What does it take to work in the house and gardens of a royal residence?

In this True Royalty Original, host Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is joined in the studio by Grant Harrold, Author of ‘The Royal Butler: My remarkable life of royal service’ and Jack Stooks, former Senior Gardener who both worked for Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House and Gardens. Grant shares how his childhood obsession with the royals resulted in him working at the heart of their household and Jack reveals how he ended up joining the future King on his honeymoon in Scotland.

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How did the relationship between King Charles and Prince Harry deteriorate so dramatically?

This True Royalty Original show explores the breakdown of their once-close bond. From Harry's childhood trauma to his departure from royal life, we examine the key moments that drove the father and son apart.

Host Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is joined by the Mail On Sunday's Editor at Large Charlotte Griffiths and Vanity Fair's Royal Correspondent Katie Nicholl to analyse their rift and ask whether reconciliation is possible.

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Over the course of her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II was served by 15 prime ministers, meeting with them on a weekly basis. Although these meetings were confidential, the Queen was famously able to ‘encourage or warn’ whilst always remaining politically neutral.

The unique relationship that she enjoyed with her prime ministers began with Winston Churchill in 1952 when she ascended to the throne aged just 25 and her life changed overnight from that of a young naval wife and mother to a busy head of state.

In this True Royalty Originial, host Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is joined by Andrew Morton, Author of ‘Winston and the Windsors: How Churchill Shaped a Royal Dynasty’ and Ailsa Anderson, Former Press Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, who provide expert insights on official protocol as well as reveal how the Queen and Prince Philip liked to host UK prime ministers on the famous Balmoral weekends.

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How close did Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, remain to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein — even after publicly cutting ties? This True Royalty Original uncovers newly leaked emails suggesting that their connection may have lasted longer than she claimed. From her 2011 apology for accepting Epstein’s money to her later words calling him a “steadfast” and “supreme friend,” we explore whether the Duchess truly distanced herself from scandal.

Hosted by @llewelynbowen, the discussion features royal historian Andrew Lownie (author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York) and royal commentator Sarah Hewson as they examine whether this latest revelation marks Sarah Ferguson’s ultimate fall from grace.

#RoyalFamily #Royal #Royals #PrinceHarry #PrinceWilliam #KingCharles #PrincessCatherine #PrincessKate #queenelizabeth #Princessdiana #MeghanMarkle #PrinceAndrew

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Three years after Queen Elizabeth II's passing, this True Royalty Original show reflects on that historic day and how it changed Britain forever. From the carefully orchestrated announcements to the nation's collective grief, we examine how the death of the longest-serving sovereign unfolded and its lasting impact on the royal family and the Commonwealth.

On September 8, 2022, the world watched as news broke of the Queen's declining health, followed by the solemn announcement that would mark the end of the second Elizabethan age. This show looks back at that momentous day, exploring the behind-the-scenes preparations, the immediate succession of King Charles III, and how the royal family navigated their most challenging transition in modern history.

Host Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is joined by Charlotte Griffiths, Editor at Large for the Mail On Sunday, and Katie Nicholl, Royal Correspondent for Vanity Fair, who provide expert insight into the protocols, emotions, and lasting consequences of this pivotal moment in royal history that reshaped the British monarchy forever.

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Royal Beat is on a short break - so whilst we're away please enjoy this True Royalty Original.

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward said Princess Diana was "the most insecure woman" she'd ever met. This True Royalty Original examines the psychological struggles behind Diana's public facade, exploring her battles with self-doubt, eating disorders, and constant need for approval.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen hosts the show and is joined by royal biographer and editor in chief of Majesty Magazine Ingrid Seward and former press secretary to the late Princess of Wales, Dickie Arbiter to uncover how childhood trauma and royal pressures created a woman whose vulnerability was both her weakness and her strength.

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With Royal Beat on a short holiday - please enjoy this True Royalty Original Podcast.

Who is the Real Meghan? 

From Hollywood starlet to royal duchess and now global businesswoman, Meghan Markle remains one of the most divisive figures in the British Royal Family.

But who is the real Meghan? In this explosive True Royalty Original, host Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen digs beneath the glossy headlines and relentless tabloid coverage to uncover the truth behind the Duchess of Sussex’s carefully crafted image.

With fresh revelations about her struggles as a working royal and accusations of feeling “inauthentic,” the episode peels back the layers of fame, family tension, and royal scandal. Joined by leading voices including journalist Afua Hagan and The Sun’s royal editor Matt Wilkinson, this must-listen royal podcast delivers insider gossip, expert commentary, and a revealing look at the woman who continues to shake the monarchy.

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In this episode of The Royal Beat – Book Club, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is joined by royal commentator Afua Hagan, cultural historian Dr Benjamin Wild, and author Jane Eastoe (The Times: British Royal Fashion) for an in-depth discussion on royal fashion and style. Together, they explore how the fashion of the British Royal Family has evolved over the decades, from the Queen’s timeless wardrobe choices to Princess Diana’s iconic looks, Kate Middleton’s modern elegance, and Meghan Markle’s contemporary style.

The panel unpacks how royal clothing choices send powerful messages about tradition, duty, and modernity, as well as how royal style continues to influence global fashion trends. With expert insights into key royal outfits, designers, and the symbolism behind them, this episode offers a fascinating look at the intersection of royalty, culture, and fashion history.

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On this episode of The Royal Beat Collection, we explore Meghan Markle’s new life and career five years after stepping back from the Royal Family. From Meghan’s podcast and television projects to her lifestyle brand ventures - including jam, flower sprinkles, and more. Our royal experts analyse how the Duchess of Sussex is building her business empire. Has Meghan and Prince Harry’s move away from royal duties paid off? Find out as we discuss Meghan Markle’s entrepreneurial journey, her media projects, and whether her post-royal ventures have been a success.

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In this episode of The Royal Beat - Book Club, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is joined by former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II Ailsa Anderson, the Mail on Sunday's Editor in Chief Charlotte Griffiths, and Craig Brown, the author of A Voyage Around The Queen, to turn the pages and uncover a different perspective of the late Queen.

The Royal Beat presents the most seminal books on royalty! Led by host Kate Thornton, royal experts and authors themselves bring the pages to life discussing the very best titles on all things monarchy. From princes to palaces, affairs to abdications, look no further for your next royal read

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With President Macron's State Visit to the UK just days away, on this episode of The Royal Beat - Collection, find out how King Charles has navigated politics and diplomacy on previous international visits. From banquets to gifts, highs to lows, diplomatic miracles to diplomatic disasters - the show also uncovers the ways the UK and other nations celebrate their ties and shared interests.

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In this episode of The Royal Beat - Back In Time, delve into the lives of two cousins who both became King - Richard II and Henry IV. Find out what drove King Richard's increasingly erratic behaviour and uncover how his upbringing left him woefully ill-prepared to rule, compared to his cousin Henry who had everything he needed to be a great King - except a claim to the throne. Sarah Hewson presents the show and is joined by historians Dr Elizabeth Norton, Matt Lewis and Helen Castor whose book 'The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV' explores the lives of these very different but equally interesting Kings.

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This week we go outdoors to discuss royal gardens. From the educational and scientific realms of Kew, to The Castle of Mey’s more personal and intimate feel, we look at what makes these gardens so beautiful and discuss their importance when it comes to conservation. This show covers everything from the effects climate change is having on our royal green spaces to King Charles’s involvement at Highgrove. Host Kate Thornton is joined by author of ‘Royal Gardens of the World’ Mark Lane, Head Gardener at Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace Graham Dillamore, and Senior Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, Joanna Marschner to discuss all aspects of royal gardens.

In mainland Europe you can journey from the formal splendour of Het Loo in the Netherlands and Fontainebleau in France to the Baroque World Heritage Site of the Royal Palace of Caserta in Southern Italy. Further afield still lies the Taj Mahal in India and the Peterhof Palace in Russia.

Each featured garden will include the history, plantings and evolution of the garden as well as plant portraits of key plants and information about the design and layout of each. Countries included are: England, Scotland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, India, Bali and Japan.

This inspiring global selection of royal gardens is a perfect gift for any gardening enthusiast or armchair traveller and takes the reader on a journey of architecturally significant houses and their classic gardens as well as providing planting ideas that range from modest to grand, simple to ornate.

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49 min 58 sec

Episode Description

On this week’s episode of The Royal Beat: Back In Time, we discuss royal figures around the world from their childhood up until their 18th birthday. From young Empress Matilda who shaped the fate of the nations, to Elizabeth I who exceeded all expectations, we explore the lives of some pretty notable teenagers. Presenter Kate Thornton is joined by historians Dr Elizabeth Norton, Professor Kate Williams, and Alice Loxton - whose new book ‘Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives’ brings to life some of the incredible stories this episode covers.

Watch the Royal Beat on True Royalty TV https://trueroyalty.tv/home

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This week on The Royal Beat - Back In Time our fabulous new presenter Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is joined by historians Professor Kate Williams, Gareth Russell and Lady Anne Somerset whose book ‘Queen Victoria and Her Prime Ministers’ casts a fresh light on Victoria's relationships with the 10 men who led the Government during her reign. We reflect on Queen Victoria’s ever-changing political journey from her close and personal relationship with her first Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne to her tense and difficult interactions with William Gladstone. Our experts discuss how these personal dynamics may have influenced the political decisions of the time and, in turn shaped the future of the nation.

Watch the Royal Beat on True Royalty TV

https://trueroyalty.tv/home

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The Royal Beat - Book Club is back with a new presenter! In this episode Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is joined by two royal biographers - Ingrid Seward and Hugo Vickers - and historian Tessa Dunlop whose book ‘Elizabeth and Philip: The Story of Young Love, Marriage and Monarchy’ explores how their relationship shaped the course of British History.

She was ''sugar pink'' innocence; he was a handsome war hero. Both had royal blood coursing through their veins. The marriage of Britain''s Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in November 1947 is remembered as the beginning of an extraordinary, lifelong union but success was not guaranteed. Elizabeth and Philip: A Story of Young Love, Marriage and Monarchy plunges us back into the 1940s when a teenage princess fell in love with a foreign prince. Cue fears of a flirtatious ''Greek'' fortune hunter stealing off with Britain''s crown jewel and Philip''s supporters scrambling to reframe him as a good fit for the Royal Family.

Drawing on original newspaper archives and the opinions of Elizabeth and Philip''s contemporaries, historian Dr Tessa Dunlop discovers a post-war world on the cusp of major change. Unprecedented polling on Philip''s suitability was a harbinger of pressures to come for a couple whose marriage was branded the ultimate global fairytale. Theirs was a partnership like no other. Six years after Elizabeth promised to be an obedient wife Philip got down on bended knee at the coronation and committed himself as the Queen''s ''liege man of life and limb.''

Published 75 years after their marriage, this deeply touching history explores the ups and downs, the public appeal and the private tensions that defined an extraordinary union.

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relationship. The high stakes involved might have devoured a less committed pair - but Elizabeth and Philip shared a common purpose, one higher even than marriage, with roots much deeper than young love. Happy and Glorious, for better or for worse, how did their union succeed? Monarchy was the magic word.

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On this week’s episode of The Royal Beat: Back In Time, we discuss royal figures around the world from their childhood up until their 18th birthday. From young Empress Matilda who shaped the fate of the nations, to Elizabeth I who exceeded all expectations, we explore the lives of some pretty notable teenagers. Presenter Kate Thornton is joined by historians Dr Elizabeth Norton, Professor Kate Williams, and Alice Loxton - whose new book ‘Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives’ brings to life some of the incredible stories this episode covers.

Watch the Royal Beat on True Royalty TV https://trueroyalty.tv/home

Please do subscribe and leave a review. It helps more people hear the podcast

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On the Royal Beat - Book Club this week, the panel discuss the impact of Prince Harry's best selling memoir Spare. With the paperback version having just been released, Kate Thornton is joined by Royal commentator Afua Hagan, NBC’s Royal Commentator Daisy McAndrew, and Newsweek's Chief Royal Correspondent Jack Royston, to recount the details, drama and royal revelations in this blockbuster of a book. And reflect on how things have changed for Harry and the royals 18 months after its initial explosive publication.

It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother's coffin as the world watched in sorrow-and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling-and how their lives would play out from that point on.

For Harry, this is that story at last.

​

Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness-and, because he blamed the press for his mother's death, he struggled to accept life in the spotlight.

​

At twenty-one, he joined the British Army. The discipline gave him structure, and two combat tours made him a hero at home. But he soon felt more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and prone to crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn't find true love.

​

Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple's cinematic romance and rejoiced in their fairy-tale wedding. But from the beginning, Harry and Meghan were preyed upon by the press, subjected to waves of abuse, racism, and lies. Watching his wife suffer, their safety and mental health at risk, Harry saw no other way to prevent the tragedy of history repeating itself but to flee his mother country. Over the centuries, leaving the Royal Family was an act few had dared. The last to try, in fact, had been his mother...

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For the first time, Prince Harry tells his own story, chronicling his journey with raw, unflinching honesty. A landmark publication, Spare is full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.

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This week on The Royal Beat: Book Club, guest presenter Sarah Hewson is joined by Author Katie Nicholl, Royal Biographer Ingrid Seward, and former Spokesperson to Queen Elizabeth II, Dickie Arbiter, to discuss the legacy of Elizabeth II.

Two years on from both the late Queen's death, and the publication of Katie's book 'The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth's Legacy and the Future of the Crown', the guests look back at how Her Majesty balanced the monarchy with motherhood and navigated the fallouts from her adult children's personal lives.

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Kate Thornton is joined by historians Alison Weir, Nicola Tallis and Sarah Gristwood to discuss the dramatic life of England's first ruling Queen, Mary I - often known as 'Bloody Mary'. From her father Henry VIII's multiple marriages, to England's break from the Catholic Church, we discover how close Mary came to losing everything before finally winning the crown, and gaining her bloody reputation.

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