Sept. 15, 2025

Prince Harry Turns 41: PR Wins, Royal Rift, and William Left in the Dark

Show Notes
Transcript

Happy Birthday, Prince Harry. The Duke of Sussex turns 41 amid praise for his recent UK engagements, but royal insiders warn he must “learn to keep quiet.” King Charles meets Harry without telling William, sparking tension, while commentators suggest William—not Harry—looked weaker this week. Plus, Kate and William boost security at Forest Lodge, confirm “Together at Christmas” concert, and plans for the Duchess of Kent’s funeral.

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Calarogu Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I

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am your host, Mark Francis. Happy birthday to Prince Harry,

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who is forty one. Today. In the Daily Mail, Richard

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Eden suggests Charles made a mistake by appeasing Harry. Eden writes,

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Charles is, however, not only a father but also our monarch.

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Can I worry that he is making a mistake by

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appeasing Harry after his appalling behavior towards the royal family,

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in particular two Queen Camilla and to Prince William and Catherine. Ever,

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the diplomat, the Princess of Wales will no doubt understand

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her father in law's desire to maintain relations with his

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youngest son, but it may hurt to hear Harry's pr

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people crow about the meeting in the days to come.

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If Harry does not want to wait another nineteen month

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for his next get together with his father, there is

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one thing he must do, Courty has told me, and

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it could be his greatest challenge. He has to learn

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to keep. The biggest barrier to the resumption of contact

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with the King was Harry's apparent addiction to publicity. Never complain,

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never explain, was the unspoken mantra of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.

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But Harry loves complaining almost as much as he seeks

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to explain. A royal source told me members of the

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royal family often make personal donations to charities, but when

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they do so, they do not boast about the amount given.

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Pr expert Renee Smith told The Express, I'd call this

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visit of real success for Harry. If Prince William had

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done the exact same schedule, it would have been hailed

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as a great royal day out, So credit is due

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here too. From a pr perspective, the strength was in

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its authenticity. Every engagement felt genuine, with a clear philanthropic

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thread running through it. I've always said philanthropy is his

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safest and strongest space. It plays to his strengths without

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inviting controversy. In today's climate, a royal figure staying firmly

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in the middle is often the smartest move, and Harry's

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visit achieved that balance perfectly. She praised the tone of

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the engagements, highlighting that nothing felt glowty or self congratulatory.

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Harry avoided the trap of making charity work about himself

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or making snarky remarks during speeches, etc. He just got

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on with it and it's exactly what people want to

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see from him. While she described the visit as a

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huge success that ticks every pr box, she cautioned that

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the Duke should focus on slow and steady progress, regular

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low key appearances that build solid foundations, rather than flashing moments.

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She said, if he can keep us up for a

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year or so, I'd call that a full image reset.

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And since today happens to be Prince Hary's birth, they

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want to test your knowledge with a little royal themed fun.

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Our friends over at five Daily Trivia Questions and put

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together a special Harry themed episode just for the occasion.

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If you know your Duke of Sussex facts from Invictus

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to Vegas, give it a listen and see how you score.

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It's five Daily Trivia Questions podcast. Rob Shooter has revealed

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that Prince William was left in the dark about King

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Charles private meeting with Prince Harry until the very last moment.

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According to a source close to William, the Prince had

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believed his father was back in London for entirely different

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reasons and had no idea Harry was on the schedule.

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The insiders said he had no idea Harry was on

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the schedule and certainly he wasn't asked for input. If

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William had been consulted, he would have tried to block it.

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That's why Charles went ahead quietly. In The Independent, Tessa

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Dunlop suggests that it's William who came out looking bad

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this week. She writes, just eight miles away, older brother

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William was chit chatting over chocolate brownies. The Duchess of

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Sussex repleat with high end jam and lobster anecdotes, has

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leaned into her inner Californian and left most of Britain behind.

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Not so Harry, who back on home turf, still has

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the Midas touch, wowing the crowds on the second day

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with his stopover and hand picked Nottingham, where he sealed

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the deal with a one point one million pound donation

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to children in need, who said that Sussex's was struggling

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and comfortable. As it may be for many royal watchers,

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Harry retains a reach and appeal in areas where traditional

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monarchy is at its weakest. Rule William is many things,

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but cool, It's not one of them. Much has been

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written about the Prince of Wales modeling himself and his

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leadership on the late Queen. Q ambitions as a unifying

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sovereign without the baggage his father brings to the throne.

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But if that is really his goal, William has fallen

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at the first hurdle. The capacity to forgive is an

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important life skill, but for a future monarch it is essential.

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It has widely agreed that the Late Queen was the

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blueprint for royal survival in the Democratic age, and perhaps

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Elizabeth's greatest superpower was her inscrutability. Some royal commentators have

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insisted that her majesty was devastated by the Prince Harry

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fallout just before her death, but the truth is none

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of us will ever know. For too long, there have

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been rumors of certain stubbornness, a tendency to sulk. Yes,

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Harry blind cited Willie with his public attacks. The older

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brother misunderstood the depths of young Harold's pain and anger.

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But what better way for William to prove any childhood

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petulance is in the past than by reaching out to

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Harry the flawed, a younger brother who so clearly craves

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way back into Britain's most famous family. Surely even the

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naysayers would agree that King William the Peacemaker has a

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certain ring to it. More Palace in just a moment.

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By the way, our sisters spin off series Crown and

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Keton William are adding security measures as they prepare to

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move into Forest Lodge. According to The Sunday Mirror, the

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couple is having new trees, hedgerows and fencing installed to

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shield the property from public view. Painters and decorators have

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also been seen at the ten bedroom home refreshing its interiors,

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while some works focus on boosting security. The couple is

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said to be paying for the renovations themselves and will

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rent the property at market value. Forest Lodge, formerly known

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as Holly Grove, is a Grade two listed house dating

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back three hundred years. It last underwent major restoration in

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two thousand and one, when one point five million pounds

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in works were carried out. The Royal Foundation is confirmed

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that Kates Together at Christmas annual concert will once again

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be held this year. Traditionally, the event takes place at

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Westminster Abbey in early December and is later televised and

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available to stream closer to the holidays to close twenty

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twenty five, The Together at Christmas will once again aim

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to bring together communities across the UK to celebrate people

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who have gone out of their way to help others

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with even more impactful local services. The Foundation said Together

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Christmas is an annual carol concert that also includes holiday

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themed readings and musical performances from celebrities and members of

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the royal family. On the eve of her funeral, Catherine,

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Duchess of Kent will be received into Westminster Cathedral. Her

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coffin will be taken by hers from Kensington Palace, where

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it has been resting in the chapel since her death

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on September fourth. The rite of reception and vespers will

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be a private service for close family only and the

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Prince Harry Turns 41: PR Wins, Royal Rift, and William Left in the Dark

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