The Royals

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 of England?

That approach was tested this week as William and Catherine attended the installation of the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.

Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey are joined by The Times religious affairs correspondent Kaya Burgess to examine William’s intervention, how it differs from previous monarchs, and whether it reflects a monarchy evolving for a more secular, multi-faith Britain.

Do you think William’s ‘quiet faith’ fits a modern monarchy? Or does a monarch need to be more openly religious? Get in touch: [email protected]

Read more: Prince William confirms 'quiet faith' and new commitment to Church

Image: Getty

Producer: Robert Wallace

Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia

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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 slimmed-down monarchy, and whether the spotlight on their roles is unfair or an inevitable consequence.

Do you think Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie should keep their royal titles? Get in touch: [email protected]

Image: Getty 

Producer: Robert Wallace

Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia

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

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 are joined by Sir Peter Westmacott, former British ambassador to the US and former deputy private secretary to King Charles, to discuss how the Palace manages crises on the world stage and why he believes the state visit next month is “problematic” if the war is still ongoing.

Image: Getty

Producer: Robert Wallace

Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia

Should the King's US state visit go ahead? Get in touch: [email protected]

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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 explain why succession is a matter for both Parliament and the Palace, what “removal” would actually involve, and what it could mean for Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie — as well as the precedent it could set for a future monarchy under William.

Image: Getty

Get in touch: [email protected]

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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 even changes to the line of succession. Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey ask Russell Myers, royal editor of the Daily Mirror and author of the new book about William and Catherine, what this constitutional moment means for the future of the monarchy and for William.

Guest: 

• Russell Myers, Royal Editor at The Daily Mirror & author of William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story. 

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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