March 7, 2026
Drawbridge William: Andrew exile, Camilla clash and an Earthshot headache
Prince William is said to be tightening the screws behind palace walls, pushing total separation from Andrew and bristling at Queen Camilla’s perceived warmth toward Sarah Ferguson. Sources claim he wants “no ambiguity, no half measures” as he safeguards the Crown, even if it means stepping on toes before he is king. Meanwhile, Earthshot faces scrutiny over donor associations, William steps in for King Charles at a major church ceremony, backs a rural mental health charity with $5,000, and cheers Scotland’s World Cup return with a newly approved bank holiday.
Get episodes of Palace Intrigue by becommming a paid subscriber on Apple Podcasts. Click the button that says uninterrupted listening. Just $5 a month, and that includes many ofther shows on the Caloroga Shark network.
Royal Books:
William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story
The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana
WEBVTT
1
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:11.679
Callaroga Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I
2
00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:14.679
am your host of Mark Francis. On a recent visit
3
00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:19.079
to Wales, we learned Prince William uses du lingo. He shared,
4
00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:21.679
I use duo lingo a lot. That helps to do
5
00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:24.920
that side of things. I do Swahili on it as well.
6
00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:27.600
But my owl is looking very sad at the moment.
7
00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:31.039
Not done it for a while. William also recently revealed
8
00:00:31.079 --> 00:00:33.560
that one of his favorite films is Top Gun Maverick,
9
00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:36.600
and it is also a firm favorite with his children.
10
00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:39.600
Speaking on the red carpet at the Baftis, the Prince
11
00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:42.039
of Wales admitted he might be a little biased because
12
00:00:42.039 --> 00:00:44.560
of his friendship with Tom Cruise, but praise the twenty
13
00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:48.840
twenty two blockbuster enthusiastically. I've got to be careful because
14
00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:51.320
I'm a little biased to a particular person, he said.
15
00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:53.799
Top Gun two, for instance, is one of the most
16
00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:57.719
incredible films I've watched in a long time. William questioned
17
00:00:57.719 --> 00:01:00.479
why the film had not received more awards or red ignition,
18
00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:03.600
adding highest grossing, so serious about how he takes the
19
00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:07.159
action scenes, how it doesn't win anything. Ever, that's what
20
00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:09.439
I care about. It just doesn't win anything. How could
21
00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:11.719
it not win anything. It's one of the biggest grossing
22
00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:15.560
films probably recent times, and it just needs to mention somewhere.
23
00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:18.120
That's all I care about. Watching it with my children,
24
00:01:18.120 --> 00:01:20.200
they absolutely adore it as much as they love the
25
00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:22.519
arty ones. They like the stunts, and he takes it
26
00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:26.560
so seriously and he cares about cinema. He has previously
27
00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:29.239
shared other family favorites, including The Lion King and How
28
00:01:29.239 --> 00:01:31.799
To Train Your Dragon for Prince George, while revealing that
29
00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:36.200
his own Christmas staple is elf. William is reportedly facing
30
00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:40.159
criticism behind Pallace Walls after allegedly drawing a hard line
31
00:01:40.519 --> 00:01:45.000
over Queen Camilla's continued warmth toward Sarah Ferguson. According to
32
00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:48.439
sources cited by Radar Online, the future King is determined
33
00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:52.239
to distance the monarchy from any lingering association with Andrew.
34
00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:55.680
William believes the total separation is the only way to
35
00:01:55.680 --> 00:02:00.400
protect the institution's long term credibility, no ambiguity, no half measures.
36
00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:03.920
The friction reportedly centers on Queen Camilla, who has spoken
37
00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:06.879
warmly of Ferguson in the past. William is said to
38
00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:11.039
view even the appearance of closeness as reputational risk, arguing
39
00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:16.120
that personal royalties cannot override institutional stability. One aid described
40
00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:19.400
the atmosphere as tense, with very real nervousness behind palace
41
00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:23.680
walls about long term erosion of public trust. However, some
42
00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:26.639
senior figures are said to feel William may be massively
43
00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:31.080
overstepping the mark, effectively issuing an ultimatum while King Charles
44
00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:35.039
remains on the throne. Critics suggest it risks creating the
45
00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:40.599
impression that William is already exercising monarchical authority. Supporters argue
46
00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:44.479
his approaches deliberate and strategic. Should the Crown now eliminate
47
00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:48.719
gray areas and prevent small reputational leaks from becoming institutional floods.
48
00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:53.439
William has seemingly been consistent about this for years. A
49
00:02:53.479 --> 00:02:57.280
source close to William told royal author Andrew Lowney there
50
00:02:57.319 --> 00:03:00.719
have been tensions between William and Andrew for years, occasioned
51
00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:03.560
by Andrew being rude about Kate, and William has long
52
00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:06.599
worked behind the scenes to evict his uncle from Royal Lodge.
53
00:03:06.840 --> 00:03:10.039
He thinks Andy is abusing the property and his privilege there.
54
00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:14.199
He also loathes Sarah Ferguson, if Charles doesn't, I guarantee
55
00:03:14.199 --> 00:03:16.479
you the first thing William does when he eventually becomes
56
00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:19.319
king is to get them evicted. William refers to Andy
57
00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:21.439
as a tosser, perhaps not as bad as the vile
58
00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:24.759
names as brother Harry uses. It's also possible part of
59
00:03:24.759 --> 00:03:28.159
this traces back to Diana loudly shared there had also
60
00:03:28.199 --> 00:03:32.599
been an element of jealousy and competitiveness. Sarah called Diana Blondie,
61
00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:36.520
little Miss perfect or Miss goody tushoes, Diana called her Dutch.
62
00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:39.719
Sarah felt the Princess of Wale was more popular and
63
00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:42.039
more stylish, was able to get away with behavior she
64
00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:46.199
could not. Diana envied Ferguson's more relaxed and closer relationship
65
00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:48.439
with the Queen and initially with the rest of the
66
00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:52.039
royal family thanks to her acquine interests and talents and
67
00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:56.599
love of country suits. William is said to be beyond
68
00:03:56.639 --> 00:04:00.400
furious after his flagship environmental initiative, the earth Shot Prize,
69
00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:03.560
was pulled into renewed scrutiny linked to the Epstein files.
70
00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:08.599
The controversy erupted after Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, a senior
71
00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:12.280
figure at dp World, a founding Earthshot partner that has
72
00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:15.080
donated at least one point twenty seven million dollars, was
73
00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:19.079
named in US Department of Justice documents connected to Epstein.
74
00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:22.879
Being named in the files is not evidence of wrongdoing. However,
75
00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:26.439
the association has prompted a formal complaint from anti monarchy
76
00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:29.959
group Republic and an assessment by the UK Charity Commission
77
00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:34.639
into Earthshots funding sources. A palace source claims Williams ces
78
00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:36.560
the prize is one of the most important projects of
79
00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:38.560
his life and is deeply upset that has now been
80
00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:42.439
mentioned in the same breath as Epstein. Supporters argue there
81
00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:45.160
is a clear distinction between a corporate partnership and the
82
00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:48.920
personal conduct of any executive, but in royal affairs, perception
83
00:04:49.319 --> 00:04:56.040
carries weight or palace in just a moment. William will
84
00:04:56.079 --> 00:04:58.360
step in for King Charles on March twenty fifth to
85
00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:02.040
take part in the installation ceremony of the new Archbishop
86
00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:05.360
of Canterbury. The service will take place on the Feast
87
00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:09.439
of the Annunciation. Dame Sarah Malayley is the first woman
88
00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:12.160
to be appointed Archbishop of Canterbury and Leader of the
89
00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:14.800
Church of England. She was formally confirmed in the role
90
00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:17.040
earlier this month and has already paid tribute to the King,
91
00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:20.240
who serves as Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
92
00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:23.560
Prince Williams expected to inherit that role when he ascends
93
00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:27.600
the throne. William donated five thousand dollars to support a
94
00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:31.600
duchy of Cornwall's Tenants charity walk aimed at raising awareness
95
00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:35.759
of rural mental health. Sam Stables, a sheep farmer from
96
00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:39.639
Herefordshire and founder of we Are Farming Mines, planned to
97
00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:41.959
walk one hundred and forty two miles from ross on
98
00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:45.839
Wire to London to shina national spotlight on the immense
99
00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:49.480
pressures farmer's face every single day while raising funds for
100
00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:52.839
the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs. The walkers partnered
101
00:05:52.839 --> 00:05:57.000
with the Farm Safety Foundation and its Mind Your Head campaign.
102
00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:01.399
Mister Stables described himself as the Moon after learning of
103
00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:04.680
the Prince's contribution. Posting a video to Instagram, he said,
104
00:06:05.079 --> 00:06:08.040
I've just had some incredible news of just walking out
105
00:06:08.120 --> 00:06:10.240
of Brill and everything in Brill seems to be brilliant
106
00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:12.399
because I've just heard the news that Prince William has
107
00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:15.079
kindly donated five thousand dollars to the walk, which is
108
00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:18.839
absolutely incredible. I am absolutely over the moon. What a
109
00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:22.839
kind gesture and yeah, brill is brill. Earlier in the day,
110
00:06:22.920 --> 00:06:26.360
mister Stables had shared details of the walk online, prompting
111
00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:29.319
a public message of encouragement from the Prince. He wrote,
112
00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:32.240
keep going, Sam, You're doing an amazing job. Thinking of you.
113
00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:35.480
W The Prince of Wales became patron of We Are
114
00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:39.000
Farming Minds last year and had previously highlighted the importance
115
00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:42.800
of mental health support within the agricultural community. In January,
116
00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:45.279
during a visit to a family farm in hereford'sg Sheer,
117
00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:48.199
mister Stables said of the heir to the throne, He's
118
00:06:48.279 --> 00:06:52.560
an amazing man. He's incredible to speak to. He's incredibly empathetic,
119
00:06:52.600 --> 00:06:55.920
he worries about people and is a genuine decent person.
120
00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:58.480
So everything he does to help us is immense and
121
00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:03.680
massively appreciated. King Charles has approved a one off Scottish
122
00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:06.199
Bank Holiday to mark the nation's return to the Men's
123
00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:09.399
Football World Cup. Scotland will compete at the tournament for
124
00:07:09.399 --> 00:07:11.959
the first time since nineteen ninety eight, and the holiday
125
00:07:11.959 --> 00:07:14.800
will take place on Monday, June fifteenth, following the team's
126
00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:19.079
opening match. The decision came after Scotland's First Minister, John
127
00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:22.319
Sweeney formally requested that the day after the national team's
128
00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:25.680
first World Cup fixture be recognized as a public holiday.
129
00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:29.639
Scotland's opening game is scheduled against Haiti in the early
130
00:07:29.720 --> 00:07:33.120
hours of Sunday, June fourteenth, with a two am kickoff
131
00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:36.680
UK time. In a statement, Buckingham Palace to the holiday
132
00:07:36.680 --> 00:07:40.800
was intended to recognize the significance of the moment to
133
00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:43.720
mark the achievement of Scotland's men's football team competing at
134
00:07:43.720 --> 00:07:45.759
the FIFA World Cup for the first time in twenty
135
00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:48.879
eight years. We consider it desirable that Monday, the fifteenth
136
00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:51.360
day of June and the year twenty twenty six should
137
00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:55.839
be a bank holiday in Scotland, the statement said, and
138
00:07:55.879 --> 00:07:57.680
they have it. If you'd like to email us addresses
139
00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:01.160
the Palace Intrigue at a Gmail Dark Cup, please follow
140
00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:03.040
us the Spotify Apple or the apple of your choice.
141
00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:06.399
Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace
142
00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:08.079
Intrigue in good terms.
1
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:11.679
2
00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:14.679
3
00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:19.079
4
00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:21.679
5
00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:24.920
6
00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:27.600
7
00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:31.039
8
00:00:31.079 --> 00:00:33.560
9
00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:36.600
10
00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:39.600
11
00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:42.039
12
00:00:42.039 --> 00:00:44.560
13
00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:48.840
14
00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:51.320
15
00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:53.799
16
00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:57.719
17
00:00:57.719 --> 00:01:00.479
18
00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:03.600
19
00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:07.159
20
00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:09.439
21
00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:11.719
22
00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:15.560
23
00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:18.120
24
00:01:18.120 --> 00:01:20.200
25
00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:22.519
26
00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:26.560
27
00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:29.239
28
00:01:29.239 --> 00:01:31.799
29
00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:36.200
30
00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:40.159
31
00:01:40.519 --> 00:01:45.000
32
00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:48.439
33
00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:52.239
34
00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:55.680
35
00:01:55.680 --> 00:02:00.400
36
00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:03.920
37
00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:06.879
38
00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:11.039
39
00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:16.120
40
00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:19.400
41
00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:23.680
42
00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:26.639
43
00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:31.080
44
00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:35.039
45
00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:40.599
46
00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:44.479
47
00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:48.719
48
00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:53.439
49
00:02:53.479 --> 00:02:57.280
50
00:02:57.319 --> 00:03:00.719
51
00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:03.560
52
00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:06.599
53
00:03:06.840 --> 00:03:10.039
54
00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:14.199
55
00:03:14.199 --> 00:03:16.479
56
00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:19.319
57
00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:21.439
58
00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:24.759
59
00:03:24.759 --> 00:03:28.159
60
00:03:28.199 --> 00:03:32.599
61
00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:36.520
62
00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:39.719
63
00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:42.039
64
00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:46.199
65
00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:48.439
66
00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:52.039
67
00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:56.599
68
00:03:56.639 --> 00:04:00.400
69
00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:03.560
70
00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:08.599
71
00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:12.280
72
00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:15.080
73
00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:19.079
74
00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:22.879
75
00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:26.439
76
00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:29.959
77
00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:34.639
78
00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:36.560
79
00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:38.560
80
00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:42.439
81
00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:45.160
82
00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:48.920
83
00:04:49.319 --> 00:04:56.040
84
00:04:56.079 --> 00:04:58.360
85
00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:02.040
86
00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:05.360
87
00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:09.439
88
00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:12.160
89
00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:14.800
90
00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:17.040
91
00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:20.240
92
00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:23.560
93
00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:27.600
94
00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:31.600
95
00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:35.759
96
00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:39.639
97
00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:41.959
98
00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:45.839
99
00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:49.480
100
00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:52.839
101
00:05:52.839 --> 00:05:57.000
102
00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:01.399
103
00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:04.680
104
00:06:05.079 --> 00:06:08.040
105
00:06:08.120 --> 00:06:10.240
106
00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:12.399
107
00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:15.079
108
00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:18.839
109
00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:22.839
110
00:06:22.920 --> 00:06:26.360
111
00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:29.319
112
00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:32.240
113
00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:35.480
114
00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:39.000
115
00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:42.800
116
00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:45.279
117
00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:48.199
118
00:06:48.279 --> 00:06:52.560
119
00:06:52.600 --> 00:06:55.920
120
00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:58.480
121
00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:03.680
122
00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:06.199
123
00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:09.399
124
00:07:09.399 --> 00:07:11.959
125
00:07:11.959 --> 00:07:14.800
126
00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:19.079
127
00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:22.319
128
00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:25.680
129
00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:29.639
130
00:07:29.720 --> 00:07:33.120
131
00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:36.680
132
00:07:36.680 --> 00:07:40.800
133
00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:43.720
134
00:07:43.720 --> 00:07:45.759
135
00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:48.879
136
00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:51.360
137
00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:55.839
138
00:07:55.879 --> 00:07:57.680
139
00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:01.160
140
00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:03.040
141
00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:06.399
142
00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:08.079
