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Calorogus Shark Media. He hello and welcome to Palace Weekly.
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I am your host, Mark Francis. It's been a week
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in which the Monarchy became significantly more transparent about its financewers.
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The question of whether Harry and Meghan are coming to
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Britain changed its answer approximately twice per day. Kate climbed
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three mountains in twenty four hours, and Charles visited a
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jiu jitsu academy and received a white belt. The summer
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as ever delivers. Let's get into it. We begin with money,
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because this week the Palace finally started talking about it openly.
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For the first time in modern British history. King Charles
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publicly disclosed his personal tax bill the newly released accounts,
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so he voluntarily paid twelve point nine million pounds in
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income and capital gains tax for the twenty twenty four
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to twenty five financial year. Prince William disclosed his figures simultaneously,
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seven point seven six million paler drawn from the Duchy
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of Cornwall income. The Palace described the decision as an
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effort to increase public understanding of how the monarchy operates financially.
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Charles's owned statement made clear this came at his express wish.
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The reaction was mixed, which will surprise no one. Tax
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expert Dan Needle noted on Radio four that, without knowing
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the deductions applied, the disclosed figures tell only part of
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the story. Marina Hyde and The Guardian observe that the
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monarchy is currently spending roughly twice what it did before
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the so called slimming down, and ask the obvious question,
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how does a slim down monarchy cost more than floated one.
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The sovereign grant is rising from fifty one million to
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nearly one hundred million pounds next year. Travel costs are up,
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staffing is up, hospitality is up. The most expansive overseas
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engagement was William's three day visit to Saudi Arabia at
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one hundred and thirty thousand pounds. Advance planning for child
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state visit to America cost sixty six thousand. One royal
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train journey to Lancaster cost forty eight thousand. The Palace's
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defense is consistent soign grant funds the institution, not private lives.
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Lord Folks, appearing to have been waiting a long time
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to say this, publicly described the monarchy as bloated and
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called for something considerably more modest. Whether the new transparency
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satisfies critics or simply gives them better ammunition remains to
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be seen. The other financial revelation was architectural in its implications.
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King Charles will not move into Buckingham Palace when its
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ten year, three hundred and seventy million pound refurbishment completes.
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I and Camilla will remain at Clarence House permanently. Buckingham
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Palace will continue as the operational headquarters of the monarchy, state, banquets, investitures,
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diplomatic receptions, but not as anyone's home. The palace has
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not been lived in since the Queen departed at the
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start of the COVID pandemic in twenty Deep Crown, in
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a separate observation, noted the practical consequences by the time
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George's heir inherits residential non occupation of Buckingham Palace will
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have been precedent for so long that questioning it will antiquated. Charles,
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in other words, has quietly given William the freedom to
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make the same decision without appearing to be a break
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with tradition. The tradition he broke himself more palacy just
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a moment. The story that dominated every other conversation this
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week was the question of whether Harry and Meghan are
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coming to Britain, When they are coming, whether Megan will
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be with them, whether the children will be with them,
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where they will stay, whether they will see the King,
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and whether a Netflix crew will be present for any
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of the above. The answer to all these questions changed
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repeatedly across the course of seven days, which makes summarizing
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them a particular kind of challenge. Here is what appears
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to be true as of this morning. Harry is expected
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in Britain for Invictor's Games one year countdown events in Birmingham,
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likely around the tenth of July. Reports suggested Meghan and
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the children would join him. The BBC confirmed the family
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intends to visit. The King reportedly offered accommodation on a
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royal estate. Haran Meghan reportedly did not respond to the offer.
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Then came a report in the Guardian on Thursday suggesting
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the government had declined a request connected to police protection
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outside royal residences, throwing the whole plan into doubt. A
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source close to Harry told the paper that their plans
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had been pulled out from under their feet at the
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eleventh hour, and that Harry was looking for every option
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to try and get the family here safely. By the weekend,
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the family were reported to be on a European holiday,
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with speculation pointing to Portugal, where Eugenie and Jack brooks
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Bank are based, or possibly Lake Como or Abeza. The
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Daily Mail noted all previous Sussex European destinations, no confirmation
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of location was provided none will be until they are
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somewhere else. Speculation about Allthorpe House, the Spencer estate where
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Diana is buried and which is closed to visitors on
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July tenth and eleventh, continued to generate column inches. Harry
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has described taking Meghan to the island grave during their
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relationship in his memoir, noting she knelt and prayed for
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clarity and guidance. Whether it visitors planned, whether cameras would
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be involved is unknown. Deep Crown observed that if a
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film crew arrives at all four, the reaction from William
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would make itself known one way or another. The internal
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palace daemon the internal palace dynamics around the visit continued
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to be reported with considerable confidence by people who presumably
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weren't in the rooms. Camilla is said to be opposed,
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having reportedly torpedoed plans for a cozy summer reunion. A
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source toll closer she has been warning Charles that whenever
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Harry and Meghan are given an inch, they inevitably take
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a mile. William is said to view the Sussexses as
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wolves in sheep's clothing. Kate is said to be worried
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about history repeating itself, specifically about private family moments becoming
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future content. One source described palace concerns that Harry and
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Meghan could be acting as spies during any stay. Another
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source said Harry has grown up and changed a lot
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since Megs. Both of these things were said to be
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about real people. In the same week, Tom Sykes, writing
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in The Royalists, used the word Meg's in to describe
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what he sees as a potential structural reintegration of the
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Sussex's into royal life, arguing this represents an absolutely jaw
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driving surrendered by the King. The Daily Mail's Allison Bouschof
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suggested Charles's essentially accepted an arrangement in which the Sussex's
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flogged jam in America, but it welcomed his family went
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in Britain. Whether this reading accurately reflects palace strategy, or
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whether it reflects the gap between what sources tell journalists
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and what is actually happening, is a question The Week
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did not fully answer. It rarely does. The security issue
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remains the unresolved hinge on which everything else turns. Harry
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lost his legal challenge to restore publicly funded police protection
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earlier this year. Mark Dolan quoted a former Royal security
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professional who told him the dispute his politics, not security,
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and that Harry will be safe on British soil. Regardless.
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Harry's team maintains his position is not changed. He will
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not bring his children to Britain unless he can guarantee
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their safety. The government maintains it cannot discuss individual security arrangements.
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The King maintains through sources that he would love to
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see his grandchildren. The situation continues. Megan for what It's
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worth was reported by Radar Online to have no appetite
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to walk back into an environment where she feels heavily criticized,
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and to prefer focusing on her brand. The brand this
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week launched a lavender honey, described as a floral gift
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of summer, softly floral with a delicate warmth that lingers beautifully.
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A separate report suggested she is planning to bring child's
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gifts of as ever products, a gesture one Palace insider
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described as potentially the first reconciliation gesture that comes with
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a product label. Sources close to Meghan and says that
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there is no commercial motive. A source added that she
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is not expecting the King to post about the jam
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on Instagram, which feels like an important clarification more palacing,
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just a moment now to the story that deserved and
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received considerably more attention than it sometimes gets amid the
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Sussex coverage. On Thursday, Catherine, Princess of Wales completed the
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national Three Peaks Challenge, climbing ben Nevis, Scaffold Pie and
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Snowden within twenty four hours, covering twenty three miles, more
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than ten thousand feet of elevation and four hundred and
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sixty miles of travel between the peaks. Kensington Palace described
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it as the first time a member of the royal
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family had completed the challenge. She was greeted at the
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finish by William, George, Charlotte and Lewis, as well as
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her parents and brother. In the message she shared afterward,
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Catherine wrote, cancer doesn't just affect the body. It changes
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how you think, can feel, and profoundly affects every aspect
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of life. I know this personally. She described the challenge
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as an exploration of life beyond diagnosis, and the funds
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raised will support the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. She met
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several remarkable people along the way, including Ted Hausem, an
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eleven year old boy pushed up ben Nevis by his
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family after being left paralyzed by a spinal tumor at
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the age of three. Catherine later made a personal donation
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to his fundraising page under the name Katherine Wales and
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left a note calling him one of the real highlights
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of the journey. The Princess has now, in the space
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of a few weeks, returned to overseas, working visits at
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trooping the Color, the Order of the Garter, Royal Ascot
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and a cancer Research UK reception, climbed three mountains and
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done all of it while being described in the press
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as a woman who inspires everyone who encounters her. The
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assessment appears on the available evidence to be roughly accurate elsewhere.
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Keir Starmer resigned as Prime Minister this week, leaving Charles
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preparing to appoint his fourth and under three years of
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his reign. Andy Berman is the favorite to succeed him,
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which would provide potential common ground with the King around housing,
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communities and regeneration. William donated one thousand pounds to help
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save the Somerset Arms Pub in Wiltchair and promised to
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bull at First Plint if the campaign succeeds. He also
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agreed to guest edit Country Life in November, following Charles
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Camilan David Beckham. William's duchy of Cornwall assets are now
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valued at approximately one point two billion pounds, technically making
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him wealthier on paper than his father. He cannot sell
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the estate, but the number is the number. The Changing
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of the Guard was canceled for several days due to
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the heat wave which reached record levels across southern England.
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Buckingham Palace, which houses seven hundred and seventy five rooms
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and does not have air conditioning, manages the heat through
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stack ventilation, warm air rising through the buildings many windows
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and doors, while cool air draws in from below the
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King at one event, was photographed having perspiration wiped from
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his face while a member of the staff held a
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small portable fan nearby. Charles visited an Afghan refugee women's
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cricket team at Clarence House, receiving a decorated bat and
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asking a player who had requested a posh word for
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what would have been adequate advance warning. He also visited
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a jiu jitsu academy and was presented with a white belt.
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He appeared delighted and in Grimsby. Earlier in the month,
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he was accidentally addressed as darling by a community worker,
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who immediately apologized. He replied, I like being called darling.
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The monarchy, at its most human, is occasionally exactly like this. Andrew,
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reportedly still insisting on being addressed as sir and referred
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to as the Duke, spent part of the week holidaying
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in Brittany as the guest of a businessman, enjoying horse
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riding and meals from a private chef. He appears to
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be managing the Summer and the Abbot. If you'd like
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to email us our addresses The Palace Intrigue at gmail
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dot com, please follow us on Spotify or if you're
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on Apple, hit that button up there that says listen
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uninterrupted and become a Premium subscriber. I'm Mark Francis my
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thanks to John McDermot. This air is Palace Weekly Good
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Times