Dec. 18, 2025

Tina Brown on Harry’s Lost Vision, Polo in Aspen, Kardashian Connections, and the Battle of the Watches Description

Show Notes
Transcript

Tina Brown tells Katie Couric about a revealing lunch with Jane Goodall, including Harry’s early vision for fatherhood and why royal officials expected him to leave the institution — but not for a celebrity life in Montecito.

We also cover Prince Harry’s surprise appearance at snow polo in Aspen, Meghan’s reaction from home, and the possibility of the Invictus Games returning to California in two thousand twenty nine.
Plus, claims that Meghan and Harry viewed Kris Jenner’s birthday party as a key Hollywood networking opportunity, allegations Meghan sought more prestigious royal accommodation in the UK, and commentary questioning how differently things might have unfolded with her wider family.

After the break, we look at Meghan’s evolving watch collection — from a Timex to Princess Diana’s Cartier — and compare it with Prince William’s far more modest Omega Seamaster, a deeply personal gift from his mother.

Hear our new show "Crown and Controversy: Prince Andrew" here.

Check out "Palace Intrigue Presents: King WIlliam" here.

👑 Follow our hit series Crown and Controversy! Season 1 and 2 are fully available now for everyone. Season 3 has new episodes every Sunday on the regular feed. GET THE FULL SEASON 3 BEFORE REGULAR LISTENERS as a subscriber! Hit that "UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING" Banner on the top of the Apple player. AND listen to Crown and Controversy "NORWAY'S ROYAL REBELS" here and get the full season as a premium subscriber now.

👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram or click the links to start your royal journey!

WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:11.720
Ah Calorogu Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue Game,

2
00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:15.960
your host Mark Francis. Speaking on Katie Kirk's YouTube program,

3
00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:20.559
Tina Brown said she had lunch with primatologist Jane Goodall

4
00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:25.079
shortly before Goodall's death. Brown told Kurk that Goodall mentioned

5
00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:29.239
visiting Harry and Meghan after Archie's birth, describing herself as

6
00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:31.760
one of the only people outside the family that went

7
00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:34.840
to see Archie when he was born, and said that

8
00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:38.439
Harry introduced the baby saying this is my little African child.

9
00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:41.200
Brown went on to describe what she understood to be

10
00:00:41.240 --> 00:00:45.520
Harry's original vision for fatherhood and family life, adding it's

11
00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:48.960
going to be my child who essentially, you know, wild child.

12
00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:51.960
Essentially they were going to have this time together, living

13
00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:54.159
a life off the grid as it were. She said

14
00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:56.359
she was absolutely stunned when he chose the life that

15
00:00:56.439 --> 00:00:59.880
he did. In the same appearance, Brown argued that Royal

16
00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:02.920
officials had long considered it possible Harry might step away

17
00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:07.599
from life inside the institution. In the same appearance, Brown

18
00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:11.359
argued that royal officials had long considered it possible Harry

19
00:01:11.400 --> 00:01:15.400
might step away from life inside the institution, but expected

20
00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:18.400
a very different outcome. Brown said, I'm told that the

21
00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:20.599
Queen always thought Harry would go off and want to

22
00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:23.680
be out of the royal family. Nobody expected him to

23
00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:26.439
go to Montecito and live the opposite of the off

24
00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:29.840
the grid life, which is the kind of celebrity life.

25
00:01:29.879 --> 00:01:31.560
And I don't think that Harry thought he was going

26
00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:35.319
to do that either. Harry has made a surprise appearance

27
00:01:35.319 --> 00:01:39.319
in Colorado, traveling with friends for a polo getaway, while

28
00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:42.519
Meghan has offered her reaction from home. Harry was spotted

29
00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:46.959
competing at the World snow Polo Championships in Aspen, where

30
00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:50.640
he was seen riding alongside close friend Nato Figeris. Harry

31
00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:53.760
appeared and eat blue pullover, black helmet, white trousers and

32
00:01:54.079 --> 00:01:56.879
dark sunglasses as he took part in the snowy match.

33
00:01:57.640 --> 00:01:59.719
The trip appears to be a boy's only affair, with

34
00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:03.640
meg and remaining in Montecito with children despite staying behind,

35
00:02:03.719 --> 00:02:07.159
The Duchess appeared amused by images from the event, sharing

36
00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:09.919
a photograph of Harry on horseback with the caption oh

37
00:02:10.039 --> 00:02:13.400
hello there. Some observers thought Harry looked happy, as he

38
00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:17.560
often does of his solo adventures Prince Harry could see.

39
00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:21.360
The Invictors Games returned to California in twenty twenty nine,

40
00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:24.520
with San Diego named as one of the three shortlisted

41
00:02:24.520 --> 00:02:28.520
host cities. The city has been selected alongside Alborg in

42
00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:32.800
Denmark and Dejon in South Korea as contenders to stage

43
00:02:32.919 --> 00:02:37.240
the International Adaptive Sports competition for Wounded, Sick and Injured

44
00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:40.960
service personnel and veterans. The next edition of the Invictors

45
00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:44.759
Games will take place in twenty twenty seven in Birmingham, England.

46
00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:47.840
Sources tell us Prince William is likely busy that week

47
00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:51.680
doing royal stuff. Megan Marco and Prince Hary's appearance at

48
00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:55.039
Chris Jenna's seventieth birthday celebration may have been more than

49
00:02:55.039 --> 00:02:59.639
a social engagement, according to a source speaking to Radar Online.

50
00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:02.479
The source claim the couple viewed the star studded event

51
00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:06.240
as an opportunity to reconnect with influential figures in Hollywood.

52
00:03:06.599 --> 00:03:09.759
According to the account, Megan appeared particularly energized by the

53
00:03:09.800 --> 00:03:15.319
setting and eager to engage, spending time introducing herself, exchanging

54
00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:19.840
contact details, and circulating among guests. The insider described her

55
00:03:19.879 --> 00:03:22.439
as being like a kid in a candy store, suggesting

56
00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:26.479
the evening was seen as an important networking moment. Part

57
00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:30.080
of the enthusiasm, the source said, stemmed from Meghan's growing

58
00:03:30.199 --> 00:03:34.560
rapport with the Kardashian Jenna family. The insider claimed she

59
00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:38.039
has the utmost respect for Chris Jenna's business acumen and

60
00:03:38.199 --> 00:03:40.800
is pretty awestruck to be on a first name basis

61
00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:43.719
with Kim and Chloe Kardashian, as well as other members

62
00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:47.680
of their extended circle. From Meghan, the source suggested, being

63
00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:51.039
integrated into the Kardashian's world and their media empire is

64
00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:55.560
viewed as a potentially significant step. The source also alleged

65
00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:59.960
that discussions have begun around possible professional collaborations. According to

66
00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:02.960
the claims, Meghan and Harry's team has explored ideas ranging

67
00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:09.280
from appearances on The Kardashians two potential brand partnerships. Megan

68
00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:11.680
Michael has been accused of making demands for more prestigious

69
00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:14.159
accommodation during the time she and Prince Harry were living

70
00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:18.120
in the UK. Speaking to gb News, Kinsey Schofield said

71
00:04:18.680 --> 00:04:21.560
Meghan Michael, after she married Prince Harry, approached the family

72
00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:24.759
and asked if they could have suites within Windsor Castle.

73
00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:27.480
She wanted to share the same space with the Queen,

74
00:04:27.560 --> 00:04:32.279
and she was denied that space for multiple reasons. Schofield

75
00:04:32.279 --> 00:04:36.360
said concerns included privacy issues, particularly because parts of Windsor

76
00:04:36.439 --> 00:04:39.439
Castle are open to tourists, which could have resulted in

77
00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:43.199
regular walkthroughs near private living areas. She also suggested the

78
00:04:43.240 --> 00:04:46.959
request stemmed from a desire to have accommodation comparable in

79
00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:50.560
status to that of then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,

80
00:04:50.839 --> 00:04:53.560
now the Prince and Princess of Wales. At the time,

81
00:04:53.560 --> 00:04:55.480
William and Kate were living in an apartment one A at

82
00:04:55.560 --> 00:04:58.959
Kensington Palace, a large, four story residence given to them

83
00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:02.120
by Queen Elizabeth Second as a wedding gift in twenty eleven.

84
00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:06.439
The apartment underwent extensive renovations before the couple moved in.

85
00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:10.240
Nottingham Cottage, by contrast, is a two bedroom property with

86
00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:13.800
low ceilings. Harry and Meghan addressed this directly in their

87
00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:17.240
Netflix series. As far as people were concerned, we were

88
00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:19.800
living in a palace, Harry said, and we were in

89
00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:23.160
a cottage, Meghan added. Kensington Palace sounds very regal, of

90
00:05:23.160 --> 00:05:25.319
course it does. It says palace in the name, but

91
00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:30.120
Nottingham Cottage was so small. In Women at Home, Emily

92
00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:33.319
Andrews writs how different it could have been if Meghan

93
00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:35.879
had thrown her arms around both sides of her family,

94
00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:38.319
and not just the Syllabs like George and a Mile

95
00:05:38.439 --> 00:05:41.759
Clooney who hardly knew the Sussexes. A courtier told me

96
00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:44.720
if Meghan and Harry had brought over her Markel family

97
00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:46.879
a couple of weeks before the wedding, put them up

98
00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:49.160
in a nice hotel, and had them looked after by

99
00:05:49.240 --> 00:05:52.800
palace staff, none of this would have ever happened. Instead,

100
00:05:52.839 --> 00:05:55.120
puts on Markell, who paid to put her through private

101
00:05:55.160 --> 00:05:57.560
school and university, is learning how to walk with a

102
00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:01.000
prosthetic limb, knowing he will likely never see his daughter again.

103
00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:04.920
No one emerges the victor here, least of all Megan

104
00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:10.839
More In just a moment, Hey, if you're tired of

105
00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:13.120
all these commercials, wanted you to buy yourself a Christmas

106
00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:17.319
present from Callaoga Shark Media and a subscription to Palace Intrigue,

107
00:06:17.319 --> 00:06:20.879
where you get all these shows commercial free. Just look

108
00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:22.959
at that button up top there on the Apple Players

109
00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:26.480
says listen uninterrupted and you get this plus one hundreds,

110
00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:30.160
if not thousands, of episodes from our library or commercial free,

111
00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:33.720
plus a sneak preview for upcoming series and episodes before

112
00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:37.439
they go public, and we really appreciate the support. You

113
00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:39.560
can get it for free for a month. After that,

114
00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:42.160
it's four ninety nine a month, and thank you again

115
00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:45.759
for all your support. The Daily Mail took a look

116
00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:48.319
at Meghan's watch collection, which tells a story of sentiment,

117
00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:52.480
symbolism and evolving style, from affordable pieces bought during her

118
00:06:52.600 --> 00:06:55.800
suit stays to priceless airlooms once worn by Princess Diana.

119
00:06:56.160 --> 00:06:59.959
The Duchess showcase her most famous time piece, Diana's gold

120
00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:03.680
Cartier tank Franseaise in the new promo for her upcoming

121
00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:06.720
Netflix holiday special with Love Meghan. In the image, Meghan

122
00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:09.480
sets a Christmas table in an emerald green gown, her

123
00:07:09.480 --> 00:07:13.759
wrists stacked with her eighteen carrot Cartier Love bracelet and

124
00:07:13.800 --> 00:07:18.319
the late Princess's elegant watch. The tank, originally valued at

125
00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:22.040
around eighteen thousand pounds, was gifted to Meghan by Prince

126
00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:25.240
Harry after their twenty eighteen wedding and remains one of

127
00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:28.759
her most worn accessories. The piece once belonged to Diana,

128
00:07:29.079 --> 00:07:32.360
who wore it in the nineteen nineties at several public engagements,

129
00:07:32.439 --> 00:07:35.800
including a visit to London's Hindu Temple and an event

130
00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:40.199
for the British Lung Foundation. In recent months, however, Meghan

131
00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:43.120
has been seen wearing a new watch that appears strikingly

132
00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:47.240
similar to Diana's Panthea de Cartier, a design reportedly gifted

133
00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:50.480
to the princess by Dodi al Fayed. If confirmed, it

134
00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:54.639
would mean Megan now owns two Cartier watches linked to Diana,

135
00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:59.439
a collection estimated by experts to be worth millions. Meghan's

136
00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:02.480
affinity or Cartier began long before her royal life. In

137
00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:05.959
twenty thirteen, while filming Suits, she treated herself to a

138
00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:10.279
forty two hundred pound two tone Cartier take front Says,

139
00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:13.720
to celebrate the show's third season. She had it engraved

140
00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:16.959
to MM from MM and said she hoped to one

141
00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:19.439
day pass it down to her daughter, calling it a

142
00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:22.040
reminder of the connection you have to the pieces you love.

143
00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:26.040
Her collection also includes a boem Et Mercy, a Hampton

144
00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:29.839
rap watch spotted on her Instagram in twenty fifteen, and

145
00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:34.279
a surprisingly affordable Timeax Originals Tonal watch, a thirty pound

146
00:08:34.360 --> 00:08:37.840
piece she wore during a twenty sixteen good Housekeeping suit

147
00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:42.480
just before meeting Prince Harry. William's watch tells a different

148
00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:44.720
kind of story. A visit by the Prince to North

149
00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:47.279
Wales drew attention not just to the coastal communities he

150
00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:51.159
was meeting, but also to a watch with deep personal significance.

151
00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:55.919
William was wearing an Omega Seamaster diver at three hundred m,

152
00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:59.679
a model closely associated with the sea. The watch features

153
00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:03.519
a save patterned blue dial, a matching blue bezel, three

154
00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:08.200
hundred meters of water resistance, luminous markers designed for underwater visibility,

155
00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:11.039
and a helium escape valve at the ten o'clock position

156
00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:15.279
used during deep sea decompression. What makes this particular watch

157
00:09:15.320 --> 00:09:18.159
especially meaningful is its origin. It was a gift from

158
00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:20.480
his late mother, Princess Diana, given to William during his

159
00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:24.440
school days at Eton. Among seamaster models, it is considered

160
00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:27.639
relatively modest. It runs on the courts movement rather than

161
00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:31.360
a mechanical one, uses an aluminum bezel instead of ceramic,

162
00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:34.759
and has a compact case size of just over thirty

163
00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:38.240
six millimeters. On today's resale market, It typically sells for

164
00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:43.120
under two thousand pounds. Despite its understated nature, the design

165
00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:47.519
carries considerable cultural weight. The Seamaster Diver three hundred m

166
00:09:47.639 --> 00:09:50.279
was the watch that launched Omega's long winning association with

167
00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:54.559
James Bond, first appearing on Pierce Brosnan's wrist in GoldenEye

168
00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:57.080
for Prince William. The watch represents far more than a

169
00:09:57.120 --> 00:09:59.720
luxury accessory. It is a practical time piece tied to

170
00:09:59.759 --> 00:10:03.799
menor reason of his mother, worn quietly during public duties.

171
00:10:04.200 --> 00:10:05.440
And there you have it. If you like to email

172
00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:08.399
us or addresses the Palasintrigant gmail dot com, please follo

173
00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:11.159
us on Spotify, Apple, Instagram, Facebook, where on all the

174
00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:14.559
social media come by say hi, Hi, Mark, Frances my

175
00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:18.000
thanks to John McDermot. This is Palaesintrigan. Good times,

Tina Brown on Harry’s Lost Vision, Polo in Aspen, Kardashian Connections, and the Battle of the Watches Description

Listen On

Recent Episodes