June 24, 2026

Harry and Meghan’s UK Visit Splits the Palace as Andrew Clings to Royal Status

Show Notes
Transcript

A new Daily Beast analysis suggests Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s expected UK visit may be exposing deeper divisions inside King Charles’s household, with reported palace “hawks” and “doves” split over reconciliation. Phil Dampier says the visit could test public opinion, while other reports claim Meghan may see Queen Camilla as a possible bridge back to the family. Plus, questions swirl over whether bringing Archie and Lilibet could pressure the Palace, Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi face renewed scrutiny, Prince Andrew reportedly takes a private holiday in France, and Andrew is said to be insisting staff still address him as “Sir” and “The Duke.”

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.

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Ah Calorogus Shark Media, Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue.

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I'm your host, Mount Francis. A new analysis piece in

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The Daily Beast argues that conflicting messages surrounding Prince Harry's

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plan returned to Britain with Megan, Mikael and their children

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may reflect deeper divisions inside King charles household. Writing for

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The Royalist Toom, Sykes claims Buckingham Palace is split between

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those who favor reconciliation with the Sussexes and those who

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believe any reproachment would damage the monarchy. According to the article,

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one group described as Hawks is said to favor a

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tougher approach toward Harry and Meghan. Another group, described as

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Doves is reportedly more aligned with King charles desire to

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repair family relationships. One palace source quoted by The Daily

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Mail reportedly described the proposed visit as emotional blackmail and

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manipulation of the royal family. The same source suggested there

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was no meeting planned between the King and the suss

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indicated that Charles could find himself very busy during the

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family stay. Sykes argued that such messaging appears difficult to

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reconcile with reports that the King has helped facilitate the

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visit by offering accommodation. The article also highlights the role

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of senior palace officials. Harry previously referred to some royal

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aids and his memoir spare as the men in gray suits,

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and Sykes notes that there remain differing views within the

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King's household about the best way forward. The central question

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now is what happens when the Sussexes arrive in Britain.

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Sykes argues that if the King has helped facilitate the visit,

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many observers will expect some form of family meeting to

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take place. He writes, do they really expect us to

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believe that Charles would do this much damage to his

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own reputation and then not even meet the family. Royal

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commentator Filled Dampeer believes the visit could become an important

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test of public opinion. Damper cautioned against assuming the couple

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would receive a universally warm reception. Many will still not

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forgive her for her role in taking Harry away and

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disrespecting the royals, he said. Responding to suggest is that

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Meghan believes most people in Britain are fair minded and reasonable.

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They are on safe ground at the Invictor's Games event

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as the servicemen and their families involved have a lot

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of time for them, but some members of the public

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do not, and we shall see what happens. Only time

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will tell, but this trip will be testing the water

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for out of course, by the Invictors Games themselves in

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a year. If they get a good reception and scene

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with the King and Queen, they may feel they can

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return more often. I don't think anyone really knows how

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this is going to play out long term, which makes

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it so fascinating, but it also has the potential to

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be a disaster for the royals. For now, the visit

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remains the subject of considerable speculation, but if Harry and

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Meghan do arrive in Britain next month, it could offer

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the clearest indication yet of how the public mood has

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shifted since their departure from royal duties six years ago.

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A source to All Radar Online Magan this come to

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the conclusion that's staying locked in the same cycle of

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resentment and silence isn't benefiting anyone, which is increasingly convinced

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that if there's going to be any chance of repairing relationships,

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someone has to be prepared to take a risk open

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the door. The report suggests Meghan believes Queen Camilla could

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potentially play an important role in any future reconciliation efforts.

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According to one source, approaching Camilla wasn't the obvious choice

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and Meghan is fully aware of that. However, one source

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alleged there is a feeling among some royal aids that

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Camilla has zero appetite for becoming the focal point of

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another Sussex reconciliation effort. One source, quoted by the Male

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claimed that Sussex's may have additional motives for bringing the children.

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I don't think this will be a reunion. It's more

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of a trap. It's a challenge. They are saying, try

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and ignore us when we are here with kids. If

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they don't meet up with Harry and Meghan, then they

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can say we came to you and we were ignored.

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The same source alleged that the presence of Archie and

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Lillibert could place further focus on long running dispute over

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security arrangements. They are bringing the children along to force

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the palace's hand, so they have to give him security

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or else they are endangering the children. This is a

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huge new low. It's a tactic and it's going to backfire.

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Sources close to the Palace have consistently pointed out that

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security decisions are not made by the King. Protection arrangements

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are determined by government officials and the Home Office, not

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Buckingham Palace, and Royal sources have repeatedly stressed that Charles

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has no authority to intervene in those decisions. More Palace

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in just a moment. Princess Beatrice's marriage is facing fresh

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scrutiny as questions continue to swirl around the ongoing fallout

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from her father, former Prince Andrew's scandals. According to comments

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made on The Royalist Podcast, some observers believe the pressures

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surrounding Andrew's situation, combined with long periods of separation, may

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be placing strain on Beatrice's relationship with her husband, property

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developer Edwardompallimozzi. The discussion follows several months in which Eduardo

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has frequently been traveling for business. Earlier this year, he

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spent time in the US, including visits to la and

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Palm Beach, while Beatrice remained in Britain with the couple's

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daughters and Athena. More recently, photographs emerged showing a Eduardo

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in Saint Trepe, where he was attending social ab events

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at the famous beach club Club fifty five. Reports later

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suggested Beatrice had accompanied him to the south of France,

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but became unwell during the trip and stayed behind while

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her husband attended events. Author Paul Frolick, speaking on The

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Royalist Podcast, question whether the couple's arrangements reflected the support

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Beatrice made need during what has been a difficult period

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for her family. Frolic suggested that Andrew's continued presence in

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Beatrice's life could be creating tension, particularly given concerns about

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how association with the Duke of York might affect business

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interests and public perception. She speculated that Eduardo may prefer

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greater distance between his wife and her father, though no

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evidence has been presented that such conversations have taken place.

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Eduardo has pushed back against suggestions that his frequent travel

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indicates problems at home, noting that international travel is a

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normal part of running a property development business. Prince Andrew

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has reportedly been enjoying a private holiday in France the

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sixty five year old was recently spotted in Brittany, where

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he has said who have spent several days as the

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guest of businessman Mohammad A. Baker. According to reports, Andrew

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traveled by private jet and stated a rural property near

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Saint Marlow between May thirtieth and June first. The trip

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reportedly included horse riding along the beach Cames of Boulay

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and meals prepared by a private chef. Local racehorse trainer

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Arthur Despray, who operates an equestrian business in the area,

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told The Daily Mail Andrew was the guest of Mohammed

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Baker he stayed at his house. Another local worker claimed

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the Duke was accompanied by a single bodyguard during the

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visit and stayed in the main house with his host.

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The location itself is perhaps not surprising. Brittany has long

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attracted wealthy British visitors looking for privacy, with its rural coastline,

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large private estates and relative distance from London's media spotlight.

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Andrew is reportedly refusing to let go of the status

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and traditions that once defined his royal life. According to

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Radar Online, Andrew, Who's instructed staff and visitors to continue

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addressing him as sir and referring to him as the Duke.

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One source claimed Andrew has made it abundantly clear to

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those around him that within the walls of his own home,

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expects the old conventions to remain firmly in place. He's

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been telling staff and visitors alike that he should still

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be addressed as sir and referred to as the Duke

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despite everything that has happened. From his perspective, those forms

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of address are not up for negotiation. One source suggested

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Andrew remains deeply attached to the status he was born into.

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He is incredibly stubborn on the issue and has dug

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his heels in completely that he views his position as

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something that comes from birth rather than privilege granted by others.

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He still sees himself first and foremost as a member

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of the royal family and believes that status cannot simply

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be switched off. And there you have it, hey, All

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to John McDermott, this is Palace Intrigue. Good terms,

Harry and Meghan’s UK Visit Splits the Palace as Andrew Clings to Royal Status

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