Prince William's Sexless Marriage? Andrew Security Fears Grow,

0:00 Ah Caloroga Shark Media, Yeah lo and welcome through Palace Intrigue. I'm your host. Mark Francis is Prince William living in a sexless marriage. William is finding himself at the center of an unexpected online debate after a lighthearted comment about Kate's work habits was taken by some social media users as evidence of problems in the way it was his marriage. Speaking about Catherine's preparation, he said she wanted to do a lot of research god knows how much time now looking through all the paperwork. She's a paper pro on children's early years, and the most evenings I'm fighting to get past in the bedroom, all the paperwork she's got lined up to read. So I'm so pleased it went so well for her, and I think she came back buzzing.

0:51 The comments were widely shared online, with some social media users choosing to interpret the joke as a sign of marital difficulties. A source tells Radar Online there has been a lot of noise online trying to twist William's comments into something they are not, but those close to him say he was simply highlighting how dedicated Catherine is to her work. He is immensely proud of her in the way she has approached her return to public duties, even if it means their evenings are sometimes taken over by documents in preparation. While royal couples are not generally known for overt public displays of affection, several subtle moments during Saturday's wedding caught the attention of observers. Kaid and William were among those navigating the rain as they arrived and departed from the ceremony. Photographs showed the couple sharing an umbrella while greeting guests and the knowledging well wishes gathered outside the church. As conditions became wendy a, William appeared to take responsibility for keeping the umbrella positioned over his wife while she stopped to speak with guests. The practical gesture quickly drew attention online, with some royal fans praising the future King's efforts to shield Catherine from the rain.

1:54 Princess Beatrice and her husband EDWARDO Mabelli Motzy were also photographed making their way through the rain under an umbrella. According to reports that included reading analysis, Beatrice was seen commenting to her husband about the challenge of handing the umbrella and the windy conditions. When the rain briefly eased, the couple were photographed holding hands as they walked together. Elsewhere, the Tyndall family appeared well prepared for the weather, with several family members carrying their own umbrellas. One of the more colorful additions came from Lena Tindall, whose bright umbrella stood out among the more traditional royal attire. Even the bride and groom found themselves sharing a memorable umbrella moment. As Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling left the church following the ceremony, Peter held a large white umbrella above the newly weds as they greeted guests and posed for photographs outside.

2:42 In The Royalist, Tom Sykes writes, the sticky used to beat William has always been that he is lazy or workshy and primi fussy, and the data supports it. Charles, whatever his critics think of him, absorbed his mother's first commandment that royals must be seen to be believed, and turned himself into the most visible monarch and modern history. The numbers aren't in this. As Prince of Wales, he topped the family leaderboard with six hundred one engagements in twenty eleven, five hundred and twenty one and twenty nineteen the last normal pre pandemic year ahead even of the tireless Princess Anne. Williams Court argues that he simply sees the job differently. He disdains performative monarchy, the appearance counting, the diary stuffed with engagements that exist only to be counted. He believes in impact earth shot, homewards mental health, Fewer things done, more deeply, and the figures speak for themselves.

3:29 Charles never ending two plus the patina of actually being king have pushed his approval to a record high of around sixty percent, but William and Catherine outstrip him by a mile. In the late seventies, the big overseas trips have all been earthshot, while he's made eight visits to watch rugby or football. I can add to this. William is as of now reluctant to commit to going to the USA this summer to support England at the World Cup, citing the end of George's final term at junior school. I am told he's resisting unless England reached the quarter final. This is the kind of thing that sends Charles absolutely bonkers, says. Personal wishes and personal family life comes second to duty. Hey all, this month, we're encouraging listeners of Palace Intrigue to help spread the word. If you enjoy the show, tell a friend about us of belly A, share an episode with someone who loves following the Royal family and you know who they are. Be sure to follow Palace Intrigue on Spotify as well as Apple and turn on your notifications so you never miss an episode. And we'd love to hear your thoughts on today's stories. You can lead comments for us on Spotify or Palace in just a moment. Newly released government documents are prompting renewed questions about former Prince Andrew's former role as Britain's trade envoy and the extent to which the late Queen Elizabeth supported his appointment. According to a report from Radar Online, concerns are growing among some royal observers. The continuing scrutiny of Andrew's activities could eventually lead to greater examination of how the institution responded to con scerns about him over the years.

5:02 One source, quoted by columnist rob Shooter claimed Andrew got away with an extraordinary amount because the Queen protected him. People inside the palace knew he was a problem, but nobody wanted to challenge Elizabeth over her favorite son. Another source said there was a real sense of unease building behind palace walls because many people fear the public still has only seen a fraction of what went on and when it came to protecting Andrew over the years. According to those familiar with the institution at the time, concerns about his judgment, behavior and the company he kept were circulating internally long before the Epstein scandal became an international embarrassment, but there was an unspoken understanding that Andrew occupied a uniquely protected position because of how deeply loyal the Queen was to him personally. People inside the royal household apparently felt there was very little appetite for confronting the issue had on or questioning decisions connected to Andrew, because nobody wanted to be viewed as challenging Elizabeth herself. The belief among some former aides is that this created an environment where warning signs were minimized, awkward questions were pushed aside, and reputational risks were managed quietly rather than addressed openly.

6:05 Critics inside and outside the palace now argue that this long standing culture of deference effectively allowed Andrew to move through elite circles with enormous privilege, influence, and freedom for far longer than should have ever been possible. Radar's report also cites concerns that future disclosures could place greater focus on the monarchy's handling of Andrew's affairs rather than solely on Andrew himself. A separate source said, what is really alarming senior royal figures now is the possibility that this story now stops being seen purely as Andrew's personal scandal and starts becoming a much broader examination of how the monarchy itself responded behind the scenes. There is growing concern that additional disclosures, whether from official documents, former staff members, or private exchanges that eventually became public, could leave people with the impression that protecting the institution's image was prioritized by Elizabeth over properly confronting the seriousness of the situation.

7:00 According to insiders, there is particular anxiety about the impact this could have on Queen Elizabeth's historical reputation and legacy because she was viewed by many within the Palace was fiercely protected of Andrew throughout the years. The fear is that future revelations may paint a picture of an institution quietly containing crises, managing headlines, and shielding Andrew from deeper scrutiny, rather than dealing with uncomfortable allegations openly and transparently. Senior royal aids are saying there is genuine nervousness. The public opinion could shieft dramatically if more evidence emergers suggesting the Palace operated an extensive damage limitation strategy surrounding Andrew for years, and that it worked to essentially cover up his alleged perverted lifestyle. Author Andrew Lowney warns that former Prince Andrew needs to beef up his own security. Lowney said, my view is that he can afford it, and he does need security, and he should do it. He should be paying for his own security. He brought these problems on himself.

7:57 Lowney also suggested that a determined group could potentially time the Duke of York of his protection were insufficient. He said, I do think it just needs five cars when he is out to stop him in the way they did with Princess Anne, cut him off and do a raid, a bit like a bank raid. He could be kidnapped or attacked. There is a duty of care for him, either he pays for it or Charles pays for it. But I don't think the public is going to swallow him getting more taxpayers money, given this is a problem of his own making. A security source told Radar Online, Andrew is no longer surrounded by the level of royal infrastructure he once had. If someone wanted to create chaos or exploit his notoriety, there are vulnerabilities there. Another source added, whether people sympathized with him or not is irrelevant from a security perspective. He remains a globally recognized royal figure with enemies, obsessives, and people who may see him as a target. The discussion of Andrew's security also prompted renewed attention on the attempted kidnapping of Princess Anne in nineteen seventy four. During that incident, gunman Ian Ball stopped the Princess's car in central London and demanded she leave the vehicle, and famously refused, replying not bloody likely. Several people were injured while helping protect the princess before Ball was eventually arrested.

9:09 Loney has suggested that Andrew could eventually relocate to the Middle East, arguing that such a move might ease ongoing pressures on the royal family as scrutiny surrounding him continues. I think Andrew may well end up in the Middle East, Loney said that would solve a lot of problems for the royal family. Keep the story under wraps and get them away from public view, and there you have it. If you'd like to email us, our address is the Palace Intrigue at a gmail dot com. I'm Mirke Francis. My things to John McDermott. This is Palace Intrigue and good Times.