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 intensifies over Andrew’s decade as UK trade envoy and what the Epstein files appear to suggest about that period, Roya Nikkhah is joined by Harry Yorke and Charlotte Alt to talk about how this moment could affect the monarchy, and whether the institution has ever faced pressure on this scale.

Guest:

• Harry Yorke, Deputy Political Editor, The Sunday Times.
• Charlotte Alt, News Reporter, The Times.

Producer: Robert Wallace

Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia

Image: Getty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 mainstream, what influence a monarch can really have on climate, and whether sustainability will be the defining legacy of his reign.

Image: Getty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 an unprecedented statement pledging Buckingham Palace’s full support for any investigation. Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey are joined by Catherine Philp to discuss whether the monarchy’s soft power can survive this scandal.

Guest: Catherine Philp, World Affairs Editor, The Times.

Image: Getty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 convicted. Meanwhile, her son, Marius Borg Høiby, is on trial facing charges on thirty-eight offences, including four counts of rape. If convicted, he faces up to ten years in prison. Could this be a fatal blow for the Norwegian royal family? And what does it tell us about the long tentacles of Jeffrey Epstein's influence in the palaces and parliaments of Europe?

Image: Getty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 the Palace and into the heart of Westminster. 

Andrew has now also moved out of Royal Lodge, the grace-and-favour home he occupied for more than two decades, underscoring the scale of the fallout. As Labour peer Peter Mandelson faces the prospect of a police investigation over his past links to Epstein, long-held political conventions are being tested and pressure is building at the very top of government. What do these latest files really reveal, and how damaging could this moment be for Britain’s institutions? Caroline Wheeler joins Roya and Kate to unpack the consequences and what could come next.

Guest: Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor, The Sunday Times.

Image: Getty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 way of staying at the diplomatic table, and what it could mean for the "special relationship" ahead of a key US visit.

Guest: Katy Balls, Washington editor for The Times & The Sunday Times.

Image: Getty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Meanwhile, Kate has been in Scotland with the rest of the royal family, as the working monarchy keeps its distance. Plus, royal diplomacy is back in the spotlight: Kensington Palace confirms the Prince of Wales will make his first official visit to Saudi Arabia next month, as questions swirl over the timing - and politics - of the much anticipated US state visit.

Image: Getty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 point for Harry and the monarchy?

Image: Getty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 courts. So, how will the final weeks of last year shape the Crown’s challenges in the months ahead?

Guests: 

• Jeremy Griffin, executive editor, The Times and Times Radio

Listens:

Power, politics and the Palace

Image: Getty

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Crown forever.

Presenters: Roya Nikkhah, royal editor for The Sunday Times, and Kate Mansey, royal editor of The Times

Contributors: Andrew Lownie; George Greenwood, investigations reporter at The Times; Kaya Burgess, religious affairs correspondent at The Times; Aubrey Allegretti, chief political correspondent for The Times; Max Foster, anchor and correspondent at CNN; Mark Landler, London bureau chief at The New York Times; Chiara Brown, commissioning editor at The Times Luxx

Producer: Robert Wallace

Editor: Stephen Titherington

Image: Getty Images

Clips: Extracts from 'The Reluctant Traveller', an Apple Original series, courtesy of Apple TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.