Jan. 16, 2026

Porto-Potty for the King, Netflix Snubbed, and Palace Secrets Revealed

Show Notes
Transcript

As talk grows of a U.S. trip by King Charles, White House officials admit he could be hosted in tents instead of grand state rooms. We break down the awkward optics, why there will be no California stop, and why a meeting with Prince Harry is seen as a nonstarter. Plus: Queen Elizabeth’s reported decision to block a Netflix boss from Windsor, how royals secretly monitor balcony appearances, a palace job posting that proves humans still write royal letters, a surreal coronation moment involving the Imperial State Crown, and why Lady Amelia Windsor’s rising profile has people talking.

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WEBVTT

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Calarogus Shark media. Now hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue.

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I am your host, Mark Francis, where speculation growing that

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King Charles could travel to the United States within the

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next few months. An official close to President Donald Trump

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has acknowledged that the monarch may be greeted with arrangements

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far less grand than those typically associated with a royal visit.

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Despite the historic nature of such a visit. It has

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emerged that Charles may not receive the level of ceremony

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enjoyed by Donald Trump during his own state visit to

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Britain last September. Instead, the King could find himself attending

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events hosted in temporary structures on the White House grounds.

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The issue was raised publicly by White House Staff Secretary

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Will Shaff, who was outlining President Trump's proposal to replace

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the East Wing of the White House with a large

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ballroom for entertaining foreign leaders. At present, major state functions

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are held in large tents on the South warm because

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the East Room cannot accommodate sizeable gatherings. Portable lavatories have

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been installed nearby to serve guests attending those events. Speaking

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at a meeting at the National Capital Planning Commission, mister

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Shaff acknowledged that the arrangements were less than ideal. I

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think it's notable that when the President of the United

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States of America flies to the United Kingdom, he's hosted

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at Windsor Castle, he said, And when the King of

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the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland comes

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to the United States, more likely than not he will

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be hosted in a tent on the South Wourn with

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porter potties. That to me is not a good look

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for the United States of America. According to reports in

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The Times, the King's visit could take place in April.

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If confirmed, it would be the first visit by a

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reigning British monarch since two thousand and seven, when the

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late Queen Elizabeth was hosted by former US President George W. Bush.

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According to royal expert Robert Jobson, King Charles planned trip

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to Washington later this year will be tightly choreographed, with

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meetings at the White House, ceremonial obligations and official engagements

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compressed into a schedule designed for maximum impact. Jobs and

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has made it clear there will be no California leg

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to the visit, writing bluntly there will be no detour.

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The idea of a discreet reunion in Washington is also

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being dismissed. Jobson noted that any appearance by Harry and

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his family would dominate headlines and risk eclipsing the state

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visit itself, concluding that a meeting remains improbable. In his

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sub stack, Royal Inside a Deep Crown writes, any meeting

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between working Royals and Harry on American soil would immediately

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overshadow whatever diplomatic or ceremonial purpose brought them there in

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the first place. The media circus would shift from World

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Cup celebrations or anniversary commemorations to sources close to analyzing

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every micro expression and speculating about reconciliation prospects. The Palace

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has learned rather painfully that family dynamics cannot be managed

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in public view, particularly not in a media environment as

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voracious as the American one. Queen Elizabeth reportedly blocked Netflix

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CEO Ted Saranders from attending a high profile reception at

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Windsor Castle in twenty twenty one, following anger with the

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Palace over the portrayal of the royal family in the

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Netflix drama series The Crown. According to sources who spoke

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to The New York Post Saranders had initially been recommended

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for an audience with the Queen ahead of the UK

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Global Investment Summit. One source said Boris didn't really care

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who was there as long as some rich people showed up,

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referring to then Brime Minister Boris Johnson. However, Pallace Aids

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ultimately removed Sirranders from the final guest list presented to

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Buckingham Palace. One insider said it was suggested by the

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government that Netflix should attend the summit and the drink's

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perception at Windsor Castle, which was ultimately the biggest attraction

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of the whole event. The Palace said no. Sources said

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the Queen was furious over how the series portrayed the

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royal family, particularly depictions of Prince Philip as a harsh

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father and the dramatization of the relationship between King Charles,

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Princess Diana and Queen Camella. Surround Us later attended the

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UK Global Investment Summit in twenty twenty three, after Charles

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had become King more Palace in just a moment. Many

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of the royal family's most iconic moments take place on

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the palace balcony, but one behind the scenes detail often

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goes unnoticed. According to Hello, members of the royal family

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use discreetly positioned television monitors during balcony appearances to keep

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track of what is happening on the mall and to

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gauge public reaction in real time. The screens also help

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insure everyone is correctly positioned and presented during high profile moments.

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They are placed in the corners of the balcony slightly canted.

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The balustrade is covered in red fabric so all the

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equipment can be hidden behind it. A royal source told Hello,

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explaining how the technology remains invisible two crowds below. The

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famous balcony itself is part of the East Wing of

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Buckingham Palace into the Royal Collection Trust. The East Wing

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forms the palace's front facade and also contains the Yellow

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Drawing Room, the Principal Corridor, and the Center Room, which

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opens directly onto the balcony, where the Royal family traditionally

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greets the public after major events. Britain's royal household is

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quietly recruiting a senior Correspondence officer, a role that offers

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a rare glimpse into how the monarchy communicates with the

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public and confirms that even in the age of artificial intelligence,

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royal replies are still written by human hand. The position,

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advertised as a two year contract beginning in March, pays

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thirty two thousand pounds a year and involves drafting letters

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on behalf of the Royal family. According to the job description,

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thousands of letters are addressed to the monarch and Royal

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Family every year, and the successful candidate will be responsible

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for ensuring that each receives a timely and well composed response.

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The role sits within the Royal Household's correspondence team and

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will involve handling a specific portfolio of letters relating to social,

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community and national issues. The post requires drafting bespoke replies

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to varying and often unique queries while maintaining focus and

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accuracy across a high volume of mail. Buckingham Palace declined

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to confirm which royals the successful applicant would write for.

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The job comes with a mix of traditional and modern perks,

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including complimentary lunch on its site, flexible and hybrid working

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arrangements depending on role requirements, parental leave, volunteering days, free

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entry to royal household properties and discounct royal retail outlets.

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Hello has also revealed an unusual behind the scenes moment

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from the day of the King's coronation, when Buckingham Palace

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was in the midst of renovation work. According to the magazine,

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parts of the palace were being reserviced at the time meeting,

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scaffolding and tools were still in place even as history unfolded.

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After returning indoors from his balcony appearance, the king reportedly

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removed the Imperial State crown, which dates back to nineteen

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thirty seven, and placed it on a simple stool next

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to a box of tools. A source described the contrast

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as striking, saying the sight of one of the most

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powerful symbols of the monarchy sitting alongside scaffolding was unforgettable.

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One insider recalled it was an incredible sight scaffolding standing

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behind the Imperial State crown, something I never imagined I

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would witness. Lady Amelia Windsor has been drawing attention after

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a recent high profile appearance that highlighted her growing visibility

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within royal adjacent circles. The thirty year old, who is

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currently forty fourth in line to the throne, attended the

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premiere of Agatha Christie's Seven Dials wearing a black gown

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by designer Percy Langley. Fashion observers quickly noted that the

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dress was a repeat, reinforcing Amelia's long standing reputation as

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a champion of sustainable style and rewearing outfits rather than

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treating fashion as disposable. Her appearance has fueled chatter that

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Amelia could be stepping into a more prominent public facing

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role at a time when the royal family has fewer

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younger working figures following printerian Megan Markle's move to the States.

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While there is no indication of any official replacement, some

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commentators see her increasing profile as feeling part of that

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cultural and fashion focused space. Separately, speculation has also grown

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around Amelia's personal life. Insiders suggest she may soon be

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engaged to her long term boyfriend, property developer Ollie Lewis,

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though neither has confirmed the reports. The couple have been

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linked for several years, with their relationship first drawing widespread

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attention after they were photographed together at Glastonbury in twenty

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twenty three. Overall, Amelia's recent public appearances underline her duel

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reputation as a modern royal relative with a strong fashioned

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credentials and a low key but steadily growing presence on

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the social scene. If she is to become a more

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visible royal, we'll advise her to stay on the good

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side of cousin William. And there you have it. If

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she'd like to email us, who addresses the palacentricat gmail

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dot com. Please follow us on Spotify, Apple and check

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us out on Facebook, Instagram, all the social media sites.

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I'm Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is

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Pallace of Driguan good times.

Porto-Potty for the King, Netflix Snubbed, and Palace Secrets Revealed

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