June 22, 2026
King Charles, Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham: Inside Britain’s Next Transfer of Power
King Charles prepares for another major constitutional moment after Sir Keir Starmer tells the monarch he intends to step down as Prime Minister. With Andy Burnham expected to emerge as the favourite to replace him, the King may soon appoint the fourth Prime Minister of his reign. Plus, what kind of relationship might Charles and Burnham have? Then, Harry and Meghan are reportedly offered accommodation on a royal estate ahead of their expected UK visit, Meghan shares a Father’s Day photo of Harry with Archie and Lilibet, and William marks both his birthday and Father’s Day with a new family message from Catherine and the children.
Palace Intrigue is a daily British royal family podcast covering King Charles, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton and the House of Windsor. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network.
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:10.919
Ah caalarogus shark media now hello and welcome through palace
2
00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:14.320
intrigue game in host Mark ranswers. King Charles will soon
3
00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:17.760
face one of the most important constitutional moments of his
4
00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:21.480
reign after Sir Kias Starmer informed him that he intends
5
00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:24.839
to step down as Prime minister. Buckingham Palace confirmed that
6
00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:28.519
Starmer telephoned the King from Downing Street on Monday before
7
00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:32.640
making his resignation announcement public. The conversation took place while
8
00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:36.079
the King was at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire. In his
9
00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:39.359
statement outside Number ten, Starmer confirmed he had informed the
10
00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:42.200
Monarch of his decision and said I will remain in
11
00:00:42.280 --> 00:00:45.399
post as Prime Minister until the contest is complete, and
12
00:00:45.399 --> 00:00:47.920
I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly
13
00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:52.000
handover of power. The resignation means Britain is now preparing
14
00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:54.840
for its seventh prime minister in a decade and the
15
00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:57.960
fourth of King charles reign. The King's first prime minister
16
00:00:58.039 --> 00:01:00.759
was Liz Truss, who was already enough when he succeeded
17
00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:03.320
Queen Elizabeth I Second in September of twenty twenty two.
18
00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:06.840
Her premiership lasted just weeks before she was replaced by
19
00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:11.760
Rishi Sunak. Sunak remained in office until Labour's landslide election
20
00:01:11.879 --> 00:01:15.439
victory in July of twenty twenty fourth, when Charles appointed
21
00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:18.200
Sir Kia Stamer as Prime Minister. Now less than two
22
00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:22.319
years later, the King is preparing to appoint another. Under
23
00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:26.200
Britain's constitutional arrangements, the monarchy formally appoints the prime minister,
24
00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:30.000
while the King's role was governed by convention and political reality.
25
00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:32.640
The process still requires the incoming leader to meet the
26
00:01:32.760 --> 00:01:37.159
Sovereign and accept an invitation to form a government. Once
27
00:01:37.239 --> 00:01:39.760
Labour's elects its new leader, that individual will travel to
28
00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:43.280
meet the King and formally become Prime Minister. At present,
29
00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:47.000
Andy Burnham appears to be the overwhelming favourite. The former
30
00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:50.120
Greater Manchester mayor returned to Parliament last week and is
31
00:01:50.120 --> 00:01:54.200
widely expected to launch a leadership campaign. If Burnham wins,
32
00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:56.319
he will become the fourth Prime Minister to serve under
33
00:01:56.359 --> 00:01:59.760
King Charles. The timing could create an unusual Royal Bank
34
00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:03.000
d If Labour's contest runs through the summer, the King
35
00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:05.239
may be at Balmoral when the new leader is ready
36
00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:08.680
to take office, potentially requiring Britain's next Prime Minister to
37
00:02:08.759 --> 00:02:12.599
travel to Scotland for the traditional audience. While much attention
38
00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:16.199
will focus on Labour's leadership battle, the resignation also marks
39
00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:18.599
the end of what has generally been viewed as a
40
00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:22.520
constructive relationship between Charles and Starmer. The two men met
41
00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:25.719
regularly during the Prime Minister's weekly audiences with the King.
42
00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:28.759
They were also seen together at a number of public engagements,
43
00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:34.159
including a visit to a housing development in Cornwall last year. Starmer,
44
00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:37.759
despite having once supported abolishing the monarchy earlier in his career,
45
00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:40.919
became one of the King's strongest political allies on issues
46
00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:45.599
such as housing, environmental policy and social cohesion. The Prime
47
00:02:45.639 --> 00:02:47.439
Minister was also in office during one of the most
48
00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:50.759
challenging periods of Charles' reign, following the king's cancer diagnosis
49
00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:53.879
and treatment. The resignation now opens a new chapter both
50
00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:56.599
for the government and for the monarchy. For all the
51
00:02:56.639 --> 00:03:00.719
political drama surrounding Labour's leadership contest, the constagtion uditional process
52
00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:04.039
itself remains unchanged. One prime minister informs the King he
53
00:03:04.120 --> 00:03:07.479
is leaving, another arrives to seek permission to form a government.
54
00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:10.680
The faces changed, but for the fourth time since September
55
00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:13.120
of twenty twenty two, King Charles will find himself at
56
00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:15.960
the center of a transfer of power, carrying out one
57
00:03:15.960 --> 00:03:20.319
of the Crown's oldest constitutional duties. By comparison, Queen Elizabeth
58
00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:23.280
the Second had four prime ministers during the first twelve
59
00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:27.240
years of her reign, Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Harold macmillan
60
00:03:27.319 --> 00:03:31.039
and Alec Douglas Home. The King's role in all of
61
00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:33.599
this is often misunderstood. He doesn't choose the Prime minister,
62
00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:35.759
he doesn't get a vote, he doesn't decide who wins
63
00:03:35.800 --> 00:03:39.479
the Labour leadership contest, but he does occupy a unique position.
64
00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:42.400
Every week, the Prime Minister meets privately with the King.
65
00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:46.919
No advisers, no officials, no cameras. The conversations remain completely confidential.
66
00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:50.520
Those meetings are where a monarch's influences felt, not through
67
00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:54.120
orders or instructions, but through experience. By the end of
68
00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:57.080
her reign, Queen Elizabeth had worked with fifteen prime ministers.
69
00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:00.360
Leaders often spoke about the value of those audiences because
70
00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:03.599
she had seen virtually every political crisis Britain had faced
71
00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:07.000
since the nineteen fifties. Charles is now beginning to build
72
00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:09.520
that same experience For most of his life he watched
73
00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:12.039
governments come and go from the sidelines. Now he is
74
00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:16.839
the constant figure while politicians rotate around him. As attention
75
00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:19.959
turns to who will replace Serkia Stana as Prime Minister,
76
00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:22.879
another question is beginning to emerge in royal circles. What
77
00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:25.639
kind of relationship might the next PM, expected to be
78
00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:29.399
Andy Burnham have with King Charles. While Burnham and Charles
79
00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:32.240
come from different political traditions, there are areas where their
80
00:04:32.279 --> 00:04:37.120
interests overlap more than many might expect. Through his decades
81
00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:40.279
as Prince of Wales's childs frequently spoke about issues including housing,
82
00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:45.000
community identity, architecture, the environment, urban regeneration, and the importance
83
00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:49.399
of local communities. Many of those themes have also featured
84
00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:53.560
prominently in Burnham's political career. As Mayor of Greater Manchester,
85
00:04:53.639 --> 00:04:58.279
Burnham built much of his reputation around local government, regional investment,
86
00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:02.199
housing and community development. His political style has often been
87
00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:06.800
more focused on place and identity than traditional Westminster politics.
88
00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:09.560
That could create a degree of common ground between the
89
00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:13.079
two men. King Charles has always been most comfortable discussing
90
00:05:13.079 --> 00:05:17.040
practical social challenges rather than party politics. Burnham's interest in
91
00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:20.600
local communities and regeneration may provide plenty of subjects for discussion.
92
00:05:20.680 --> 00:05:25.199
During their regular audiences, the King is constitutionally required to
93
00:05:25.240 --> 00:05:28.560
remain politically neutral, but one of the less understood aspects
94
00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:30.959
of the role is the weekly audience with the Prime Minister.
95
00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:34.279
These meetings allow the monarch to be informed about government
96
00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:38.040
business and, in the famous phrase attributed to Walter Bagott,
97
00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:42.319
to advise and courage and warn more Palacey just a moment.
98
00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:48.839
Prince Harry, Megan Michael and their children have reportedly been
99
00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:51.639
offered accommodation on a royal estate ahead of their expected
100
00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:54.839
visit to Britain next month. According to BBC News, the
101
00:05:54.920 --> 00:05:56.959
Duke and Duns of Sussex have been invited to stay
102
00:05:57.000 --> 00:05:59.639
at a royal residence during what would be the children's
103
00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:03.560
first visit to the UK since twenty twenty two. BBC
104
00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:05.639
News reports that the offer has been made, but that
105
00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:09.040
Harry and Meghan have not yet responded. It remains unclear
106
00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:11.800
which royal property has been placed at the family's disposal.
107
00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:15.839
On previous visits, Harry is understood to have declined offers
108
00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:18.639
to stay at Buckingham Palace, citing concerns that the Palace's
109
00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:22.120
highly visible location would make it difficult to guarantee privacy
110
00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:26.040
and security. By contrast, a residence located within a royal
111
00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:28.839
estate would place the Sussex family inside an existing security
112
00:06:28.839 --> 00:06:33.399
perimeter while offering a greater degree of privacy. Harry was
113
00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:35.759
celebrated by a Megan Michael on Father's Day with a
114
00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:38.680
new family photograph featuring the Duke alongside Prince Archie and
115
00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:41.839
Princess Lilibet. The image, shared on social media by the
116
00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:44.560
Duchess of Sussex showed Harry smiling as he held both
117
00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:47.279
children in his arms. Archie appeared to be wearing an
118
00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:50.480
England football shirt, while Littlebert wore a white skirt and
119
00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:53.639
light summer top. Alongside the photograph, Meghan shared a personal
120
00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:56.399
message to her husband, They're so lucky to have you.
121
00:06:56.519 --> 00:07:00.839
We all are. Happy Father's Day to our one and only. Meanwhile,
122
00:07:00.839 --> 00:07:03.839
Prince William celebrated his forty fourth birthday on Father's Day
123
00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:07.199
with a new family photograph released by Kensington Palace. The
124
00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:10.319
image shows the Prince of Wales standing alongside Princess Charlotte
125
00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:13.360
following trooping the colour last weekend. William was wearing the
126
00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:16.920
scarlet uniform of the Welsh Guards, while Charlotte stands beside
127
00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:20.480
him in a cream dress. The accompanying message was signed
128
00:07:20.519 --> 00:07:23.639
by Catherine and the couple's three children. Happy Birthday and
129
00:07:23.720 --> 00:07:25.720
Father's Day to the best Bappa in the world. We
130
00:07:25.879 --> 00:07:29.199
love you very much. The King also marked both occasions
131
00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:31.600
with the royal family sharing a photograph of Charles and
132
00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:34.519
William together at last year's Earthshot Prize ceremony in Brazil.
133
00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:37.600
Another image showed a young child standing with his father,
134
00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:41.519
Prince Philip and Hurray of uniform. The message read celebrating
135
00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:43.439
all fathers and thinking of those who wish they could
136
00:07:43.480 --> 00:07:47.399
be with their dads today and the abbot. Hey all
137
00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:49.800
this month, we're encouraging listeners of Palace Intrigue to help
138
00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:52.160
spread the word. If you enjoy the show, please tell
139
00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:54.560
a friend about us or better yette, share an episode
140
00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:57.399
someone who loves following the Royal family. You know who
141
00:07:57.480 --> 00:07:59.639
they are. Be sure to follow Palace intrig go on
142
00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:03.279
spot and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode,
143
00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:05.439
and we'd love to hear your thoughts on today's stories.
144
00:08:05.480 --> 00:08:08.639
You can leave a comment for us on Spotify. I'm
145
00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:11.439
Mark Francis My thanks to John McDermott. This is palace
146
00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:13.120
intrigue and continums
1
00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:10.919
2
00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:14.320
3
00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:17.760
4
00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:21.480
5
00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:24.839
6
00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:28.519
7
00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:32.640
8
00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:36.079
9
00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:39.359
10
00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:42.200
11
00:00:42.280 --> 00:00:45.399
12
00:00:45.399 --> 00:00:47.920
13
00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:52.000
14
00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:54.840
15
00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:57.960
16
00:00:58.039 --> 00:01:00.759
17
00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:03.320
18
00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:06.840
19
00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:11.760
20
00:01:11.879 --> 00:01:15.439
21
00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:18.200
22
00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:22.319
23
00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:26.200
24
00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:30.000
25
00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:32.640
26
00:01:32.760 --> 00:01:37.159
27
00:01:37.239 --> 00:01:39.760
28
00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:43.280
29
00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:47.000
30
00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:50.120
31
00:01:50.120 --> 00:01:54.200
32
00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:56.319
33
00:01:56.359 --> 00:01:59.760
34
00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:03.000
35
00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:05.239
36
00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:08.680
37
00:02:08.759 --> 00:02:12.599
38
00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:16.199
39
00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:18.599
40
00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:22.520
41
00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:25.719
42
00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:28.759
43
00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:34.159
44
00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:37.759
45
00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:40.919
46
00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:45.599
47
00:02:45.639 --> 00:02:47.439
48
00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:50.759
49
00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:53.879
50
00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:56.599
51
00:02:56.639 --> 00:03:00.719
52
00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:04.039
53
00:03:04.120 --> 00:03:07.479
54
00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:10.680
55
00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:13.120
56
00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:15.960
57
00:03:15.960 --> 00:03:20.319
58
00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:23.280
59
00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:27.240
60
00:03:27.319 --> 00:03:31.039
61
00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:33.599
62
00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:35.759
63
00:03:35.800 --> 00:03:39.479
64
00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:42.400
65
00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:46.919
66
00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:50.520
67
00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:54.120
68
00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:57.080
69
00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:00.360
70
00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:03.599
71
00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:07.000
72
00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:09.520
73
00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:12.039
74
00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:16.839
75
00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:19.959
76
00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:22.879
77
00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:25.639
78
00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:29.399
79
00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:32.240
80
00:04:32.279 --> 00:04:37.120
81
00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:40.279
82
00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:45.000
83
00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:49.399
84
00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:53.560
85
00:04:53.639 --> 00:04:58.279
86
00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:02.199
87
00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:06.800
88
00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:09.560
89
00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:13.079
90
00:05:13.079 --> 00:05:17.040
91
00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:20.600
92
00:05:20.680 --> 00:05:25.199
93
00:05:25.240 --> 00:05:28.560
94
00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:30.959
95
00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:34.279
96
00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:38.040
97
00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:42.319
98
00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:48.839
99
00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:51.639
100
00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:54.839
101
00:05:54.920 --> 00:05:56.959
102
00:05:57.000 --> 00:05:59.639
103
00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:03.560
104
00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:05.639
105
00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:09.040
106
00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:11.800
107
00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:15.839
108
00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:18.639
109
00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:22.120
110
00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:26.040
111
00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:28.839
112
00:06:28.839 --> 00:06:33.399
113
00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:35.759
114
00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:38.680
115
00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:41.839
116
00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:44.560
117
00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:47.279
118
00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:50.480
119
00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:53.639
120
00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:56.399
121
00:06:56.519 --> 00:07:00.839
122
00:07:00.839 --> 00:07:03.839
123
00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:07.199
124
00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:10.319
125
00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:13.360
126
00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:16.920
127
00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:20.480
128
00:07:20.519 --> 00:07:23.639
129
00:07:23.720 --> 00:07:25.720
130
00:07:25.879 --> 00:07:29.199
131
00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:31.600
132
00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:34.519
133
00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:37.600
134
00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:41.519
135
00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:43.439
136
00:07:43.480 --> 00:07:47.399
137
00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:49.800
138
00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:52.160
139
00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:54.560
140
00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:57.399
141
00:07:57.480 --> 00:07:59.639
142
00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:03.279
143
00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:05.439
144
00:08:05.480 --> 00:08:08.639
145
00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:11.439
146
00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:13.120
