Dec. 5, 2025

Top 25 Royal Stories of 2025 Part One: Royal Year From Hell as Sussex Staff Flee and Charles Faces New Health Fears

Top 25 Royal Stories of 2025 Part One: Royal Year From Hell as Sussex Staff Flee and Charles Faces New Health Fears

From Montecito staffers bolting to Princess Anne unexpectedly going viral, the royal rollercoaster started early. We count down #25 to #11, including Netflix slicing the Sussex deal, Harry drowning in lawsuits, Meghan’s Paris limo fiasco, and growing concern over King Charles’ health. These are the stories the royals wish we’d stop bringing up.

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 is fully available now for everyone. Season 2 has new episodes every Sunday on the regular feed. GET THE FULL SEASON 2 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
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:11.439
Caloroga Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue, Iam

2
00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:15.039
your host Mark Francis, and for the next three afternoons,

3
00:00:15.080 --> 00:00:18.559
we're going to take a special look back on the

4
00:00:18.600 --> 00:00:22.519
events of twenty twenty five and the top twenty five

5
00:00:23.239 --> 00:00:27.039
royal stories. Now, twenty twenty five will be remembered as

6
00:00:27.079 --> 00:00:30.600
one of the most turbulent royal years in recent memory.

7
00:00:30.760 --> 00:00:33.320
A year of concern for senior members of the family,

8
00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:38.719
of rising tensions between households, and of public scrutiny unlike

9
00:00:38.759 --> 00:00:43.439
anything we've seen in decades. Across London, Windsor and Montecito.

10
00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:46.759
The headlines rarely stopped. As we review the top twenty

11
00:00:46.759 --> 00:00:50.240
five royal stories of the year, we revisit the moments

12
00:00:50.359 --> 00:00:55.439
that reshaped the monarchy. At number twenty five, another wave

13
00:00:55.560 --> 00:00:59.880
of Sussex staff departures. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

14
00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:02.560
saw another shake up within their team this year, as

15
00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:06.879
four staff members departed following the arrival of Meredith Mainz,

16
00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:11.040
their new chief communications officer, With at least twenty two

17
00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:14.719
staffers having moved on since the couple relocated to California,

18
00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:19.760
turnover remained one of the quieter yet most persistent storylines

19
00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:24.439
of twenty twenty five. At number twenty four, King Charles

20
00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:27.439
and Queen Camilla's visit to the Vatican. One of the

21
00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:31.079
quieter but symbolically significant moments of the year came when

22
00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:33.719
King Charles and Queen Camilla made a formal visit to

23
00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:38.159
the Vatican. The King, continuing his long standing interest in

24
00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:42.560
interfaith dialogue, met with senior church figures to discuss shared

25
00:01:42.599 --> 00:01:48.560
concerns including climate action, cultural preservation, and religious coexistence. The

26
00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:51.200
visit was noted for its warmth and the depth of conversation,

27
00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:55.799
with Vatican officials describing the meetings as constructive and forward looking.

28
00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:00.120
Royal commentators highlighted the significance of the monarch engaging so

29
00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:04.319
directly with the Holy See during his ongoing health challenges,

30
00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:07.959
presenting the trip as both a diplomatic gesture and a

31
00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:14.520
reaffirmation of Charles' commitment to global faith outreach. At number

32
00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:19.520
twenty three, Beatrice and Eugenie Sussex Wales or their own

33
00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:24.120
track with parents still casting a shadow. Princesses Beatrice and

34
00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:27.680
Eugenie spent the year under quiet analysis as observers tracked

35
00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:31.120
whether the sisters were drifting closer to the Wales household

36
00:02:31.719 --> 00:02:35.639
or maintaining warmaties to the Sussexes. Their public schedules, from

37
00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:40.840
charity events to environmental initiatives, were scrutinized for clues about

38
00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:44.639
alignment inside a shifting monarchy. At the same time, the

39
00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:50.120
reputational turbulence surrounding their parents remained unavoidable. Prince Andrews continued

40
00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:54.759
withdrawal from public life, and Sarah Ferguson's title complications ensured

41
00:02:54.800 --> 00:02:59.280
that York sisters were regularly mentioned, not for controversy of

42
00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:04.680
their own, but for the family context surrounding them. Number

43
00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:08.639
twenty two hits US with the Royal sex Bomb Princess Anne.

44
00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:12.639
One of the year's most unexpected viral stories can courtesy

45
00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:15.520
of Princess Anne, or rather Mike Tindall talking about her.

46
00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:18.800
During a lighthearted interview on his The Good, The Bad

47
00:03:18.879 --> 00:03:22.840
and the Rugby podcast, Tindall recalled early memories of Anne's

48
00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:26.719
commanding presence at royal events, joking that she carried so

49
00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:29.560
much authority she could have been a royal sex bomb

50
00:03:29.639 --> 00:03:32.840
in her day. The off the cuff remarks at social

51
00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:36.960
media alight, with clips circulating widely and comments delighting in

52
00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:39.639
the rare glimpse of humor directed toward one of the

53
00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:43.039
most disciplined members of the royal family. While Anne has

54
00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:46.400
ever offered no public reaction, the moment became an unexpected

55
00:03:46.439 --> 00:03:51.520
favorite among royal watchers, coming in at number twenty one.

56
00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:56.400
Netflix downgrades the Sussex Deal. Netflix confirmed a major shift

57
00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:58.879
in his partnership with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

58
00:03:58.919 --> 00:04:02.319
This year, replaced the couple's exclusive twenty twenty contract with

59
00:04:02.439 --> 00:04:08.719
a significantly smaller first look deal. Projects such as Harte Invictus,

60
00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:13.520
Live to Lead and Polo drew more modest audience than

61
00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:17.439
the original documentary that kicked off the deal. Megan's lifestyle

62
00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:21.639
series with Love Megan produced mixed results. Season one debuted

63
00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:25.120
to criticism in March, while a second season compiled from

64
00:04:25.160 --> 00:04:30.040
previously filmed material, generated limited impact. In Meghan's holiday Special

65
00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:34.600
was widely mocked at number twenty in the top twenty

66
00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:38.800
five stories of twenty twenty five. Prince Harry's legal battles

67
00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:42.920
continue on multiple fronts. Prince Harry spent much of the

68
00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:46.519
year moving between the High Court and ongoing legal negotiations

69
00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:51.680
as three major cases progressed his claim against Newsgroup Newspapers

70
00:04:51.720 --> 00:04:56.240
advanced with further hearings over alleged unlawful information gathering. He

71
00:04:56.279 --> 00:04:59.920
also continued as a claimant in the action against Associated Newspapers,

72
00:05:00.279 --> 00:05:04.160
which denies the accusations. At the same time, Harry pressed

73
00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:07.120
forward with his challenge to the Home Office over the

74
00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:11.319
removal of automatic police protection during visits to the United Kingdom.

75
00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:14.800
Each case carried implications not only for Harry, but for

76
00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:20.480
Royal security procedures and for wider press industry practices, keeping

77
00:05:20.519 --> 00:05:22.800
the Duke at the center of some of the year's

78
00:05:22.839 --> 00:05:28.480
most closely watched court room proceedings. At number nineteen, Megan's

79
00:05:28.519 --> 00:05:33.399
podcast relaunch ends after a short run. Megan's podcast, Confessions

80
00:05:33.399 --> 00:05:37.240
of a Female Founder, produced with Lemonade and Media, launched

81
00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:41.399
in April with a nine episode slate featuring conversations with

82
00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:46.279
female entrepreneurs and Meghan's commentary on building her as Ever brand.

83
00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:50.480
The series concluded in June and appeared to not be renewed,

84
00:05:50.680 --> 00:05:54.079
which would mark the second time a high profile Sussex

85
00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:59.160
audio venture wrapped after a single season, following Archetypes Early

86
00:05:59.240 --> 00:06:03.439
and when Spot terminated its partnership in twenty twenty three.

87
00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:06.720
Analysts noted the pattern as part of a challenging year

88
00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:11.759
for the couple's media ambitions at number eighteen, the debate

89
00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:16.439
over marketing the kids. A brief family video posted by

90
00:06:16.439 --> 00:06:19.279
Megan this autumn triggered one of the year's most intense

91
00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:22.199
debates about the Sussex children and their place in the

92
00:06:22.199 --> 00:06:25.879
couple's public strategy. The clip, showing Megan and Prince Harry

93
00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:29.040
on an early Halloween outing at Lane Farms in Santa Barbara,

94
00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:32.199
with Archie and Lilabit visible in the background as Harry

95
00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:35.680
carved pumpkins, was only online for a short time, but

96
00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:38.839
it marked the clearest glimpse of the children in years,

97
00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:43.079
and reaction was immediate. According to Radar online dot Com,

98
00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:47.600
Entertainment analysts questioned whether Meghan was deliberately incorporating the children

99
00:06:47.639 --> 00:06:52.040
into her relaunch strategy. One source claimed, showing Archie and

100
00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:55.639
Lily more openly isn't just about sharing sweet moments. It's

101
00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:58.639
a deliberate move to guide how the public sees them.

102
00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:02.839
There's a clear strategy behind it. A Los Angeles entertainment

103
00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:06.040
executive went further, telling the outlet that Meghan understood the

104
00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:10.839
children's commercial potential. She is clearly eyeing them as future

105
00:07:11.000 --> 00:07:14.879
influences with the power to earn millions of dollars from

106
00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:19.279
brand posts, the executive said, arguing that the Sussex's global brand,

107
00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:22.879
built on family wellness and relatability, made the children central

108
00:07:22.920 --> 00:07:28.160
to future marketing efforts. The debate intensified after additional images

109
00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:32.279
of the children's surfaced during the Sussexes Thanksgiving volunteer appearance.

110
00:07:32.759 --> 00:07:37.199
Photographs described by The Daily Beasts Tom Sykes's carefully curated,

111
00:07:37.399 --> 00:07:41.639
half obscured clickbait released just ahead of Meghan's holiday special,

112
00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:45.839
He argued the Sussexes were managing the children's images for value,

113
00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:50.279
presenting them just visible enough to spark curiosity, never private,

114
00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:56.480
always part of the lifestyle brand. At number seventeen, Sarah

115
00:07:56.480 --> 00:08:01.000
Ferguson quietly recedes. Sarah Ferguson saw a significant shift in

116
00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:05.199
her public treatment this year, as royal event materials, invitations

117
00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:08.959
and press guidance began removing the Duchess of York styling

118
00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:12.959
she has informally used for decades. As the year moved on,

119
00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:16.360
her name appeared in more and more unsavory articles, often

120
00:08:16.360 --> 00:08:22.120
including words like Ebstein. Number sixteen brought us Meghan's Paris

121
00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:27.680
limo video backlash. Meghan sparked one of the sharpest online

122
00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:30.639
controversies of the year after posting an Instagram story from

123
00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:33.720
the back of a limousine in Paris. The video, filmed

124
00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:37.440
during her first Passion Week appearance, showed the Duchess recording

125
00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:40.559
nighttime views of the Pont Alexander, the Third and Pont

126
00:08:40.759 --> 00:08:44.720
Day and Validas before turning the camera to her legs

127
00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:47.279
stretched out along the seat. The route passed close to

128
00:08:47.960 --> 00:08:51.240
Pont de Lama, the tunnel where Diana, Princess of Wales

129
00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:54.759
suffered her fatal crash in nineteen ninety seven. The choice

130
00:08:54.759 --> 00:08:57.919
of location prompted a media backlash on social media. One

131
00:08:57.960 --> 00:09:01.840
commento wrote, why would she film the place his mother died? Moreover,

132
00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:04.120
why would she post it on social media for the

133
00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:07.879
world to see. Another said, if driving toward Princess Diana's

134
00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:10.200
death scene as a message to Prince William, then Meghan

135
00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:14.519
Minkle is the devil. Others accused her of recreating Diana imagery,

136
00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:19.159
calling the video disturbing and beyond stupid. Royal commentator Richard

137
00:09:19.159 --> 00:09:22.039
Fitzwilliams echoed the sentiment, telling The Daily Mail that the

138
00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:26.519
clip was utterly bewildering, insensitive, beyond belief, and a decision

139
00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:29.840
that would only inflame tensions. The incident became one of

140
00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:32.960
Meghan's most widely discussed missteps of twenty twenty five and

141
00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:38.720
reignited debates about her relationship to Diana's legacy. More of

142
00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:41.960
the top twenty five stories of the year in just

143
00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:50.519
a Moment, Welcome back to the top twenty five Royal

144
00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:55.320
stories of twenty twenty five. At number fifteen, Meghan's string

145
00:09:55.399 --> 00:09:59.600
of harsh reviews, Meghan's projects drew some of their toughest

146
00:09:59.639 --> 00:10:03.559
critic all responses yet, with reviewers describing With Love Meghan

147
00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:08.759
as out of touch, unclear in purpose, or overly curated. Simultaneously,

148
00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:13.240
commentary around the as Ever lifestyle line, including its thirty

149
00:10:13.240 --> 00:10:17.279
dollars honey and fourteen dollars spreads, sparked debate over luxury

150
00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:21.960
pricing versus authenticity. Though the products were sold reliably to

151
00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:25.399
Meghan's fan base, the critical tone contributed to a wider

152
00:10:25.480 --> 00:10:31.039
narrative that her public facing ventures still lack a consistent voice.

153
00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:36.080
Coming in at number fourteen, Sir David Beckham's Royal Loyalty Moment.

154
00:10:36.559 --> 00:10:39.519
David Beckham now formerly knighted and known as Sir David,

155
00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:43.440
became an unexpected royal subplot this year as analysts tracked

156
00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:48.480
his growing visibility alongside the Wales family. Reports resurfaced of

157
00:10:48.519 --> 00:10:52.360
past attentions between Meghan and Victoria Beckham over at alleged leaks,

158
00:10:52.759 --> 00:10:56.960
a story both couples denied. Even so, Beckham's public positioning

159
00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:01.240
reinforced the perception that he had firmly aligned himself with

160
00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:06.840
the Wales household. At number thirteen, Harry's Remembrance clashed with

161
00:11:06.919 --> 00:11:11.799
Williams earth Shot tour. Harry's Remembrance Week appearance in Toronto

162
00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:15.960
caused frustration inside Buckingham Palace after it overlapped with Prince

163
00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:21.320
William's Earthshot engagements in Brazil and the traditional commemorations in London.

164
00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:25.600
Palace officials quietly expressed surprise at the timing, saying they

165
00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:30.679
had not been informed ahead of the trip. At number twelve,

166
00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:34.600
earth Shot twenty twenty five expands its global footprint. This

167
00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:38.200
year's earth Shot Prize featured a wider international footprint than

168
00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:42.679
ever before, with events, satellite sessions, and youth focused initiatives

169
00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:47.679
staged across multiple continents. When a projects highlighted innovations and

170
00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:53.759
coastal restoration, sustainable agriculture and climate resilient housing. Coverage emphasized

171
00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:57.279
Prince William's deep involvement and the extent to which Earthshot

172
00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:01.080
has become his flagship effort, defining his public profile in

173
00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:05.039
a way few royal initiatives have achieved. This was a

174
00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:07.759
look at William as global leader and perhaps a glimpse

175
00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:12.799
of the reign of King William and at number eleven.

176
00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:17.080
Ongoing concern over King Charles health. King Charles's health remained

177
00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:19.840
one of the most closely watched issues of twenty twenty five,

178
00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:23.600
with a Palace offering only limited updates throughout the year.

179
00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:28.080
After his earlier cancer diagnosis, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the

180
00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:31.039
King continued to undergo treatment and would be reducing his

181
00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:35.159
public schedule, prompting renewed concern about the stability of the

182
00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:39.000
monarchy's day to day operations. Prince William took on a

183
00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:43.080
noticeably increased role, stepping in for several key ceremonial functions,

184
00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:47.879
while Camilla shouldered more of the charitable and representational workload.

185
00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:51.919
Although officials maintained that the King was progressing well and

186
00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:55.480
remained fully engaged with state business. The tone of statements

187
00:12:55.519 --> 00:12:59.080
throughout the year reflected a cautious, measured approach and a

188
00:12:59.159 --> 00:13:02.440
recognition that the sovereign's health had become a defining storyline

189
00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:07.320
of the royal calendar. And that said. For part one

190
00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:11.399
of this three part special, the Top twenty five Stories

191
00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:15.080
of twenty twenty five, and tomorrow we'll enter the top

192
00:13:15.399 --> 00:13:20.240
ten Royal moments, my friend has my thanks to John McDermott.

193
00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:23.919
This is palace intriguan good terms