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Calorogus Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I'm
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your host, Mark Francis. The Mail on Sunday has reported
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that Prince William has strengthened his communications operations by bringing
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in an experienced crisis specialist, Liza Ravenscroft. She runs Edelman's
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UK Crisis and Issues team and has been described by
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a former boss's bulletproof sunshine, with a career built on
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supporting high profile figures through their most challenging moments. Kensington
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Palace has been keen to stress that Ravenscroft's role is
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non crisis. Even so, the timing raises eyebrows. William may
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not be predicting turmoil, but he appears to be acknowledging
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that a potential flashpoint is on the horizon. That flashpoint
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would be Prince Harry regaining his security, returning more regularly
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to Britain, and effectively re establishing a Sussex presence on
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UK soil. All the indicators appear to be lining up
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in Harry's favor. There is a government mandated security review
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under way, a noticeable shift in media commentary arguing his case,
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and a sustained public relations effort, framing the restoration of
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protection as reasonable and over jew The Invictus Games add
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another layer. They remain a genuine passion project for Harry
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and with the game's due to be held in the
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UK in twenty twenty seven, their planning offers a natural
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pathway for him and his family to re engage with
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Britain on a more sustained basis. The Daily Mayo reported
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that Julian Payne, King Charles former Communications secretary who is
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currently CEO of Edelman, could have played a part in
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the hiring. Source suggested this is a sign of things
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to come. Julian Paine has stayed close to the King,
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so it is unlikely to be a coincidence that one
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of his most senior and respected members of staff has
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taken the key role in William's office after a period
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of turmoil and when they are looking for closer alignment
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between Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace as mines turned to
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William's events succession. All this suggests Harry could play a
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public role at Invictus events alongside his father, and William's
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move is to reinforce his crisis management capability. Williams reported
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earnings for twenty twenty five or sparked fresh claims of
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tension with Prince Harry and Meghan Markel after figures emerged
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suggesting the Prince of Wales earned around thirty million dollars
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last year. According to Star magazine. The Sun has prompted
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eye rolling from Harry and Meghan, who are said to
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see a double standard in how royal finances are judged.
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A source told the outlet, anytime Megan and Harry get
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a big pay day, they get absolutely hammered from every
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direction and branded greedy. Yet William can pull in thirty
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million dollars and no one bats an eye or questions
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why he's getting paid so much money. The source stressed
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that the figure does not represent William's total income. They
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said the money comes from the Duchy of Cornwall, which
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William inherited from King Charles in twenty twenty two. That's
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just what William gets from the Duchy of Cornwall, so said,
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He's taking more than that, and still you never hear
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anyone complaining about him being money hungry the way they
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do Meghan and Harry. The rules are completely different depending
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on which side of the family you're on. William's income
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has also reportedly reignited questions about what Harry and Meghan's
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financeers might look like had they remained working members of
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the royal family. The source said that's a hard pill
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to swallow, especially right now when cash flow is such
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an issue for them, adding that the figure has triggered
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some very real jealousy for the couple. According to the sources,
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Harry and Meghan believe they work just as hard, if
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not harder, for causes they care deeply about, but without
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comparable financial rewards. They genuinely believe they work just as hard,
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if not harder, for causes they care deeply about, yet
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the financial rewards don't even come close. Privately, it's going
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to watch William cash in while they're scrambling. On Thursday,
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Kate will host a reception at Windsor Castle to honor
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England's women's rugby team, the Red Roses, following their Rugby
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World Cup victory. As paid of the Rugby Football Union,
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she will welcome the players and team staff to the Castle,
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where they will be given a tour before joining her
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for the celebration. The reception marks England's triumph over Canada
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in the World Cup Final last September a match one
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thirty three thirteen in front of a record crowd of
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eighty one thousand that are sold out Twickenham Stadium. The
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team will bring the World Cup trophy with them and
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pose for photographs with the Princess. Queen Camilla's a long
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time stylist, has weighed in on Kate's recent hair transformation
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after the princess debuted softer blonde highlights during a series
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of public appearances. The new shade, dubbed push Mum Bronde,
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lends a brunette and blonde turns into a subtle, polished
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colour that'ts between the two, neither fully blonde nor dark brown.
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The look has drawn comparisons to styles worn by figures
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such as Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Aniston and is now
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being associated closely with Kate. The princess first showcased the
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lighter tones during her Christmas Day appearance at Ringham, where
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her hair appeared brighter beneath her hat. The look was
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even more noticeable during her recent visit to Charing Cross Hospital,
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with honeycolored highlights visible through her long waves. Joe Hansford,
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Queen Camilla's hairdresser and a holder of a royal warrant,
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described the change as a natural evolution rather than a
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dramatic shift. She said he added depth and richness of
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the color enhances Kate's complexion and eye color, creating a
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result that feels both modern and timeless. She also noted
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that the style remains polished and understated, aligning with what
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has become Kate's established esthetic. Kate received social media birthday
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messages from senior members of the royal family, including the
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King and Queen, but one notable silence quickly caught the
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attention of royal watchers and no, you don't mean Meghan.
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Princess Eugenie did not post any public birthday message for Kate,
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something fans immediately noticed given the royal family's usual habit
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of marking milestones online. While it is entirely possible a
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private message was sent, the lack of a public tribute
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stood out, particularly amid ongoing speculation about internal family tensions.
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The timing has only added to the intrigue. Recent reports
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that suggests Eugenie remains firmly supportive of her father Andrew.
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That loyalty has been cited by observers as a potential
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source of strain with senior royals. Fuel was added to
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the speculation last month when both Eugenie and her sister,
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Princess Beatrice were absent from Kate's annual Christmas Carol service.
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The omission prompted questions about whether relations between the cousins
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remained entirely cordial. There is no clear evidence of an
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open rift. Royal commentator Nil Schorn told Fox News Digital
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in November that both Eugenie and Beatrice had received personal
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invitations to this year together at Christmas service from Catherine's office,
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suggesting efforts to maintain family harmony. However, rumours of friction
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are not new. Similar claims surfaced in twenty twenty three
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and again in twenty five, when sources told The Express
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that the sisters were finding it difficult to remain on
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good terms with Prince William, Katherine and King Charles. Those
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tensions were said to stem from decisions taken by senior
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royals to remove Andrew from official duties following his disgrace.
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In case you're curious, we're not aware of any social
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media posts from Megan either. Maybe she's sent a candle
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or palasin just a moment aunt Sophie showed off her
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sporting side during a visit to England Hockey at Bishom
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Abbey National Sports Center in Marlowe on Monday, joining players
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on the pitch as preparations begin for the twenty twenty
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six season. Sophie, who turns sixty one next week, has
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been patron of the national governing body since two thousand
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and six and has long been the visible supporter of
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the sport. During the visit that she spent time with
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both the men's and women's squads and took part in
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a training session as Great Britain's hockey teams step up
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their preparations for the year ahead. Her enthusiasm for the
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game is well established. Speaking back in twenty fourteen, Sophie said,
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I always really enjoyed playing hockey so much more than
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just a team sport. Hockey has a great social time
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side and its thoroughly enjoyable game to both play and watch.
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For the occasion, Sophie swapped to her usual heeled boots
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for running shoes as she stepped onto the outdoor pitch,
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dressed in an all black outfit suitable for the training session,
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underscoring her hands on approach to supporting the sport. Meanwhile,
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in Australia, Zara and Mike Tindall were in relaxed spirits
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as they attended a polo and show jumping event alongside
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Prince Harry's longtime friend Ignatio Nacho Figueris. Zara was seen
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chatting with the Argentinian polo star and his wife Delphina
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Blaquie during the Magic Million's Carnival in Queensland. Mike seems
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to be enjoying the trip, attending an open Mike Knight.
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In a video posted to his Instagram story, Mike appeared
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relaxed and in good spirits, enjoying the evening with friends
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as music played in the background and drinks were in hand.
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He later reposted another video, originally shared by a fellow attendee,
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showing a lively crowd atmosphere with people smiling, singing along
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and clearly enjoying the night. And there you have it.
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If you like to email us addresses the Palace Intrigue
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at gmail dot com. My apologies for my allergies. I
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hope to get better soon. I'm Mark Francis. My thanks
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to John McDermott. This is Palace Intrigue and good times