"Most Disappointing Celebrity and the $23 Million Inventory Problem" - The week in Royal news with Mark Francis

0:03 Callaroga Shark Media Now, Hello and welcome to Palace Weekly. I am your host, Mark Francis. This is a roundup of all the stories in the past week on Palace Intrigue and if you like the full versions of those, please go back and listen to the daily episodes. So here's what happened. Megan Markle has been labeled the most disappointing celebrity of twenty twenty five by her former hometown newspaper, The Toronto Star. The opinion piece argues that despite having all the ingredients to become a global success, she has failed to live up to expectations over the past year and has instead slowly deflated. Megan spent seven years living in Toronto while filming suits. It was also during her time in the city that she began her relationship with Prince Harry. Despite that history, the Toronto Star article offers a sharply critical reassessment. A source close to the Sussex's claimed that criticism has a profound impact. This is the most painful review Meghan has had because it comes from a city that once gave her refuge and normality. It's shaken her confidence, the insider told Radar online columnist Patricia Treble wrote that Meghan has not fully capitalized on opportunities available to her since stepping back from royal duties. While stopping short of calling the Duchess of Sussex and outright failure, Treble wrote that Meghan's career had slowly deflated over the past year. She suggested Meghan could be famous by being

1:37 open and real. It worked for the Kardashians, who got rich by working non stop to sell themselves to a world eager to see their latest reinventions. Treble also questioned what she described as central contradiction in Meghan's public positioning, writing Meghan wants everyone to know and acknowledge that she's royal without the obligations of working on behalf of the monarch, including all those endless and gay to infer worthy causes. Internet sleuths the claiming they have uncovered the true scale of Mega marks as Ever Business after what they described as a website glitch appeared to expose vast quantities of stock sitting behind the Duchess of Sussex's carefully curated small batch image. Users on Reddit say they were able to exploit a bug on the as Ever website by attempting to add unusually large quantities of products to their shopping baskets.

2:28 Instead of rejecting the request outright, the site allegedly revealed the maximum number of items available for purchase, effectively exposing total stock levels. If accurate, the figures suggest inventory on a scale far beyond the brand's cozy kitchen pantry marketing. Alleged screenshots circulating online show more than two hundred and twenty thousand jars of fruit spreads, around thirty thousand jars of honey, thirty thousand mulling kits, nearly ninety thousand candles, more than one hundred and ten thousand tea products, and roughly eighty thousand jars of edible flower sprinkles. At list price, selling through that volume of stock would generate more than twenty one million dollars in revenue. A Twitter user posted at this time meglae is sitting on roughly twenty three million dollars worth of product in stock, including one hundred and thirty seven thousand of a signature of fruit spread box.

3:20 The numbers last night revealed that within about twelve hours she moved twenty of these. If you double that count to forty and divide by the stock and then the number of days in a year. It appears that it will take her upwards of nine years to move all the stock. If the product moves at current rates, that's catastrophically bad. Shortly after the claims began circulating widely, the as Ever website was updated, purchase limits were imposed, and users attempting to add excessive quantities and now met with error messages. However, a source defended the figures to The Daily Express. While it's normal for a business not to talk about sales data, I think it's fair to say that the glitch that led to this data being revealed points to a business that isn't just successful, it's flying literally off the shelf. According to Starr, tensions between William and Harry have reportedly flared once again, this time over how the legacy of their late mother, Princess Diana, should be handled, and insider tells the magazine that the Duke of Sussex is determined to honor his mother and share her story with the next generation, and does not believe his older brother needs to be involved. The source adds that Harry intends to use his existing Netflix relationship when the time comes a move that is said to further anger the Prince of Wales. What is said to trouble Prince William most, however, is Megan Michael's alleged involvement. According to gossip columnist Rob Shooter, sources claim Harry and Meghan are developing a feature film centered on Diana, and that Megan wants to direct the project and inside to tell Starr, William doesn't want to anywhere near his mother's story, but

4:50 of course that doesn't matter one bit to Harry. He is absolutely second that Harry and by extension, Meghan will be profiting off Diana. To him, it's nothing more than a shaless money grab, and he's vowing to do whatever it takes to stop them. The death of Princess Diana remains one of the most enduring and emotive chapters in modern royal history, and as the thirtieth anniversary of her passing approaches, the subject is once again said to be front of mind for Prince Harry and Megan Michael. According to reports cited by a New Idea, a source close to the Sussex's claims Megan Michael is keen to gain access to the so called Diana Dossier, a six thousand page investigative file compiled in two thousand and seven that remains sealed in the basement of the Palade Justice in Paris and is not due to be made public until twenty eighty two. Meghan is desperate to get her hands on those files, the source said. She's convinced it could give them the ultimate hook they need for their documentary.

5:46 She also believes Harry has every right to know what happened, so she's urging him to demand a review of the documents. She knows he wants closure on this, and those documents could be what they need to save their Netflix dealer in just a moment. The International Business Times quoted sources close to Prince Harry as saying the Duke of Sussex's privately struggling, describing him as homesick, deeply unhappy, and increasingly convinced that his life in California has been a mistake. One source said Harry now feels homesick, handpacked and hollowed out, adding that he no longer recognizes himself and fills a drift without this structure and purpose he once had as a working royal According to multiple accounts, Harry has become fixated on returning to Europe and is said to be openly questioning whether he has any future in the United States at all. One inside claimed Harry has reached a breaking point with life in California and has been blunt with Megan that he no longer sees a future for himself there. He feels profoundly unhappy and directionless, frustrated that the professional opportunities he hoped would materialize never truly did.

6:58 Friends say the disappointment cuts deeply. Another source said he has struggled to form close friendships, pheels isolated and has been shaken by what they describe as Hollywood's calling interest in him and his wife. The rejection stings. The source said. He misses the life he had. One source said this is a man who loved his sports, having a laugh and a pint with his powals at the pub. He misses the sense of purpose being a working royal gave him. There are also suggestions that Harry's recent legal fight over UK security has been driven by more than principle. One insider claimed the case became an escape route. Megan told him to let it be, but deep down she knows he has done this in part to try to get back home. He is just absolutely done with his life in the States. Prince Harry's recent breakthrough in this long running battle for UK security may have solved one problem, but Royal author Christopher Anderson told US Weekly that the development leaves Meghan in what he described as a rather awkward situation. According to a report in The Mail on Sunday, Prince Harry is effectively he one his fight for government funded armed protection while in the UK. The decision came after Rayveck completed a fresh review of Harry's security risk and determined that he is eligible for protection. A Palace insider told a New Idea Charles is getting extremely impatient with Harry and told him to start asserting his needs more.

8:21 The hope is for a visit at the end of February or early March, but at the urging of Prince William, Charles is taking every precaution to avoid more family bust ups. The same source claims that while the King wants to see his grandchildren, any visit would come with strict conditions, including firm control over publicity. He will need reassurances that there will be no surprise solo outings or media access or paparazzi friendly shopping trips. Everything has to go through his team. All social media has to be pre approved and coordinated. There are to be no clashes, no distractions, and no more online shade or private family meetings will need phones to be locked in farioy bags and left with security. The report also suggests that non disclosure agreements would be part of the arrangement, along with a rotating team of support staff for the Sussexes. There is even said to be discussion of bringing a trained mediator under the banner of healing. According to The Examiner, Princess Anne is firmly aligned with Prince William and Queen Camilla in opposing any return by the Sussexes. An insider told the outlet Anne doesn't tend to interfere or get involved with family politics all that often, so when she does speak up and offer her opinion, it counts for a lot.

9:35 Anne says it's madness that childs would countenance any type of reconciliation or forgiveness, let alone allow this upstart anywhere near them. According to Radar Online, the Kardashians are telling Harry and Meghan to keep their distance. One insiders said, Chris and Kim and their entire circle are stunned. Asking for permission to share photos is done as a courtesy, but Chris certainly isn't expecting anyone to say no, and certainly not Megan and Harry. These are two people who have asked for and received her help, advice and connections. Here she was inviting them past the velvet rope of OZ and this is how they repay her, acting as though they are too good to be seen partying with her. It's a massive slap in the face and one that she cannot let slide. Writing on his substack, Rob Shooter reports at several top tier agencies have rejected the Sussex's outright.

10:24 One agency representative is quoted as saying they are difficult and frankly cheap. Kardashians and Beyonce spend of fortune on PR, Harry and Meghan expect the same results for a fraction of the budget. One former publicist said, a competent PR can survive bad headlines. They can't survive clients who won't listen or demand you push false narratives. That's the Sussex problem. Another source described the couple as being liable to hit Defcon one at any moment, creating the prospect of constant crisis management. A strike King profile of the Princess of Wales and the Times magazine emblazoned with the headline Arise Queen Kate has reportedly caused fresh irritation behind palace doors, particularly for King Charles and Queen Camilla. Writing in The Times, Royal correspondent Kate Mansey reports that pallace aides believe Catherine is more bold and determined than she is often perceived to be, particularly when it comes to using her role to create long term social impact. Sources speaking to the Royalists say that Queen kate headline was viewed within the King's circle as being in poor taste. While there is no suggestion that Prince William or Catherine were involved in approving the cover, the perception among senior figures is that the Waleses are increasingly being positioned as monarchs in waiting rather than patient heirs. A source tells Closer Online Kate's pin center stage over Christmas, and Camilla has been feeling sidelined.

11:50 She's still reeling from the banquet feeling. Kate's tiara was no accident and highly symbolic. Kate was effectively telling the world that it won't belong before She's queen. She's adored within the family and by the British public, so it makes sense that she's taking a bigger hand in shaping what the monarchy looks like moving forward. In his substack, Deep Crown writes, the uncomfortable truth for those at Buckingham Palace is that Catherine has achieved something the current king has spent decades pursuing. Genuine public affection combined with institutional credibility. She's popular and effective, She's modern and traditional, She's accessible and regal. It's a combination my late sovereign managed through seven decades of service, but one that has eluded nearly everyone else. Catherine the Princess of Wales has become one of the highest profile victims of a disturbing misuse of artificial intelligence after an AI chatbot on the social media platform X was found to be generating sexualized images of her. Groch, which is x's artificial intelligence assistant, was shown to be producing altered images of Kate that depict her in a bikini and other minimal clothes using The images were created by redrawing publicly available photographs of the princess without her consent.

13:07 The issue has prompted intervention from OFCOM, The UK communications regulator of Com confirmed it has made urgent contact with x and its artificial intelligence division XAI, both owned by Elon Musk. Former Prince Andrew was reported to have urged his ex wife, Sarah Ferguson, to reach out to senior members of the royal family as controversy continues to surround his past association with Jeffrey Epstein. According to sources quoted by OK magazine, Andrew encouraged Ferguson to send what Inside has described as begging letters to figures including King Charles and Queen Camilla. The messages were reportedly sent around Christmas and expressed regret over events linked to the House of York.

13:50 Sarah has seemingly been drawn back into the Jeffrey Epstein scandal following the emergence of US court files that refer to a Duchess of England apparently giving staff at Epstein's mansion a six word warning. The files claim the unnamed Duchess told staff to see nothing, hear nothing, and say nothing. Although the document was first disclosed in twenty twenty one, there has never been any confirmed evidence identifying who helped write it. However, an anonymous former employee is now claimed they first encountered the manual after a visit from a woman they described as a duchess from England. Andrew is reportedly being pushed towards the exit at Royal Lodge, with Easter now emerging as the hard deadline for his departure.

14:33 The timing, insiders suggest is not accidental. The Royal family traditionally gathers at Windsor for Easter, and there is a clear desire to avoid what one source has described as another awkward family encounter more Palace in just a moment. Queen Camilla has spoken publicly for the first time about being indecently assaulted as a teenager, sharing her experience during a special edition of BBC Radio Force to Day program, The Queen said the incident occurred when she was attacked by a stranger on a train while reading a book. Recalling the moment, she said, somebody I didn't know attacked me and I did fight back. She added that she was left deeply angry by the experience, saying I was so furious about it, and it sort of lurked for many years. This is the week Meghan's hometown newspaper called her the most disappointing celebrity of twenty twenty five. The weaker website Glitch allegedly exposed twenty three million dollars in unsold as Ever inventory that could take nine years to move at current sales rates. The week, Harry was described as homesick, henpecked, and hollowed out, desperate to return to Europe, while Megan pushes him to access Diana's sealed Paris dossier for their Netflix documentary. The Kardashians are cutting them off, pr agencies are rejecting them as difficult and cheap. Princess Anne is calling Megan an upstart and blocking reconciliation, but Harry won his security battle, opening the door for a spring twenty twenty six UK visit with strict conditions, NDA's Faraday bags for phones, pre approved social media, and a

16:05 mediator to ensure Megan doesn't bottle things up and offload later in interviews. Meanwhile, Arise Queen Kate caused palace irritation as Catherine achieved what Charles spent decades pursuing genuine public affection with institutional credibility and an AI chat bought on X, sexualized images of Kate, prompting ofcom intervention, Andrew's begging letters through Sarah Easter deadline for Royal Lodge, Diana's six thousand page sealed file, twenty three million dollars in inventory, nine years to sell it. All the working Royals work, the hometown paper delivers the verdict, and somewhere in California someone is calculating how many jars of fruit spread it takes to save a Netflix deal, while your husband dreams of pints at the pub and the habit. If you'd like to email us our addresses at the Palace Intrigue at gmail dot com, please follo us on Spotify, Apple or the app of your choice and leave us a nice review for you enjoying the show. I'm Francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace Weekly. Good terms, m