May 21, 2025

David Beckham Joins King Charles at Chelsea — and Meghan’s Former Friends Move On

Show Notes
Transcript

David Beckham and King Charles reunite at the Chelsea Flower Show to unveil The King’s Rose and promote careers in gardening. Meanwhile, Meghan Markle’s former friend Edward Enninful reportedly cuts ties following a Vogue cover dispute, and new reporting alleges Queen Elizabeth scolded Meghan over a food row before the royal wedding. Plus, Princess Eugenie and Queen Camilla take on meaningful new roles — and introduce an adorable new royal dog named Moley.

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Calorogus Shark Media. Hi and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I'm

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your host Mark for Answers. David Beckham made his debut

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with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in fine style, joining

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King Charles and Queen Camilla on the opening day of

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the annual celebration of all Things Botanical. The former England Captain,

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now an ambassador for the King's Foundation, was there to

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support an upcoming initiative aimed at inspiring young people to

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pursue careers in horticulture. Wearing a freshly cut specimen of

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the King's Rose in his buttonhole, a rose officially named

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in honor of his Majesty, Beckham shared a warm moment

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with Queen Camilla, admiring the bloom. He echoed her praise,

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calling it so beautiful, so beautiful. Congratulations the rose appearing

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at Chelsea for the first time as being sold in

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support of the King's Foundation. The royal couple arrived at

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High Grove Stand where they were greeted by Beckham and

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TV gardening icon Alan Titchmarsh, both of whom serve as

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ambassadors for the Foundation. Your Majesty, so nice to see you,

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Beckham said to the Queen gesturing to the rose in

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his lapel. Royal watchers are intrigued by one exchange. The

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King asked Beckham, you got it, didn't you, to which

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the footballer replied it was incredible. Thank you. It's very kind,

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Camilla added, cheerfully, nice to see you again. Glad you've

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got the roses. It is unclear what exactly Beckhan has

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received from the King. The High Grove shop stand, adorned

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with floral displays by Shane Connolly, the designer behind the

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coronation flowers, also played host to the ceremonial unveiling of

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a shop front decorated with Sanderson designed curtains. Will Proceeds

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from the shop benefit the King's Foundation, which celebrates its

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thirty fifth anniversary this year. Beckham later met with fellow

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Ambassador Alan Titchmarsh at the London Square Chelsea Pensioner's Garden,

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where the unto Peace table was crafted by two alumni

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of the King's Foundations furniture making program, Lily Hitchcock and

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Hannah Evans. The collaboration between the King's Foundation and the

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Royal Horticultural Society aims to engage younger generations with the

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natural world. Nurturing future careers in gardening, sustainability and conservation.

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King Charles, known for his lifelong commitment to the environment,

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appeared delighted as he explored the exhibits at the stand

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for David Austin Roses, where the King's rose was officially

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on display. He asked does it smell? Upon hearing that

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it carried a lovely musky fragrance, he leaned into test

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it for himself. He was visibly impressed when told the

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rose was bred from sixty thousand seedlings over the course

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of twelve years by a team of twenty people. I

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must say this is amazing, the King reminds, gesturing to

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what is now the largest stand ever built by the

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family run rose breeding business. Founded in nineteen thirteen, The

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Chelsea Flower Show has long been one of the most

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prestigious events in the British social calendar. This year's festivities

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welcomed an array of celebrities alongside the royals, including Amanda Holden,

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Vanessa Feltz, Malen Class and Nick Knowles. Meanwhile, the timing

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of Beckham's appearance raised a few eyebrows, coming just days

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after reports that his son Brooklyn and daughter in law

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Nicola Peltz had dined with the Duke and Duchess of

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Sussex in Montecito. According to one source, Meghan and Nicola

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bonded over having both been accused of wrecking their husband's families,

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though no comment has been made by any of the

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parties involved. Still, Beckham's presence at Chelsea was decidedly a political,

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more Rose Garden than royal rumor, as he helped shine

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a spotlight on the importance of cultivating both gardens and

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the next generation of green thumbed professionals. Speaking of people

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Meghan used to be friends with, The Daily Mail reported

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the once gilded friendship between the Duchess of Sussex and

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fashion impresario Edward Ennefel has it seems unraveled behind the

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scenes of glossy pages in Royal Expectators. The two were

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once lauded as a formidable pairing two like minded thinkers who,

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according to Meghan herself, enjoyed philosophizing over mint tea. Their

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celebrated twenty nineteen collaboration on the magazine's Forces of Change

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issue became the fastest selling addition in vogues one hundred

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and four year history, But today insiders say the pair

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are no longer on speaking terms. The rift along the

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subject of quiet industry speculation, reportedly stemmed from a disagreement

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over a high profile editorial project that never came to be.

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The project, meant to coincide with Meghan's keynote speech at

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the One Young World summit in Manchester in September of

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twenty twenty two, was set to be a major showcase

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of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex charitable work, with

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features spanning print and digital formats. However, according to sources

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within Conde Nast, Meghan and her team were expecting either

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a Vogue print cover or, at the very least, a

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digital one. En Infull, already committed to a separate cover

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before that month, declined. He offered instead an extensive interior

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feature and online coverage, a compromise Megan ultimately turned down.

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The Dutchess and the team had high expectations, the source

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told The Mail on Sunday. Edward was furious to have

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lost the project as worthy powers that be at Conde Nast,

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the decision to show of the coverage reportedly fractured their

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friendship for good. In the years since, and in full

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has deepened his ties with the Royal family and association

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some suggest may have further complicated matters. He is now

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a trustee of the King's Fund, interviewed King Charles, then

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the Prince of Wales for Vogue in twenty twenty, and

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was present at his majesty's coronation in twenty twenty three.

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Meghan notably was not invited to a recent glittering gala

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hosted by An and Fall in New York for the

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King's Trust, a black tie affair attended by the likes

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of Lionel Richie, Heidi Kluman, Helena Christensen. One insider remarked

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there was no way she was invited. That was Edward's

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American celebrity alternative to the U s Met gala. In

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the run up to her twenty eighteen wedding to Prince Harry,

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Meghan Michael allegedly had a sharp exchange with a Royal

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staff member over the food, and the incident that reportedly

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became so tense, Queen Elizabeth I personally intervened. According to

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Royal biographer Katie Nicol, writing in her book The New Royals,

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Nickel details the scene that wins a castle during a

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menu tasting, where Meghan was said to have taken issue

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with one of the dishes. A source told Nicol Meghan

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was at the castle to taste some of the dishes

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when she reportedly told one of the caterers she could

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taste egg in a supposedly vegan and macrobiotic dish. The

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confrontation apparently escalated to the point that the Queen herself

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felt compelled to step in. According to the book, her

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Late Majesty entered the room and calmly told the future

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Duchess Meghan. In this family, we don't speak to people

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like that more in a moment. Princess Eugenie has stepped

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into a significant role in support of her uncle, King

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Charles charitable legacy, joining the King's Foundation as a mentor

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for a group of rising stars across the creative industries.

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Though not a working member of the royal family, the

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daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson is lending her

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expertise to the foundations newly launched thirty five under thirty

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five Initiative, a network of young creatives selected to champion

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the ethos of the King's Foundation across disciplines such as architecture, fashion,

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environmental activism, and the arts. According to the Foundation, the

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programme aims to foster a network of engaged individuals who

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can work together in exchange and knowledge across the diverse

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disciplines into the future, in line with the King's philosophy

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of harmony. That philosophy, a cornerstone of his Majesty's life's

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work is centered on taking a holistic approach to the

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planet's challenges, balancing nature, tradition and modern in evation. According

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to Hello Magazine, her role is expected to be hands on,

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with the Princess helping mentees develop their projects and forge

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enduring can actions in their respective views. Queen Camilla has

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delighted Royal Watches by unveiling a charming you photograph of

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her latest keenane companion, an affectionate rescue pup named Molly.

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The young dog believed to be part Jack Russell, joins

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the royal household following the sad passing of Camilla's beloved

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Beth in November last year. Molly was adopted from Battersea

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Dogs and Cats Home earlier this year, the same rescue

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center that gave the Queen her two previous companions, Beth

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and bluebell. The pair were such cherish presences that their

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images were embroidered into the hem of her coronation gown.

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In the new photograph released by the Royal Household, Queen

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Camilla is pictured beaming as she holds Molly, who sports

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a red and blue collar and appears every inch the

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confident newcomer. The pup has already made something of a

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royal debut. She was seeing perched on a chair ahead

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of the Queen's visit to the Chelsea Flower Show, and

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her name was etched into a winding garden path at

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the Rijssen BBC Radio to Dog Garden, a tribute to

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beloved dogs and the Queen. The public figures speaking affectionately

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about her new charge. During a visit to the Beanie

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House of Art and Knowledge in Canterbury earlier this year,

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Queen car Miller explained the name it's called Molli. It

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just looks like a mole. She told the guide dog

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owner that Molly is just a bit of everything, describing

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her as a rescue dog of mixed breed who had

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just joined the family at eight weeks old. The Queen's

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love of dogs is well known. The loss of Beth

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who had been by her side since twenty eleven, was

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marked with a heartfelt steepmen from Buckingham Palace, a sad

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farewell to Beth, the Queen's much loved companion from Battersea

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Dogs and Cats Home, who brought such joy, whether on walkies,

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helping on official duties or called up by the fire

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and there have it. Email us addressed is the Palace

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Intrigue at gmail dot com. Please follows on Spotify, Apple

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or the app of your choice, and it was a

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nice review if you joined the show. I'm Mark Francis.

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Thanks to John McDermott this Palace in dream good terms

David Beckham Joins King Charles at Chelsea — and Meghan’s Former Friends Move On

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