May 25, 2025

Palace Weekly - Becxit, Text-Gate, and That Private Jet: This Week in Royal Chaos

Palace Weekly - Becxit, Text-Gate, and That Private Jet: This Week in Royal Chaos

This week, the royal soap opera served up a full tray of Montecito mayhem and Buckingham bravado. Meghan’s new “text friendship” with Gwyneth Paltrow has fans begging for a GOOP-meets-Sussex collab—though former BFF Edward Enninful is officially out of the group chat. Prince Harry made headlines with a quiet, generous gesture in Nottingham, while whispers swirl of an unexpected dinner with Brooklyn Beckham. Meanwhile, Kate made her waxy return and a real-life reappearance—only to face backlash for hopping on a private jet. And Charles? He's buying a royal Lotus. Because of course he is.

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Calorogus Shark Media. Hello and welcome through Pallace Weekly. I

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am your host, Mark Francis. In this edition of Palace Intrigue,

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we take all the stories that you would have heard

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during the week and just give you shortened versions in

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case you don't have the time to listen to every

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edition of Palace Intrigue. But if you would like the

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longer versions of these stories, please go back during the

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week and you'll find them all there. So let's kick

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it off with everybody's favorite woman, Megan. Gwyneth Portrow has

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opened up about her growing friendship with Megan, though fans

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expecting tales of why and sod dinner parties in Montecito

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may be surprised to hear the two are at present

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strictly text friends. Speaking to people at the Mind Valley

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Manifesting Summit in Los Angeles, Portrow shared, we have a

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text friendship so far. I've been traveling quite a bit.

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Addressing persistent online in speculation that the pair might be feuding,

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Portrow added pointedly, I don't like that when people try

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to pit women against each other. The Daily Mail reported

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the once gilded friendship between the Duchess of Sussex and

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fashion impresario Edward Annenfall has it seems unraveled behind the

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scenes of glossy pages and royal expectations. The two were

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once lauded as a formidle pairing two like minded thinkers who,

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according to Meghan herself, enjoyed philosophizing over mint tea. The

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celebrated twenty nineteen collaboration on the magazine's Forces for Change

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issue became the fastest selling addition in vogues one hundred

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and four year history, but today Inside and Say the

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Pair are no longer on speaking terms. The Rifft Longley

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subject of quiet industry speculation, reportedly stemmed from a disagreement

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over a high profile editorial project that never came to be.

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The project meant to coincide with Megan's keynote speech at

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the One Young World summit in Manchester in September of

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twenty twenty two, was said to be a major showcase

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of the Jukeni, Duchess of Sussex charitable work, with features

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spanning print and digital formats. It was a quiet week

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for Meghan. Prince Harry has made a quiet but powerful

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gesture in support of a grassroots charity in Nottingham, leaving

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its organizers both stunned and deeply grateful. The Duke of

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Sussex has donated a significant undisclosed sum to Himmer, a

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community organization working to combat poverty, racism and social exclusion.

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The donation will fund more than six hundred and fifty

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emergency food parcels for vulnerable families across the city, a

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vital lifeline as demand for basic support continues to rise.

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The move echoes a previous act of generosity by the

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Duchess of Sussex, who in twenty twenty donated ten thousand

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pounds from the Royal Foundation to support Himma's Salam Shalam Kitchen,

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a joint Muslim and Jewish initiative that provides hot meals

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and groceries to those in need. And how's this one

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for a storyline? Prince Harry and Meghan had said to

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have recently welcomed the Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz to

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their California home for what has been described as an

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unexpected but gratefully received dinner invitation. The encounter is said

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to have taken place just days after David Beckham's fiftieth birthday.

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From which Brooklyn and Nicola were notably absent, further fueling

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rumors of a rift within the Beckham clan. So here

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we have the Beckham children siding with Charles's son, while

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David Beckham coses up to his majesty in a summit

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summer calling bexit. Reports from the Sun and Mirror suggest

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that although the dinner was planned in advance, it came

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at a convenient moment for Brooklyn and Nicola, who are

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believed to be feeling pretty battle wounded amid increasing family tensions.

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A source told the outlet that the couples found a

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lot of common ground, with Harry and Meghan said to

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have been very kind and empathetic, reportedly offering their personal

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support to the younger couple. The backdrop to this Montecito

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moment is the apparent distancing between Brooklyn and his parents,

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David and Victoria Beckham. One source said Brooklyn not turning

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up was a real blow to David. Brooklyn was close

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with his dad growing up, but he is married now.

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His wife, Nicola is older and confident in her own right,

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and so there is distance between Brooklyn and his parents.

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David Beckham made his debut at the RHS Chelsea Flower

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Show in fine style, joining King Charles and Queen Camilla

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on the opening day of the annual celebration of all

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Things Botanical. The former England Captain, now an ambassador for

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the King's Foundation, was there to support an upcoming initiative

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aimed at inspiring young people to pursue careers in horticulture.

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Wearing a freshly cut specimen of the King's Rose in

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his buttonhole, a rose officially named in honor of His Majesty,

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Beckham shared a warm moment with Queen Camilla. Admiring the bloom.

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He echoed her praise, calling it so beautiful, so beautiful. Congratulations.

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The rose, appearing at Chelsea for the first time, is

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being sold in support of the King's Foundation. The Princess

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of Wales made a radiant return to Buckingham Pallace's famed

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Guarnden party, stepping back into the public eye with a

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warm smile, the canary yellow dress and more than a

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few sentimental touches that quietly told her story. It was

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Catherine's first appearance at a Royal garden party in two years,

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having missed the twenty twenty four season while undergoing cancer treatment.

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Her presence this year alongside Prince William was a moment

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of quiet significance not only the royal watchers, but for

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the guests she and William mingled with across the palace lawns.

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Kate has returned to London's Baker Street in sparkling form,

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at least in wax. Madame Tussau's has unveiled a new

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extraordinarily lifelike figure of Princess Catherine, styled after one of

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her most dazzling royal appearances to date. The updated model

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portrays Kate in the ensemble she wore to the annual

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Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace in December of twenty three,

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her second under King Charles reign. The occasion saw the

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Princess in full royal regalia, a dusky pink sequined Georgia

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gown by Jenny Packham, some of Gi and Vito Rossie

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pumps and the iconic lovers not Tiara, once a favorite

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of her late mother in law, Diana, Princess of Wales.

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Kate may not be up for the Earthshop Prize. After

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taking a private jet to Scotland, Princess Catherine was photographed

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disembarking from a private jet at Glasgow Airport. Waiting on

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the tarmac was a husband who opened the car door

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for his wife. Was the pair reunited. Ahead of the

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official naming ceremony, The Princess flew up solo, as Prince

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William had been undertaking engagements in Edinburgh the day prior,

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including a visit to a community center in Leith. The

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quickest train from say London to Glasgow is four and

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a half hours. A private jet flight from London to

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Glasgow typically takes over an hour around sixty to seventy

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five minutes in the air, but while a journey is swift,

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the environmental impact is far from light. Prince William, often

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hailed for his grace and good humoor, has once again

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found himself the subject of fond recollection, this time from

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Dame Emma Thompson. The celebrated actress reflected warmly on her

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twenty eighteen Damehood ceremony at Buckingham Palace, where it was

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the future king who carried out the investorship. Prince William

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was absolutely fantastic, she shared in a video interview while

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promoting Crueller. His face and body language so kind and generous,

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to every single person. I've known him since he was little. Really,

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I've always liked him. Following the event, Dane Emma admitted

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she sent William a fan letter and even cheekily requested

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a kiss during the ceremony. I couldn't believe how tall

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he'd got, she recalled. I did say I suppose I'd

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better not kiss you, and he said, well, probably better not.

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Kat and Wills have been named in Time Magazine's prestigious

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Top one hundred Philanthropy Awards, recognizing their forward thinking approach

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to royal charity work. The honor, which highlights individuals shaping

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the future of philanthropy, singles out Prince William and Princess

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Catherine for what Time calls a modernization of royal giving.

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The magazine praised the couple's work through the Royal Foundation,

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noting they are less concerned with cultural preservation and more

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attuned to social issues. It cited their focus on tackling

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homelessness and rural mental health, as well as their high

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profile efforts to address climate change through the Earth Shot Prize.

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More pallace. In Just a Moment, King Charles made a

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rare and personal comment on his ongoing cancer treatment during

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a conversation of the Education and Skills Guarden Party on

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fourteenth May. Speaking with Stamford Collis, a twenty two year

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old university student currently undergoing cancer treatment, the King remarked,

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it's sometimes about the diet and what you eat it

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can help. Charles and Prince Edward were left visibly startled

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during their visit to the Royal Windsor Horse Show on Saturday,

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after witnessing a carriage crash on the obstacle course. The

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annual event, held on the grounds of Windsor Castle since

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nineteen forty three, was a great favorite of the late

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Queen Elizabeth IID, who attended faithfully and to her final

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appearance in twenty twenty two. The King and Prince Edward

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had been enjoying the festivities when a competitor's carriage struck

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a six foot high gate post while navigating a tight

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turn during the cross country phase. Despite the dramatic collision,

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no injuries were reported. No one was hurt, The four

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horses at the front were fine and they carried on.

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The witness confirmed, bringing relief to both spectators and participants.

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Edward represented his brother, His Majesty King Charles the Third,

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the inauguration mass of Pope Leo the fourteenth. Attending without

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his wife Sophie, Edward was among a distinguished gathering of

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global royalty, including King Felipe, Queen Leticia of Spain, as

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well as Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco. Photographed

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in formal attire including a traditional black morning coat and hat,

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Edward's presence underscored his growing role as a trusted senior royal,

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quietly but consistently acting on behalf of the crown at

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international occasions of deep significance. King Charles has reportedly placed

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an order for a British maid one hundred and sixty

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thousand pounds electric Lotus to be used as his personal

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vehicle on his private estates. The vehicle, a Lotus elektree,

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will reportedly be painted in the traditional royal claret, ensuring

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it maintains the dignified appearance expected of a royal motor

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even when off duty. According to the son, the choice

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reflects the monarch's ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and inside

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a remark, the King has always liked eco friendly vehicles,

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but seems conscious that royal claret is the right look

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even went off duty, ever, looked far more professional for

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the King's personal cards to match the state vehicles. A

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long hidden photograph of Princess Diana and David Bowie is

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set to finally see the light of day, nearly four

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decades after, according to its photographer, Kensington Palace asked for

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it to be buried. Music photographer Dennis so Reagan, known

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for capturing more images of Bowie than any other photographer,

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revealed in an interview with the Telegraph that he was

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asked to withhold images taking at Bowie's Glass Spider concert

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at Wembley Stadium in June of eighty seven. The reason,

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he claims, was not who appeared in the frame, but

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who might be tied to the princess just out of it.

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So the next day my agent got a call from

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Pallas saying don't use the pictures because the word had

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gone out about James Hewitt. O reagan told the Telegraph

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they just didn't want Diana in the press. It was

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really that they didn't want to fuel the fire. Now,

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after nearly forty years, the image will be released in

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o'reagan's upcoming book David Bowie Schedule for publication in the

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United States on August fifth. The book will feature photographs

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from over two hundred of Bowie's concerts, offering both musical

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and cultural history. Now with a long suppressed royal footnote,

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and there you have it. Reflect to email us addresses

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the Palace Intrigue at gmail dot com, and don't forget

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to go back. During the weekend, take a listen to

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the regular full episodes of Palace Intrigue Mark Francis My

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thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace Weekly. Good terms