The Royals

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 events still have a place in modern Britain.

They look beyond the carriages, uniforms and hats to discuss what these public ceremonies are designed to achieve for the monarchy and the country. At a time of protests, scandal, a smaller working royal family and growing scrutiny over royal wealth, is pageantry still the monarchy’s best way of proving its value, or does the institution now have to work harder to justify the show?

Do the royals justify the pageantry? Get in touch: theroyals@thetimes.co.uk

Roya won! But you can still donate to Roya’s racing challenge for Macmillan Cancer Support through JustGiving.

Image: Getty

Producer: Robert Wallace, Shabnam Grewal

Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia

Read more: To shake off Andrew, royals must pay their way
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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 National Audit Office report has struck such a chord. They discuss reports that the King is reviewing Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie’s rent arrangements, and Prince William’s hints at reform when he becomes king. So, what could this mean ahead of the renewal of the Sovereign Grant and a parliamentary inquiry into royal finances? And how much of this stems from the public outcry over Andrew’s Royal Lodge lease?

Have a question about royal finances? Get in touch: theroyals@thetimes.co.uk.

You can donate to Roya’s racing challenge for Macmillan Cancer Support through JustGiving.

Image: Getty

Producer: Robert Wallace

Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia

Read more: Cosy property deals hurt the monarchy - here's how to fix them
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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 the report reveals about royal property arrangements – from grace-and-favour homes to rents paid by members of the Royal Family.

They are joined by The Times chief reporter Fiona Hamilton to look at the latest developments around Andrew, including reports that Buckingham Palace was handed an archive of emails in 2020 relating to Andrew’s time as trade envoy. Andrew denies wrongdoing and has not been charged with any offence.

Will this trigger a turning point for royal transparency?

Get in touch: theroyals@thetimes.co.uk

Image: Getty

Producer: Robert Wallace

Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia

Read more: I fear the royal family will never let Andrew end up in court
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 wrongdoing. Secondly, newly released government files show that it was the late Queen’s wish for Andrew to take on the prominent trade envoy role now under scrutiny.

Roya Nikkhah is joined by The Sunday Times’s Whitehall correspondent Katie Tarrant to discuss the latest police developments and unpack the government files. We also hear from Fiona Hamilton, chief reporter for The Times, on the Thames Valley Police briefing.

Image: Getty

Producer: Robert Wallace

Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia

Read more: The Andrew files - read the documents in full
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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, The Sunday Times’s reporting on William’s tax bill, and the ripple effect of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s peppercorn rent deal at Royal Lodge. Will Humphries, southwest and countryside correspondent forThe Times, joins to explain his investigation into changes at the Duchy of Cornwall, from tenant farmers in Devon to William’s plans to sell off part of the estate and invest in housing, renewable energy and communities.

Get in touch: theroyals@thetimes.co.uk

Image: Getty

Producer: Robert Wallace

Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia

Read more: Inside the £1bn property empires of King Charles and William
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.