WEBVTT
1
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:14.720
Calorougu Shark Media had low and welcome through Palace intrigue
2
00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:18.160
and I'm your host Francis. In an interview with sixty
3
00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:21.679
Minutes Australia, former Royal Aid Jason nolf has offered a
4
00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:26.039
rare glimpse into the private anguish experienced by Prince William
5
00:00:26.039 --> 00:00:30.079
following the cancer diagnosis of the Princess of Wales. Mister Nelf,
6
00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:32.840
who served as Chief Executive of the Royal Foundation for
7
00:00:32.920 --> 00:00:35.759
the Prince and Princess at Wales until his departure at
8
00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:38.560
the end of twenty twenty one, and who has also
9
00:00:38.679 --> 00:00:41.679
worked for Prince Harry and Meghan Mirkel, recalled a particularly
10
00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:46.799
heartrending telephone conversation with the Prince. He remarked, within a
11
00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:49.399
couple of weeks, if you're Prince William you find out
12
00:00:49.399 --> 00:00:51.679
that both your wife and your father have cancer, I
13
00:00:51.719 --> 00:00:55.439
couldn't believe it. It was awful, absolutely awful. It's the
14
00:00:55.479 --> 00:00:58.119
lowest I've ever seen him. But the problem was that
15
00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:01.159
all this crazy conspiracy theory sto kicked off in the
16
00:01:01.240 --> 00:01:05.519
background online. Was she really ill? But they didn't want
17
00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:07.840
to say yet that she had cancer because they hadn't
18
00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:09.799
told the children, and they were still working through how
19
00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:12.400
to tell the children. It's very difficult to have this
20
00:01:12.439 --> 00:01:14.959
stuff play out in the public eye, but he's chosen
21
00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:17.079
to keep his thoughts on it private, and I think
22
00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:19.719
all of us who know him really have to respect
23
00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:21.920
that we should do the scene. But I will say,
24
00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:24.879
of course, it's been hard and sad, especially for all
25
00:01:24.920 --> 00:01:28.000
of us who know both of them. Nauf did not
26
00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:31.280
shy away from the past bullying complaint. He lodged against
27
00:01:31.319 --> 00:01:35.439
Megan Markle, allegations that her team has consistently dismissed as
28
00:01:35.480 --> 00:01:40.760
a calculated smear campaign. Reflecting on that tumultuous period, he remarked,
29
00:01:41.319 --> 00:01:44.000
I wouldn't change anything. You probably had to take your
30
00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:47.560
own medicine. Sometimes you can't choose just to take the
31
00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:50.120
fun stuff in any job, and that applies to the
32
00:01:50.120 --> 00:01:53.120
Prince and Princess as well as everyone else working for them.
33
00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:57.439
In later moments, mister Nolfh recounted a memorable faux pass
34
00:01:57.439 --> 00:02:01.120
surrounding the announcement of Princess Charlotte's birth than twenty fifteen.
35
00:02:01.760 --> 00:02:05.040
Tasked with drafting the official press release, he confessed to
36
00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:08.719
having dropped the crucial slip of paper containing the details
37
00:02:09.159 --> 00:02:12.319
an incident, he described with a mixture of humor and exasperation.
38
00:02:13.159 --> 00:02:15.319
I had this piece of paper to go write this
39
00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:17.879
press release, and I think I had dropped it somewhere
40
00:02:17.879 --> 00:02:21.080
on the street, Oh my god, which we managed to
41
00:02:21.159 --> 00:02:24.000
get through but not announce it. But somewhere on that
42
00:02:24.120 --> 00:02:26.840
street the entire time was a piece of paper that
43
00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:29.719
said there had been a little princess born, what time
44
00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:33.520
and how much she weighed. He added that despite the chaos,
45
00:02:33.560 --> 00:02:36.520
neither the media nor he ever recovered that missing document,
46
00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:40.159
in fact that in the end was of little consequence. Further,
47
00:02:40.199 --> 00:02:42.759
when the topic shifted to Prince William's recent decision to
48
00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:46.360
sport a beard, Nouff was professionally candid. I love it.
49
00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:48.639
I think it's great. But I've talked to him about it,
50
00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:51.240
or tried to talk to him, and he's like, it's here,
51
00:02:51.319 --> 00:02:54.360
I have a beard. No further conversation, he revealed, adding
52
00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:57.319
with a twinkle in his eye, if she didn't like it,
53
00:02:57.319 --> 00:03:00.159
it wouldn't be there. I can tell you that the
54
00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:02.520
subject of the future, Nouf offered his thoughts on the
55
00:03:02.599 --> 00:03:05.800
kind of King William might become. He shared, the thing
56
00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:07.759
I have heard from Prince William is You're going to
57
00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:10.560
do this in your own way. Every generation of the
58
00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:13.759
royal family has to reinvent the role for the generation
59
00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:17.560
that they serve. Addressing the bitter rift between William and
60
00:03:17.639 --> 00:03:21.879
his brother Harry, Nulf described the situation as hard and sad,
61
00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:25.599
and stressed the need for a discretion when discussing such
62
00:03:25.759 --> 00:03:29.360
personal matters. Yet he was unequivocal in wishing Harry and
63
00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:32.919
Meghan the absolute best, reminiscing fondly about working on their
64
00:03:32.919 --> 00:03:38.719
wedding a magical experience, he says he will always treasure Meghan.
65
00:03:38.759 --> 00:03:41.960
Markle now finds herself facing a notable setback over her
66
00:03:42.120 --> 00:03:46.599
freshly minted as Ever brand documents filed at the United
67
00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:50.919
States Patent and Trademark Office last October by her legal team,
68
00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:54.000
sought to secure the right to sell an extensive range
69
00:03:54.039 --> 00:03:57.400
of products, from aprons and clothing to jams and even
70
00:03:57.479 --> 00:04:01.560
dog biscuits under the as Ever banner. However, The Daily
71
00:04:01.599 --> 00:04:03.639
Mail reports, in a one hundred and forty five page
72
00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:07.840
partial rejection issued in July twenty twenty three, the us
73
00:04:07.879 --> 00:04:12.879
PTO barred her from selling clothing, citing an unfortunate similarity
74
00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:16.519
to as Ever, a cut price Chinese Fast Fashioned brand
75
00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:20.560
based in Shenzen that supplies high street retailers such as
76
00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:25.680
H and M. The USPTO's decision was unambiguous. It stated
77
00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:29.759
the marks are identical in sound and virtually identical in appearance,
78
00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:32.920
and are thus confusingly similar for the purposes of determining
79
00:04:33.160 --> 00:04:37.920
likelihood of confusion. The accompanying paperwork further noted registration of
80
00:04:37.959 --> 00:04:41.079
the applied for mark is refused because of a likelihood
81
00:04:41.160 --> 00:04:45.800
of confusion. In response, Megan's legal team failed a revision
82
00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:49.160
application in January twenty twenty four one that removed any
83
00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:53.199
mention of clothing and secured approval for her other product lines.
84
00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.439
Yet sud Just wish to venture into the clothing market
85
00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:58.720
in the future, she will need to select an entirely
86
00:04:58.920 --> 00:05:02.800
new brand name. A Los Angeles trademark lawyer said last night.
87
00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:05.839
If she sells clothing under the as Ever brand, she
88
00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:10.519
risks being sued. Compounding the matter, the Duchess's original choice,
89
00:05:10.519 --> 00:05:14.279
American Riviera Orchard, had already been rejected by the USPTO
90
00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:17.519
on the grounds that geographical names are not eligible for
91
00:05:17.720 --> 00:05:22.439
trademark registration. Food giant Harry and David further objected, arguing
92
00:05:22.439 --> 00:05:25.120
that the name was too similar to their royal Riviera
93
00:05:25.319 --> 00:05:30.920
Lion of Pears. Megan shared new Instagram stories from her picturesque,
94
00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:34.720
eleven million pound Montecito mansion. The video clips, brimmed with
95
00:05:34.839 --> 00:05:37.800
relaxed charm, show Megan taking a small break from work
96
00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:40.920
to soak in the weekend amid the tranquil beauty of
97
00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:44.519
her sprawling garden. The footage offers a series of glimpses
98
00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:47.680
into life at the Californian retreat. In one clip, Megan
99
00:05:47.720 --> 00:05:50.360
is seen smiling warmly at the sun, while another captures
100
00:05:50.360 --> 00:05:53.240
her tending to her garden, water in hand and assisted
101
00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:55.680
by one of her children. Other moments include shots of
102
00:05:55.720 --> 00:05:58.519
a serene pond, the first blooms of the season, and
103
00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:00.839
even a scene of her squeezing fresh fruit to prepare
104
00:06:00.839 --> 00:06:04.519
a drink at a large outdoor table. Accompanying these serene
105
00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:07.600
vignettes is her beloved rescue dog, Mamma Mia, adding a
106
00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:11.399
further note of homely warmth to the scene. Some believe
107
00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:14.439
one clip appears to pay tribute to the late Princess Diana.
108
00:06:14.759 --> 00:06:17.279
In the clip, the Duchess of sussext scene ambling through
109
00:06:17.319 --> 00:06:21.279
the garden of her Montecito mansion, and in one memorable snippet,
110
00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:25.360
she dons the iconic purple Northwestern jumper, the very same
111
00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:28.959
piece famously worn by Diana in nineteen ninety six during
112
00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:34.240
her visit to Northwestern University's Evanston campus. On the other hand,
113
00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:38.399
Megan attended Northwestern University, so it's possible a sweatshirt is
114
00:06:38.680 --> 00:06:46.519
justice sweatshirt pellas Indrigaboro back, a controversial new book is
115
00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:49.240
casting fresh light on the financial affairs of Prince Andrew,
116
00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:51.920
and it appears that his business dealings could now be
117
00:06:51.959 --> 00:06:55.319
posing an immediate problem for the Queen's son. In his
118
00:06:55.399 --> 00:06:58.399
upcoming work, The Lives of the Duke and Duchess of York,
119
00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:02.480
author Andrew Lowney, who spent four years meticulously investigating the
120
00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:05.560
Duke's life, claims that the public image of Prince Andrew
121
00:07:05.639 --> 00:07:08.600
as a solitary figure content with long horse rides and
122
00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:12.319
leisurely video games at the royal lodges far from the reality.
123
00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:15.600
Lowney alleges that the Duke has continued his business activities
124
00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:18.040
with recent trips to the Middle East and Switzerland, all
125
00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:22.600
while financing and extravagant lifestyle. The Duke's lavish living arrangements
126
00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:25.839
are well documented, from occupying a thirty two room royal
127
00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:30.160
lodge to owning a Swiss chalet reportedly worth eighteen million pounds,
128
00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:33.160
not to mention a collection of luxury watchers, a two
129
00:07:33.240 --> 00:07:36.720
hundred and twenty thousand pound Bentley, and an array of
130
00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:40.240
range rovers. Lowneye warns the King can only hope there
131
00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:42.240
are no further scandals to emerge in the press and
132
00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:45.279
public soon lose interest in his brother. On present evidence
133
00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:49.319
that is very unlikely. In addition to scrutinizing Prince Andrew's
134
00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:52.720
financial conduct, Lowney's research delves into the business affairs of
135
00:07:52.759 --> 00:07:56.160
his ex wife, Sarah, Duchess of Yorkham, their daughters, Princess
136
00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:59.360
Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. He also reveals that these significant
137
00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:04.279
challenges faced in his investigation. According to Lowney, researching Andrew
138
00:08:04.279 --> 00:08:08.120
has been a remarkably difficult process, despite the expectation that
139
00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:11.600
there should be thousands of publicly available files relating to
140
00:08:11.639 --> 00:08:15.920
his decade long role as Special Representative, a period during
141
00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:19.639
which he was a taxpayer funded public servant. Yet freedom
142
00:08:19.720 --> 00:08:22.519
of information requests to both the Foreign Office and the
143
00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:26.439
Department of Business and Trade have repeatedly come back empty handed.
144
00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:30.279
This opacity is compounded by the additional protection afforded to
145
00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:33.519
the royal family. As a result, even vital documents such
146
00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:37.039
as wills remain shrouded in secrecy, a matter that has
147
00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:41.000
previously sparked controversy following Prince Philip's death. As Loudey points out,
148
00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:45.399
even the contents of Queen Elizabeth will remain unknown, leaving
149
00:08:45.480 --> 00:08:48.639
questions about what, if anything, the Queen may have bequeathed
150
00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:52.279
to Prince Andrew. Lowry's book is set for release later
151
00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:55.399
this year and they you have it plus email us
152
00:08:55.440 --> 00:08:58.000
addresses the Palace intrig at gmail dot com. Please follows
153
00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:00.120
on Spotify, Apple, on the app of your choice and
154
00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:02.279
leave us a review of five stars. If you're enjoying
155
00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:05.159
the show, don't forget. We have a new series out
156
00:09:05.240 --> 00:09:09.519
currently running called White Smoke The Path to a New Pope.
157
00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:14.200
Very tamely and poignant and a good series behind the
158
00:09:14.360 --> 00:09:17.320
methodology in the election of a new Pope. Check it
159
00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:20.120
out wherever you get your podcast White Smoke The Path
160
00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:23.480
to a New Pope and it's new from Calaogut Shark Media.
161
00:09:23.759 --> 00:09:25.440
Mind France has mean Thanks to you, John McDermot. This
162
00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:27.440
is palace injury good terms,