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A calarogu Shark Media. Hello, and welcome to Palace Intrigue Game.
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Your host my Francis. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is now facing
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the scrutiny over an additional allegation tied to Royal Ascot,
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according to a report in The Sunday Times. The allegation
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reportedly concerns claims of inappropriate behavior toward a woman during
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the two thousand and two Royal Ascot meeting held during
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Queen Elizabeth the Second's Golden Jubilee year. Thames Valley Police
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confirmed they aren't continuing to examine a wide range of
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allegations connected to the investigation involving the King's brother. A
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spokesperson said we cannot come into specifics of the investigation,
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but we are following all reasonable lines of inquiry. The
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development comes after police revealed on Friday that their investigation
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extends beyond the alleged sharing of confidential information and it
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includes claims involving sexual misconduct, fraud and corruption. Andrew mount
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Batten Windsor was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct
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in public office connected to his former role as a
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British Trade envoy. Detectives questioned him under criminal caution after
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allegations linked to documents released by the US Department of
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Justice involving disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Police also searched his
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Norfolk property and later conducted a week long search at
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the Windsor estate where he had lived for decades. He
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denies or wrongdoing, according to the report. It remains unclear
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whether the alleged Royal Ascot incident was reported to police
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at the time or surfaced more recently. Royal Ascot has
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long been one of the key fixtures on the Royal Calendar,
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and Queen Elizabeth herself attended the two thousand and two
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event during her jubilee celebrations. Investigators are also continuing to
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assess separate claims from an American woman who alleges she
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was taken to an address in Windsor into twenty ten
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to four sexual purposes. That matter has not yet become
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a full criminal investigation, although detectives have reportedly made contact
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with the woman through her lawyer. On Friday, Thames Valley
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Police issued a broader appeal for witnesses, urging anyone with
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information regarding alleged sexual misconduct corruption, fraud, or the sharing
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of confidential information involving Andrew mount Batten Windsor to come forward.
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Police are also said to be dealing with legal and
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logistical hurdles, including whether Andrew's former Trade on Way position
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falls under misconduct in Public office laws, and how to
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obtain original Epstein related documents from American authorities. At present,
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British investigators reportedly only possess publicly released print outs from
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the Department of Justice website. US officials have instructed British
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police to submit a formal international legal assistance request if
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they want access to the original materials, a process that
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could take months. Palace insiders are reportedly preparing for the
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possibility of further damaging disclosures about the late Queen Elizabeth
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the Second's efforts to protect Andrew. According to Rob Shooter's
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Naughty but Nice newsletter, Newly released government documents have already
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suggested the Queen personally supported Andrew's appointment as a trade envoy,
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a role that significantly expanded his access to wealthy business figures,
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foreign officials, and international elites, despite concerns about his conduct. Now,
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sources claim additional documents, communications and witness accounts could emerge,
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detailing what one insider described as a long running effort
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to shield Andrew from consequences. One royal insider told the
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publication Andrew got away with an extraordinary amount because the
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Queen protected him. People inside the palace knew he was
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a problem, but nobody wanted to challenge Elizabeth over her
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favorite son. Another source said the palace spent years insulating
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Andrew from consequences, and the deeper investigators dig, the more
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questions emerge about who enabled him and how much protection
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came directly from the top. Questions purportedly remain over how
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much Queen Elizabeth knew about Andrew's alleged private behavior, and
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whether loyalty to her son prevented stronger intervention. One insider
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said there is enormous fear inside royal circles about what
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could still come out. People close to this story believe
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we've only seen the fraction of the full picture so far.
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The palace knows the scandal is not over, not even close.
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Questions are now being raised about whether the mounting controversy
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could place additional pressure on King Charles, with some fringe
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commentators even speculating about the possibility of abdication. Royal inside
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a deep crown tells us that this is nonsense. Abdication
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is not a word that exists in Charles' vocabulary. He
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is not going anywhere. The people raising abdication as a
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serious possibility are the same people who said Harry would
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be back within six months with respect. They do not
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understand this family. In the Daily Mail, Richard Kay writes,
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Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is an oath and a fool whose
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lies destroyed his own reputation and have done untold damage
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to the institution he was born into. But will he
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bring down the monarchy? Not so long ago, that would
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have been an absurd question to ask, as the royal
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family has overcome scandals in the past which opposed existential
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threats to its survival. As news of the latest police
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inquiry was made public conveniently in lockstep with Labour's decision
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to release papers relating to the ex Duke of York's
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appointment as trade ambassador, one indisputable trend is clear. Reverence
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for the Royals is vanishing, and vanishing fast. Make no mistake,
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A historical revisionism is under way before our very eyes,
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something that would have been unheard of ten or perhaps
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even five years ago. In short, we are witnessing what
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too many looks like the beginning of a smearing of
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the Queen's unblemished record as monarch and public servant. It
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fits with the current narrative. Here was a mother blinded
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by her love for a favorite son who could not
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be denied his every wish. But is that fair or
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even true to suggest, as some are now, that this
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is somehow a blot on the Queen's record is not
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just wrong, it's reckless. Monarchists must fight back. The crown
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is among our most cherished institutions, but it is also fragile.
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After the blow of the Queen's death, Charles Steady the ship,
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only to suffer a cancer diagnosis that I should in
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another emergency, which only worsened when illness also struck the
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Princess of Wales. But as the last twenty four hours
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of showing, Andrew remains a malign and destabilizing force to
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the monarchy, and one which suits the agenda of the
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left more palaced just a moment, Prince William could be
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preparing for a major royal moment in the United States
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this summer, amid speculation he may attend to the FIFA
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World Cup alongside Prince George. The tournament begins on June eleventh,
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and reports have circulated suggesting that Prince of Wales could
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make a private appearance tied to England's participation. William's deep
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connection to football as well established. The Prince of Wales
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serves as patron of the Football Association and is a
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devoted Aston Villa supporter, frequently attending matches both in Britain
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and abroad. Just last week, William traveled to Turkey to
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support Aston Villa and was seen enthusiastically singing Sweet Caroline
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alongside fellow fans. Now Royal commentator Christopher Anderson believes this
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year's World Cup could provide an opportunity for Prince George
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to make his first visit to the United States. Andison
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told Fox News Digital this would mark the first known
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visit to the US by two future Kings traveling together.
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This would also mark the first time that Wales children
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have ever set foot on American soil. A Palace spokesperson
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told Fox there are currently no public plans for a
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trip to the US. Hoping for a great performance from England,
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though with temperatures climbing across Britain, even the Royal family
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may be tempted to cool off with a swim. King
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Charles and Queen Camilla are fortunate to have access to
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one of the most exclusive pools in the country, the
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private swimming pool at Buckingham Palace, located just a short
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walk from their London residence at Clarence House. The indoor
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pool was commissioned in nineteen thirty eight by King George
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the Six, who wanted a more private setting for Princess
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Elizabeth and Princess Margaret to take swimming lessons away from
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the public eye. The pool remains very much in use today.
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The palace pool is not reserved exclusively for senior royals.
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Staff members are also allowed access through the Staff Sports Club,
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although there is a strict protocol if a royal arrives
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during a swim session. Royal author Brian Howey explained in
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his book Not in Front of the Corgies Secrets of
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Life Behind the Royal Curtains. The rule is that if
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a staff member is swimming and one of the royals appears,
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they have to get out unless invited to remain, which
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often happens if when the staff member turns up a
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royal is already in the pool, the servant and this
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includes senior members such as the Private Secretary or Keeper
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of the Privy Purse, will not attempt to join them. Meanwhile,
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the King also has another option for escaping the heat
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at High Grove House in Gloucestershire, where the estate features
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an outdoor swimming pool surrounded by gardens and wildflowers. If
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the royal family are planning a swim today, the timing
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may be ideal. For casters are predicting another extremely hot
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day across southern England, with London temperatures expected to reach
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around thirty three degrees celsius under sunny skies, potentially making
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it one of the hottest May Bank holidays on record.
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And they haven't follow Palace Intrigue on Spotify and turn
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while you're there, leave us a comment on Spotify and
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let us know what you think about today's stories. I'm
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Mike Francis. Thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace Intrigue
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and good times