November 14, 2025 • 9 mins
Prince William reportedly tried to scale back duties during what he called the hardest year of his life, as both Kate and King Charles faced cancer diagnoses—only to be urged by his father to carry on. Now new reports say William was “hurt and angry” when Charles chose the same week as Earthshot to finally knight David Beckham, hijacking the headlines while Harry staged a quasi-royal Canada tour and Meghan chased Kardashian-adjacent fame. Deep Crown calls it three royal operations fighting for oxygen, William opens up about parenting through illness, and viewers rage at the BBC for calling the Princess of Wales “Kate Middleton” on air—wait until they find out about our podcast.
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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 (00:01):
He hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am your host,
Mark Francis. Prince William reportedly asked to scale back his
royal workload in twenty twenty fours. He struggled through what
he described as the hardest year of his life, but
King Charles urged him to think again. According to royal
biographer Robert Jobson's new book The Windsor Legacy, Jobson writes
(00:22):
that William was shaken to the core by the duel
cancer diagnosis of his father and wife, Kate Middleton. The
Prince of Wales, balancing his duties as heir alongside caring
for his young family, privately sought a brief reprieve from engagements,
but Charles denied the request. Sources quoted in the book
say the King encouraged his son to stay the course,
(00:44):
even as he himself was coping with mounting pain before
his own diagnosis. Jobson reported that doctors eventually discovered Charles
cancer while treating him for an enlarged prostate. Kate meanwhile
announced her own diagnosis just weeks later, a malign twist
of fate, as the author put it. Royal experts told
Fox News Digital that William's attempt to ease his workload
(01:06):
reflected exhaustion rather than reluctance. He struggled to keep everything
on track, said broadcaster Helene the Chard. He should be
applauded for his honesty and for recognizing he needed a
moment to step back. Jobson also notes that both William
and Kate became more religious during the ordeal, seeking private
solace in church attendance. Yet despite personal strain, William remained
(01:29):
the public face of royal stability, overseeing engagements, supporting his
father and ensuring the monarch's continuity behind pallace walls. The
relationship between father and son was tested. The two share
what Jobson describes as fiery tempers, with Aids sent to
tread lightly around both. Still, the king and his heirs
are said to respect each other's judgment, and William has
(01:50):
taken a tougher line than his father on matters of
royal reform. William was said to be hurt and angry
after what he perceived as a royal own goal his
father decision to night David Beckham. On the very same day,
the Prince of Wales launched his Earth Shot Prize ceremony
in Brazil. According to the Royalists, the timing of King
Charles headline grabbing investiture left William feeling undermined during a
(02:14):
week meant to highlight his global environmental initiative. Of all weeks,
one of William's friends told the outlet, this was the
one week he needed his family to be pulling for him. Instead,
it felt like they were pulling against him. He was
left hurt and angry. Beckham's long anticipated knighthood ceremony, complete
with front page photos of Sir David and Lady Victoria,
(02:35):
dominated headlines in London just as William's Earthshot coverage reached
its peak. Meanwhile, Prince Hary Meghan Michael conveniently re entered
the media spotlight. Harry's team announced a quasi royal trip
to Canada overlapping with William's itinerary, and Meghan's acting comeback
made the Sun front page midweek. In any normal world,
(02:56):
William would have been the Royal story of the week,
and newspaper editor told The Royalist. But Beckham and Meghan's
comebacks swallowed the headlines. The entire Royal press corps was
in Brazil, and somehow none of it mattered. The King's
allies insists the clash was coincidental, with one source saying
his Majesty is immensely proud of his son's work. Investitures
(03:17):
are scheduled months in advance. A long time courtier said
the dynamic has changed since the King's cancer diagnosis. The
change of rain is happening in real time, whether they
admitted or not. Source said, as one royal watcher put it,
William sees himself leading the monarchy's future, Charles still sees
himself as a present, and moments like this Beckham's Knighthood
(03:37):
Week show how awkward the transition can be. In his
sub stack Royal Inside a Deep Crown writes, the chaos
perfectly illustrates what's become an exhausting pattern. Three separate royal
operations competing for oxygen, and none of them bothering to coordinate.
You had William in Brazil trying to establish earth shot
(03:58):
as as defining proj Charles staging a knighthood ceremony that
dominated the British press, and Harry manufacturing his own quasi
royal Canada visit complete with poppy and military visits. Then
Meghan shows up at a Kardashian party while simultaneously hawking
jams through Oprah. It's utterly mad. What strikes me most
(04:18):
is the complete absence of strategic thinking. The monarchy only
works when it speaks with one voice, when the institution
comes before individual vanity. Charles should have pushed Beckham's ceremony
by a fortnight without a second thought and ensured William
had a clear run for his signature project. But instead
we've got a king clinging to every ceremony and headline
(04:39):
as if he's proving something. William justifiably frustrated that his
father won't give him the space a future king requires,
and Harry treating remembrance like a personal brand opportunity. The
Sussexes have worked out they can play it being half
in royals whenever it suits them. Harry does the military
bits and uniform with his poppy prominently displayed, Meghan the
(05:00):
celebrity bits with the Kardashians and tech billionaires, and they
both pretend it's authentic service rather than strategic positioning. William
opened up about navigating Parento during one of the most
difficult chapters of his family life, describing the challenge of
balancing honesty and protection as his children process their mother's illness.
Speaking to Brazilian TV host Luciano Huck during his trip
(05:24):
to Rio for the Earthshot Prize Awards, the Prince reflected
on the past year, in which both his wife and
his father, King Charles were diagnosed with cancer. William said,
every family has its own difficulties and its own challenges,
and I think it's very individual as to how you
deal with those problems. We choose to communicate a lot
more with our children. That has its good things and
its bad things. Sometimes you feel you're oversharing when you
(05:47):
probably shouldn't, But most of the time, hiding stuff from
them doesn't work. He explained that honesty has helped his
children process what's happening around them, explains them how they feel,
why that's happening, giving them other view as to why
they might be feeling the way they are. Sometimes that
helps give them a bigger picture and they can relax
more into it rather than being really anxious about what
(06:08):
you're hiding from them. There can be a lot more
questions than answers. It's always a balancing act. Every parent
knows that. In later moments, the future King also spoke
about the rhythms of family life and Adelaide cottage, revealing
that he and Kate still prioritize the school run and
playtime in the garden whenever possible, play dates, taxi driver,
(06:29):
sports days, matches, he said with a smile, school run
most days. I mean Catherine and I share it, but
she probably does the bulk of it. William also discussed
the couple's cautious approach to technology. Our children don't have phones.
When George moves on to secondary school, maybe he'll have
one with limited access. We talk to him and explain
why we don't think it's right. With full access, children
(06:50):
end up seeing things on the Internet that they shouldn't.
But with restricted access, I think it's good for messaging. Well, Pallace,
it just a moment. Social media erupted after the BBC
reportedly referred to Princess Catherine by her maiden name during
coverage of the Remembrance Service, a slip viewers branded disrespectful
(07:14):
and inexcusable more than a decade after her marriage and
two years into her role as Princess of Wales. The
phrasing came during the BBC's live broadcast from the National
Memorial Arboretum, where the Princess Liathy's Service of Remembrance. Viewers
quickly took to x to voice their frustration. Who is
the moro on calling the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton
(07:34):
on BBC News? One news affumed, Another wrote, my missing
something is the BBC now not just left wing but
also republican Kate Middleton? How bloody disrespectful this woman keeps
on calling her Kate Middleton f FS. A third demanded,
can somebody have a word in the ear of your
reporter at the National Memorial Arboretum. She should not be
(07:56):
referring to the Princess of Wales as Kate Middleton, while
another viewer added, how dare the BBC once again be
disrespectful to Catherine, Princess of Wales? Several times the presenter
used to a maiden name. I am fuming, dozens of
others joining the outcry, insisting the broadcaster should know better.
Here at Palas Intrigue, we have been criticized about the
(08:16):
same phrasing as we do the program for a primarily
American audience. We refer to the princess the way most
of our audience does Kate Middleton. You may also notice
we often refer to her father in law simply as Charles.
There you have It'd like to email us and tell
us off. It's Lee Palasintrigant gmail dot com. And don't forget.
(08:40):
We have a new show out, Crown and Controversy Prince Andrew,
and it follows a young Prince Andrew all the way
through his life and downfall. And you can find that
show wherever you get your podcasts like this one. There's
a link in the show notes, or just search for
Crown and Controversy Prince Andrew. I'm Mark Francis my thanks
to John McDermott. This is Palace Intrigue and Good Times.
He hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am your host,
Mark Francis. Prince William reportedly asked to scale back his
royal workload in twenty twenty fours. He struggled through what
he described as the hardest year of his life, but
King Charles urged him to think again. According to royal
biographer Robert Jobson's new book The Windsor Legacy, Jobson writes
(00:22):
that William was shaken to the core by the duel
cancer diagnosis of his father and wife, Kate Middleton. The
Prince of Wales, balancing his duties as heir alongside caring
for his young family, privately sought a brief reprieve from engagements,
but Charles denied the request. Sources quoted in the book
say the King encouraged his son to stay the course,
(00:44):
even as he himself was coping with mounting pain before
his own diagnosis. Jobson reported that doctors eventually discovered Charles
cancer while treating him for an enlarged prostate. Kate meanwhile
announced her own diagnosis just weeks later, a malign twist
of fate, as the author put it. Royal experts told
Fox News Digital that William's attempt to ease his workload
(01:06):
reflected exhaustion rather than reluctance. He struggled to keep everything
on track, said broadcaster Helene the Chard. He should be
applauded for his honesty and for recognizing he needed a
moment to step back. Jobson also notes that both William
and Kate became more religious during the ordeal, seeking private
solace in church attendance. Yet despite personal strain, William remained
(01:29):
the public face of royal stability, overseeing engagements, supporting his
father and ensuring the monarch's continuity behind pallace walls. The
relationship between father and son was tested. The two share
what Jobson describes as fiery tempers, with Aids sent to
tread lightly around both. Still, the king and his heirs
are said to respect each other's judgment, and William has
(01:50):
taken a tougher line than his father on matters of
royal reform. William was said to be hurt and angry
after what he perceived as a royal own goal his
father decision to night David Beckham. On the very same day,
the Prince of Wales launched his Earth Shot Prize ceremony
in Brazil. According to the Royalists, the timing of King
Charles headline grabbing investiture left William feeling undermined during a
(02:14):
week meant to highlight his global environmental initiative. Of all weeks,
one of William's friends told the outlet, this was the
one week he needed his family to be pulling for him. Instead,
it felt like they were pulling against him. He was
left hurt and angry. Beckham's long anticipated knighthood ceremony, complete
with front page photos of Sir David and Lady Victoria,
(02:35):
dominated headlines in London just as William's Earthshot coverage reached
its peak. Meanwhile, Prince Hary Meghan Michael conveniently re entered
the media spotlight. Harry's team announced a quasi royal trip
to Canada overlapping with William's itinerary, and Meghan's acting comeback
made the Sun front page midweek. In any normal world,
(02:56):
William would have been the Royal story of the week,
and newspaper editor told The Royalist. But Beckham and Meghan's
comebacks swallowed the headlines. The entire Royal press corps was
in Brazil, and somehow none of it mattered. The King's
allies insists the clash was coincidental, with one source saying
his Majesty is immensely proud of his son's work. Investitures
(03:17):
are scheduled months in advance. A long time courtier said
the dynamic has changed since the King's cancer diagnosis. The
change of rain is happening in real time, whether they
admitted or not. Source said, as one royal watcher put it,
William sees himself leading the monarchy's future, Charles still sees
himself as a present, and moments like this Beckham's Knighthood
(03:37):
Week show how awkward the transition can be. In his
sub stack Royal Inside a Deep Crown writes, the chaos
perfectly illustrates what's become an exhausting pattern. Three separate royal
operations competing for oxygen, and none of them bothering to coordinate.
You had William in Brazil trying to establish earth shot
(03:58):
as as defining proj Charles staging a knighthood ceremony that
dominated the British press, and Harry manufacturing his own quasi
royal Canada visit complete with poppy and military visits. Then
Meghan shows up at a Kardashian party while simultaneously hawking
jams through Oprah. It's utterly mad. What strikes me most
(04:18):
is the complete absence of strategic thinking. The monarchy only
works when it speaks with one voice, when the institution
comes before individual vanity. Charles should have pushed Beckham's ceremony
by a fortnight without a second thought and ensured William
had a clear run for his signature project. But instead
we've got a king clinging to every ceremony and headline
(04:39):
as if he's proving something. William justifiably frustrated that his
father won't give him the space a future king requires,
and Harry treating remembrance like a personal brand opportunity. The
Sussexes have worked out they can play it being half
in royals whenever it suits them. Harry does the military
bits and uniform with his poppy prominently displayed, Meghan the
(05:00):
celebrity bits with the Kardashians and tech billionaires, and they
both pretend it's authentic service rather than strategic positioning. William
opened up about navigating Parento during one of the most
difficult chapters of his family life, describing the challenge of
balancing honesty and protection as his children process their mother's illness.
Speaking to Brazilian TV host Luciano Huck during his trip
(05:24):
to Rio for the Earthshot Prize Awards, the Prince reflected
on the past year, in which both his wife and
his father, King Charles were diagnosed with cancer. William said,
every family has its own difficulties and its own challenges,
and I think it's very individual as to how you
deal with those problems. We choose to communicate a lot
more with our children. That has its good things and
its bad things. Sometimes you feel you're oversharing when you
(05:47):
probably shouldn't, But most of the time, hiding stuff from
them doesn't work. He explained that honesty has helped his
children process what's happening around them, explains them how they feel,
why that's happening, giving them other view as to why
they might be feeling the way they are. Sometimes that
helps give them a bigger picture and they can relax
more into it rather than being really anxious about what
(06:08):
you're hiding from them. There can be a lot more
questions than answers. It's always a balancing act. Every parent
knows that. In later moments, the future King also spoke
about the rhythms of family life and Adelaide cottage, revealing
that he and Kate still prioritize the school run and
playtime in the garden whenever possible, play dates, taxi driver,
(06:29):
sports days, matches, he said with a smile, school run
most days. I mean Catherine and I share it, but
she probably does the bulk of it. William also discussed
the couple's cautious approach to technology. Our children don't have phones.
When George moves on to secondary school, maybe he'll have
one with limited access. We talk to him and explain
why we don't think it's right. With full access, children
(06:50):
end up seeing things on the Internet that they shouldn't.
But with restricted access, I think it's good for messaging. Well, Pallace,
it just a moment. Social media erupted after the BBC
reportedly referred to Princess Catherine by her maiden name during
coverage of the Remembrance Service, a slip viewers branded disrespectful
(07:14):
and inexcusable more than a decade after her marriage and
two years into her role as Princess of Wales. The
phrasing came during the BBC's live broadcast from the National
Memorial Arboretum, where the Princess Liathy's Service of Remembrance. Viewers
quickly took to x to voice their frustration. Who is
the moro on calling the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton
(07:34):
on BBC News? One news affumed, Another wrote, my missing
something is the BBC now not just left wing but
also republican Kate Middleton? How bloody disrespectful this woman keeps
on calling her Kate Middleton f FS. A third demanded,
can somebody have a word in the ear of your
reporter at the National Memorial Arboretum. She should not be
(07:56):
referring to the Princess of Wales as Kate Middleton, while
another viewer added, how dare the BBC once again be
disrespectful to Catherine, Princess of Wales? Several times the presenter
used to a maiden name. I am fuming, dozens of
others joining the outcry, insisting the broadcaster should know better.
Here at Palas Intrigue, we have been criticized about the
(08:16):
same phrasing as we do the program for a primarily
American audience. We refer to the princess the way most
of our audience does Kate Middleton. You may also notice
we often refer to her father in law simply as Charles.
There you have It'd like to email us and tell
us off. It's Lee Palasintrigant gmail dot com. And don't forget.
(08:40):
We have a new show out, Crown and Controversy Prince Andrew,
and it follows a young Prince Andrew all the way
through his life and downfall. And you can find that
show wherever you get your podcasts like this one. There's
a link in the show notes, or just search for
Crown and Controversy Prince Andrew. I'm Mark Francis my thanks
to John McDermott. This is Palace Intrigue and Good Times.
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