May 22, 2026
**Bulletin** Andrew's Investigation Explodes & William Loses His Voice in Istanbul
On today's Palace Intrigue: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's police investigation expands dramatically to include sexual offences and corruption, with Thames Valley Police assembling a specialist team, appealing for victims, and confirming early contact with the Crown Prosecution Service. Newly released government documents reveal the late Queen's role in his trade envoy appointment, while Andrew Lownie's updated Entitled lands in bookshops with fresh allegations. Then, a sharp change of pace: Prince William flies to Istanbul, watches Aston Villa lift the Europa League for the first time in forty-four years, loses his voice celebrating, joins the after-party, and is back on a radio sofa in Cornwall by morning — revealing Louis leaves jam fingerprints in the car and Charlotte supports Chelsea.
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Calarogu Shark Media Now Hello and welcome through Palace Intrigue.
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I am your host, Mark Francis. The police investigation into
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Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has expanded significantly, with Thames Valley Police
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announcing this week that their inquiry now extends well beyond
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the original misconduct in public office charge to include potential
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sexual offenses and corruption. When Andrew was arrested at his
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home at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in February
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on his sixty sixth birthday. As it happens, the investigation
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centered on allegations that he had shared confidential trade documents
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with Jeffrey Epstein during his decade as the UK's Special
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Representative for Trade and Investment. That charge alone carries a
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potential maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The investigation, it now appears,
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has grown considerably larger than that. Assistant Chief Constable Oliver
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Wright confirmed this week that a dedicated team of the
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force's most experienced specialist investigators, including detectives with expertise in
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serious sexual offenses and financial crime, has been assembled. Officers
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are already in contact with the Crown Prosecution Service for
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what is being described as early investigative advice ahead of
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a potential prosecution, and are liaising formally with the American
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Department of Justice to request access to material from the
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Epstein files. These specific allegations under assessment are serious. Detectives
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are examining claims that Epstein arranged for a non British woman,
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then in her twenties, to travel to Andrew's former thirty
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room residents at Royal Lodge and Windsor for sexual purposes
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in twenty ten. Her lawyer Brad Edwards, has stated that
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following the encounter, she was given tea and a tour
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of Buckingham Palace. Officers have spoken to Edward, but have
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not yet formally interviewed the woman herself, as she has
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not made an official complaint. The Force made clear this
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week that they are ready to do so whenever she
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chooses to come forward. Whenever a victim survivor is ready
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to engage with us, We're ready for you at whatever
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point that may be, Assistant Chief Constable Wright said. The
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original misconduct allegations sent her on a series of emails
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from the Epstein file, suggesting Andrew forwarded confidential trade reports
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and investment briefings to Epstein. While serving as envoye, sometimes
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within minutes of receiving them. One email from November twenty
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ten was forwarded just five minutes after being sent by
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his then special advisor. On Christmas Eve the same year,
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Andrew allegedly copied Epstein into a confidential briefing about investment
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opportunities and the reconstruction of Helmand Province in Afghanistan. Emails
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also suggest the sharing of commercially sensitive information from official
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visits to Hong Kong, Vietname, and Singapore. Detectives are currently
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working through material seized during a week long search of
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Royal Lodge and have been in contact with officials at
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the Cabinet Office in Buckingham Palace. The Palace has previously
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confirmed staff stand ready to support the investigation and cannot
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comment further while it is active. The King, for his part,
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has already stripped Andrew of his remaining titles and honors
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and removed him from Royal Lodge. Palace source pointed to
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those actions this week as evidence of the robust approach
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taken by the Institution. A further dimension emerged with the
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publication of this week of fifteen pages of previously classified
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government documents relating to Andrew's appointment as a trade envoy.
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They revealed the late Queen was very keen for her
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son to take on a prominent role in promoting national interests,
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but that he should not be burdened with the meetings
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and paperwork associated with the role. He expressed a preference
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for missions to sophisticated countries. The documents were released following
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pressure from MPs in the wake of the Epstein files
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becoming public. Andrew has not addressed the latest developments and
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has always denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with Epstein
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or knowledge of his crimes. Meanwhile, Royal author Andrew Lowney
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suggested this week that Sarah Ferguson may be attempting to
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negotiate a pension from the royal family, with the outcome
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of those discussions likely to influence whether she proceeds with
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a tell all interview. His paperback edition of entitled, containing
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a new chapter, went on sale this week. Ferguson has
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not confirmed or denied the claim. Princess Eugenie, now visibly
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pregnant with her third child, was photographed in Mayfair heading
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to lunch on Thursday, hours before the police update was released.
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The investigation police warned will take many months before a
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file of evidence is ready for the Crown Prosecution Service
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to consider more palacing just a moment now to some
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considerably more cheerful territory. Prince William flew to Istanbul on
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Wednesday evening and watched the Aston Villa beat German side
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Freiburg three goals to kneel in their first European final
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in forty four years. Joined the players at the after
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party to celebrate, flew home to the UK and was
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back in Cornwall for a royal engagement by Thursday morning.
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He admitted on arrival that he had lost his voice.
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Nobody seemed particularly surprised. William has supported aston Villa since
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his school days, a choice he has explained was deliberate.
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He wanted a team that was his own, rather than
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one of the fashionable clubs his classmates followed. That quiet
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act of teenage stubbornness paid off spectacularly in Istanbul. Footage
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of the Prince of Wales in the stands and Bisittas Park,
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fist pumping and jumping with each goal, circulated widely on
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social media and prompted a wave of enthusiasm online. The
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coolest Prince wrote one user. Just a normal guy, said
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Villa captain John McGinn, who added that William had been
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in the dressing room before the game. He's a massive
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Villa he was never going to miss it. Prince George,
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who has attended matches with his father before, was not
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at the final. It was a school night. The following morning,
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William appeared live on Heart Radio's Breakfast Show from a
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cafe on the aisles of Silly, joining hosts Jamie Thaxton
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and Amanda Holden for a wide ranging forty minute conversation
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that ranged from the school run to Taylor Swift's wedding
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to the correct order of cream and jam on a scone.
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He settled down with a cup of Builders tea and
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got to work on the Princess of Wales. William was
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quietly emphatic. Catherine had returned the previous week from her
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first overseas working visit since her cancer diagnosis, a two
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day trip to Reggio Emilia in Italy focused on early
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childhood development. She's been amazing, William said. She's been through
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so much in the last couple of years. She's been
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looking forward to the Italian trip a lot, and I'm
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really glad it went really well. He added, she came
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back buzzing. When the hosts reflected on how difficult the
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period must have been for the whole family, William said, simply,
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she's an amazing mum and an amazing wife, and literally
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our family couldn't cope without her. He was careful to
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note that overseas, royal visits take their toll, and the
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priority remains making sure Catherine is okay, arrested and she
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edges back into fuller duties. Amanda Holden suggested a glass
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of wine and some pastor might help with the recovery.
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William laughed and said everyone needs a glass of wine
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every now and then. On the chaos of the school run,
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the Prince acknowledged that getting everyone out of the house
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on time where the correct kit is a challenge universal
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to parents. Speaking directly to Charlotte and Louis, who he
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said were listening, he said, make sure you're on time.
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Please make sure you're not fighting over who's listening to
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what this morning. He noted that Louis tends to leave
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jam fingerprints throughout the car, which he described as really helpful.
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He suggested a ray song and a tailor Swift track
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for the morning playlist, and admitted he was hoping for
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a wedding invitation when Swift marries Travis Kelcey this summer.
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His gone position was declared with conviction kream first, then
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jam in the Devonian adition. He learned it from the Queen.
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He was not entertaining further debate on the matter. In
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Cornwall later that day, visiting a sustainable housing development, William
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mentioned in passing that Princess Charlotte's favorite football team is Chelsea.
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He discovered this after a young girl and the crowd
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declared herself for Chelsea supporter, and he said, my daughter
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loves Chelsea. George as is well established, follows Villa like
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his father. The household, it appears, is divided. William arrived
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slightly late to the engagement. He did not explain why,
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but the timeline from Istanbul speaks for itself, and there
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you have it. If you'd like to email us of
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addresses The Palace Intrigue at gmail dot com, please follow
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us on Apple or Spotify and leave a comment on Spotify.
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If you're in the mood, I'm Mark Francis my thanks
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to John McDermott. This is Palace intrigue in Good Dams
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