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A calorogus Shark Media. He hello and welcome to Pallas Intrieg.
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I am your host, Mark Francis. Christmas at Sandringham is
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set to look noticeably different this year, with several familiar
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faces absent, some long standing traditions softened, and a few
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newer customs firmly taking root under King Charles. Prince Harry
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and Megan Michael will be absent again spending Christmas in Montecito,
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while Andrew Mountbatten Windsor will also not attend after being
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barred from the gathering following the loss of his princely status.
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While the Andrew situation has been a persistent challenge for
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the King, it has also created space for a broader
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guest list. Invitations have been extended to Queen Camilla's wider
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family and to the King's nieces, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie,
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continuing a more inclusive approach Charles has embraced. However, Camilla's
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son Tom Parker Bowls has indicated that he and his
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sister Laura will not be attending Sandringham this year. Ingrid Seward,
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editor of Majesty magazine, explains invitations went out months ago
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and we do know the King loves a big family Christmas.
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Last year the Queen's children and grandchildren were invited, and
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it's a new tradition the King has started. She added.
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Beatrice was there last year. She then left after church
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and went for lunch with Sarah and Andrew at Royal Lodge.
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I think the King has been keen to show his
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support to his nieces during a difficult year for the
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York family. Andrew and Sarah Ferguson may still spend Christmas
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together at Royal Lodge, potentially for the final time before
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Andrew is expected to leave Windsor Property. Those expected at
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Sandringham include Prince William and Catherine, Princess Wales, along with
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Prince George, Charlotte and Prince Louis, Prince Edward and Sophie,
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the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, their children, and Princess
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Anne and her family are also expected to attend. Sandry
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Ham is smaller than any other palaces and so it's
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always a bit of a squash, but it's always fun
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and very Christmasy and very family focused, Suard said. She
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noted the Christmas Day itself often involves careful co ordination,
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particularly for the Whales family. I expect William, Kate and
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the children will be at Sandringham for the Christmas Day
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service alongside Charles, because that's an important show of togetherness.
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In previous years they have gone back to Anmah after
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church on Christmas Day for lunch with Kate's family, so
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they get two Christmases. King Charles has also relaxed some
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of the more demanding festive protocols. One royal insiders said,
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it used to be a night they're going to Sandringham
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because there used to be so many outfit changes, sometimes
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up to six a day, but the King has relaxed
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that there won't be so many changes, but everyone will
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wear black tie at Christmas Dinner. Guests begin arriving on
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Christmas Eve. Royal historian Marlen Koenig says the weekend traditionally
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includes an afternoon tea of cakes, sandwiches, and Coronation chicken,
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followed by a black tied dinner and exchange of humorous gifts.
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The Royals prefer joky or inexpensive gifts in keeping with tradition.
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Christmas Dinner will take place on Christmas Eve, with turkey
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and all the trimmings. Presents will be a rad on
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trestle tables with name cards, while children's gifts go under
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the tree. The insider added there are always joke presents.
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When Christmas, Princess Anne once gave Charles a doormat which
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God a laugh. Presents are always very practical. It's probably
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a bit more lavish these days. Charles is very extravagant,
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rather like his grandmother, the Queen. Mother the Queen was
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pretty frugal. On Christmas morning, Charles and Camilla, along with
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William cat and their children, leave the family to church. Afterwards,
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there are drinks, a traditional lunch of locally sourced turkey
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with trimmings, and later a buffet supper. Conig notes it
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can include boar's head, ham, salmon and numerous side dishes,
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with the dessert table showcasing sweets and charbonnel at Walker Chocolates.
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The King will also continue the tradition of giving gifts
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to household staff, including Christmas puddings and in some cases turkeys,
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as well as maintaining the Boxing days shoot, reflecting Sandringham's
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origins shooting estate. After a boxing day, King Charles and
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Queen Camilla are expected to head to Scotland, continuing eight
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newer tradition of seeing in the new years there. They
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have done this in the past couple of years and
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it's become one of their traditions now. They love to
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see the new year in Scotland, Seward said. Another tradition
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that remains firmly in place is the family gathering around
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the television on Christmas Day to watch the King's Christmas broadcast,
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with staff retiring to their quarters while the royals watch
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the monarch address the nation. Sources close to the royal
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household say the mood leading into Christmas season has been
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tinged with both relief and reflection. While the King has
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appeared in good spirits in recent months, his Majesty, who
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is seventy seven, remains in treatment following as cancer diagnosis.
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It is also the Princess of Wales's first Christmas since
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announcing her remission earlier this year. One source explains that
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the celebration may carry a wistful tone, but stresses it
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will also be a moment of joy, especially after Kate
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received the all clear. The theme of the princesses together
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at Christmas Carol service at Westminster Abbey focused on happiness
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and love was said to capture the broader feeling within
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the family. They all want to make the most of
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their time together. Says this will be the Prince and
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Princess of Wales's first Christmas in their new home. The
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family of five moved from Adelaide Cottage to Forest Lodge
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at the end of October. A source notes they are
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looking forward to creating memories and what they consider their
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forever home. In previous years, the family visited a local
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tree farm, baked seasonal treats, and watched films. Prince William
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has said oh As his favorite Christmas movie. Though they
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traditionally alternate celebrations between the royal family and the Middletons,
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this year they are pleased to remain by the King's side.
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A second source confirms that Michael and Carol Middleton will
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join them at Sandringham. The children, meanwhile, are said to
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be enthusiastically in the festive spirit. Those close to the
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family emphasized William and Kate's commitment to keeping their children grounded.
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They want to create a traditional Christmas without airs and graces,
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unlike what Charles might have had as a child. One
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source says for the King, the holiday comes after a
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challenging period. In October, Prince Andrew was formerly stripped of
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the remaining royal titles due to his association with the
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late Jeffrey Ristein This follows the King's face to face
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meeting with Prince Harry in London, their first in nineteen months,
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which one source described as promising but limited. The relationship
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between the princes remains strained. Another source says concerns have
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resurfaced over whether or not trust can be rebuilt, particularly
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after Harry and Meghan attended christ Janner's high profile seventieth
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birthday party. If they are going to go out and
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look like Hollywood players, it's at odds with what the
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Palace and royal family members would do, the source says,
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adding that the chance of the Sussex's receiving a Christmas
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invitation from the King was always slim. Despite the difficulties,
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the King is determined to set the tone for a
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meaningful holiday. Charles prioritizes duty, but he's also a family
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man who knows his time is precious, says one source.
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He wants a special last Christmas. In cases as last,
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he intends to join the annual Walk to Saint Mary
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Magdalene Church on Christmas morning and will record his Christmas
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broadcast that afternoon. Nothing would stop Charles from doing that,
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the source adds, noting the King's view that one has
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to be seen to be believed. Another source says those
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around him are cautiously optimistic. His health isn't the best.
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They're taking it day by day. Even after a year
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marked by health concerns and familial tension, the season retains
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a sense of optimism. Although we do not know what
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cancer Charles has, it is apparent that his treatment allows
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him to continue a normal life, says Conig. Above all,
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the King is focused on time with those closest to him.
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Charles wants to have a traditional holiday with all the royals,
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says its first source. Every family Christmas. It's precious, but
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it's especially so for him this year. More palacy just
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a moment. The late Queen Elizabeth I was reportedly angered
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by Megan Markle's decision to wear a sixty thousand pounds
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d or gown during an official visit to Morocco in
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twenty nineteen. According to royal biographer Robert Jobson, despite being
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at the center of royal ceremony, the Queen was famously frugal,
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shaped by her wartime upbringing and a lifelong belief in
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thrift and restraint. Jobson writes in The Windsor Legacy, A
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Royal Dynasty of Secrets, Scandal and Survival, that the price
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of the gown drew the Queen's eyre when she read
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about it in the press. She later let Meghan know
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that such an expensive outfit was an ill judged choice.
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According to Jobson, the Duchess of Sussex did not appear
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to he that morning and continued to wear high end
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designer pieces throughout her time as a working royal. Jobson
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recounts that the Queen was also deeply distressed when she
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learned through media reports that Harry and Meghan had named
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their daughter Lilibet, using her private childhood nickname. Citing a
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palace source, he writes that the Queen became so incensed
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at the affront that she threw the paper to the floor,
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startling the staff. Harry has previously insisted that the Queen
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approved the name in advance, with a spokesperson saying during
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that conversation he shared their hope of naming their daughter
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Lilibert in her honor. Had she not been supportive, they
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would not have used the name. However, Jobson suggests the
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reaction inside the palace was very different. Royal author Valentine
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Lowe has also written that the Queen told an aide
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I don't own the palaces. I don't own the paintings.
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The only thing I own is my name, and now
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they've taken that and they have it. If you'd like
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to email us our addresses the Palace Intrigue at gmail
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dot com, please follow us on Spotify, Apple, Facebook, Instagram
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or the social hubs where there come say Hi, I'm
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Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace Intriguing.
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Good Times