Harry and Meghan Accused of Running “Rival Royal Court”

0:03 Caloroga Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am your host, Mark Francis. In the Express, Alicia Liberty writes, I have absolutely no problem admitting that Meghan Markle looked sensational as she stepped out alongside Prince Harry in Nottingham, but everything else about their appearance left me scratching my head. Here are two people who walked away from royal duties six years ago, arriving to cheering crowds, accepting flowers and carrying out engagements. that looked remarkably similar to those undertaken by the working royal family. And as I watched the Duke and Duchess of Sussex embark on what appeared to be their very own royal walkabout, one question kept running through my mind. What exactly are they trying to achieve?

0:47 I am a private citizen, and I certainly don't travel around Britain conducting royal-style walkabouts. So why should Harry and Meghan operate as though they are presiding over some sort of unofficial royal court? Plenty of celebrities and wealthy philanthropists dedicate extraordinary amounts of time and money to charity without turning every visit into a public spectacle, and I cannot understand why the Sussexes seem so reluctant to follow their example. But the uncomfortable truth is that when Harry and Meghan arrive with all the familiar hallmarks of a royal engagement, the attention inevitably shifts from the charities themselves to the couple's complicated relationship with the monarchy. Also in the Express, Emily Wright writes, Meghan Markle's low profile in the UK lasted all of five minutes before turning into a relentless press offensive. From swanky Mayfair dinner dates at Claridge's with Malala to carefully timed countryside videos and jumper drops, the Duchess of Sussex has made one thing clear. She wants the spotlight and she wants it now. Former MP Nadine Dorries hit the nail on the head this week when she observed that Meghan's sudden press surge conveniently peaked right alongside public appearances by the Princess of Wales. In the world of high-stakes PR, there are no coincidences. Meghan knows precisely how the news cycle operates, and these deliberate high-impact moves are clearly designed to snatch attention away from the working royals. But if the Sussex camp thinks this tactical media war will win over the British public, they are hugely misreading the room. What Meghan and her team failed

2:19 to grasp is that the public's patience with calculated spotlight stealing has worn thin. The royal family isn't a reality TV franchise where victory goes to whoever generates the most noise or sells out a piece of clothing in two hours. Trying to go head-to-head with the future queen in a popularity contest using glossy Americanized PR plays is a trap of the Sussexes' own making. While dropping video clips and launching merch might generate brief social media buzz, These calculated bids for attention only serve to irritate a British public that values substance over showmanship. In the iPaper, Flora Symington writes, Charles and the rest of the royal family might live to regret pushing out the Sussexes so completely, as they yet again prove themselves relatable and likeable to the public at a time when the royals need all the help they can get. Charles and the rest of the royal family might live to regret pushing out the Sussexes so completely, as they yet again prove themselves relatable and likeable to the public at a time when the royals need all the help they can get to get the country back on side. Also in the iPaper, Jenny Bond writes under the headline, Harry and Meghan are shining, William will just have to get over it. Bond writes, judging by their first joint outing since returning to the UK and away day in Nottingham, nothing has really changed from when they were working royals. It was all meticulously planned, just like the visits from their past life. It was no coincidence that Nottingham, the city where it all began, was chosen for this higher-profile return. On a chilly December day in 2017, shortly after announcing their engagement, Harry presented his fiancée to

3:52 enthusiastic crowds in Nottingham. She looked a little shy at times, but launched herself into her first royal walkabout. They loved her, and so did the press. She's a natural, they crowed, adding that she'd passed her royal initiation with flying colours. A great deal has happened since then, but now they are back, and it all looks so familiar. The crowds, although not huge, were adoring. Meghan was showered with huge bouquets, balloons and gifts for her children. Harry was cheered, hugged and in great demand for selfies. But Meghan was the star of this show, and just like William and Catherine, Harry had to keep hurrying his wife along so they didn't get too late. Behind the scenes, the visit had been organised like a carbon copy of a working royal trip.

4:33 After Harry's prolonged squabble with the press and his decision to ditch the royal rota, the palace system for allotting media access to events, the Sussexes have now set up their own rota arrangement. Here, though, if you're nifty, you can indeed spot a slight difference. They have deployed a power of veto, and at least one tabloid is very much persona non grata. Detailed briefing notes were issued in advance of the visit with background information about the charities involved. timings were published so that the Sussex fans would know where to gather and cheer, this was a royal engagement in all but name, and it's beginning to look like a rival court. Predictably, the Duke and Duchess were welcomed back by their charities with open arms. No one cared whether they were working royals or royals outworking. In the end, what does it matter? What's in a name or a label?

5:19 These are two people who want to use their position in life, however it's classed, to do a bit of good here and there on their own terms. It won't please William and It will steal the limelight from other royals, for a while at least, so they'll all just have to get over it. More palace in just a moment. Megan's appearance with Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai continues to be criticized. In the Daily Mail, Alison Boshoff writes, The big gesture still begs the question as to what a donation of 100% of proceeds from her brand's jam and tea sales might in fact amount to. The answer seems to be a truly modest amount. Even a generous extrapolation from the only available data suggests a day of proceeds from Tea and Jam will add around £ 1, 900 to the Malala Fund coffers. That wouldn't even cover those arrestingly wide white Ralph Lauren trousers Meghan wore to the Mayfair Hotel.

6:15 Think of her long-forgotten 40x40 initiative. Or one-off visits to women's refuges. Or perhaps her crowing on Instagram about sending... merchandise from Billie Eilish to a girl who lost everything in the LA fires last year. Who benefits most from these isolated, small acts of charity? A cynic might argue. It's Meghan herself. Meghan's charity sweatshirt has reportedly sold out twice. The Express reports that the collaboration with Mums Offering More sold out within two hours, was restocked, and then sold out again. The $ 100 sweatshirt was released for International Day of the Girl, with proceeds supporting organizations that help mothers and families. Megan appeared in photographs wearing the green crew neck, including one showing the message across the back. It's the little things. The Express picked up several critical posts on X.

7:01 One user wrote, everything she does is calculated, choreographed and heavily rehearsed. Natalie Fahey wrote a guest column in the Express in which she said, as the editor of the Nottingham Post, I know this city well and I know how hard people work to help those who are struggling. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, parachuted into Nottingham on Thursday, and while a small crowd of loyal fans waiting for them was smiling, thousands more will be fuming at the gall of their pseudo-royal circus. There will be a cost to the Nottingham taxpayer. How much exactly, we don't know. City Council community protection officers were diverted from other duties to provide crowd reassurances in St Anne's outside the community recording studio. Council-owned barriers were placed outside to keep the crowd in check. a single Nottinghamshire police car blocked the road. In Snainton, while the couple visited epic partners, an unmarked police car blocked the road.

7:52 For balance, I should tell you that a plastic chair with a sign saying no one passed this point please was also used ineffectively for crowd control in Snainton. None of this is free, so why are we paying for the activities of what Buckingham Palace itself calls private citizens? Nottingham has had its struggles. We've just emerged from effective bankruptcy as a city, which got so bad the government commissioners had to step in. The fountains in the old market square can't be repaired because it would cost too much. The council house needs a good scrub and repairs to the roof, and our old Debenhams has been empty since 2021, while Yobs often run riot inside its empty corridors. Back to Megan's coat. I highlight this because St Anne's is one of the most deprived areas in the country, let alone Nottingham. Nearly 80% of children live in low-income families.

8:38 Buying a school uniform is a struggle, never mind stepping out in a coat that costs more than their household brings in every month. Harry's outfit was probably equally expensive, but it's harder to identify via a Google search. This is not just a poker at Meghan. The average household income in St Anne's is £ 27, 000 a year. The child poverty rate in St Anne's and Heysen Green sits at 45%. The reaction to their visit in our news desk email has been overwhelming, and not in a positive way. We have been reminded at all hours today by people all over the world that the couple are private individuals. One even pointed out, You may have private citizens lurking around looking for attention, so beware. And there you have it.

9:19 If you'd like to email us, our address is thepalacintrigue at gmail.com. If you're on Spotify, leave us a comment. If you're on Apple, hit that button up there that says listen uninterrupted and get the show commercial free for just five bucks a month. And if there's a podcast creator or social media creator in your family, tell them to check out our new program from the people here at Calaroga Media called Linnet. You can find it at linnetmedia.com. I'm Mark Francis. My thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace Intrigue. Good times.