PODCAST · society
The Royals
by The Times
The latest news on the drama that is the British royal family. Providing the inside story on Charles and Camilla, William and Kate, Harry and Meghan (and more!), The Times and The Sunday Times's royal editors Kate Mansey and Roya Nikkhah bring you the untold stories of what's really going on behind the palace gates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
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Should William forgive Harry?
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....
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Are Harry and Meghan building an alternative royal court?
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…
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Why Andrew is taking the police to court
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…
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Is King Charles under siege?
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…
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Earl Spencer, King Charles and the battle for Diana's legacy
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…
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Why Harry and Meghan face a school and security crisis
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...
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Inside Prince George’s new life at Eton College
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…
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Can Harry and Meghan really be 'private' royals in the UK?
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...
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Catherine, Meghan, Camilla, Diana — the price of marrying a prince
Diana, Camilla, Catherine and Meghan each made the life-changing choice to marry into the House of Windsor. On the surface, it looks like a fairy tale. But what is the true cost of becoming a royal wife? And why have some adapted to life behind palace walls more easily than others? Kate Mansey…
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Harry and Meghan are moving back to the UK – why now?
Harry and Meghan are reportedly moving back to Britain with Archie and Lilibet, more than six years after leaving royal life for California. But why now — and how will their return work in practice? Roya Nikkhah is joined by Rosamund Urwin, chief news correspondent of The Sunday Times, to discuss...
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Can Charles reunite with Harry and keep William on side?
Prince Harry is expected to return to Britain in September, amid signs of a thaw in his relationship with King Charles. But where does that leave Prince William? And can the King rebuild ties with his younger son while keeping his heir on side? Roya Nikkhah is joined by journalist Catherine…
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Inside the search for King Charles's most powerful aide
Sir Clive Alderton, the King’s most senior aide, is preparing to step down after 20 years at Charles and Camilla’s side. But who will replace him as King Charles’s new right-hand man? Kate Mansey is joined by Queen Elizabeth II’s former communications secretary Simon Lewis and royal biographer...
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Who will pay for Harry's High Court defeat?
Prince Harry and six other high-profile claimants lost every claim in their privacy case against Associated Newspapers. Now the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday is seeking almost £10 million upfront towards a £34.5 million legal bill. Kate Mansey and Roya Nikkhah are joined by The...
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King Charles and Andy Burnham: what happens when politics meets the palace?
As Andy Burnham becomes Britain’s new prime minister, King Charles invites his fourth leader in four years to form a government, raising fresh questions about the true extent of royal influence behind closed doors. Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey are joined by Valentine Low, former royal…
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Harry, Meghan and the King: was Highgrove a royal breakthrough?
Prince Harry and Meghan returned to Britain with Archie and Lilibet for a strictly private reunion with King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove. There were no photographs, few official details and — unusually — no briefing war afterwards. Kate Mansey and Roya Nikkhah reveal what they know…
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Harry's UK return — rows, rulings and palace psychodrama
Prince Harry is back in Britain for events linked to the Invictus Games — but what should have been a visit focused on his charity work has become a full blown Sussex-Palace psychodrama. Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey unpack a bruising week for the Duke of Sussex: a humiliating High Court defeat...
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The man who prepared William, Harry and Catherine for royal duty
Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton is a former SAS soldier who became one of the royal family’s most trusted insiders – serving the Queen Mother, guiding Princes William and Harry through their early public lives, playing a key role in Prince William and Kate’s 2011 royal wedding, and later becoming…
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The Sovereign Grant — and the £100m question for the monarchy
King Charles and Prince William have revealed their personal tax bills for the first time, in a historic moment for royal financial transparency. But the disclosures come as the Sovereign Grant rises to £132.1 million, with core royal household funding set to double in the next three years. This...
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Can royal pomp and pageantry hold its power?
From Trooping the Colour to Garter Day and Royal Ascot, this was the week the royal family put on their grandest annual display of glamour and spectacle. This week on The Royals, Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey are joined by the historian and author A.N. Wilson to ask whether these massive public...
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Inside the royal property fallout — will William and Charles act?
From palace homes for non-working royals to "peppercorn" rents and subletting arrangements, the fallout from a major royal property investigation continues. This week on The Royals, Kate Mansey and Roya Nikkhah are joined by The Times investigations reporter George Greenwood to examine why the...
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Andrew, Royal Lodge and royal property revelations
As police widen their inquiry into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, a major National Audit Office report has disclosed new details about his dealings on Royal Lodge, including that he sublet three cottages on the estate for 20 years. On The Royals this week, Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey analyse what…
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BONUS: Andrew inquiry looks into 'sexual misconduct' allegations
Two significant developments surround the story of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. First, detectives investigating Andrew could examine allegations of sexual misconduct and corruption as part of their inquiry into potential misconduct in public office. Andrew has not been charged and denies all...
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Is William being forced to open up about royal money?
As scrutiny grows over royal wealth, property and privilege, Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey ask whether Prince William is becoming more transparent about royal finances – or being pushed into openness. They examine new details about the Prince and Princess of Wales’s annual rent at Forest Lodge…
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Kate returns to the global stage following her cancer treatment
Following the King’s diplomatic success during his state visit to the US, the Princess of Wales stepped back onto the international stage with a visit to the Italian city of Reggio Emilia. Four years on from her last official overseas visit, aides say the Princess is “taking it up a gear” as she...
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Charles, Elizabeth and the presidents: royals in the 'special relationship'
It’s been a week since King Charles’ high-stakes state visit to the US ended in diplomatic triumph. After months of difficult headlines for the royals and the US-UK relationship, many applauded the King for steadying the ship. But what does this moment tell us about the current state of the…
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Did Trump take revenge on the King at the White House state dinner?
From a White House welcome to the Congress speech and the state dinner, this was supposed to be the day King Charles showed royal symbolism can still carry real diplomatic weight in America. But it didn't quite turn out that way. After a big day of pageantry in Washington, the visit took an...
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Former Trump adviser on the President, the King and a tense state visit
As the King lands in Washington for a high-stakes US state visit, former US National Security Adviser John Bolton joins Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey to examine the real state of the 'special relationship'. He reveals why Donald Trump is drawn to the royal family, describing his UK visits as some…
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BONUS: Virginia Giuffre’s family on her life, legacy and the royal fallout
Virginia Giuffre made headlines worldwide after speaking out about the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as well as his former friend, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. One year after her death, Virginia’s brother, Sky Roberts, and sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, join Roya Nikkhah to discuss her...
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The Royals in America: the US state visit
Next week, The Royals podcast is on the ground in Washington D.C. as the King and Queen begin a historic—and highly delicate—state visit. The royal editors of The Times and The Sunday Times, Kate Mansey and Roya Nikkhah, are in the capital, asking whether the monarchy can still help heal the...
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Queen Elizabeth II: 100 years on - what is her legacy?
On what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday, we look back at the life and legacy of a monarch who came to define an age. Beloved by millions but a century after her birth, harder questions are being asked: about the institution she led, the problems left unresolved at the end of…
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Harry and Meghan in Australia: a 'royal' tour or PR stunt?
Why are Harry and Meghan in Australia and why now? Their four-day trip has all the hallmarks of a traditional royal tour but it has also raised questions – is this philanthropy or personal branding? Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey are joined by Australian royal correspondent Juliet Rieden to discuss...
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“Meet the Epstein survivors” - US congressman to King Charles
Will the King’s upcoming US state visit be overshadowed by the Epstein scandal? US Congressman Ro Khanna, who co-authored the Epstein Files Transparency Act, tells Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey why he believes King Charles should use his address to Congress to acknowledge the scandal and meet...
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Inside Buckingham Palace's new media strategy
Buckingham Palace has appointed a royal correspondent as the King’s new press secretary – what does this reveal about how King Charles wants to run his media operation? Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey are joined by former palace press secretary Ailsa Anderson to explore what Rhiannon Mills' hire…
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William and God. Does his 'quiet faith' matter in modern Britain?
Prince William has addressed questions about his religion publicly for the first time, revealing to The Sunday Times his Christianity as a “quiet faith". But why has William chosen to speak now? And what does a “quiet faith” mean for a future King who will also be Supreme Governor of the Church…
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Could Beatrice and Eugenie lose their royal titles?
Questions are being raised about Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie’s royal titles amid renewed attention on the monarchy following the Epstein files and the arrest of their father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey discuss the future of the York sisters within a...
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King's state visit could be “problematic” warns former US ambassador
As King Charles and senior royals gathered for Commonwealth Day, the monarchy faced pressure on two fronts: domestic protests over Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and MPs questioning whether the King’s US state visit should still go ahead amid Donald Trump’s war in Iran. Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey...
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Will Andrew be removed from royal line of succession?
A fortnight on from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, the crisis has shifted into constitutional territory — with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer saying the Government is “looking at options” on the line of succession. Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey...
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"Rude, arrogant and entitled" - MPs criticise Andrew in the Commons
In an extraordinary break with convention, this week MPs were allowed to debate Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct and his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in the Commons. A week after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, calls are growing for transparency and…
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Andrew arrested: a new crisis for the Crown
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested and is being held in custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office after police were seen at the Sandringham estate on his 66th birthday. In an unprecedented move, the King issued a statement saying the “law must take its course”. As scrutiny...
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BONUS: Why Charles became the climate king
King Charles’ lifelong commitment to the environment is in the spotlight in a new Amazon Prime documentary, Finding Harmony. Tony Juniper, the King’s long-time adviser and a contributor to the film, joins Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey to discuss how Charles’s once-mocked views have gone…
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How the Andrew scandal overshadowed Prince William's Saudi trip
Prince William met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) in Saudi Arabia while the monarchy continues to face a major crisis over the Epstein files. As police assess claims that Andrew shared confidential trade information with Jeffrey Epstein during his time as a UK trade envoy, the King issued...
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BONUS: The royal scandal rocking Norway
This episode comes from The Story, The Times’ daily news podcast. The British royal family isn't the only European monarchy in turmoil. In Norway the Epstein files have revealed intimate conversations between the Crown Princess and future Queen, Mette-Marit, and the paedophile after he was...
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Epstein files: time for Andrew to testify?
After a major release of Epstein files by the US Department of Justice, pressure is mounting on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to give evidence to US lawmakers. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged him to cooperate in the interests of Epstein’s victims, a move that pushes the controversy far beyond...
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Is the King Britain's Trump card?
Donald Trump has backtracked on his criticism of UK troops in the Afghan war. The US president’s change of tone came after concerns raised by King Charles through diplomatic channels – a move seen as a win for Britain’s soft power. Roya and Kate ask Katy Balls whether the monarchy is Britain’s…
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The Prince vs the press: emotional Harry gives evidence in High Court
Prince Harry has been in the High Court this week in a major privacy case against Associated Newspapers Ltd, the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. Roya reports from court as Harry gives evidence and the paper’s lawyers push back on claims of unlawful information gathering.…
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Harry’s security challenge - will the Sussexes come back to the UK?
Next week, Prince Harry returns to Britain at a critical moment. Roya and Kate unpack the significance of his return — including a major High Court case, a long-running security review, and the impact both could have on family reconciliation and future visits to the UK. Could this be a turning...
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2026 and the Crown's next tests
As a new year begins, the monarchy faces fresh tests. Roya and Kate, joined by Jeremy Griffin, look at what lies ahead – from the latest Epstein file revelations about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and scrutiny of royal finances, to a possible US state visit and Prince Harry’s return to the UK…
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Andrew, Epstein and the royal story of 2025
2025 tested the Royal Family like few years before it. As Andrew’s long-running crisis reached its decisive moment, the monarchy also faced illness at the top, family fractures and global diplomacy. In this end-of-year special, Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey look back on a year that reshaped the...
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Should the King address Andrew this Christmas?
As Britain prepares to hear the King’s Christmas Broadcast, we ask what the monarch’s message can - and can’t - achieve after one of the most difficult years the institution has faced in decades. With the Andrew and Epstein link deepening scrutiny of the Crown, and public support for the monarchy...
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We three kings: George, William and Charles reshape the Crown
In a poignant visit to a homeless charity, Prince William this week introduced his son Prince George to the family business by taking him to one of Diana’s most cherished charities. So what does this mean for the way in which the two future Kings are shaping the monarchy? In a year marked by...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The latest news on the drama that is the British royal family.
Providing the inside story on Charles and Camilla, William and Kate, Harry and Meghan (and more!), The Times and The Sunday Times's royal editors Kate Mansey and Roya Nikkhah bring you the untold stories of what's really going on behind the palace gates.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
HOSTED BY
The Times
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