June 9, 2026
Royal Wedding Fallout: Beatrice and Eugenie Back in the Fold? Kate’s Diana Tribute Raises Questions
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie spark debate after a warm reception from Prince William and other family members at Peter Phillips’ wedding. Are the York sisters quietly returning to the royal inner circle? Plus, Princess Eugenie finds herself compared to Meghan Markle after a viral wedding photo, Kate Middleton pays a touching tribute to Princess Diana through a familiar piece of jewelry, and a new debate erupts over where Beatrice and Eugenie live—and who pays the bills. Then, Elvis Costello suggests a surprising change to Britain’s honors system.
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:11.160
A Calorougus Shark media. Hello and welcome through Pallace Inturyga,
2
00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:14.560
I'm your host, Mark Francis, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie
3
00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:16.920
appeared to receive a warm welcome from members of the
4
00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:21.199
royal family at Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling's wedding, prompting
5
00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:24.719
renewed discussion about their place within the royal fold. The
6
00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:29.160
York sisters were among the guests gathered in Gloucestershire on Saturday.
7
00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:32.159
While the wedding itself was the main event, royal watchers
8
00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:37.320
were paying close attention to interactions among family members, particularly
9
00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:40.320
given the recent scrutiny surrounding the daughters of Andrew mount
10
00:00:40.359 --> 00:00:44.439
Batten Windsor. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward wrote for The Son
11
00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:48.000
William's display of familial warmth showed that the sisters are
12
00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:51.679
most definitely still in the fold. Her comments referred to
13
00:00:51.719 --> 00:00:55.119
a moment before the ceremony when Prince William was photographed
14
00:00:55.159 --> 00:00:57.560
greeting Princess Beatrice with a kiss on the cheek as
15
00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:01.000
guests arrived at the church. According to Seward, there was
16
00:01:01.079 --> 00:01:04.359
particular interest in how William would interact with his cousins,
17
00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:08.040
given his well documented frustration over the controversies that had
18
00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:11.560
surrounded his uncle in recent years. Seward wrote that William
19
00:01:11.560 --> 00:01:14.000
and Catherine are understood to believe that the sins of
20
00:01:14.079 --> 00:01:17.959
the father should not be attributed to his daughters. The
21
00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:20.799
wedding also produced other moments that drew attention, including a
22
00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:23.879
warm embrace between Princess Eugenie and me At Tindall, while
23
00:01:24.040 --> 00:01:28.120
Zara Tyndall was seen creating family members with what observers
24
00:01:28.200 --> 00:01:32.640
described as genuine affection. Seward suggested supporters of Beatrice and
25
00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:35.280
Eugenie would view their attendants as a sign of resilience
26
00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:39.079
during a period of heightened public scrutiny. At the same time,
27
00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:42.760
she acknowledged that critics may interpret their public appearances differently.
28
00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:47.359
Writing on his Substact newsletter, royal commentator Norman Baker criticized
29
00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:49.840
what he viewed as an effort to place Beatrice and
30
00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:53.920
Eugenie more prominently within the royal picture. He wrote, I
31
00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:56.719
still think the Royal family are making a huge mistake
32
00:01:56.840 --> 00:01:59.879
bringing Beatrice and Eugenie so prominently back into the four
33
00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:03.920
ground of their group picture. In the real world, people
34
00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:06.719
are very angry about the treatment given to these two sisters,
35
00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:09.719
whom they regard as grifters and freeloaders, from a family
36
00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:13.000
with a long history of grifting and freeloading. What happens
37
00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:15.280
at Trooping the Color next weekend? And then, of course
38
00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:18.520
Royal Ascot, what is going to happen in the sixteenth
39
00:02:18.599 --> 00:02:20.879
and seventeenth of June? Could they be put in the
40
00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:25.599
carriage procession? It seems so unlikely, but charles arrogance is extraordinary,
41
00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:29.759
isn't it. Princess Eugenie found herself unexpectedly at the center
42
00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:33.080
of an online debate after photographs from the wedding prompted
43
00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:36.639
a flurry of commentary on social media. As guests arrived
44
00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:39.840
at the church, photographers captured a warm moment between Eugenie
45
00:02:39.879 --> 00:02:42.319
and her young cousin, me A Tindall, the daughter of
46
00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:45.000
Zara and Mike Tindall. The pair shared a Huger's family
47
00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:48.840
members greeted one another before the ceremony. What might otherwise
48
00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:51.120
have passed as a routine family moment quickly became the
49
00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:55.599
subject of discussion online, with some social media users focusing
50
00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:59.520
on Eugenie's apparent awareness of the cameras. Several commenters, through
51
00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:03.199
comparisons to Meghan Markell, who has frequently faced criticism from
52
00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:05.639
some corners of social media, ever claims that she seeks
53
00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:10.039
out photographers during public appearances. One user wrote, Princess Eugenie
54
00:03:10.120 --> 00:03:12.639
looking straight at the camera, smirking using a child. How
55
00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:17.199
very Meghan Markle of her Keith paid a subtle tribute
56
00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:20.240
to Diana at the wedding, with royal watchers quickly spotting
57
00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:24.000
a familiar piece of jewelry among her accessories. Princess Catherine
58
00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:28.479
arrived ceremony wearing a cream ensemble by Roland Murray, paired
59
00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:31.719
with coordinating shoes, a hat and a clutch bag. While
60
00:03:31.719 --> 00:03:34.560
the outfit drew plenty of attention, it was a bracelet
61
00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:37.039
once worn by Diana that caught the eye of many
62
00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:41.080
royal fans. The princess chose Diana's three strand pearl and
63
00:03:41.159 --> 00:03:45.159
diamond bracelet at Peace, created by jeweler Nigel Milne as
64
00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:49.199
part of a charitable collection supporting women's health causes. The
65
00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:53.080
bracelet became one of the late Princess's most recognizable accessories
66
00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:56.240
and was worn on several notable occasions during her lifetime.
67
00:03:57.240 --> 00:03:59.759
Many royal followers will remember Diana wearing the bracelet in
68
00:03:59.800 --> 00:04:03.479
name ten eighty nine alongside her famous Katherine Walker elvis dress.
69
00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:05.599
Earlier that year, she had also paired it with a
70
00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:10.039
pale blue strapless Katherine Walker gown, and later wore it
71
00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:12.479
while attending a performance of the Masked Ball at the
72
00:04:12.599 --> 00:04:15.879
London Coliseum. The wedding was not the first occasion on
73
00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:18.399
which Catherine has chosen the bracelet. She has worn it
74
00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:21.160
several times over the years, including during a reception at
75
00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:25.680
Clarchen's ball House in Berlin and during engagements connected to
76
00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:28.600
the g seventh Summit in Cornwall. The jewelry is one
77
00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:30.800
of several pieces that connect the Princess at Wales to
78
00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:34.160
her late mother in law. Catherine also wears Diana's sapphire
79
00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.839
and diamond engagement ring, which Prince William presented to her
80
00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:42.079
during his proposal in Kenya. In twenty ten, Beatrice and
81
00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:45.000
Eugenie are once again facing renewed scrutiny over their housing
82
00:04:45.079 --> 00:04:48.680
arrangements and financial support. The discussion follows the publication of
83
00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:51.879
a National Audit Office report that has reignited debate about
84
00:04:51.879 --> 00:04:54.959
the status of non working royals and the privileges they
85
00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.720
continued to enjoy. According to reports, both sisters live in
86
00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:01.600
royal properties despite not carrying out official duties on behalf
87
00:05:01.639 --> 00:05:05.560
of the crown. Writer Tessa Dunlop waded into the debate
88
00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:09.000
in a column for The Independent, arguing that many members
89
00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:11.439
of the public remain unaware of the complex rules governing
90
00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:16.160
royal residences and titles. The latest scrutiny sentence on reports
91
00:05:16.199 --> 00:05:18.920
that Beatrice and Eugenie continued to benefit from royal accommodation,
92
00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:22.399
including ivy cottage at Kensington Palace and an apartment at
93
00:05:22.439 --> 00:05:25.680
Saint James Pallace, with funding reportedly coming from the King's
94
00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:30.319
private resources. Dunlop suggested the situation raises difficult questions for
95
00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:32.600
the monarchy at a time when public finances and royal
96
00:05:32.680 --> 00:05:36.639
spending remain under close examination. She wrote, of course, if
97
00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:39.199
Beatrice and Eugenie really wanted to help the ailing king
98
00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:41.759
and keep the Republican wolves at bay, they might consider
99
00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:45.040
relinquishing the royal titles they inherited from a man who
100
00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:48.879
is no longer a prince. Referring to edwardo Repelling Mozzi
101
00:05:48.920 --> 00:05:51.279
and Jack Brooks Banks, she wrote that they are men
102
00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:54.519
who would, surely, as traditional conservative men, be only too
103
00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:58.680
willing to pay for their families own accommodation. Dunlop went
104
00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:01.199
on to add, there is nothing more humiliating than being
105
00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:03.879
kept by one's uncle in law, or is it the state?
106
00:06:04.279 --> 00:06:06.199
But exactly what the going rate should be for an
107
00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:08.360
ex princess to live in a palace as anyone's guess.
108
00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:12.920
Such are the conundrums of a constitutional monarchy, more palacy
109
00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:19.000
just a moment. Elvis Costello has suggested that one of
110
00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:22.920
Britain's most recognizable honors should undergo a name change, arguing
111
00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:25.480
that the word empire no longer belongs in the title.
112
00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:28.480
The musician, who was appointed an Officer of the Order
113
00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:31.360
of the British Empire in twenty nineteen, said he believes
114
00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:33.879
the honor system could avoid controversy by replacing the word
115
00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:37.399
with something more modern. Speaking to the Sunday Times, Costello said,
116
00:06:37.720 --> 00:06:40.800
why did they just change the name in obe to excellence?
117
00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:43.720
Then everybody could be happy. The singer, who has long
118
00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:47.519
spoken openly about his Irish heritage and Republican family background,
119
00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:50.040
was awarded his honor by then Prince of Wales for
120
00:06:50.120 --> 00:06:53.879
services to music. Reflecting on the experience, Costellius said his
121
00:06:53.959 --> 00:06:56.480
decision to attend the investiture ceremony came from a mixture
122
00:06:56.519 --> 00:06:59.720
of curiosity and skepticism. He told the newspaper. My dad
123
00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:02.360
used to play the staff ball at Buckingham Palace when
124
00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:03.759
I was a kid, and when we had to go
125
00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:05.759
in the back door with the help, so I thought,
126
00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:07.519
this time I'm going in the front door. I went
127
00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:11.319
out of curiosity, skeptical and cynical. The musician admitted that
128
00:07:11.399 --> 00:07:14.079
these impressions of Buckingham Palace were mixed. He said, the
129
00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:16.839
palace itself is tatty. I didn't lean on any pillows
130
00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:20.000
because I thought they might be paper machet. However, he
131
00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:22.160
also said the ceremony changed some of his thinking after
132
00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:26.120
seeing what the honors meant to others being recognized. Costella continued,
133
00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:28.160
but when I saw how much it meant to people
134
00:07:28.279 --> 00:07:31.439
in education, charity, medicine, I thought I could do with
135
00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:34.800
being less cynical. A marine behind me fainted from emotion.
136
00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:38.879
The single also recalled discussing Irish politics after the ceremony.
137
00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:41.720
He said, afterwards, I sat with the Irish press, so
138
00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:44.839
I was in the palace discussing Chinfein. Dad would have
139
00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:47.360
loved that. He was a lifelong Republican and would have
140
00:07:47.480 --> 00:07:49.399
told me to go like my mother did, just so
141
00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:52.079
I could look them in the eye. And there you
142
00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:55.160
have it. Hey, all this month were encouraging listeners of
143
00:07:55.240 --> 00:07:58.360
Palace Intrigue and that's you to help spread the word.
144
00:07:58.399 --> 00:08:00.000
If you enjoy the show, tell a friend about us.
145
00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:02.079
Betty had to share an episode with someone who loves
146
00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:04.600
following the royal family and you know who they are.
147
00:08:04.839 --> 00:08:08.160
Be sure to follow Palace Intrigue on Apple and Spotify
148
00:08:08.279 --> 00:08:10.160
as well, and you can turn on notifications so you
149
00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:13.000
never miss an episode. And we'd love to hear your
150
00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:15.720
thoughts on today's show. You can leave a comment for
151
00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:19.399
us on Spotify. Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott.
152
00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:21.839
This is Palace Intrigue and good terms
1
00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:11.160
2
00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:14.560
3
00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:16.920
4
00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:21.199
5
00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:24.719
6
00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:29.160
7
00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:32.159
8
00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:37.320
9
00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:40.320
10
00:00:40.359 --> 00:00:44.439
11
00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:48.000
12
00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:51.679
13
00:00:51.719 --> 00:00:55.119
14
00:00:55.159 --> 00:00:57.560
15
00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:01.000
16
00:01:01.079 --> 00:01:04.359
17
00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:08.040
18
00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:11.560
19
00:01:11.560 --> 00:01:14.000
20
00:01:14.079 --> 00:01:17.959
21
00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:20.799
22
00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:23.879
23
00:01:24.040 --> 00:01:28.120
24
00:01:28.200 --> 00:01:32.640
25
00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:35.280
26
00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:39.079
27
00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:42.760
28
00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:47.359
29
00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:49.840
30
00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:53.920
31
00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:56.719
32
00:01:56.840 --> 00:01:59.879
33
00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:03.920
34
00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:06.719
35
00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:09.719
36
00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:13.000
37
00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:15.280
38
00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:18.520
39
00:02:18.599 --> 00:02:20.879
40
00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:25.599
41
00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:29.759
42
00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:33.080
43
00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:36.639
44
00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:39.840
45
00:02:39.879 --> 00:02:42.319
46
00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:45.000
47
00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:48.840
48
00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:51.120
49
00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:55.599
50
00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:59.520
51
00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:03.199
52
00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:05.639
53
00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:10.039
54
00:03:10.120 --> 00:03:12.639
55
00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:17.199
56
00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:20.240
57
00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:24.000
58
00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:28.479
59
00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:31.719
60
00:03:31.719 --> 00:03:34.560
61
00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:37.039
62
00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:41.080
63
00:03:41.159 --> 00:03:45.159
64
00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:49.199
65
00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:53.080
66
00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:56.240
67
00:03:57.240 --> 00:03:59.759
68
00:03:59.800 --> 00:04:03.479
69
00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:05.599
70
00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:10.039
71
00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:12.479
72
00:04:12.599 --> 00:04:15.879
73
00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:18.399
74
00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:21.160
75
00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:25.680
76
00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:28.600
77
00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:30.800
78
00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:34.160
79
00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.839
80
00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:42.079
81
00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:45.000
82
00:04:45.079 --> 00:04:48.680
83
00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:51.879
84
00:04:51.879 --> 00:04:54.959
85
00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.720
86
00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:01.600
87
00:05:01.639 --> 00:05:05.560
88
00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:09.000
89
00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:11.439
90
00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:16.160
91
00:05:16.199 --> 00:05:18.920
92
00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:22.399
93
00:05:22.439 --> 00:05:25.680
94
00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:30.319
95
00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:32.600
96
00:05:32.680 --> 00:05:36.639
97
00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:39.199
98
00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:41.759
99
00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:45.040
100
00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:48.879
101
00:05:48.920 --> 00:05:51.279
102
00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:54.519
103
00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:58.680
104
00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:01.199
105
00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:03.879
106
00:06:04.279 --> 00:06:06.199
107
00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:08.360
108
00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:12.920
109
00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:19.000
110
00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:22.920
111
00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:25.480
112
00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:28.480
113
00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:31.360
114
00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:33.879
115
00:06:33.959 --> 00:06:37.399
116
00:06:37.720 --> 00:06:40.800
117
00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:43.720
118
00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:47.519
119
00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:50.040
120
00:06:50.120 --> 00:06:53.879
121
00:06:53.959 --> 00:06:56.480
122
00:06:56.519 --> 00:06:59.720
123
00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:02.360
124
00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:03.759
125
00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:05.759
126
00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:07.519
127
00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:11.319
128
00:07:11.399 --> 00:07:14.079
129
00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:16.839
130
00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:20.000
131
00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:22.160
132
00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:26.120
133
00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:28.160
134
00:07:28.279 --> 00:07:31.439
135
00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:34.800
136
00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:38.879
137
00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:41.720
138
00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:44.839
139
00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:47.360
140
00:07:47.480 --> 00:07:49.399
141
00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:52.079
142
00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:55.160
143
00:07:55.240 --> 00:07:58.360
144
00:07:58.399 --> 00:08:00.000
145
00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:02.079
146
00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:04.600
147
00:08:04.839 --> 00:08:08.160
148
00:08:08.279 --> 00:08:10.160
149
00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:13.000
150
00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:15.720
151
00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:19.399
152
00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:21.839
