June 18, 2026

Prince Harry Reportedly Bringing Archie and Lilibet to Britain as Kate Returns to Royal Ascot

Show Notes
Transcript

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly planning a return to the United Kingdom next month with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, a visit that would mark the children’s first trip to Britain in four years. We look at the security questions surrounding the proposed visit, what it could mean for Harry’s ongoing relationship with King Charles, and whether long-awaited family reunions might finally take place.

Meanwhile, a new report claims Harry is growing increasingly frustrated as efforts to reconnect with his father remain stalled, with royal aides reportedly refusing to commit to dates or provide clarity about the King’s schedule.

In California, Meghan hosted friends for a game night while Harry made headlines at the NBA Finals in San Antonio. Plus, a listener comment comparing Prince William and Prince Harry earns a well-deserved mention.

At Royal Ascot, Mike Tindall once again proved why he remains one of the Royal Family’s most entertaining figures, using a miniature chocolate top hat to make King Charles laugh. The Princess of Wales returned to Royal Ascot for the first time in two years, arriving in a striking yellow outfit that royal watchers may have recognized from previous appearances. We also discuss Prince William’s role at the races and the surprise appearance of King Charles’s former bodyguard, Jag Khangura.
And finally, disappointment for the King and Queen on the track as their horse Reaching High went from contender to last-place finisher in one of Royal Ascot’s most dramatic reversals.

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.

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Calarugus Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue Game.

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Your host, Mark Francis, Prince Harry and Meghan Michael are

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expected to bring Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to the

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UK next month, according to a report from the BBC.

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If the visit goes ahead as planned, it would mark

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the first time Harry has returned to Britain with his

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wife and children in four years. The trip is expected

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to coincide with events marking one year until the opening

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of the Invictus Games in Birmingham, which will take place

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in twenty twenty seven. The question that immediately arises, of course,

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is security. Harry's publicly funded police protection was downgraded after

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he ceased being a working Royal earlier this year. He

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lost a legal challenge seeking to restore that protection when

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visiting Britain. In a BBC interview following that ruling, Harry

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said he did not believe it was safe to bring Megan,

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Archie and Lilibet to the U s UK because he

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could not guarantee their security. That position makes the prospect

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of a family visit particularly notable. Neither Buckingham Palace nor

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representatives for these Sussexes have provided details about how security

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arrangements would work should the trip proceed. The British government

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reiterated this week that security arrangements are kept confidential and

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assessed on a case by case basis. Another unanswered question

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is whether the visit could provide an opportunity for family reunions.

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King Charles has met his granddaughter Lilibet only once. The

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King last saw both Archie and Lilibet during the celebrations

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surrounding Queen Elizabeth the Seconds Platinum Jubilee in twenty twenty two.

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Meghan's last visit was when Queen Elizabeth passed away in

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September of that year, and Inside had told News dot

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com Dot Au Meghan's strong and much more resilient than

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people give her credit for. She's had to grow the

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thickest of skin to deal with the daily barrage of

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unnecessary and frankly dangerous hate that has spread about her.

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But Megan loves the UK and knows that the vast

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vast majority of people are reasonable, rational and good. For now,

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the expectation is that the family will arrive in July.

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The details may still be uncertain, but the significance of

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the visit is not heath Well suggests. Harry is frustrated

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that his father won't commit to a schedule there. Insiders said,

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the King's aides are refusing to nail down a date

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to send his schedule. They keep making excuses and Charles

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is backing them up, so there isn't much for Harry

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to say. It's a total nightmare for Harry. He's devoted

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so much time and energy to building a bridge with

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his father and now it's all looking like it might

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have been for naught. Harry is still clinging to hope

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that things will get back on track, but he is

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admitting that there have been a lot of red flags.

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The insider says, the fact that they didn't get an

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acknowledgment or even a call from the Palace on their

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wedding anniversary, and even more telling the fact that Charles

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was in America to visit Donald Trump in April and

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wasn't able to fit in a visit. He did nothing

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but make excuses, and Harry bought them all, which he's

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now questioning. Harry keeps being told to sit tight and

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wait for confirmation, but every week the passes without anything

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being nailed down makes him more anxious. He hates not

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knowing the ambiguity is driving him up the wall. While

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Harry was sitting in the eighth roy watching basketball and

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the Royals were gathered on the balcony waving at thousands

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of adoring fans, Meghan was home hosting a game night.

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According to posts shared on social media by her friend

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Kelly McGee Zaiphon, the Duchess hosted a gathering of friends

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at her California home, sharing a photograph from what appeared

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to be the Sussex's patio, Zeiphon wrote, oh, another one

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has been taken by the marge bug, that being me

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A perfect day spent with my ladies and having some

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much needed mama time. Thanks m and T now back

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to the babes and obsessing over my next game. During

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the first season of Meghan's Netflix series With Love Meghan,

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viewers learned that the Duchess hosts regular marjoh gatherings with

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a close circle of friends. By the way, shout out to

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Andrew Purple Patch for a wonderful comment on Deep Ground's newsletter.

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After Harry was seen handing up food in San Antonio,

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Andrew compared the two brothers as the future King and

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the Burger King more palacing just a moment. There are

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many reasons people enjoy Royal Ascot, the racing, the fashion

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and the hats, the chance to see members of the

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Royal family at close range. And then there is Mike Tyndall.

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The former England rugby captain, had spent the past fifteen

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years proving that marrying into the Royal family does not

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automatically require surrendering one's sense of humor. On the opening

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day of Royal Ascot, he demonstrated that point once again,

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this time at the King's expense, or perhaps more accurately,

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to the King's delight. As King Charles and Queen Camilla

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made their way through the royal party, Azara Tindall greeted

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her uncle with a flawless curtsey. Standing beside her, Mike

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opted for a rather different approach, removing his top hat

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and bowing toward the King. Mike revealed that tucked inside

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his hat was a miniature chocolate fur top hat made

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by charbonnel at Walker, especially created for Royal Ascot. As

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he tipped the hat forward, the tiny confection apparently tumbled out,

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catching the King's attention and prompting a burst of laughter.

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The moment was brief, but photographs captured Charles grinning broadly

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as Mike delivered the joke. Regular Ascot watchers may have

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recognized the routine. This was not the first time Mike

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has deployed the miniature chocolate hat trick. It has become

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something of a personal tradition, one that seems to amuse

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him almost as much as it amuses everyone around him.

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The Princess of Wales made her return to Royal Ascot

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after a two year absence. Kate last attended the event

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in twenty twenty three and missed both the twenty four

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and twenty five meetings. Her appearance this year continues what

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has been a notably busy stretch for the princess. Coming

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just days after trooping the Color and only forty eight

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hours after gart a day at Windsor Castle, the Prince

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and Princess of Wales arrived as part of the traditional

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royal carriage procession, one of Royal Ascot's most recognizable customs.

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Crowds gathered along the route cheered as the royal party

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made its way toward the racecourse. For the occasion, Catherine

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chose a bright yellow dress by Roxander, paired with a

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matching hat. Royal fashioned watchers quickly noticed that the outfit

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was not entirely new. The Princess previously wore the same

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dress during the Royal Tour of Jamaica in twenty twenty two,

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and later that year at Wimbledon. Continuing her long standing

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preference for re wearing favorite pieces from her wardrobe, she

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completed the look with diamond chandelier earrings and a three

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strand pearl bracelet. William presented the trophy following the Prince

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of Wales Stakes, one of the premier races of the meeting.

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The contest dates back to eighteen sixty two and was

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named for the then Prince of Wales who would later

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become King Edward. The seventh horse racing has never been

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considered one of Williams's great passions in the way it

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was for Queen Elizabeth, King Charles and Princess Anne. Nevertheless,

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Royal Ascot remains one of the most important fixtures on

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the Royal calendar, blending sport, tradition and public engagement in

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a uniquely British way. Meanwhile, may have recognized another familiar face,

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jag Kangura. King Charles's former bodyguard, was photographed attending the

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event following his retirement earlier this year. Kan Gura became

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something of an unexpected social media sensation over the past

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few years, with many royal watches recognizing him instantly thanks

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to his distinctive beard and regular appearances alongside the King

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and Queen during major engagements. Dressed in traditional morning attire,

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complete top hat and tailcoat, he appeared to be enjoying

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the occasion from the other side of the security barrier.

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For a few hopeful minutes on Tuesday afternoon, it looked

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as though King Charles and Queen Camilla might finally have

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another Royal Ascot winner. Instead, they got a reminder of

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one of horse racing's oldest lessons. No matter how royal

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the owner, no matter how accomplished the trainer, and no

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matter how confident the batting market may be, horses have

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a habit of ignoring the script. Their horse, Reaching High,

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went into the Ascot Stakes as one of the fancied runners.

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Trained by legendary Willie Mullins, ridden by Ryan Moore, one

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of the most successful jockeys of his generation, the five

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year old Golding was expected to be a major contender

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in the two and a half mile handicap. For much

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of the race, that expectation appeared justified. Reaching High traveled

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prominently near the leaders and remained in contention as the

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field swung into the closing stages. Then, with a little

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more than two furlongs remaining, the challenge suddenly evaporated as

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others accelerated toward the finish, Reaching High faded dramatically. By

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the time the field crossed the line, the King's horse

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was last beaten by more than fifty nine lengths. And

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there you have it, hey, All this month we're encouraging

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Prince Harry Reportedly Bringing Archie and Lilibet to Britain as Kate Returns to Royal Ascot

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