King Charles and the Umbrella. his horse, and running into Idris Elba

0:01 Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am your host, Mark Francis. We have a little more on the King's soaking in Antigua, including what he may have been saying while waiting for somebody to find him an umbrella. Lip reader Nicola Hickling has offered her interpretation of the exchange between Charles Camilla Hickling and their staff as the rain came down during their Caribbean tour. According to Hickling, Camilla noticed it was getting heavier and asked, Can I get an umbrella? I'm getting rather wet. Charles apparently reassured her, Darling, they're coming. An umbrella did arrive, just the one. Camilla took it, leaving the king standing in the rain, while the staff tried to sort out another. Hickling claims Charles then asked, Where's the umbrella? Where's the umbrella? And when an assistant walked past without one, she believes he said, Where are you going? Can't you see I'm wet? Royal Insider Deep Crown writes in his substack, The Queen was handed a clear umbrella and made, quite sensibly, for shelter.

1:07 The King was handed nothing at all. The cameras caught the moment he noticed, his wife departing undercover, himself on the dais in what had become a proper Caribbean downpour, and then the hands going up. There followed some urgent gesturing in the direction of his aides until an umbrella was found and he went off to inspect the troops beneath it. I have read a good deal since about the king's temper, most of it written by people who have never stood in the rain for a living. A man of 77, soaked through in front of a stadium on the sixth day of a tour that began in the Bahamas, is entitled to throw his hands in the air. What I would ask readers to notice is what came next. The queen, back on the dais, could not stop laughing, and within a minute or two, neither could he. At an event afterwards, he told guests that he had started growing watercress on his trousers. Those with long memories will recall the pen in Northern Ireland four years ago and his rather heartfelt verdict on it. The pattern has held ever since. The irritation is real, it passes quickly, and he is usually the first to find it funny. His mother never had this particular difficulty. She carried her own umbrella, a transparent one with a trim to match her coat, so that the crowd could still see her in the wet.

2:17 I do not suggest the king take up the style. I do suggest that somebody on the next tour carries two. Camilla is the person keeping Charles steady through the pressures of his reign, according to royal commentator Phil Dampier. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dampier says he's had to be very resilient, but he has a very strong support system in his wife. Without her, I think he would struggle. She has kept him sane and is helping him to navigate each crisis. Dampier describes Harry and Meghan's public accounts of family life as laundry airing and says the scale of the difficulties may have surprised Charles. Some of these things have been brewing for years, but I don't think he could have anticipated that they would have blown up so big. Despite those pressures, Dampier believes Charles has settled comfortably into the work of being king. While most people in their late 70s are putting their feet up, Charles has a massive work ethic. He takes the job extremely seriously.

3:14 Charles had an unexpected reunion with Idris Elba in Antigua. The two met at Nelson's dockyard. While attending separate events, Charles had just set an engraved stone into a wall at the World Heritage site while Idris was there to host the One Commonwealth Night concert. How are you? Idris asked as they shook hands. Charles seemed surprised to see him. What are you doing here? he asked. I get around, Idris replied, laughing and patting the king on the arm. He then asked, how are you doing though? Are you having a good time? According to the Independent, Idris went on to sympathise with Charles about getting caught in the rain. A horse King Charles sold earlier this year has won the Melbourne Cup, earning its new owners £ 2. 3 million. Just over 12 hours earlier, a horse he still owns won about £ 5, 000 at Plumpton. Point of Law, a three-year-old colt bred by the King, won Australia's biggest race after being sold for an undisclosed sum and moved overseas. The horse is a son of Frankel and had already won a Group 3 race at Newmarket. He also finished fourth in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot before the sale. During his time in royal ownership, he earned just under £ 139, 000.

4:27 Two wins from two starts in Australia have now taken his reported career earnings to almost £ 2. 6 million. Charles and Camilla's racing advisor John Warren had said the couple would derive great pleasure from following his Australian career. Point of Law started the Melbourne Cup as a 6-1 favourite caught the long-time leader of the ironically named Royal Supremacy, and went on to win. The King picked up the Breeders' Award at Flemington with the Melbourne crowd cheering as his name was announced. Ladies and gentlemen, the Breeders' Award today goes to King Charles III, Master of Ceremonies, Eddie Maguire told spectators. He will receive an English leather head collar with an engraved gold-plated plaque to wear with pride. One assumes that's for the horse. More palace in just a moment.

5:19 Sarah Ferguson is back in Britain, keeping a low profile and still keeping in touch with Andrew. According to her spokesperson, the former couple have an ongoing cordial and supportive relationship as co-parents and co-grandparents. Fergie is reportedly renting a property in the home counties after spending time in the Austrian Alps earlier this year. Andrew is living on the King's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. He has consistently denied wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. For Sarah, the focus now appears to be finding somewhere to settle and spending time with daughters Beatrice and Eugenie and their families. Her spokesperson tells People she's resettling here, lying low while she looks at the next stage. She did make an appearance in London on October 29, attending a memorial service for her former boyfriend and longtime friend, Paddy McNally, according to the report. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is reportedly challenging the police search as carried out during the investigation into his dealings with Jeffrey Epstein and Radar Online claims the legal action has caused fresh tension with the King. The outlet says Andrew is questioning the validity of search warrants used by investigators examining allegations of misconduct in public office during his time as a British trade envoy. According to the report, the investigation concerns whether he shared confidential information with Epstein. Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing.

6:40 Radar says his legal challenge caught Buckingham Palace by surprise. An unnamed royal commentator quoted by the outlet described it as Andrew fighting back and trying to do everything he can to clear his name. This could also be Andrew's revenge, a warning shot, because the king and Prince William just want him to shut up and go away, the commentator claims. The report also claims Charles has told Andrew that money he personally provides cannot be used to fund the legal fight. Andrew has reportedly put his Bentley up for sale for $ 165, 000. Radar raises the potential cost of his lawyers alongside the sale, although it doesn't establish that the two are connected. Royal commentator Hilary Fordage is openly critical of his approach. He's making the situation worse for himself because he is embarrassing the royal family he's humiliating his brother. She also accuses him of failing to appreciate the support he's received, adding he's basically digging his own ditch. And there you have it.

7:38 If you'd like to email us, our address is thepalaceintrigue 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. Get the show commercial free for just five bucks a month. We appreciate your support immensely. I am Mark Francis. My thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace Intrigue and good times.