Prince William's Royal Revolution - How the Future King Plans to Change the Monarchy

0:00 Ah Calorogus Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Pallace Intrigue. I am your host, Mark Francis. The Iron News took a look at today's birthday boy, Prince William, writing, the heir to the throne has always exuded normalcy and approach. The broadcaster David Dimbleby has described as an ordinary Joe, yet beneath this there lies something else. In the years since his father became king, William has demonstrated a surprising ruthlessness when it comes to his role and the royal family and preserving the legacy of the Fern. Observers say he's proving to be no ordinary joe, but in fact a sharp eyed strategist. Author Andrew Lowney said, Charles is sentimental, is very compassionate. It's a bit of a ditherate, and I believe he'll have given guarantees to his mother and indeed Andrew himself guarantees that he will take care of Andrew and that he will ensure Andrew's girls are okay.

0:58 William can't speak out because he's number two and he won't cross his father, but he'll have had a big influence. Charles feels his obligations to his relatives, but he also has various skeletons in his closet, his infidelity with Diana, the Black Spider Memos, proving he lobbied the government and has needed to keep Andrew and Fergie inside the tent, whereas William doesn't care about any of that. Author Robert Hartman tells the Eyepaper William is a pragmatist rather than a romantic when it's a choice between the institution's long term safety or his wider family. While the institution comes first, the late Queen, as much as she had taught Harry, knew her grandson couldn't do this halfway house of being in the royal family. William gets this entirely, that the institution comes first. When there's a moment where some member of the family jeopardizes the reputation of the brand, he's not going to put up with it. Hartman also talked about the home life of William and Kate, observing they didn't have staff then, but they probably do it their new place, Forest Lodge. But then again, it's very difficult to know about their staffing arrangements. Because he is suspicious of the press. He likes to control the story, and he is a very private man. I've interviewed Charles many times, but William is just different. He doesn't want this huge entourage.

2:13 He's got a close knit team. Charles stays up at night writing letters and reading books. William's more of a box set guy. He likes briefings, he likes memos, bullet points. Charles is very spiritual, while William's not. Mad keen on church. The Kensington Palace aid so that William has a quiet faith. William goes to church. He's very dutiful, does what he has to do. But let's put it this way. At his age, Charles was going on retreats to Greek monasteries. As for the future, Hartman thinks when monarchs change things, they do things incrementally. You'll never get a huge relaunch. But William is the new kid on the block and any change he makes will be seen as significant. While Charles has a pretty extensive property portfolio, I think William is going to trim that down. He might not be selling off castles, but I think there'll be a general move toward having a smaller royal footprint. Lowney agrees sharing the palace moves at a glacial pace, he says, but I think William and Kate are looking at the European models of royal families. The Scandinavian Royals in particular tend to live more public, everyday lives and are deemed more approachable.

3:19 This may be the way forward, as the Royals have taken a big hit with Andrew and the Yorks. This softly, softly approaches the way William and Kate will go. A lot of it will be performative, and all the Royals are still in a bubble after all. But what's clear is that William is already refusing to be tarnished by the events of the past. He won't be standing aside and letting private pleasure and scandal ruin the future of the crown. Former royal butler Paul Burrell has given a wide ranging interview reflecting on his ears in royal service, his relationship with Princess Diana, and his concerns about the future of the monarchy. Burrell, whose new memoir is titled The Royal Insider, joined at the Royal household as a footman at the age of eighteen and later became butler to the Prince and Princess of Wales. He spent a decade working closely with Diana, Princess of Wales, until her death in Paris in nineteen ninety seven. Speaking about Diana, Birel said, I loved her very much. I know we are not supposed to say that about royal princesses, but I think it's an exception in my circumstances. He also recalled the final hours after learning of her death. At about two a m. We heard she was injured, and then after the comptrol of Michael Gibbons took a call in his office, the princess's personal assistant, Jackie Allen, came into the room looking ashen and said to me, Paul, sit down. You have to listen to what I'm saying, and you have to be brave. The princess has died.

4:43 Bureau traveled to Paris and was among those who attended to Diana after her death. Reflecting on that experience, he said, I was holding her hand, thinking she was in the room watching me. So it was very spiritual moment, her privilege to be there with her because I loved her very much. I defy any man having met her not to fall in love with her because she was incredible. On the current state of the Royal family, Bureau was particularly critical of Andrew mount Batten Windsor. Andrew has brought the Royal family to its knees. One single man has done more damage to the Royal Family than anyone, more damage than Cromwell. I think we could see and Andrew in prison. Andrew's selfishness, greediness and entitlement has left a very bad taste in people's mouths, and they are beginning to question whether the monarchy has longevity. I won't have anyone besmirch our dear late Queen because she was a good, kind Christian woman. She was the best of her best.

5:31 Her memory should not be altered. Turning to Queen Camilla, Bureau remained blunt in his assessment. Camilla is not my queen because I have not forgotten who the real queen should have been. Although Camilla isn't my queen, I realize I have to cross the bridge with Charles and Camilla to get to William and Kate, because at the end of it, Diana's son will be king and his wife will be Queen. Then for me the circle will be complete. If Diana were alive today, Harry would never have married Megan. He wouldn't have been searching for love. He would have been happy to settle down, conform and use them those lessons he's learned in life from his mother, that he was to be William's wingman and stand by his side more palace in just a moment. Visitors to Windsor Castle this summer will be able to explore a newly redesigned royal garden inspired by the planet Venus and personally shaped by King Charles's environmental vision. The historic space formerly known as the East Terrace Garden, has now been renamed the Venus Garden, following an eighteen month transformation directed by the King's interest in patterns found in nature. The redesigned garden sits beneath Windsor Castle's famous East Front and will be open to the public from July sixteenth through September thirteenth as part of a standard Castle ticket. The layout takes inspiration from the orbital pattern created by Venus as it moves around the Sun over an eight year cycle. The orbit forms a geometrical floral shape, often referred to as the rose of Venus or the pentagram of Venus. That pattern now forms the basis for the garden's winding pathways, planting beds, heads and hedgelined design Adam Scott, the Gardens

7:03 and Nursery manager at Windsor Castle, said this has been a significant project to reshape this historic garden for the future, reflecting His Majesty's vision to create a space that will offer beauty interest in biodiversity throughout the seasons of the generations to come. After around eighteen months of careful transformation, we are delighted to open the Venus Garden to visitors this summer, marking the start of an important new chapter in the garden's two hundred year history. The site itself has a long royal history. It became a formal garden during the reign of King George the Fourth in the eighteen twenties. Before that, the area had reportedly served as a bowling green during the reign of Charles Second. Prince Albert later took a keen interest in the planting, while Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret used the space as an allotment during the Second World War. In more recent decades, Prince Philip simplified the layout into formal rose beds centered around a fountain. Now, under King Charles's direction, the garden has been transformed into a more intricate and environmentally focused space.

8:00 The redesign includes mixed perennial beds, roses, evergreen pathways and more than eleven thousand spring bulbs designed to provide color and structure throughout the year. Wildflower meadows and newly planted trees have also been introduced to encourage biodiversity and attract wildlife and pollinating insects, reflecting charles Long standing interest in sustainability and conservation. Visitors will also see bronze sculptures from the Royal Collection, marble and stone, garden ornaments, clipped uterpiarian, new planted avenues, pear trees. One of the major attractions will be the rare opportunity to view windsor castles east front from angles not normally included on the standard visitor route. The garden has occasionally been accessible to the public throughout its history. The Royal Collection Trust confirmed that access to the Venus Garden will be included with a standard ticket.

8:48 The Trust's one pound ticket scheme will also allow people receiving Universal Credit and certain other benefits to visit the castle and gardens with up to five members of their household, and there you have it. Don't forget all This month we're encouraging listeners of Palace Intrigue to help spread the word. If you enjoy this show, please tell a friend about us or share an episode with them, and don't forget to follow Palace on Spotify or Apple. Turn on your notifications then miss an episode, and we'd love to hear your thoughts on today's episode. You can leave comments on Spotify and Mike Francis My thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace Intrigue. Good Times