Aug. 15, 2024

Kate Middleton's PR Machine ramps us just as Harry and Meghan start faux royal trip

Show Notes
Transcript

Harry and Meghan kick off their roya l trip toda...WHAT'S THAT? Kate wrote a letter to someone? Man she really is wonderful.

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Hello and welcome to Palace Intrey Game, your host by Francis.

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We've recently observed that Kate's PR machine has recently ramped up,

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and what better way to get people to stop talking

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about Harry and Meghan's faux royal trip than by feeding

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the PR machine. The Mirror reports how Kate and William

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reached out personally to the family of Pizza Van owner

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Peter Morris following his death in May. Peter passed away

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at the age of just forty seven. Kate sent his

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widow Tracy, a note written on official Kensington Palace notepaper.

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The message, which was read aloud at his funeral, has

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now been published in the Sun. Just as Harry and

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Meghan's trip begins Breeds. We can only begin to imagine

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what an immense hole he will leave in your life,

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and my heart goes out to you and your family.

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Catherine and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Pete. We know that

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Pete was a hugely dedicated and highly valued member of

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the community, which has been evident from the response to

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his passing. I did want you to know just how

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much you and your family are in our thoughts at

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this time, Tracy said. It came as a massive surprise.

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I don't even know how they found out Pete had died.

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He may have hit a chord with him because Kate

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is going through treatment. He said, how down to earth

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they were. We had so many letters from people who

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loved Pete, but the one from William and Kate was

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very special. In the Daily Mail, Rebecca English writes, not

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a very in Megan, but of how wonderful Kate is,

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looking tanned and relaxed. The surprise video appearance by the

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Prince and Princess of Wales at the weekend to think

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Britain's Olympic heroes was the summer lift that all Royal

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watchers needed. With the extended family largely now on holiday

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about moral and elsewhere, public appearances will be few and

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far between until well into September, and few could fail

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to have been struck by just how happy William and

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Catherine looked after what one friend describes as the toughest

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year of their lives together. That's not to say, as

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the Princess herself so openly put it recently, that she

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is out of the woods yet. She will continue to

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work privately and engage publicly as and when she can.

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Kensington Palace hope to provide guidance at some point in

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the future about what a return to a more regular

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workload might look like, but it is important to stress

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that they are absolutely not at that stage yet. According

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to one Royal insider. Asked if the princess fourth public

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appearance in person and on video of this year signaled

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a return to royal duties, a source said firmly, we

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are not there yet. When we last heard from her

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ahead of trooping the Color, she said her treatment was

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going on into the summer, and that's what's happening. It's

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been a rough, rough time, a really difficult year for

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the entire family, and as she herself said, she is

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not out of the woods yet. The direction is positive,

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but there will not be a great change in terms

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of her public profile after Sunday night, and no one

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is giving a time scale for her return. Skipping ahead

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English quotes a source of saying, I do think people

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realize how much she has gone through behind the scenes

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and for how long, Far longer than anyone actually appreciates.

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She's an incredibly strong woman, but she really has been

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through the wars. Her treatment and recovery is still a

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priority and will be ongoing for some time to come. Meanwhile,

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in the Telegraph, Hannah Furness writes, wherever the Duke and

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Dutchess of Sussex travel, so do the eyes of the world.

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When they went to Australia as newlyweds, they were dubbed

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the Republican Slayers for a charm offensive which saw them

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announce they were expecting their first child in South Africa.

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Megan's I am here as a woman of color, and

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as your sister's speech echoed around the Commonwealth. Next Prince

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Haran Megan will travel to Columbia. Question on lips on

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both sides of the Atlantic is why the Sussex's and

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their spotlight will not be there on behalf of the

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British government. They are not working members of the royal family,

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known to be representing a particular charity, or have any

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public history or heritage in the country. They are receiving

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no advice from the British Foreign Office, whose briefings and

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guidance underpin all official royal tours, days before they are

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even due to arrive in Columbia later this week. The

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trip is generating controversy, with claims reported from Bogutar their

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star power is at risk of being manipulated by a

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government drowning in scandal. That Columbia is beautiful and full

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of rich culture is unquestionable. The description does not, however,

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capture the political turmoil in the country, which just last

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week saw Gustavo Petro, the President, accuse the commander of

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rebel forces of paying to have them assassinated by snipers.

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Both the UK and US worn tourists against traveling to

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parts of the country, and Britain's representative at the United

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Nations told a UN Security Council last month that they

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remain concerned about persistent levels of violence and threats in

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some areas. A country which has struggled to overcome its

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reputation for drugs and kidnap will gain a whole new

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audience of potential tourists. From photographs of ex royals smiling

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at government organized engagements, dancing at music festivals and banging

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the drum for the Vice President's key causes. For the Sussexes,

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it is also high risk. Questions about who is paying

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for their travel, the accommodation and security have not been answered,

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although it has suggested that the Colombian government will ensure

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a higher level of security as they travel with Columbia's

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Vice President Francia Macarez, who has defended her use of

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the Blackhawk helicopter for her commute to Bogutar. There is

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no clear narrative yet about what particular country or continent

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was chosen, other than the government issued an invitation to

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the Sussexes were happy to accept. For long term royal

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watchers and historians, the trip rings some alarm bells, the

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last members of the royal family to tour in such

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high profile under their own steam, where the Duke and

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Duchess of Windsor, whose poor judgment and lack of advice

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greatly damaged their reputations. While there is of course no

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risk of the Sussexes getting embroiled in anything equivalent to

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emerging narcissism as the Windsors did in nineteen thirty seven,

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for some there are some parallels in the approach of

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the two couples. Prince Harry and Megan will be traveling

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with their own small team of staff, but without the

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British government advice on in country protocol and global politics

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they had to hand in. The Royal Family, once was

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for familiar with the work of the Foreign Office, dismissed

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the trippers utterly irrelevant to British interests abroad. Anna Pastornac,

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author of American Duchess The Real Wallace Simpson, said there

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was a real parallel in terms of non working royals

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being invited by foreign governments as private citizens and accepting

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of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor's trip in nineteen

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thirty seven. She said they accepted because Edward felt so

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hurt and angered by the way Wallace had been rejected

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by the Royal family, and he desperately wanted her to

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experience the pomp and ceremony of a royal tour. He

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wanted Wallace to be addressed as hrh and for people

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to curtsey to her. I'm not suggesting that Harry wants

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the pomp and ceremony of a royal tour, but there

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is a feeling that he'd like to elevate Megan to

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the status accorded to her. You feel they really value

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the approval of the people of the country they're visiting.

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They could go and be honored in their own right.

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She added. When you have this quasi royal state, you're

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seeing internationally as a royal and you're treated as such

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on tour, but you don't have the protection of the

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Foreign Office. This is a high risk tour for them.

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When a country invites you, you've got to wonder what's the

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in what way does this fit into the narrative and

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how they want to be seen on a global scale.

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Palace Intriguerment right back. If Harry and Megan are going

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all the way to Colombia, the least we can do

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here at Palace Intrigue is talk about it. So what's

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the plan. They will visit three cities, Bogata, Cali, and Cartagena.

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In Bogota, they will engage with local leaders and organizations

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working on issues close to their hearts, such as mental

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health and child protection. In Cali, they will attend the

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Petronia Alvarez Festival, a significant celebration of Afro Colombian music

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and culture. This festival, held annually in August is known

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for its fibrant displays of traditional music, dance, and food,

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and underscores the rich cultural heritage of Afro Colombians. On

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to Cartagena and a trip to San Basilio to Plenke,

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the first free town for Africans in the Americas. This

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historic town, founded by escaped slaves, is a UNESCO recognized

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site and represents a deep connection to African heritage in Colombia.

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The couple will explore the town's history and its unique

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cultural express such as the Palanko language. During their previous

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trip to Nigeria, Megan showcase the mix of playful maxi

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dresses and smart gowns, many designed by local creators. For

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this tour, she is expected to continue this trend, possibly

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wearying designs by Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz, whose pieces she

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has worn in the past, or teases creations could be

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a significant part of Megan's wardrobe during the visit, reflecting

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her appreciation for local fashion and her connection to Colombia,

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and they have it reflected. Email us and addresses the

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palasintric at gmail dot com. Please follo us on Spotify,

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Apple or the app of your choice. And leave us

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a review of some stars. If you're enjoying the show

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and Francis my thanks to John mcdermot's balance, a drigue

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and good terms

Kate Middleton's PR Machine ramps us just as Harry and Meghan start faux royal trip

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