Aug. 13, 2026
Count Binface Targets Buckingham Palace as Edward’s Ex Opens Up and Andrew Faces a Funeral Fight
Satirical political candidate Count Binface says the Royal Family should give up Buckingham Palace to help Britain’s housing crisis, while Prince Edward’s former girlfriend Ruthie Henshall puts their past back in the spotlight. Plus, questions mount over the potential cost of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s eventual funeral, a royal biographer claims tension between Sarah Ferguson and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Sarah reportedly still has belongings at Royal Lodge, King Charles gets a limited hosepipe-ban exemption at Highgrove, and Prince Philip’s former yacht Bluebottle returns to winning form at Cowes Week.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/palace-intrigue-royal-family-gossip--4522904/support.
Palace Intrigue is a daily British royal family podcast covering King Charles, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton and the House of Windsor. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network.
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:11.720
Ah Calorogus Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Pallas Intrigue
2
00:00:11.880 --> 00:00:16.519
and your host, Mark Francis Buckingham Palliser survived war's constitutional
3
00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:20.600
crises and generations of royal drama. Now it faces Count
4
00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:24.000
Binface for American listeners who have somehow missed one or
5
00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:27.640
more of the entertaining traditions in British politics. Count Binface
6
00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:32.000
is a satirical political candidate who dresses as an intergalactic
7
00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:36.039
warrior with what is essentially a large black trash can
8
00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:39.479
over his head. The character is played by comedian John
9
00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:43.439
Harvey and Binface has spent years running against some of
10
00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:47.920
Britain's biggest political figures. He is currently standing against Nigel
11
00:00:48.119 --> 00:00:52.960
Farage in the Clacton by election. His campaigns mixed deliberately
12
00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:57.359
ridiculous promises with some fairly pointed political satire. Among his
13
00:00:57.439 --> 00:01:01.280
recurring pledges make a ninety nine flake ice cream cost
14
00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:05.599
ninety nine pence again, ban loud snacks in theaters, and
15
00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:09.280
build at least one affordable house. But Binface also has
16
00:01:09.319 --> 00:01:13.040
more serious interest in homelessness. Surplus money from his campaigns
17
00:01:13.079 --> 00:01:16.719
has gone to the housing and homelessness charity Shelter and
18
00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:19.120
now he's brought the Royal family into it. Appearing on
19
00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:23.319
the Independence in the Room podcast, Binface argued that the
20
00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:27.319
Royals could help Britain's housing crisis by giving up Buckingham Palace.
21
00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:29.799
His basic argument is that they had plenty of other
22
00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:32.879
places to live, and according to Binface, they don't particularly
23
00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:37.319
like Buckingham Palace anyway. The account's current platform includes another
24
00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:41.599
royal related proposal, reducing the number of palaces available to
25
00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:46.599
the Royal family. So perhaps Buckingham Palace should consider itself warned.
26
00:01:48.040 --> 00:01:51.280
Prince Edward's life before Sophie years back in the headlines
27
00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:54.680
thanks to a remarkably candid memoir from one of his
28
00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:58.439
former girlfriends. West End actress Ruthie Henshall has written about
29
00:01:58.439 --> 00:02:01.519
the five year relationship with Edward in a memoir called
30
00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:05.040
This Show Girl and the Prince. Henshall, a five time
31
00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:09.080
Olivier Award nominee who has appeared in productions including Chicago,
32
00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:12.520
Katz and Les Miss Arab, dated Edward years before he
33
00:02:12.599 --> 00:02:16.120
married Sophie. Henshall says the relationship began after she met
34
00:02:16.199 --> 00:02:18.960
Edward while she was working for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really
35
00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:22.439
Useful Theater Company. She was twenty and Edward was twenty three,
36
00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:25.919
and she does not appear particularly interested in maintaining the
37
00:02:25.960 --> 00:02:30.319
traditional royal veil of discretion. According to Closer magazine, that
38
00:02:30.439 --> 00:02:33.960
is creating some discomfort for Edward and Sophie. Closest source
39
00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:37.080
said Edward had been on edge for months before this
40
00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:39.599
book came out. When he finally read it, he was
41
00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:42.360
somewhat relieved because it didn't paint him in an alterate
42
00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:45.159
negative light, but it did tease an awful lot of
43
00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:49.560
other details. The magazine goes considerably further, claiming Sophie is
44
00:02:49.639 --> 00:02:52.840
uncomfortable with the attention and that the couple worries other
45
00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:56.280
people from Edward's past could decide to tell their own stories.
46
00:02:56.800 --> 00:02:59.240
If anything, the story is interesting because it collides so
47
00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:04.960
sharply with Edward's modern image. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor's eventual funeral
48
00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:07.960
is becoming a political and financial headache long before it happens.
49
00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:12.520
One source familiar with the royal ceremonial costs told Radar Online,
50
00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:16.439
if Andrew ultimately receives a large scale royal funeral, the
51
00:03:16.520 --> 00:03:20.800
overall operation could probably cost around eleven million dollars once
52
00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:26.280
substantial security policing crowd management and ceremonial requirements are considered.
53
00:03:26.840 --> 00:03:29.599
That does not mean taxpayers would fund every element, but
54
00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:32.439
a major public security operation could leave them with a
55
00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:37.759
considerable bill. Another source said Andrew's status makes an enormously
56
00:03:37.800 --> 00:03:41.639
controversial People will inevitably ask why millions of dollars of
57
00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:44.439
public money should potentially be spent around the funeral of
58
00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:46.840
someone who has lost his royal titles and public role,
59
00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:50.840
and the bill would sting UK taxpayers. There will also
60
00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:55.479
be a huge amount of security costs involved. Andrew's exact
61
00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:57.840
plans have not been made public, but Radar says Saint
62
00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:01.439
George's Chapel at Windsor has been discussed as one possible venue,
63
00:04:01.639 --> 00:04:04.879
with burial potentially at the Royal Burial Grounds at Frogmore.
64
00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:08.680
The outlet also points out that even a privately funded
65
00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:13.479
funeral could still create major public costs if policing, security,
66
00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:18.319
crowd control were required. A royal biographer is claiming there
67
00:04:18.360 --> 00:04:22.600
may be long standing tension between Sarah Ferguson and Princess
68
00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:28.240
Beatrice's husband, Edwaro Mapellimozzi. Andrew Lowney, author of entitled The
69
00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:30.399
Rise and Fall of the House of York, told the
70
00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:34.600
Deni mail that both Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are increasingly
71
00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:37.920
trying to protect their own reputations as controversy continues to
72
00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:42.120
surround their parents. He said both husband's families are appalled
73
00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:44.959
by the activities of the former Duke and Duchess of York.
74
00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:48.759
A complication is the latter themselves never approved of Eto,
75
00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:53.439
so no love lost there. It comes amid separate speculation
76
00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:56.839
that Beatrice and Edo themselves have been experiencing marital problems.
77
00:04:57.240 --> 00:04:59.959
Friends of the couple strongly denied those reports to Hello,
78
00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:04.160
calling them not true at all. Lowdly adds there has
79
00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:06.560
been plenty of scandal over the years, and the daughters
80
00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.839
have not cut themselves loose, largely because they are cut
81
00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:12.120
from the same cloth and very much under the thumb
82
00:05:12.439 --> 00:05:16.680
of their mother. Sarah is reportedly dealing with one very
83
00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:20.079
ordinary problem after leaving Royal Lodge. She still has stuff there.
84
00:05:20.360 --> 00:05:24.399
Reader Online claims the former Duchess of York left behind furniture, clothing,
85
00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:26.319
and copies of her books when she moved out of
86
00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:30.079
the Windsor property earlier this year. One source said Sarah
87
00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:33.480
still has what people are jokingly calling her junk at
88
00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:37.399
Royal Lodge. The source added it includes old furniture, clothes
89
00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:39.959
and editions of her books. There has even been joking
90
00:05:39.959 --> 00:05:43.839
about whether recycling the books would be the most practical solution.
91
00:05:44.839 --> 00:05:50.920
More palace in just a moment, King Charles has found
92
00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:55.160
himself with an unusual exemption from Britain's latest hose pipe restrictions,
93
00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:58.360
but only for part of the gardens at Highgrove. The
94
00:05:58.519 --> 00:06:02.120
King's Gloucestershire estate falls within an area covered by Thames
95
00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:05.879
Water hose pipe ban, which began on July twenty third.
96
00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:09.519
The restrictions generally prevent people from using hose pipes, sprinklers
97
00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:13.560
and pressure washers. Highgrove, however, isn't simply a private garden.
98
00:06:13.879 --> 00:06:15.959
Some of the produce grown there is used commercially in
99
00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:19.040
products sold through the estate's shop. That means those areas
100
00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:21.759
qualify for an exemption allowing water to be used to
101
00:06:21.879 --> 00:06:27.040
protect crops grow and for business purposes. Highgrove produces ingredients
102
00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:30.399
used in products including Chutney's marmalades, honey and drinks sold
103
00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:33.160
through its shops. That doesn't give Charles free rein with
104
00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:36.360
the hose pipe. Decorative areas of the famous gardens remain
105
00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:38.920
subject to the restrictions and would need to be watered
106
00:06:38.920 --> 00:06:42.800
by other permitted methods, including water in cans. There's potentially
107
00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:46.240
a royal exemption at Windsor as well. Prince William and
108
00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:50.560
Princess Catherine's home is also within an affected area, but
109
00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:53.519
Thames Water allows hose pipes to be used for trees
110
00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:56.519
planted within the previous three years. Since the Whales family
111
00:06:56.600 --> 00:06:59.680
only recently moved into their current home, any newly planted
112
00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:05.600
tree could qualify. A yacht once raced by Prince Philip
113
00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:08.519
has returned to winning from nearly seventy years after the
114
00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:11.040
Duke of Edinburgh sailed it with a young Prince Charles
115
00:07:11.079 --> 00:07:15.279
beside him. Blue Bottle, Prince Philip's twenty nine foot racing yacht,
116
00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:18.319
has won its Dragon class competition at Cow'sweek on the
117
00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:22.720
Isle of White. The boat dominated its class, winning three
118
00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:25.600
races and finishing second in another to establish a commanding
119
00:07:25.639 --> 00:07:30.000
advantage over the other twenty five Dragon class yachts. Blue
120
00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:32.720
Bottle comes with quite a royal history. Yacht was built
121
00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:36.879
by Camper and Nicholson's in Gosport and presented to Princess
122
00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:40.519
Elizabeth and Prince Philip as a wedding gift from members
123
00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:44.160
of the Cars Island Sailing Club. Philip became an enthusiastic
124
00:07:44.199 --> 00:07:48.040
and accomplished sailor, and Blue Bottle competed extensively in Britain
125
00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:51.319
and overseas. In nineteen fifty seven, Philip was photographed at
126
00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:53.000
the helm of the Isle of White with eight year
127
00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:56.759
old Prince Charles aboard. The yacht even has an Olympic
128
00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:00.240
medal on its resume. At the nineteen fifty six Melbourne Olympix,
129
00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:04.319
Blue Bottle was sailed by Graham Mann, Ronald Backus and
130
00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:07.480
Jonathan Jansen, who won a bronze medal. Blue Bottle was
131
00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:10.319
retired from racing in nineteen sixty one and eventually went
132
00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:14.079
to the Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth for use
133
00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:17.720
by cadets. Current skipper Graham Barely said the cadets apparently
134
00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:20.839
treated the Royal yacht rather carefully. He said, I'm told
135
00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:24.040
that no cadet dare use her for fear of pranging her.
136
00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:27.920
Blue Bottle later spent years on display at the National
137
00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:30.959
Maritime Museum in Fournmouth before being brought to Edinburgh by
138
00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:35.240
the Royal Yacht Britanna Trust. There she was reunited with
139
00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:38.799
other vessels associated with Prince Philip, including his flying fifteen
140
00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:43.759
racing yacht Cowslip. With Philip's approval, the Britannia Trust eventually
141
00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:47.039
commissioned a complete restoration of Blue Bottle so she could
142
00:08:47.080 --> 00:08:49.440
race again. And there you habit. If you'd like to
143
00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:52.639
email us, he addresses the Palace Entry get gmail dot com.
144
00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:55.039
If you're on Spotify, leave us a comment. If you're
145
00:08:55.080 --> 00:08:57.440
on Apple, hit that button up there that says listen
146
00:08:57.559 --> 00:09:00.720
uninterrupted and get the show commercial free of five bucks
147
00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:04.000
a month. We really appreciate your support and Mark Francis
148
00:09:04.039 --> 00:09:07.600
my thanks to John McDermott. This is Palaceentry. Good turned
1
00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:11.720
2
00:00:11.880 --> 00:00:16.519
3
00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:20.600
4
00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:24.000
5
00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:27.640
6
00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:32.000
7
00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:36.039
8
00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:39.479
9
00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:43.439
10
00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:47.920
11
00:00:48.119 --> 00:00:52.960
12
00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:57.359
13
00:00:57.439 --> 00:01:01.280
14
00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:05.599
15
00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:09.280
16
00:01:09.319 --> 00:01:13.040
17
00:01:13.079 --> 00:01:16.719
18
00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:19.120
19
00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:23.319
20
00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:27.319
21
00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:29.799
22
00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:32.879
23
00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:37.319
24
00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:41.599
25
00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:46.599
26
00:01:48.040 --> 00:01:51.280
27
00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:54.680
28
00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:58.439
29
00:01:58.439 --> 00:02:01.519
30
00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:05.040
31
00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:09.080
32
00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:12.520
33
00:02:12.599 --> 00:02:16.120
34
00:02:16.199 --> 00:02:18.960
35
00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:22.439
36
00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:25.919
37
00:02:25.960 --> 00:02:30.319
38
00:02:30.439 --> 00:02:33.960
39
00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:37.080
40
00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:39.599
41
00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:42.360
42
00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:45.159
43
00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:49.560
44
00:02:49.639 --> 00:02:52.840
45
00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:56.280
46
00:02:56.800 --> 00:02:59.240
47
00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:04.960
48
00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:07.960
49
00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:12.520
50
00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:16.439
51
00:03:16.520 --> 00:03:20.800
52
00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:26.280
53
00:03:26.840 --> 00:03:29.599
54
00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:32.439
55
00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:37.759
56
00:03:37.800 --> 00:03:41.639
57
00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:44.439
58
00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:46.840
59
00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:50.840
60
00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:55.479
61
00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:57.840
62
00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:01.439
63
00:04:01.639 --> 00:04:04.879
64
00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:08.680
65
00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:13.479
66
00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:18.319
67
00:04:18.360 --> 00:04:22.600
68
00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:28.240
69
00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:30.399
70
00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:34.600
71
00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:37.920
72
00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:42.120
73
00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:44.959
74
00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:48.759
75
00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:53.439
76
00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:56.839
77
00:04:57.240 --> 00:04:59.959
78
00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:04.160
79
00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:06.560
80
00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.839
81
00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:12.120
82
00:05:12.439 --> 00:05:16.680
83
00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:20.079
84
00:05:20.360 --> 00:05:24.399
85
00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:26.319
86
00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:30.079
87
00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:33.480
88
00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:37.399
89
00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:39.959
90
00:05:39.959 --> 00:05:43.839
91
00:05:44.839 --> 00:05:50.920
92
00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:55.160
93
00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:58.360
94
00:05:58.519 --> 00:06:02.120
95
00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:05.879
96
00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:09.519
97
00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:13.560
98
00:06:13.879 --> 00:06:15.959
99
00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:19.040
100
00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:21.759
101
00:06:21.879 --> 00:06:27.040
102
00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:30.399
103
00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:33.160
104
00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:36.360
105
00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:38.920
106
00:06:38.920 --> 00:06:42.800
107
00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:46.240
108
00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:50.560
109
00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:53.519
110
00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:56.519
111
00:06:56.600 --> 00:06:59.680
112
00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:05.600
113
00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:08.519
114
00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:11.040
115
00:07:11.079 --> 00:07:15.279
116
00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:18.319
117
00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:22.720
118
00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:25.600
119
00:07:25.639 --> 00:07:30.000
120
00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:32.720
121
00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:36.879
122
00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:40.519
123
00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:44.160
124
00:07:44.199 --> 00:07:48.040
125
00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:51.319
126
00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:53.000
127
00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:56.759
128
00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:00.240
129
00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:04.319
130
00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:07.480
131
00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:10.319
132
00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:14.079
133
00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:17.720
134
00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:20.839
135
00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:24.040
136
00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:27.920
137
00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:30.959
138
00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:35.240
139
00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:38.799
140
00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:43.759
141
00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:47.039
142
00:08:47.080 --> 00:08:49.440
143
00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:52.639
144
00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:55.039
145
00:08:55.080 --> 00:08:57.440
146
00:08:57.559 --> 00:09:00.720
147
00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:04.000
148
00:09:04.039 --> 00:09:07.600
