Harry & Meghan's UK Visit in Doubt, Kate Climbs Three Peaks After Cancer, Charles Reveals His £12.9M Tax Bill

0:03 Calorogus Shark Media. He hello and welcome to Palace Weekly. I am your host, Mark Francis. It's been a week in which the Monarchy became significantly more transparent about its financewers. The question of whether Harry and Meghan are coming to Britain changed its answer approximately twice per day. Kate climbed three mountains in twenty four hours, and Charles visited a jiu jitsu academy and received a white belt. The summer as ever delivers. Let's get into it. We begin with money, because this week the Palace finally started talking about it openly. For the first time in modern British history. King Charles publicly disclosed his personal tax bill the newly released accounts, so he voluntarily paid twelve point nine million pounds in income and capital gains tax for the twenty twenty four to twenty five financial year. Prince William disclosed his figures simultaneously, seven point seven six million paler drawn from the Duchy of Cornwall income. The Palace described the decision as an effort to increase public understanding of how the monarchy operates financially.

1:09 Charles's owned statement made clear this came at his express wish. The reaction was mixed, which will surprise no one. Tax expert Dan Needle noted on Radio four that, without knowing the deductions applied, the disclosed figures tell only part of the story. Marina Hyde and The Guardian observe that the monarchy is currently spending roughly twice what it did before the so called slimming down, and ask the obvious question, how does a slim down monarchy cost more than floated one. The sovereign grant is rising from fifty one million to nearly one hundred million pounds next year. Travel costs are up, staffing is up, hospitality is up. The most expansive overseas engagement was William's three day visit to Saudi Arabia at one hundred and thirty thousand pounds. Advance planning for child state visit to America cost sixty six thousand. One royal train journey to Lancaster cost forty eight thousand. The Palace's defense is consistent soign grant funds the institution, not private lives.

2:03 Lord Folks, appearing to have been waiting a long time to say this, publicly described the monarchy as bloated and called for something considerably more modest. Whether the new transparency satisfies critics or simply gives them better ammunition remains to be seen. The other financial revelation was architectural in its implications. King Charles will not move into Buckingham Palace when its ten year, three hundred and seventy million pound refurbishment completes. I and Camilla will remain at Clarence House permanently. Buckingham Palace will continue as the operational headquarters of the monarchy, state, banquets, investitures, diplomatic receptions, but not as anyone's home. The palace has not been lived in since the Queen departed at the start of the COVID pandemic in twenty Deep Crown, in a separate observation, noted the practical consequences by the time George's heir inherits residential non occupation of Buckingham Palace will have been precedent for so long that questioning it will antiquated. Charles, in other words, has quietly given William the freedom to make the same decision without appearing to be a break with tradition. The tradition he broke himself more palacy just a moment. The story that dominated every other conversation this week was the question of whether Harry and Meghan are coming to Britain, When they are coming, whether Megan will be with them, whether the children will be with them, where they will stay, whether they will see the King, and whether a Netflix crew will be present for any of the above. The answer to all these questions changed

3:35 repeatedly across the course of seven days, which makes summarizing them a particular kind of challenge. Here is what appears to be true as of this morning. Harry is expected in Britain for Invictor's Games one year countdown events in Birmingham, likely around the tenth of July. Reports suggested Meghan and the children would join him. The BBC confirmed the family intends to visit. The King reportedly offered accommodation on a royal estate. Haran Meghan reportedly did not respond to the offer. Then came a report in the Guardian on Thursday suggesting the government had declined a request connected to police protection outside royal residences, throwing the whole plan into doubt. A source close to Harry told the paper that their plans had been pulled out from under their feet at the eleventh hour, and that Harry was looking for every option to try and get the family here safely. By the weekend, the family were reported to be on a European holiday, with speculation pointing to Portugal, where Eugenie and Jack brooks Bank are based, or possibly Lake Como or Abeza. The Daily Mail noted all previous Sussex European destinations, no confirmation of location was provided none will be until they are somewhere else. Speculation about Allthorpe House, the Spencer estate where Diana is buried and which is closed to visitors on July tenth and eleventh, continued to generate column inches. Harry has described taking Meghan to the island grave during their relationship in his memoir, noting she knelt and prayed for clarity and guidance. Whether it visitors planned, whether cameras would be involved is unknown. Deep Crown observed that if a film crew arrives at all four, the reaction from William

5:07 would make itself known one way or another. The internal palace daemon the internal palace dynamics around the visit continued to be reported with considerable confidence by people who presumably weren't in the rooms. Camilla is said to be opposed, having reportedly torpedoed plans for a cozy summer reunion. A source toll closer she has been warning Charles that whenever Harry and Meghan are given an inch, they inevitably take a mile. William is said to view the Sussexses as wolves in sheep's clothing. Kate is said to be worried about history repeating itself, specifically about private family moments becoming future content. One source described palace concerns that Harry and Meghan could be acting as spies during any stay. Another source said Harry has grown up and changed a lot since Megs. Both of these things were said to be about real people. In the same week, Tom Sykes, writing in The Royalists, used the word Meg's in to describe what he sees as a potential structural reintegration of the Sussex's into royal life, arguing this represents an absolutely jaw driving surrendered by the King. The Daily Mail's Allison Bouschof suggested Charles's essentially accepted an arrangement in which the Sussex's flogged jam in America, but it welcomed his family went in Britain. Whether this reading accurately reflects palace strategy, or whether it reflects the gap between what sources tell journalists and what is actually happening, is a question The Week did not fully answer. It rarely does. The security issue remains the unresolved hinge on which everything else turns. Harry lost his legal challenge to restore publicly funded police protection earlier this year. Mark Dolan quoted a former Royal security

6:38 professional who told him the dispute his politics, not security, and that Harry will be safe on British soil. Regardless. Harry's team maintains his position is not changed. He will not bring his children to Britain unless he can guarantee their safety. The government maintains it cannot discuss individual security arrangements. The King maintains through sources that he would love to see his grandchildren. The situation continues. Megan for what It's worth was reported by Radar Online to have no appetite to walk back into an environment where she feels heavily criticized, and to prefer focusing on her brand. The brand this week launched a lavender honey, described as a floral gift of summer, softly floral with a delicate warmth that lingers beautifully.

7:19 A separate report suggested she is planning to bring child's gifts of as ever products, a gesture one Palace insider described as potentially the first reconciliation gesture that comes with a product label. Sources close to Meghan and says that there is no commercial motive. A source added that she is not expecting the King to post about the jam on Instagram, which feels like an important clarification more palacing, just a moment now to the story that deserved and received considerably more attention than it sometimes gets amid the Sussex coverage. On Thursday, Catherine, Princess of Wales completed the national Three Peaks Challenge, climbing ben Nevis, Scaffold Pie and Snowden within twenty four hours, covering twenty three miles, more than ten thousand feet of elevation and four hundred and sixty miles of travel between the peaks. Kensington Palace described it as the first time a member of the royal family had completed the challenge. She was greeted at the finish by William, George, Charlotte and Lewis, as well as her parents and brother. In the message she shared afterward, Catherine wrote, cancer doesn't just affect the body. It changes how you think, can feel, and profoundly affects every aspect of life. I know this personally. She described the challenge as an exploration of life beyond diagnosis, and the funds raised will support the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. She met several remarkable people along the way, including Ted Hausem, an eleven year old boy pushed up ben Nevis by his family after being left paralyzed by a spinal tumor at the age of three. Catherine later made a personal donation to his fundraising page under the name Katherine Wales and

8:50 left a note calling him one of the real highlights of the journey. The Princess has now, in the space of a few weeks, returned to overseas, working visits at trooping the Color, the Order of the Garter, Royal Ascot and a cancer Research UK reception, climbed three mountains and done all of it while being described in the press as a woman who inspires everyone who encounters her. The assessment appears on the available evidence to be roughly accurate elsewhere. Keir Starmer resigned as Prime Minister this week, leaving Charles preparing to appoint his fourth and under three years of his reign. Andy Berman is the favorite to succeed him, which would provide potential common ground with the King around housing, communities and regeneration. William donated one thousand pounds to help save the Somerset Arms Pub in Wiltchair and promised to bull at First Plint if the campaign succeeds. He also agreed to guest edit Country Life in November, following Charles Camilan David Beckham. William's duchy of Cornwall assets are now valued at approximately one point two billion pounds, technically making him wealthier on paper than his father. He cannot sell the estate, but the number is the number. The Changing of the Guard was canceled for several days due to the heat wave which reached record levels across southern England.

9:58 Buckingham Palace, which houses seven hundred and seventy five rooms and does not have air conditioning, manages the heat through stack ventilation, warm air rising through the buildings many windows and doors, while cool air draws in from below the King at one event, was photographed having perspiration wiped from his face while a member of the staff held a small portable fan nearby. Charles visited an Afghan refugee women's cricket team at Clarence House, receiving a decorated bat and asking a player who had requested a posh word for what would have been adequate advance warning. He also visited a jiu jitsu academy and was presented with a white belt. He appeared delighted and in Grimsby. Earlier in the month, he was accidentally addressed as darling by a community worker, who immediately apologized. He replied, I like being called darling.

10:45 The monarchy, at its most human, is occasionally exactly like this. Andrew, reportedly still insisting on being addressed as sir and referred to as the Duke, spent part of the week holidaying in Brittany as the guest of a businessman, enjoying horse riding and meals from a private chef. He appears to be managing the Summer and the Abbot. If you'd like to email us our addresses The Palace Intrigue at gmail dot com, please follow us on Spotify or if you're on Apple, hit that button up there that says listen uninterrupted and become a Premium subscriber. I'm Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermot. This air is Palace Weekly Good Times