Despite not representing the monarchy or Britain anymore, Harry and Meghan have been given the full VIP treatment on their trip to New York, their first official visit since moving to California. The Daily Mail’s royal editor Rebecca English tells Palace Confidential that this trip has ‘the feel of an official royal visit, which of course it isn’t because they are ostensibly private citizens now.’ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Sep 23, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Harry and Meghan are back on the front pages – but not as we’re used to seeing them. The pair grace the cover of the new Time magazine as part of its annual 100 most influential people special, and their inclusion and the accompanying photos are a hot topic for our panel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 16, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 47
It was reported this week that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were planning a ‘summit’ with the Queen following months of recriminations following Megxit. The Daily Mail’s royal editor Rebecca English says while they will meet in the near future, it will be in ‘a private, family get together’ with ‘certainly no officials getting involved, because they know that’s something that would really wind Harry and Meghan up.’ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Sep 09, 2021•27 min•Season 1Ep. 46
TV presenter and thorn in the side of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Piers Morgan was this week cleared by Ofcom over comments he made about the truthfulness of Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah in March. Julia Hartley-Brewer agrees, arguing that it’s an important win for freedom of speech, adding that for Meghan and Harry to paint themselves as victims is disingenuous. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 03, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Another week another royal rift. A new excerpt of the updated version of the controversial book Finding Freedom , claims that Meghan and Harry were unhappy that the royal family failed to take ‘full ownership’ and ‘accountability’ over their claims of racism. The royal pair insist that the book is unauthorised, and that they haven’t sought to stoke tensions with the family. But broadcaster and historian Dr Tessa Dunlop says that if the claims are true, they misunderstood the institution they hav...
Aug 20, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Join Jo Elvin, Richard Eden, Sarah Vine and Rebecca English as they dive headfirst into the week’s Royal news and views.As the Duchess of Sussex celebrates her 40th birthday with the launch of new initiative 40x40 (helping women left unemployed through the pandemic back into work), our panel questions the merits of having Meghan’s friends give less than an hour of their time to help bolster someone’s career. And it’s the tale of two Sarahs, as Sarah Vine gives us some behind the scenes insight i...
Aug 06, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 43
As an epilogue to Harry and Meghan’s autobiography is announced, Andrew Pierce makes his Palace Confidential debut, to skewer the Sussexes for their voracious pursuit of anything that could make them money. Our panel discuss just how little new information the authors could include, and speculate that any true new revelations will come in Prince Harry’s upcoming memoir. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 29, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 42
The announcement that Prince Harry is writing a memoir was one of the major shocks in an already turbulent year for the Royal Family. The Firm don’t appear to have been informed much before the public and there was dismay that its publication in 2022 will coincide with what should have been a year of celebration for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 22, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 41
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced their latest project – a kids TV show called Pearl made in conjuction with David Furnish, husband of Elton John. But, we ask our Palace Confidential experts, will it turn out to be a gem? When it comes to the themes, ‘it’s very Meghan’ says the Daily Mail’s Royal Editor Rebecca English. For the paper’s Diary Editor Richard Eden, Pearl sounds like an extension of Meghan’s persona. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jul 15, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 40
A new documentary about the catastrophic fallout between Princes William and Harry has got royal watchers talking again this week. But unusually it’s what was left on the cutting room floor that’s proved to be the biggest talking point. Lawyers acting for Prince William complained about a section of the programme where a contributor claimed that the Palace had planted stories about Prince Harry’s mental health. Programme makers acquiesced and the film that was shown to the public made no mention...
Jul 08, 2021•22 min•Season 1Ep. 39
For Robert Lacey – author of the definitive guide to the fallout between William and Harry – the unveiling of the memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales, represented ‘a Spencer takeover – there wasn’t a single member of the House of Windsor there’. As well as a memorial to their mother, the sculpture is also a testament to the drive of the Princes: ‘they’ve done pretty well those boys – this represents their campaign to insert their mother into the iconography of the British Royal Family – those b...
Jul 02, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 38
Royal watchers have spent the week reacting to the bombshell new revelations emerging in the updated book Battle of Brothers by Robert Lacey. Among them the suggestion that Prince Charles declared that Harry and Meghan’s son Archie would never be a prince. PLUS is it time to decommission the royal train? Royal finance expert David McClure points out that it’s only been used once this year (at a cost of £49k) and three times last year: ‘it’s not really financially viable, and in the future its da...
Jun 25, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 37
The royal name blame game rumbles on: did Prince Harry ‘ask’ the Queen’s permission to name his daughter Lilibet or ‘tell’ her? Kate Mansey – who wrote about the story in the Mail on Sunday – says that following the row, which saw royal sources questioning Harry and Meghan’s version of events to a BBC reporter, Her Majesty has decided that the Palace will challenge ‘mistruths’ made about the family. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jun 17, 2021•27 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Choosing a name for a baby can be hard work, but only in the royal family could it lead to another transatlantic royal row and threats of legal action against newspapers. An extraordinary story in the BBC – an institution which usually steers clear of royal gossip – suggested that Harry and Meghan had NOT sought permission from the Queen to name their daughter Lillibet – Her Majesty’s family nickname. The name didn’t go down well with the Palace Confidential panel. ‘A lot of readers emailed me t...
Jun 10, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 35
In his new show with Oprah on mental health, Prince Harry asks ‘where do we go from here?’ It’s a question many royal watchers will ask when it comes to how many more revelatory shows the Duke is planning to make. ‘Buckingham Palace genuinely don’t want to get into a public slanging match with Harry and Meghan,’ the Mail’s Royal Editor Rebecca English tells Palace Confidential. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 28, 2021•27 min•Season 1Ep. 34
The news that Princess Beatrice is expecting a baby should mean celebration in the palace. But with royals awaiting the fallout from Prince Harry’s new mental health documentary with Oprah Winfrey, the mood is far from happy. The Daily Mail’s Royal Editor Rebecca English says the frustration in the palace is ‘immense’. The ongoing saga has seem some palace insiders call for Harry and Meghan to be stripped of their royal titles. But do Harry’s comments about the US’ ‘bonkers’ First Amendment sign...
May 21, 2021•22 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Just when it seemed like things were calming down in the House of Windsor’s transatlantic royal row, comes another broadside that threatens to both reopen old wounds and cause a couple more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 14, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Join our panel for a jam packed Palace Confidential, as we discuss the fall out from the announcement of Meghan's new children's book, and look at the other royal authors whose footsteps she's following in. As William and Kate get down with the kids by joining YouTube, our panel discuss how to keep it regal whilst making sure people "like" and "subscribe", and former Royal Protection Officer Ken Wharfe tells us just how easy it is to break into the Royal Estate, following ANOTHER lapse in securi...
May 07, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 31
he Duke and Duchess of Cambridge celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary this week with new pictures and family footage to mark the occasion. The Mail's Editor at Large Richard Kay explains how they have grown into their royal roles, but why William is in no hurry to take the throne. And the Mail on Sunday's Diary Editor Charlotte Griffiths reveals that despite their demur demeanour, Will and Kate do go wild behind closed doors. Their success might be food for thought for Harry & Meghan wh...
Apr 29, 2021•27 min•Season 1Ep. 30
The Queen could be forgiven for not celebrating her 95th birthday this week, not only was she still mourning the death of her husband, but the very public row between her grandson Harry and the rest of the family remains unresolved. Sarah Vine suggests that there was more to the politics of Prince Philip's funeral procession than first revealed... PLUS Rebecca English examines claims that Meghan Markle called the Queen before the service. AND security in Windsor is being reviewed after Prince An...
Apr 22, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 29
From the guestlist to the dress code, to the quirky twist only he could have insisted on, The Mail's Royal Editor Rebecca English reveals the plans for the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh. PLUS the secret life of Philip - our experts look at the life of the Duke away from the cameras with unmissable insight from the Duke's official biographer Gyles Brandreth, the Mail's Editor at Large Richard Kay, and historian Dr Tessa Dunlop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Apr 15, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 28
n a special edition of Palace Confidential, we look back at the extraordinary life of the late Duke of Edinburgh. Mail columnist Robert Hardman, who interviewed Philip a number of times, looks at the massive impact he made as Queen's Consort, while biographer Ian Lloyd explores the Prince's fascinating early life and his distinguished war record. PLUS our expert contributors share their stories of encountering the Duke at his outspoken best. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Apr 09, 2021•11 min•Season 1Ep. 27
As he publishes his new book Elizabeth & Margaret, Morton tells us how William's relationship with Harry is like the Queen's with her late sister AND whether Diana would have been closer to Kate or Meghan. We look at how "ruthless" William jettisoned old friend Tom Bradby and examine Harry and Meghan's new Netflix show. PLUS how the Queen has been getting letters of support over "sad" Megxit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Apr 08, 2021•22 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Royals and politics is always a dangerous mix and this week the spectre of a Meghan Markle presidency was revived by Tom Bower, the man tasked with writing a biography of the Duchess. Our panel discuss the implications, while Alastair Campbell tells the programme how the royals snubbed his old boss Tony Blair at William's wedding. PLUS historian Adrian Tinniswood reveals the difficulty of changing the old guard at the Palace. AND find out why William has left the door open to doing his own Oprah...
Apr 02, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Royal Editor Rebecca English explains how the terms of Harry's new jobs could mean a bumper payday for the Duke. Let's be honest, says historian Dr Tessa Dunlop he's only getting these new bizarre titles because of his title. It's also a bit rich for Harry to fight fake news, argues Mail diarist Richard Eden, his vague accusations against The Firm mean have forced the family into desperately trying to salvage their reputations. PLUS we hear the extraordinary story of the birth of the Queen's new...
Mar 25, 2021•19 min•Season 1Ep. 24
The Duke of Edinburgh left hospital this week only to be greeted by a worsening family feud. It was "genuinely shocking" that details of Prince Harry's private family phone calls were leaked to TV presenter pal Gayle King, says the Mail's Richard Eden, how can Charles and William be sure that they're they know they're not being recorded when they call Harry? This seems to have spurred the Palace onto positive PR push notes the Mail on Sunday's diarist Charlotte Griffiths, following the maxim "wh...
Mar 18, 2021•17 min•Season 1Ep. 23
While many in the palace seethe over what they see to be inaccuracies in Meghan and Harry's interview, the Queen has tried to heal the rift with a conciliatory message. People forget, says editor at large Richard Kay, that HM offered a similar olive branch to the the late Princess Diana after her Panorama interview. These efforts may work in the UK, says US-based royal author Clive Irving, but The Crown-loving Americans will only see history repeating itself. See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...
Mar 11, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Meghan and Harry's interview with Oprah left viewers with questions about both what was said and what was unsaid. Were their accusations true? How does the family respond to racism allegations? And what's being discussed inside the palace today? Jo Elvin speaks to Rebecca English, Sarah Vine and Richard Eden to get their insight and opinions on the bombshell interview rocking the royals. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Mar 09, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Claims and accusations have flown across the Atlantic this week as the world prepares to watch Meghan and Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey. While the Duchess of Sussex accused The Firm of a ‘smear campaign’ against her, the Queen authorised an unprecedented investigation into claims that Meghan had bullied staff. As if this were not already more dramatic than an episode of The Crown, the 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh is recovering from heart surgery. It’s another must-watch episode of Palace...
Mar 05, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Harry & Meghan are said to be hurt after losing a number of official roles and patronages, will they attempt to gain revenge through their controversial interview with Oprah? PLUS as if the Queen didn't have enough on her plate, Prince Philip remains in hospital with secrecy over his condition. But does the Palace's silence only drive the rumour mill? AND after Princess Eugenie announced the name of her son, we hear the latest royal baby news. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...
Feb 26, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 19
