year's
most closely watched court room proceedings. At number nineteen, Megan's
podcast relaunch ends after a short run. Megan's podcast, Confessions
of a Female Founder, produced with Lemonade and Media, launched

(05:37):
in April with a nine episode slate featuring conversations with
female entrepreneurs and Meghan's commentary on building her as Ever brand.
The series concluded in June and appeared to not be renewed,
which would mark the second time a high profile Sussex
audio venture wrapped after a single season, following Archetypes Early

(05:59):
and when Spot terminated its partnership in twenty twenty three.
Analysts noted the pattern as part of a challenging year
for the couple's media ambitions at number eighteen, the debate
over marketing the kids. A brief family video posted by
Megan this autumn triggered one of the year's most intense

(06:19):
debates about the Sussex children and their place in the
couple's public strategy. The clip, showing Megan and Prince Harry
on an early Halloween outing at Lane Farms in Santa Barbara,
with Archie and Lilabit visible in the background as Harry
carved pumpkins, was only online for a short time, but
it marked the clearest glimpse of the children in years,
and reaction was immediate. According to Radar online dot Com,

(06:43):
Entertainment analysts questioned whether Meghan was deliberately incorporating the children
into her relaunch strategy. One source claimed, showing Archie and
Lily more openly isn't just about sharing sweet moments. It's
a deliberate move to guide how the public sees them.
There's a clear strategy behind it. A Los Angeles entertainment
executive went further, telling the outlet that Meghan understood the

(07:06):
children's commercial potential. She is clearly eyeing them as future
influences with the power to earn millions of dollars from
brand posts, the executive said, arguing that the Sussex's global brand,
built on family wellness and relatability, made the children central
to future marketing efforts. The debate intensified after additional images

(07:28):
of the children's surfaced during the Sussexes Thanksgiving volunteer appearance.
Photographs described by The Daily Beasts Tom Sykes's carefully curated,
half obscured clickbait released just ahead of Meghan's holiday special,
He argued the Sussexes were managing the children's images for value,
presenting them just visible enough to spark curiosity, never private,

(07:50):
always part of the lifestyle brand. At number seventeen, Sarah
Ferguson quietly recedes. Sarah Ferguson saw a significant shift in
her public treatment this year, as royal event materials, invitations
and press guidance began removing the Duchess of York styling
she has informally used for decades. As the year moved on,

(08:13):
her name appeared in more and more unsavory articles, often
including words like Ebstein. Number sixteen brought us Meghan's Paris
limo video backlash. Meghan sparked one of the sharpest online
controversies of the year after posting an Instagram story from
the back of a limousine in Paris. The video, filmed

(08:33):
during her first Passion Week appearance, showed the Duchess recording
nighttime views of the Pont Alexander, the Third and Pont
Day and Validas before turning the camera to her legs
stretched out along the seat. The route passed close to
Pont de Lama, the tunnel where Diana, Princess of Wales
suffered her fatal crash in nineteen ninety seven. The choice

(08:54):
of location prompted a media backlash on social media. One
commento wrote, why would she film the place his mother died? Moreover,
why would she post it on social media for the
world to see. Another said, if driving toward Princess Diana's
death scene as a message to Prince William, then Meghan
Minkle is the devil. Others accused her of recreating Diana imagery,
calling the video disturbing and beyond stupid. Royal commentator Richard

(09:19):
Fitzwilliams echoed the sentiment, telling The Daily Mail that the
clip was utterly bewildering, insensitive, beyond belief, and a decision
that would only inflame tensions. The incident became one of
Meghan's most widely discussed missteps of twenty twenty five and
reignited debates about her relationship to Diana's legacy. More of
the top twenty five stories of the year in just

(09:42):
a Moment, Welcome back to the top twenty five Royal
stories of twenty twenty five. At number fifteen, Meghan's string
of harsh reviews, Meghan's projects drew some of their toughest
critic all responses yet, with reviewers describing With Love Meghan

(10:03):
as out of touch, unclear in purpose, or overly curated. Simultaneously,
commentary around the as Ever lifestyle line, including its thirty
dollars honey and fourteen dollars spreads, sparked debate over luxury
pricing versus authenticity. Though the products were sold reliably to
Meghan's fan base, the critical tone contributed to a wider

(10:25):
narrative that her public facing ventures still lack a consistent voice.
Coming in at number fourteen, Sir David Beckham's Royal Loyalty Moment.
David Beckham now formerly knighted and known as Sir David,
became an unexpected royal subplot this year as analysts tracked
his growing visibility alongside the Wales family. Reports resurfaced of

(10:48):
past attentions between Meghan and Victoria Beckham over at alleged leaks,
a story both couples denied. Even so, Beckham's public positioning
reinforced the perception that he had firmly aligned himself with
the Wales household. At number thirteen, Harry's Remembrance clashed with
Williams earth Shot tour. Harry's Remembrance Week appearance in Toronto

(11:11):
caused frustration inside Buckingham Palace after it overlapped with Prince
William's Earthshot engagements in Brazil and the traditional commemorations in London.
Palace officials quietly expressed surprise at the timing, saying they
had not been informed ahead of the trip. At number twelve,
earth Shot twenty twenty five expands its global footprint. This

(11:34):
year's earth Shot Prize featured a wider international footprint than
ever before, with events, satellite sessions, and youth focused initiatives
staged across multiple continents. When a projects highlighted innovations and
coastal restoration, sustainable agriculture and climate resilient housing. Coverage emphasized
Prince William's deep involvement and the extent to which Earthshot

(11:57):
has become his flagship effort, defining his public profile in
a way few royal initiatives have achieved. This was a
look at William as global leader and perhaps a glimpse
of the reign of King William and at number eleven.
Ongoing concern over King Charles health. King Charles's health remained
one of the most closely watched issues of twenty twenty five,

(12:20):
with a Palace offering only limited updates throughout the year.
After his earlier cancer diagnosis, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the
King continued to undergo treatment and would be reducing his
public schedule, prompting renewed concern about the stability of the
monarchy's day to day operations. Prince William took on a
noticeably increased role, stepping in for several key ceremonial functions,

(12:43):
while Camilla shouldered more of the charitable and representational workload.
Although officials maintained that the King was progressing well and
remained fully engaged with state business. The tone of statements
throughout the year reflected a cautious, measured approach and a
recognition that the sovereign's health had become a defining storyline
of the royal calendar. And that said. For part one

(13:07):
of this three part special, the Top twenty five Stories
of twenty twenty five, and tomorrow we'll enter the top
ten Royal moments, my friend has my thanks to John McDermott.
This is palace intriguan good terms