You can forget about Meghan Markle and Victoria Beckham being BFFs

0:03 Calorogus Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I'm your host, Mark for Ansis Royal expert Ingrid Seward doesn't anticipate Meghan making up with Victoria Beckham anytime soon, telling the son, I only think they would reconcile if they come across each other, and I'm not sure that they really do. I can't think that their paths would particularly cross again. I think the Beckhams have distanced themselves from Megan and Harry, but for the obvious reasons that we all know. You know, Meghan and Harry are the descendant, not the ascendant. Victoria is actually too busy. She's got a business, she's got a very successful husband, she's got houses all over the place, she's got children. Prince William appears to be embracing a more modern approach to royal duties, with Vanity Fairs Royal editor Katie Nichol suggesting he's taking a leaf out of Harry's book. Speaking on The Sun's Royal Show, Nicol discussed how the Prince Wales is trying to modernize the monarchy while maintaining its core values. One person who's probably sitting there thinking this is what I've been saying all along, is the Duke of Sussex. Let's be more open, let's show more empathy, Let's do things a little bit differently. One of the reasons how he felt he needed to leave was because he didn't feel he could band the institution the way he wanted to do things. I think we have seen the Royals take a leaf out of his book. However, she cautioned that William and Kate's approach won't mirror the Sussex's Californian style.

1:30 They're not going to allow that to happen. That's not them. It's one thing opening up. It's one thing seeing the King give a big hug to somebody rather than just shake their hand. But the backbone of what they do isn't going to change. That service to others, lifelong commitment to duty, the backbone that props the whole institution up. That's not going to change. The late Queen's reign was so lengthy it didn't have the opportunity to modernize the way it is now. It can't jump too quickly ahead of the curve. It has to keep up. But it had to change. That's the point. Royal editor Matt Wilkinson contrast to William's internal modernization efforts with Harry's external actions. It's just interesting to see William modernizing with the firm, while Harry has thrown his toys out the PRAM and is trying to modernize his role outside the Royal family.

2:17 I think I know which one will be more successful. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are reportedly fuming over the treatment their father, Prince Andrew, has received from the Royal family. According to a well placed source, Beatrice and Eugenie are rallying around to help support their father. Royal Lodge is viewed as a York family problem, not just an Andrew problem, and the whole family are chipping in and includes Sarah, Beatrice and Eugenie. The York family have held several meetings and drawn up a battle plan. They will not allow their family to fall or come up against any more negative press. It's very much a charge led by Beatrice. She's extremely loyal and has taken the reins. Meanwhile, Princess Eugenie faces a unique challenge as she maintains a close bond with Harry and Meghan. The source said Beatrice and Eugenie always feel like they're walking a fine line. It's a difficult balancing act to manage because they want to support the Royal family despite not being working royals. The girls also want to award to their own lives and relationships with friends and family without feeling like they're under some sort of control. There was a feeling that the Royal family likes to use them Beatrice and Eugenie to portray a sense of unity to the public, but it's a different story behind the scenes. It's a constant push and pull scenario for them, which is becoming more and more difficult as time goes on. More Palace just a moment.

3:39 High Grove House, the King's Gloucestershire estate, is fully dressed for Christmas, with a poignant tribute to Queen Camilla's beloved dog Beth that Jack Russell had to be put down last weekend, leaving Camilla heartbroken. Now, a charming embroidered ornament of Beth wearing a red bandanna adorned with a crown decorates the estate's Christmas tree. The decorations, introduced in September, is part of Highgrove's Christmas Arrange, where placed on the tree earlier this month, before Beth's illness became known. Each handmade decoration costs twelve pound ninety five and is embellished with intricate gold threadwork and sequence. The estate's festive preparations extend through high grove blending. Traditional Royal Christmas decore with eco friendly touches. Red, green and gold hues dominate, while sustainable materials like paper baubles, plant based glitter and recycled paper flowers maintain the King's eco credentials. Low voltage led lights illuminate the estate, and two giant nutcracker soldiers stand proudly in the entrants in Royal Guardsmen inspired uniforms. Princess Anne, referred to in an article as possible secret sex bomb back in her heyday, tops the list of hardest working Royals and was up to an impressive two hundred and seventeen engagements in twenty twenty four. The Princess Royal has maintained her streak at the top four four consecutive years.

4:58 King Charles came in second with one hundred eighty six engagements, despite undergoing cancer treatment this year. October was his busiest month with twenty six though December is said to be much quieter. Surprisingly, Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester clinched the third place with one hundred twenty six engagements, a notable eleven and a half percent increase from last year. This shift pushed the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward into seventh place after a twelve percent drop in his workload. Kate Middleton notably saw a dramatic reduction in her royal appearances, completing just eleven engagements, a staggering eighty eight percent decrease from twenty twenty three. Her absence was due to preventative chemotherapy following a cancer diagnosis earlier this year. Prince William also scaled back, with seventy one engagements, marking a thirty five percent decrease. The top ten hardest working royals for twenty twenty four are Number one Princess Anne two hundred seventeen engagements to King Charles one hundred eighty six engagements.

5:57 Three Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester one hundred twenty six engagements, Number four Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh one hundred and twenty four. Number five Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh one hundred and eight number six, Queen Camilla had ninety five engagements. At seventh place, Brigitte, Duchess of Gloucester had seventy two engagements. In eighth place Prince William with seventy one, number nine, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, with sixty two, and in tenth place Princess Katherine with eleven engagements. Meanwhile, in Montecito, the Duchess of Sussex continues to develop her designer dog biscuits and jam business, and Harry has a Netflix series about Polo and there you have it. Found to email also addresses the Palasintrigue at gmail dot com. Please follow us Spotify, Apple or the app of your choice and leaves a review or some stars. If you're enjoying the show, don't forget. We have subscriptions available and you can get this show commercial free, along with hundreds of others from Kalaroga Shark Media, including some great end of year specials coming up, so check that out in the show notes.

6:57 My My Franti has been thanks to John McDermot. This is Palaceintry Good Times