Insiders Hit Back at Talk That Charles Is Supporting Andrew

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Charles paying Andrew’s way? Maybe not

Palace sources have hit back at claims that King Charles is still funding Prince Andrew, as alleged in a story in the Mail on Sunday today.

Buckingham Palace does not usually comment on Andrew-related intrigue, and officials told The Daily Beast it would not be commenting on the extraordinary claim. However, sources were quick to pour cold water on the claims that Charles had pulled off a “double bluff” and was secretly funding Andrew.

Andrew is understood to have been put under pressure from the king to move out of the palatial property, with the king cutting Andrew’s allowance to force him to downsize.

It was recently reported by the biographer Robert Hardman, for example, that the king has stopped Andrew’s personal allowance and security bill, which together total some $5 million.

However, Andrew appeared to have won the so-called “siege of Royal Lodge” when it was revealed last month that he had found the funds to stay in the property, which he leases at below-market rent on condition he meets hefty repair bills.

This prompted some discussion about where Andrew had found the money.

Now, the Mail says that the king himself is the “mysterious benefactor.” The paper’s Charlotte Griffiths says “multiple sources,” some at “dinner parties” she has attended have told her that “far from cutting Andrew off, Charles has personally cleared his errant brother’s bills for his upkeep.”

One source is cited as saying: “Charles has paid for it all…the king has cleared it. It’s all done.”

Griffiths speculates Charles has bailed Andrew out because he wants to avoid the historic house crumbling away and because he “simply can’t betray his brother” and feels honor-bound to respect the wishes of Queen Elizabeth II that Andrew be looked after.

Palace sources were quick to rubbish the faintly-sourced story, pointing out curtly that it seemed to be based on “dinner party speculation” and “gossip.”

Where is my American Riviera Orchard?

Speaking of not making any money, Meghan Markle has asked officials for a three-month extension to file paperwork in her attempt to trademark her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, the Telegraph reports.

An initial application to trademark the name was rejected by the Patent office in September, due to objections from other similarly name enterprises and the fact that it not straightforward to trademark brands containing place names. She was given three months to address the issues and has now asked for a further three-month extension.

The date when Meghan’s jam finally will appear on supermarket shelves seems to recede ever further into the distance.

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Kate Middleton: ‘Love is the light that can shine bright’

Kate Middleton has spoken about the need “to slow down and reflect on the deeper things that connect us all.”

Kate’s words are contained in a letter, as revealed by the U.K. Sunday Times, sent to people who will attend Christmas carol services across Britain, and before she hosts her own Together at Christmas carol service for 1,600 guests at Westminster Abbey this coming Friday.

“The Christmas story encourages us to consider the experiences and feelings of others,” Kate writes. “It also reflects our own vulnerabilities and reminds us of the importance of giving and receiving empathy, as well as just how much we need each other in spite of our differences.”

Kate’s appearance at the carol service comes as she continues her return to official duties, having received treatment for an unspecified type of cancer earlier this year.

On Friday, she will be accompanied by husband Prince William, and their three children.

Kate’s note to carol service goers says: “Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year… the Christmas story …reflects our own vulnerabilities and reminds us of the importance of giving and receiving empathy, as well as just how much we need each other in spite of our differences. Above all else, it encourages us to turn to love, not fear. The love that we show ourselves and the love we show others. Love that listens with empathy, love that is kind and understanding, love that is forgiving, and love that brings joy and hope.

“It is this love which is the greatest gift we can receive. Not just at Christmas, but every day of our lives. Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times.”

Harry and Meghan’s stock is nosediving

The Daily Beast’s Tom Sykes has a story in the U.K. Sunday Times today about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new show, Polo, the trailer for which dropped on Netflix last week.

The story also looks at the couple’s falling stock in Hollywood generally. Paula Froelich, a former editor of Page Six, now an editor for cable channel NewsNation, is quoted as saying that some power players in Hollywood who were formerly boosters of the couple will no longer take Meghan’s calls, noting: “This is what happens when you haven’t actually made money—you fall [down] the totem pole of importance.”

This week in royal history

Prince Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, died on Dec. 5, 1969, at Buckingham Palace.

Unanswered questions

Is King Charles secretly funding Prince Andrew, and what is happening in their ongoing duel around Royal Lodge?

Read More Royalist