The Royals

King Charles’s Caribbean tour has reached its most politically sensitive moment, as Commonwealth leaders gather in Antigua and Barbuda amid growing calls for Britain to apologise for its historic role in slavery.The British government is now open to discussing a state apology, while continuing to rule out financial reparations.But Charles cannot simply decide to say sorry. He must navigate competing expectations while acting on government advice. So what does the changing political position mean for his speech – and can royal diplomacy help move the conversation forward?Reporting from the Caribbean, Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey take listeners inside the tour, from the Junkanoo parade in Nassau to the King’s visit to a site in Georgetown where enslaved people were executed. They examine how the shifting political debate has complicated the palace’s carefully planned diplomacy, what Charles can realistically achieve as Head of the Commonwealth, and whether expressions of sorrow are still enough.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to press follow at the top of your podcast app.Got a question? Get in touch. Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] us on YouTube.Read more: King Charles to address slavery 'with honesty and sincere sorrow'Further listening: What are the royals for?Producer: Robert WallaceVideo Producer: Eve ChadbournExecutive Producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Investigators in the Philippines are looking into Thomas Markle Sr, the father of the Duchess of Sussex, after his son told authorities he had found child sex abuse images at his father’s former home. So, what exactly do we know about the allegations? What could happen next? And is the scandal shifting the narrative around Meghan?Thomas Markle Sr denies the allegations against him.In this special episode from our sister podcast, The Story, Kate Mansey discusses the investigation, Meghan’s statement and the questions facing police.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to press follow at the top of your podcast app.What would you like to know about the Caribbean tour? Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected] us on YouTube.Clips: TalkTV, ITV News, E! News, The Daily T Podcast, The Real Thomas Markle Jr. and Friends - YouTube, Hard Megxit - YouTube, ABC News, Dan Wootton Outspoken - YouTube, 7News, Sky News.Read more: Police suspect Meghan’s father is ‘grossest kind of sex offender’Further listening: The StoryProducers: Sophie McNulty, Micaela ArnesonExecutive producer: Harry StottSound design: Dave CreaseyImage: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prince Harry has renewed his call to reconcile with King Charles and Prince William — but are his public interventions making a private resolution harder? And should William meet his brother halfway?Harry's newly released GQ interview landed as senior royals hosted the Sultan of Oman at Windsor. Harry’s team says the timing was outside their control and denies his comments were a swipe at William. Days earlier, Harry and Meghan received a warm welcome in Nottingham as they continued to build their independent public role in Britain.Roya Nikkhah and The Times executive editor Jeremy Griffin debate what both brothers should do next, answer listener questions about forgiveness, trust and William’s responsibilities as a future king, and Roya reports back from Nottingham: can the Sussexes assert their independence without deepening tensions with the Crown?If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to press follow at the top of your podcast app.Roya and Kate will join the King and Queen’s Caribbean tour next week. What would you like to know? Send your questions and thoughts to [email protected]: GQWatch us on YouTube.Read more: Harry and Meghan hate phrase 'working members of the royal family.'Further listening: Why Harry and Meghan face a school and security crisisProducer: Robert WallaceVideo Producer: Eve ChadbournExecutive Producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry and Meghan are back in Britain and this week they’re stepping out together for a series of public appearances that look strikingly like royal engagements.In Nottingham, the Sussexes are returning to causes associated with their working royal years, with royal reporters and photographers once again covering them on the ground. So what exactly are Harry and Meghan trying to build in the UK – and how different is it from the life they walked away from?Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey examine whether the couple are creating a new public role for themselves outside the official Royal Family, how Buckingham Palace is responding, and why the increasingly blurred line between charitable work and commercial interests could prove difficult to navigate.They also discuss Harry’s relationship with the King, the continuing rift with Prince William, and whether the Sussexes’ new model of public life could create fresh tensions with the Palace.Watch us on YouTube.Read more: Prince Harry and Meghan ‘know they’re not invited’ to royal Christmas Producer: Natalie KtenaVideo Producer: Eve ChadbournExecutive Producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor taking the Thames Valley Police to court — and what could his legal challenge change?Ahead of this week's High Court hearing, Kate Mansey and Roya Nikkhah are joined by The Times legal editor Jonathan Ames to explain Andrew’s challenge to the search warrants used by Thames Valley Police in its investigation into his dealings with Jeffrey Epstein. What could a successful challenge mean? And who will cover the legal costs – with the King reportedly insisting his financial support must not fund the case?Andrew remains under investigation following his February arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He denies all wrongdoing.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to press follow at the top of your podcast app.Get in touch: [email protected] us on YouTube.Read more: ’Poor Andrew? He’s having a very nice time’Further listening: Andrew inquiry looks into 'sexual misconduct' allegationsProducer: Robert WallaceVideo Producer: Eve ChadbournExecutive Producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four years into his reign, is King Charles setting the royal agenda — or being forced to react to the people and problems around him?Earl Spencer has renewed his attack on the King’s character and accused Buckingham Palace of responding “very aggressively” to his memoir. Harry and Meghan’s return to Britain continues to test the boundaries between family reconciliation and royal authority. And Andrew remains the most serious institutional threat, with the police investigation into him ongoing. He denies any wrongdoing.Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey examine how Charles has handled these pressures — and whether his palace’s increasingly interventionist approach is a sign of confidence or defensiveness. With the King’s public approval at a record high for his reign, is the monarchy proving more resilient than the headlines suggest?If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to press follow at the top of your podcast app.Is Charles a King under siege, or does the monarch remain resilient? Get in touch: [email protected] us on YouTube.Read more: Earl Spencer's memory is no way to judge the KingFurther listening: Inside the search for King Charles's most powerful aideProducer: Robert WallaceVideo Producer: Eve ChadbournExecutive Producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did King Charles really tell Earl Spencer that Diana would soon be forgotten? In his new memoir, Swan Song, Diana’s brother makes a series of explosive claims about the King’s behaviour following her death — prompting a swift and unusually personal response from Buckingham Palace.Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey are joined by Andrew Morton, author of Diana: Her True Story, to examine Spencer’s disputed account and ask whether the Palace scored a “colossal own goal” by responding. He also reveals where Spencer’s version conflicts with Diana's own account, and explains why he believes the memoir is an attempt to take control of her story ahead of the 30th anniversary of her death.They also discuss William’s reported “multigenerational fury”, Harry’s relationship with the Spencer family and whether the book honours Earl Spencer’s pledge to protect Diana’s sons — or risks them reliving their grief.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to press follow at the top of your podcast app.Who should have the final say over Diana’s story? Get in touch: [email protected] us on YouTube.Read more: Hypocrite Spencer is peddling Diana's privacy, say King's alliesFurther listening: Catherine, Meghan, Camilla, Diana — the price of marrying a princeProducer: Robert WallaceVideo Producer: Eve ChadbournExecutive Producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why have Harry and Meghan moved Archie and Lilibet from their new school after just two days? Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey reveal what prompted the decision, how security concerns are disrupting the Sussexes’ new life in Britain, and whether the upheaval could strengthen Prince Harry’s case for greater protection.They also examine Harry’s packed programme of public appearances, Meghan’s plans to renew her charitable work, and whether the couple are building a rival public operation to the royal family. Plus, they discuss the extraordinary Palace letter clarifying that the Sussexes do not represent the King — and the remarkable intervention over Uganda’s withdrawal from the Invictus Games.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to press follow at the top of your podcast app.Can Harry and Meghan remain prominent “public figures” without coming into conflict with the royal family? Get in touch: [email protected] us on YouTube.Read more: Harry and Meghan change Archie and Lilibet's school over security concernsFurther listening: Can Harry and Meghan really be 'private' royals in the UK?Producer: Robert WallaceVideo Producer: Eve ChadbournExecutive Producer: Tim WalklateImage: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prince George started at Eton College this week, following in his father's footsteps at Britain's most prestigious school. But what will his new life as a 13-year-old boarding pupil be like? Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey are joined by Melanie Sanderson, managing editor at The Good Schools Guide, to understand what the future king can expect - from the Eton terms he’ll have to learn, the mobile phone ban currently in place, and the people he will meet from different walks of life.They discuss how royal educations have evolved over the generations - from the late Queen Elizabeth II’s home schooling, to King Charles’s tough experience at Gordonstoun School - as well as how likely we are to see a future king or queen attend a state school. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to press follow at the top of your podcast app. Get in touch: [email protected]: GettyProducer: Natalie KtenaVideo Producer: Eve ChadbournExecutive Producer: Dan BoxWatch us on YouTube.Read more: Prince George arrives for first day at Eton College Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry and Meghan have returned to Britain with Archie and Lilibet, but their new life remains remarkably undefined. How long will they stay, what will they do here — and can two of the world’s most recognisable royals truly live as private citizens?Back together after the summer break, Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey discuss Meghan’s possible acting comeback, the narrative changing on Harry’s security, and palace fears of a rival royal court. They also look at the public response, the appetite for reconciliation with Prince William and what success might look like for the Sussexes in Britain.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to press follow at the top of your podcast app.Harry and Meghan are back in Britain. What do you want to know? Get in touch: [email protected]: GettyProducer: Robert WallaceVideo Producer: Eve ChadbournExecutive Producer: Priyanka DeladiaWatch us on YouTube.Read more: Prince Harry and Meghan's return could be short-lived Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.