April 27, 2026

King Charles begins landmark U.S. Trump visit amid diplomatic tension

Show Notes
Transcript

King Charles tand Queen Camilla begin a four-day visit to the United States, their first official trip as King and Queen, with a schedule spanning Washington, New York, and Virginia. The visit includes meetings with Donald Trump and Melania Trump, a state dinner at the White House, and a historic address to Congress, making Charles only the second British monarch to do so after Queen Elizabeth the Second in 1991.

The trip is framed as a reinforcement of U.K.–U.S. ties, though it unfolds against a backdrop of reported political tensions. Palace officials have also ruled out a meeting with Prince Harry and declined a request involving the family of Virginia Giuffre, citing legal sensitivities tied to Prince Andrew.

Elsewhere, protocol questions linger following past interactions between Trump and the royal family, while in the U.K., Nigel Farage’s Reform party is proposing new pro-monarchy policies in schools. Back in London, a new memorial garden honoring Queen Elizabeth the Second opens in Regent’s Park, marking her legacy with a focus on sustainability and reflection.

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Calarogus shark media now low and welcome to Palace Intrigu.

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I'm your host, Mark Francis. King Charles and Queen Camilla

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begin their four day visit to the United States. The trip,

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marking their first official visit to the US's King and Queen,

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will include stops in Washington, d C. New York City,

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and Virginia Buckingham Palace to The visit is intended to

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highlight the shared history and close tires between the UK

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and the US. In Washington, the couple are scheduled to

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meet Donald Trump and First Lady Belania Trump. The itinerary

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includes a private tea, formal welcome ceremony with a military review,

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a garden party in the British Ambassador's residence, and state

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dinner at the White House. One of the central moments

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of the triple see King Charles addresser Joint Meeting of Congress,

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making him only the second British monarch to do so,

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after Queen Elizabeth in nineteen ninety one. The visit also

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comes at a sensitive diplomatic moment, with reports in voting

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tensions between the US administration and the British government. Officials

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hope the trip will reinforce the long standing relationship between

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the two countries. Following the Washington portion, the King and

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Queen will travel to New York City, where they are

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expected to meet families of September eleven victims and attend

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events tied to environmental and community initiatives. In Virginia, they

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will participate in celebrations marking the two hundred and fiftieth

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anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, including a community event

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with indigenous groups and conservation organizations. After the US visit concludes,

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King Charles is expected to continue on to Bermuda for

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a separate engagement. The day is set to open with

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the tea party and garden party at the British Ambassador's residence.

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Guests have been advised to wear lounge suits and day dresses,

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but notably, the invitation states that hats are not encouraged,

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marking a departure from traditional royal garden party customs where

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fascinators and top hats are typically a defining feature. The

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opening day will also include a formal welcome ceremony, complete

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with a ceremonial military review, setting the tone for the

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remainder of the visit. Nigel Shinewore Britain's ambassador to Washington

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from two thousand and seven to twenty twelve, observes pretty

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much more than any other visit. This is about the

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long term. This is about the fundamentals of the relationship

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between our peoples, our countries. It's not about what's going

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on today. Charles will not meet with the brother of

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Virginia Roberts Geoffrey during his trip. In a rare and

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detailed statement, Buckingham Palace said such a meeting could risk

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interfering with ongoing police inquiries and potential legal proceedings connected

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to allegations involving Prince Andrew also referred to as Andrew,

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Mount Matt and Windsor. Geoffrey, who died by suicide last

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year at the age of forty one, had been one

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of the most prominent accusers of both Prince Andrew and

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Jeffrey Epstein, allegend she was trafficked as a teenager. Her brother,

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Sky Roberts, told USA Today he had hoped to meet

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the King during the four day visit to Washington and

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New York, saying I want the King to look me

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in the face, see my sister and me I'm her blood.

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I want him to see Virginia in a different way

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than just reading it in the news. He added, this

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isn't about the King coming here and partying and celebrating

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with Trump. It should be about you coming here and

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taking a stand to set an example for other world

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leaders and come forward for survivors. The Powace responded by

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stressing the King's constitutional role and need to avoid any

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action that could affect legal processes, stating His Majesty's constitutional position,

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not least with regards to the judicial process, is such

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that even though the risk may be small that a

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meeting or any public comments could impact on the proper

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course of the law, that is a risk that we

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simply can't take for the best interest of the survivors themselves.

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Charles also will not meet with Harry. Sources note of

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the schedule leaves little flexibility, with one saying when you

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are talking about a state visit, every minute is accounted for,

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especially when it's the King traveling as the invited guest

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of a head of state. Former communications official Shannon Felton

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Spence stressed the structured nature of the trip, say he

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will be on official business as head of state and

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to celebrate America's two hundred and fiftieth anniversary. Therefore, the

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program and the guest lists are controlled by the State

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Department and the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Royal commentator

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Richard fitz Williams ads there was simply no place for

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Prince Harry in this plan. It is essential that they

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focus on the host and visitors only, not on a

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situation where attention could be diverted by a media frenzy.

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The King and Prince Harry reportedly last saw each other

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in September twenty twenty five, marking their first in person

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meeting in nineteen months, more palacing just a moment. Previous

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encounters between the American President and the British royal family

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have drawn scrutiny for departures from traditional protocol. During a

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visit to the UK in twenty twenty five, Trump was

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seen greeting the King not with a customary handshake, but

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by patting him on the shoulder. While there was no

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strict requirement when meeting a royal, guidance from Buckingham Palace

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suggests a slight bow of the head from men for

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women or a handshake initiated by the royal. On the

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same visit, Trump and First Lady Milania. Trump met Prince

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William and Catherine, Princess of Wales. The couple did not

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bow or curtsey, and Trump was seen pulling Catherine slightly

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towarden as he greeted her, telling her You're beautiful, so beautiful.

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He later added state dinner to see her, Royal Highness,

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Princess Catherine, so radiant and so healthy and so beautiful.

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It's a great honour. During a twenty nineteen visit, Trump

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appeared to greet Queen Elizabeth with what some described as

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a fist bump. The Majesty Magazines Joe Little suggested this

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was simply an unusually firm handshake caused by an odd

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camera angle. At the same visit, Trump was also seen

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lightly touching the Queen's back during a toast, an action

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widely noted at the time as physical contact with the

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monarch is generally avoided in formal settings. Nigel Farage's Perform

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UK Party is proposing that every school in England display

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a portrait of King Charles and fly the Union jack

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if the party comes to power. The policy, announced around

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Saint George Day, would also include funding for flag poles

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and requirement for schools to observe the National Day. In addition,

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Reform UK says it would introduce what it calls a

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patriotic curriculum, with at least sixty percent of assessed history

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content focused on Britain, including topics such as the Magna Carta,

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the English Civil War and the Enlightenment. The proposal would

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apply to England, though Reform UK says it would pursue

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similar measures in Scotland and Wales have gained power there.

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The Queen Elizabeth the Second Garden will open today in

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Regent's Park. The project has turned a disused former plant

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nursery into a two acre garden designed as both a

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memorial to the late Queen in a boost for urban

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biodiversity according to the Royal Parks. The site sits behind

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the Espresso Bar on the broad Walk and will be

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accessible through four new entrances. The garden has been designed

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with symbolism in mind. A straight central paths intended to

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reflect the late Queen's steady sense of duty and service,

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while other meandering paths will guide visitors through different landscape

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areas intended for quiet to reflect. At the southern entrance,

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visitors will find a large pond with seating and a pagola,

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while plans also include converting a former water tower into

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an accessible viewing platform and wildlife refuge. The planting scheme

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is also meant to carry meaning the Royal Parks, as

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the garden will feature wildlife friendly planting and species that

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were significant in Queen Elizabeth's life, alongside hedgerows, trees, meadows

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and a new pond. The organization also says climate resilient

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planting is being tested using crushed concrete from the old

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nursery site, part of a wider effort to ensure the

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garden can adapt to future environmental conditions. Accessibility and sustainability

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are central to the plans as well. The garden has

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been designed with wide, even paths and frequent places to

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stop and sit, while much of the demolition material from

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the former nursery is being reused as part of the redevelopment.

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In his substack, Royal Inside a Deep Crown writes there

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is a version of the child story that was written

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a long time ago and has proven, with each passing year,

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increasingly difficult to sustain. It goes roughly like this, A

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man of eccentric passions and thin skin unsuited by temperament

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to the role he was born to fill, who arrived

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at the throne too late and too damaged by the

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wars of his private life to be anything more than

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a brief interlude between two more compelling chapters. A placeholder,

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a caretaker, someone to mind the shop while the country

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waited for William. I have never entirely accepted this version.

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I accepted even less now. This week has been in

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ways that I think will only become clear in retrospect,

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a rather significant one for the assessment of Charles' reign.

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He delivered a centenory address for his mother that was precise,

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moving and philosophically coherent. He is traveling to Washington to

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do something that is genuinely difficult, which is to be

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used diplomatically without being political, to repair by presence what

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cannot be repaired by argument. He has managed, with what

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I can only describe as institutional resolve the long shadow

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of his brother's disgrace, including a Palace statement issued on

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the eve of the Washington visit that was remarkab in

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its careful legal language and its implicit acknowledgement that the

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matter remains unresolved and active. He has done all of

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this while governing a slim institution with a depleted bench,

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in a media environment that would have broken people with

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considerably thicker skin than his and they you have it.

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If you'd like to email us or addresses the Palace

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intriger gmail dot com, please follow us on the app

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that you are currently using. I'm Marc Francis my thanks

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to John McDermott. This is Palace Intrigue in good terms.

King Charles begins landmark U.S. Trump visit amid diplomatic tension

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