May 11, 2025

Polka Dots and Roses - Kate Middleton is Wonderful

Show Notes
Transcript

The Princess of Wales just reminded us all that polka dots are, in fact, a power move.

At Westminster Abbey for the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Kate stepped out in a very familiar—and very fabulous—outfit: the same black-and-white polka-dot Alessandra Rich dress she wore to the Order of the Garter in 2023. Yes, the dress that had people comparing her to Eliza Doolittle in *My Fair Lady*

Kate is once again proving her title as the Queen of Rewears. As British Vogue’s Emily Chan put it, she’s turned outfit recycling into something of a royal superpower.

Also, A new rose has been named in honour of the Princess of Wales, celebrating both her advocacy for the healing power of nature and her ongoing support for cancer care. *Catherine’s Rose*, a coral-pink floribunda with a rich fragrance reminiscent of Turkish Delight and mango, was unveiled by the Royal Horticultural Society on Thursday.

The flower, bred by Harkness Roses, will be available to the public by pre-order. Each sale will include a £5 donation to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, aiding the hospital where Her Royal Highness underwent chemotherapy treatment last year.

The funds raised will contribute to the creation of a national training programme in prehabilitation and rehabilitation for clinical teams, aiming to help cancer patients live well both during and after treatment.

The RHS explained that the naming of *Catherine’s Rose* was not only to honour her public service, but also to raise awareness of the vital role nature plays in physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.

Only 15,000 *Catherine’s Rose* plants will be made available in 2025, with bare root roses priced at £29.99 and potted plants at £34.99. Orders may be placed now for delivery in autumn next year, with additional availability planned for spring and autumn 2026.

The rose, which is said to thrive in borders, large containers, or as part of a hedge, has also been specially cultivated to attract pollinators.

Get the show without ads. Five bucks. For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app which says UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus .

WEBVTT

1
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:13.560
Calorougu Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue Game.

2
00:00:13.640 --> 00:00:17.239
Your host Mark Francis. The Princess of Wales just reminded

3
00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:20.559
us all that polka dots are in fact a power move.

4
00:00:21.239 --> 00:00:24.199
At Westminster Abbey for the eightieth anniversary of v E Day,

5
00:00:24.519 --> 00:00:27.719
Kate stepped out in a very familiar and very fabulous outfit,

6
00:00:28.120 --> 00:00:31.320
the same black and white polka dot Alessandra Rich dress

7
00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:33.960
she wore to the Order of the Garter in twenty

8
00:00:34.079 --> 00:00:37.200
twenty three. Yes, the dress that had people comparing her

9
00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:40.719
to Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. Kate is once

10
00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:44.439
again proving her title as the Queen of Rewares. As

11
00:00:44.520 --> 00:00:48.719
British Vogues's Emily Chan put it, she's turned outfit recycling

12
00:00:48.759 --> 00:00:52.640
into something of a royal superpower. A new rose has

13
00:00:52.679 --> 00:00:55.119
been named in honor of the Princess of Wales, celebrating

14
00:00:55.119 --> 00:00:58.320
both her advocacy for the healing power of nature and

15
00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:02.640
her ongoing support for ken Care. Catherine's Rose, a coral

16
00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:05.920
pink flora bunda with a rich fragrance reminiscent of Turkish

17
00:01:05.959 --> 00:01:09.920
delight and mango, was unveiled by the Royal Horticultural Society

18
00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:14.120
on Thursday. The flower, bred by Harkness Roses, will be

19
00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:16.519
available to the public by pre order. Each sale will

20
00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:20.079
include a five pound donation to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity,

21
00:01:20.599 --> 00:01:24.599
aiding the hospital where Her Royal Highness underwent chemotherapy treatment

22
00:01:24.760 --> 00:01:28.000
last year. The funds raised will contribute to the creation

23
00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:31.879
of a national training program in prehabilitation and rehabilitation for

24
00:01:31.959 --> 00:01:35.799
clinical teams, aiming to help cancer patients live well both

25
00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:40.319
during and after treatment. The RAHS explained that the naming

26
00:01:40.439 --> 00:01:43.480
of Catherine's rose was not only to honor her public service,

27
00:01:43.519 --> 00:01:46.599
but also to raise awareness of the vital role nature

28
00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:51.280
plays in physical, mental and spiritual well being. Only fifteen

29
00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:55.760
thousand Catherines Rose plants will be made available this year,

30
00:01:55.840 --> 00:01:59.519
with bare root roses priced at thirty pounds and potted

31
00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:02.640
plants at thirty five. Orders may be placed now for

32
00:02:02.840 --> 00:02:06.519
every and autumn next year, with additional availability planned for

33
00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:09.840
spring and autumn twenty twenty six. The rose, which is

34
00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:12.639
said to thrive in borders, large containers or as part

35
00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:17.080
of a hedge, has also been specially cultivated to attract pollinators.

36
00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:20.759
People did their regular spot to let us know how

37
00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:23.240
wonderful the Whales family is, this time focusing on how

38
00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:27.800
Princess Charlotte won't become another Harry. Royal biographer Robert Hartman

39
00:02:27.879 --> 00:02:30.719
explains the late Queen was always very conscious of that

40
00:02:30.759 --> 00:02:34.240
extraordinary and challenging role of the number two. That's why

41
00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:37.360
she had a particular soft spot for Margaret, for Andrew

42
00:02:37.479 --> 00:02:40.719
and Harry. She understood being second place in a strictly

43
00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:45.560
heroical family. An institution has its challenges. Everyone is conscious

44
00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:48.599
of that. Hardman also tells us how William wants the

45
00:02:48.599 --> 00:02:52.719
whole royal existence to be approachable and not scary. One

46
00:02:52.759 --> 00:02:55.520
possible path ahead for Charlotte is the title of Princess Royal,

47
00:02:55.879 --> 00:02:59.159
traditionally bestowed by the monarch. It is currently held by

48
00:02:59.159 --> 00:03:03.439
her great aunt, Princess Anne. However, Hardman notes such titles

49
00:03:03.479 --> 00:03:06.280
are not guaranteed. People wonder why the Queen didn't make

50
00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:10.039
Prince Philip Prince Consort. Well, he didn't want it. It

51
00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:13.919
could either be seen as an antiquated title or something

52
00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:18.639
steeped in history that they will want to respect. As

53
00:03:18.680 --> 00:03:20.319
a rule, we try to leave the children out of

54
00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:22.319
our content. It's one thing to make fun of a

55
00:03:22.360 --> 00:03:25.240
balist actors cooking show, but the children of the royal

56
00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:29.639
family have not chosen this life. However, it was notable

57
00:03:29.639 --> 00:03:31.560
this week that the Royals are beginning to put the

58
00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:34.960
future king out in public. The next generation of the

59
00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:37.400
monarchy took a poignant step in history as the eleven

60
00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:41.400
year old Prince George attended a commemorative tea party hosted

61
00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:43.960
by the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace marking the

62
00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:47.039
eightieth anniversary of Victory in Europe day the end of

63
00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:49.520
the Second World War in Europe. Dressed in a smart

64
00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:51.919
navy suit and blue tire, the young prince was joined

65
00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:54.560
by his parents for the event, which followed a grand

66
00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:59.039
military procession. Around fifty veterans, families and Britons who had

67
00:03:59.080 --> 00:04:01.800
lived through the war welcome to the palace to share memories,

68
00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:06.199
tea and reflections. George, who had earlier appeared on the

69
00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:09.240
palace balcony with his younger siblings Princess Charlotte ten and

70
00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:12.120
Prince Louis seven, had a rare solo engagement with his

71
00:04:12.199 --> 00:04:15.800
parents for the more intimate tea gathering. According to Tatler,

72
00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:18.720
Prince William remarked to one veteran that his eldest son

73
00:04:18.839 --> 00:04:22.360
was very keen to listen and learn from the wartime generation.

74
00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:26.439
In one especially touching exchange, George asked a one hundred

75
00:04:26.439 --> 00:04:29.279
and one year old army veteran named Alfred, what was

76
00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:32.240
it like when you were coming in. Alfred candidly replied,

77
00:04:32.279 --> 00:04:35.439
it's pretty awful, and then gently impressed the importance of

78
00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:38.959
such remembrance of the young royal. It's very important you

79
00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:41.600
are here today. It's days like this that we should

80
00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:44.079
use to talk about things like this so the younger

81
00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:48.319
generation can have some understanding. Turning to Prince William, Alfred added,

82
00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:51.600
you should be very proud, well, Palace. It just a moment.

83
00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:58.800
As much as we enjoy goofing. On Megan's podcast, the

84
00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:02.920
Cooking Shower Legally, fruit spread and other endeavors, sometimes the

85
00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:05.439
poor woman just can't win. This week, she was accused

86
00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:08.240
of copying Kate. You see, Meghan released a new picture

87
00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:11.759
of her son Prince Archie two Marky's sixth birthday, which

88
00:05:11.800 --> 00:05:15.040
is exactly the sort of thing Kate might do. When

89
00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:18.519
social media user wrote, thinking that she is taking them

90
00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:21.560
because Princess Kate does. Only difference is that Princess of

91
00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:24.279
Wales takes way better photos and doesn't I who are

92
00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:26.519
children are? In fact is her children are way more

93
00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:29.279
high profile than Meghan and Harry's. Another said, does Megan

94
00:05:29.319 --> 00:05:31.639
have no original ideas well? A third said, I wonder

95
00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:34.120
whose idea it was to release pictures to market royal

96
00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:38.079
child's birthday. Another said right after the other Royal children

97
00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.240
were pictured standing on a balcony in reference to the

98
00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:43.160
recent appearance of Prince George, Prince Charlotte and Prince Louis

99
00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:46.399
to mark the eightieth anniversary of V Day on Monday.

100
00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:48.879
So remember, if you wish your child a happy birthday,

101
00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:51.720
you're just trying to be cool like the wonderful Princess

102
00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:55.560
of Wales. A source quoted by The New York Post said,

103
00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:58.879
I genuinely think nobody trusts Harry and that's the bottom line.

104
00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:01.600
The Royal family has made trust issues with him and

105
00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:04.480
that's what's at the heart of everything. A close source said,

106
00:06:04.839 --> 00:06:07.279
they don't trust him and Megan. That's why they can't

107
00:06:07.319 --> 00:06:10.199
have a relationship. Maybe this room to forgive, but they

108
00:06:10.199 --> 00:06:15.720
won't forget. Forgiveness and trust are to different things, and

109
00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:17.959
as the debate of a royal security reignites in the

110
00:06:17.959 --> 00:06:21.480
wake of Prince Harry's latest television interview. Attention has turned

111
00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:23.759
to other members of the royal family, who, like the

112
00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:27.639
Duke of Sussex, live without round the clock, taxpayer funded protection.

113
00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:30.839
Contrary to the suggestion that Harry and Meghan are being

114
00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:35.199
uniquely singled out, several prominent royals, including the Princess Royal herself,

115
00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:39.160
do not enjoy twenty four to seven security. Princess Anne,

116
00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:42.199
Prince Edward, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh do not receive

117
00:06:42.279 --> 00:06:46.120
full time protection. Instead, their security is typically provided only

118
00:06:46.199 --> 00:06:50.240
during official duties or public engagements. This despite the fact

119
00:06:50.279 --> 00:06:53.079
that they collectively carry out hundreds of such events each

120
00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:57.000
year with little fanfare. Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, daughters of

121
00:06:57.000 --> 00:07:01.800
Prince Andrew, similarly go without permanent police protection. Their state

122
00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:04.959
funded security was removed back in twenty eleven at the

123
00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:08.079
direction of the late Queen Elizabeth Said, following a row

124
00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:11.160
over the annual cost, reportedly in the region of five

125
00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:14.480
hundred thousand pounds at the time. Concerns were raised over

126
00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:19.000
Princess Eugenie's particularly expensive gap year, during which security bills

127
00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:23.120
mounted while she traveled abroad. The Zara Tindall, daughter of

128
00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:25.560
Princess Anne and another niece to the king, also receives

129
00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:28.759
no publicly funded security as she is not a working royal.

130
00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:31.720
Even Prince Andrew himself, who stepped back from royal duties

131
00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:37.959
in twenty nineteen, relinquished his state funded protection upon doing so,

132
00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:40.480
and they have it back to email us. He addresses

133
00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:43.160
the Palace Intrigue at a gmail dot com. Please follow

134
00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:45.160
us on Spotify, Apple or the app of your choice

135
00:07:45.639 --> 00:07:49.600
and leave us a nice review if you're enjoying the show.

136
00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:52.920
We also have another new show out from Calarugashyke Media

137
00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:56.839
called did He Do It? And it's following the sex

138
00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:00.720
trial case of Sean Diddy. Comb's in New York City

139
00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:03.360
and it's a daily podcast Monday through Friday. Check it

140
00:08:03.399 --> 00:08:06.519
out if you're into that sort of show. It's available

141
00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:09.759
wherever you get your podcast. It's called didd He Do It.

142
00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:12.519
I'm Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is

143
00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:14.399
Palace Intrigue. Good terms,

Polka Dots and Roses - Kate Middleton is Wonderful

Listen On

Recent Episodes