Jan. 19, 2026

We explain Prince Harry vs. the Mail as the Royals Scatter to Avoid Him audio

Show Notes
Transcript

Prince Harry heads into a high-stakes High Court showdown with the publisher of the Daily Mail, joined by Elton John and other prominent figures, in what could become the most consequential press trial in years. Allegations range from phone hacking to covert surveillance, all fiercely denied by the newspaper. As cameras swarm Fleet Street, the Royal Family quietly fans out across Scotland and beyond, steering clear of the case. Meanwhile, questions swirl about Harry’s long game, his hopes for reconciliation, and whether this legal battle marks his final reckoning with the British press — even as Meghan faces fresh criticism over her latest sold-out product and leans into online nostalgia.

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Callarogus Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I'm

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your host, Mark Francis. One of the most consequential battles

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between Britain's press and its critics is now at the

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High Court in London, with Prince Harry facing off against

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the publisher of The Daily Mail. The Duke of Sussex,

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is joined by a group of prominent figures including Elton

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John and his husband David Furnish, actors Elizabeth Hurley and

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Sadie Frost, Labour Pierre Doreen Lawrence, whose son Stephen was

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murdered in a racist attack, and former Liberal Democrat leader

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Simon Hughes. Their cases directed against Associated Newspapers, publisher of

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The Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday, with its

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long serving editor in chief Paul Dachray expected to give evidence.

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The allegations are wide ranging and severe. The claimants say

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the newspapers went far beyond voicemail interception, accusing them of tappinges,

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paying corrupt police officers, obtaining medical records through deception, and

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bugging private homes. Associated Newspapers has rejected the claims, describing

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them as preposterous and an affront to the hard working

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journalists whose reputations and integrity are wrongly traduced. Prince Harry's

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animosity towards the press as long standing. His mother Diana,

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was killed in a car crash in Paris in nineteen

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ninety seven while being pursued by paparazzi. More recently, Harry

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has repeatedly criticized press coverage of Megan. In twenty twenty one,

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a judge ruled that The Mail on Sunday breached Meghan's

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privacy by publishing part of a private letter she wrote

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to her father. Harry's decision to pursue the tabloids has

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come at personal and financial cost. He has described it

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as a matter of principle. In his memoir Spare, he

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set his relationship with his father, King Charles the Third

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and his brother Prince William deteriorated because he believed they

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failed to challenge press misconduct. He became determined to pursue

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legal action in twenty nine after speaking with Barrister David

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Sherborne during a holiday at Elton John's villa in France.

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That decision has already produced results. In twenty twenty three,

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Harry became the first senior Royal in more than one

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hundred thirty years to give evidence in court when a

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judge ruled that the Mirror group had hacked his phone

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to a modest extent and awarded him damages. Last year,

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his case against the publisher of The Sun and former

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News of the World was settled for an undisclosed sum

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reportedly around ten million pounds, with an apology for unlawful

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intrusion into his private life. This case, however, is expected

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to be far more hard fought. Legal costs are projected

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to reach thirty eight million pounds and the trial will

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run for nine weeks. Central to the claimant's case is

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Graham Johnson, a former journalist who has investigated alleged wrongdoing

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at the Male titles since twenty fifteen. Johnson is a

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controversial figure. In twenty fourteen, he pleaded guilty to phone

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hacking committed while working at the St Mirror, and received

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a suspended sentence. In his memoir Hack, he described himself

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as a professional liar during his tabloid years, though he

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said he later resolved to change his ways. Another key

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figure is private investigator Gavin Burrows, who previously claimed to

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have engaged in unlawful information gathering for newspapers before retracting

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his account and seeing his signature on a witness statement

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was forged. Dorian Lawrence's role adds further gravity. In nineteen

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ninety seven, The Daily Mail famously accused five men of

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murdering her son Stephen, challenging them to sue if the

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paper was wrong. Two of those men later were convicted,

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and Lawrence once wrote that she was indebted to the

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newspaper for its support. That relationship fractured after Prince Harry

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contacted her in twenty twenty two to suggest she may

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have been subjected to phone hacking and surveillance. Lawrence said

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in a BBC interview, why would anyone want to be

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listening to my calls? Hacking into my phone? All trying

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to do over the years is try to justice for

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my son. Her claim includes allegations that The Daily Mail

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instructed private investigator Jonathan Rees to carry out covert surveillance

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against her. The newspaper denies ever, using Rehees, who himself

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said in a television interview that he was aware of

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alleged surveillance but not involved, adding no when asked whether

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he believed The Daily Mail had done anything illegal. As

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the trial begins, Lawrence has said she hoped the case

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would settle to avoid what she calls the stress of litigation. Instead,

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all parties are now committed to a court room showdown.

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The claimants must convince the judge, Mister Justice Nicklin, that

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their evidence is reliable. If they fail, they can face

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substantial legal bills. Associated newspapers meanwhile, faces the prospect of

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having decades of its journalistic practices scrutinized in open court.

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Even if the case were dismissed on technical grounds such

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as being time barred, the reputational damage could be significant.

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For Harry. The risk is one he appears to be

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willing to take. The trial will put him, his co

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claimants and senior newspaper editors under intense scrutiny as the

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proceedings unfold. The questions remain whether this confrontation between Royalty

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and the press will produce any clear winners at all.

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Sean Coughlin, writing for the BBC, adds, ahead of his

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latest court case, the mood music feels different. Harry is

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now building bridges rather than blowing them up. He won't

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be meeting his father during this court case with the

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King wanting to keep a distance from such high profile

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legal proceedings, and his brother Prince William has engagements in Scotland.

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Royal commentator Richard Palmer describes this as Harry's final tilt

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at the national newspapers he blames for ruining his life.

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His father and the royal household would clearly have preferred

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this trial not to go ahead and are distancing themselves.

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They'll be hoping Harry doesn't try to drag the King

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or other family members into the evidence. His hopes of

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a reconciliation may be hit if he says the wrong things,

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so I'm sure that this will be weighing on his mind.

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It's interesting that, as far as we know, he's not

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planning to do any interviews to publicize this case. He

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is in a different place now, not so angry and

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eager to try to mend fences with his family. Royal

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commentator Professor Pauline McLaren observes he might have learnt that

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less is more where the Royals are concerned. So while

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he will still be pursuing the quest against associated newspapers,

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I think he will keep out of the limelight. NBC

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News described the scene outside the large building has multiple

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entrances and so the fear among those waiting was palpable

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that the Prince might be able to sneak in without

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them noticing. So more cameras, photographers and journalists positioned around

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the back of the building, which sits at the top

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of Fleet Street. To the side of the entrance of

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the Gothic Victorian building. The photographers check their lenses and

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speculated about the light across the road. Television crews debated

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whether Harry could win. It was those round the back

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who were proved correct. Shortly after ten am local time

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at Black Range, Rover pulled into a say An entrance

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where a group of police officers were waiting as the

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throng of Lenza's rose in Unison. Out came the Prince

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into the Chile London morning, wearing a navy blue suit

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with a serious look on his face, But as the

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throng of journalists shouted good morning, Harry flashed a smiled

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and waved before entering the building. The big challenge for

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royals this week is how to avoid Harry. King. Charles

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was scheduled to be in Scotland today, traveling to the

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Palace of Hollywood House, in Edinburgh, he will be joined

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by Scottish First Minister John Swinney as they host the

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Scottish Investment Forum, where the King is expected to hear

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about emerging technologies in Scottish innovation. Queen Camello will also

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be in Scotland alongside her husband, carrying out her own

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program of engagements separately from the King. The Prince and

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Princess of Wales will likewise be north of the border

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due to attend engagements in Sterling and Full Kirk. During

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the visit. They will meet members of Team GB at

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an ice rink, traying the hand at curling ahead of

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an upcoming Winter Olympics and Paralympics later in the week

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separate engagements in Bristol on Thursday, the same day, Harry

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is expected to give evidence focusing on the city's work

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in sustainability and innovasion. Princess Anne will also be in

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Scotland during Harry's visit. On Tuesday. She is scheduled to

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attend three engagements, including a dinner at the Caledonian Edinburgh

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Hotel and her role as patron of the Eric Liddell

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Community events marking the twentieth anniversary of the Scotland Malawi

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Partnership and a conference at the Boumoral Hotel. Meanwhile, Sophie

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will not be in Scotland but will be away from London.

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She was due to travel today to Portsmouth to visit

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HMS Daring before heading to the Royal Military School of

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Music at the Defense School of Music. Sorry, Harry, everyone

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wishes they had known you were coming, or they would

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have cleared time for you. More palacy just a moment.

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As Megan's fans celebrated the launch of her bookmark and

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praised her for turning a quiet ritual into a sold

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out moment, critics accused the Duchess of Sussex for copying

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the idea from another brand. One social media user claimed

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she ordered these through a promotional gift manufacturer similar to

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this one, and alleged that Megan even stole the phrase

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fell asleep here directly from the manufacturer. Following reports that

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the products sold out within minutes of its release, images

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of bookmarks with similar designs and wording began circulating online,

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fueling accusations that the concept was not original. Meghan has

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joined the viral twenty twenty six is the new twenty

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sixteen social media trend, adding a royal twist to a

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wave of nostalgic posts looking back a decade. While many

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people are sharing old photos to reliver standout year twenty

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sixteen carries particular significance for the Duchess of Sussex, as

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it was the year she met Prince Harry. The Duchess

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of Sussex shared a short black and white video of

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herself and Prince Harry dancing barefoot on grass. Although the

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trend sent to on memories from ten years ago, Michael

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noted that the clip itself was filmed more recently by

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the couple's daughter, Princess Lilibet Diana, who was born in

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twenty twenty one. The post also included a photograph from Botswana,

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taken just weeks after Megan and Harry began dating in

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July twenty sixteen. The caption read, when twenty twenty six

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looks just like twenty sixteen. There you have it. If

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you'd like to email us off addresses the Palasintriga at

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email dot com, please fill us on Spotify, Apple, Apple

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of your choice, on Facebook, Instagram, all the social media

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sites bym Mark Francis me Thanks to John McDermott. This Palace,

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Intrigue and good terms

We explain Prince Harry vs. the Mail as the Royals Scatter to Avoid Him audio

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