For those who don’t want to click on the link:
Buckingham Palace’s top aides are in a tailspin after leaked plans for the death of King Charles made it into the media—sparking a huge censorship operation to “contain the spill.”
The leak to The Daily Telegraph revealed details including how Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, would be central to the current British monarch’s funeral—something officials are actively planning as he battles cancer.
It comes despite the public fracturing of the king’s relationship with his younger son, who has also been at loggerheads with brother William. Prince William will have become king by the time of Charles’ funeral.
Plans for the funeral, code-named “London Bridge,” are the most sensitive of royal secrets, meticulously planned by courtiers and ultimately overseen by the king himself.
When the Telegraph published the revelations on its front page with the headline “Prince Harry and Meghan at heart of King’s funeral plans,” it was the first substantive insight British papers had given their readers into an event of world significance.
But as soon as it was published, courtiers began an extraordinary operation to stop word of any future reconciliation spreading, even though the Daily Beast can disclose that the leak originated from within Buckingham Palace’s planning operation.
Insiders say the remarkable episode offers an insight into the kind of “iron fist in a velvet glove” activities that take place behind the curtain of the British royal family as it seeks to control the narrative around the institution.
Multiple sources have told the Daily Beast that the king’s most senior spin doctor, Tobyn Andreae, “had a meltdown on the phone” to editors at The Telegraph, a reliably pro-monarchy publication, about its London Bridge story.
“These new details about London Bridge, including that Harry and Meghan will be invited for central roles and that the mourning period will be shortened, had found their way to the Telegraph exclusively,” said a well-placed Fleet Street source.
“There was a conversation with the palace’s communications team ahead of publication. Tobyn [Andreae] was very, very, unhappy. He was involved directly and lobbied the Telegraph for more than 24 hours to try and influence the timing and terms of publication.”
But, explained a second source, a senior journalist with knowledge of the situation, its editors did not “wish to be controlled.” That “went down badly” with Andreae, who was “very resistant to the publication.”
The source said, “There was a heated phone call. In the end, the view was taken that the paper needed to protect its editorial independence, and it decided to publish its scoop when it wanted to, which from Tobyn’s [Andreae’s] point of view was premature.”
It was then, however, that a censorship operation swung into action, according to a source who said Andraea tried to “contain the spill.”
Andreae used a WhatsApp text message group with other journalists who cover the royal family for British newspapers and television networks—a group known as the “royal rota”—to trash the Telegraph story and say there would be consequences for any outlet that used the information.
In one message seen by the Daily Beast, marked “not for reporting in any form,” Andreae, a former senior editor at the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, criticized the article as “unconscionable” and “downright offensive,” given King Charles is currently battling cancer, and warned that outlets which repeated its detail were “unlikely to receive assistance” in future.
I am not tired of copy-pasting
Posted by HogwartsZoologist
23 comments
That headline is horribly written.
Tbh, idk why the aides are so upset. lol. Like….. I don’t think anything leaked was especially surprising??? Monarch’s funerals have a pretty set program, so like there wasn’t anything revelatory in the leaks.
What is in the funeral plan is pretty uninteresting. What is interesting though is details of how Royal staff tried to censor the press. That is the real story.
I love stories like this that give breadcrumbs about how these people actually operate. Due to the Telegraph’s typical reliability to the royals, their willingness to defy Andreae’s bullying tactics makes me wonder if someone higher than him on the food chain (ahem) was the source of the leak. Thus making the Telegraph certain they would not be punished. If so, particularly interesting that the source from within Buckingham Palace wanted it publicly known that the King’s intent is for Harry and Meghan to take part in his funeral.
I always find the fact that these WhatsApp groups exist hilarious for this exact reason, if your having a meltdown via text it’s going to end up in an online newspaper
Just seems like Charles is trying to make sure it looks like he invited Harry and Meghan to the funeral.
Without full security, I doubt Harry would want Meghan or the kids to come.
Weren’t QE2’s plans out for years and years before she actually kicked the bucket? Is this really new information or are they just trying to test tge waters again
Directing the Rota to go against the story. Now I have to see what Rebecca English was reporting on that week 🤔😆
Tobyn. The man who met with Harry’s assistant last week hmmm
Interesting that a very pro-Royal newspaper like the Telegraph would publish a story against the Palace’s express wishes. I wonder if the tide is starting to turn a bit?
I think this is one case where crashing out is fairly understandable. It’s a pretty ghoulish story.
>But as soon as it was published, courtiers began an extraordinary operation to stop word of any future reconciliation spreading, even though **the Daily Beast can disclose that the leak originated from within Buckingham Palace’s planning operation**.
(Bolding mine)
Seems like Tobyn Andreae’s office is leaking all over the place. They also leaked the rapprochement meeting a few weeks later.
The British tabloids and yeah the telegraph included want everyone to know Camilla and/or wills and Kate HATE harry and Meghan till end times and will undermine their king and lord even with his dying wishes.
Perfectly sane and reasonable
Even the RF knows no one will care without manufactured drama. Funerals are for the living and with the RF there re for the next in line. H and M are well out of that. I suspect they’d rather grieve privately than have their every move scrutinized.
It is understood that the most vital facet of a succession plan must ensure that the new monarch knows how to use a fountain pen
Clearly it didn’t go that well.
This is what happens when you allow aides and advisors to speak for you and set the narrative.
London Bridge isn’t top secret, that’s just sensationalism.
Possible that KC has less “loyalty” or “influence” with the papers/ tabloids/ media as he, unkindly, is being viewed as a short term monarch? Perception that there is no benefit to currying favor with BP? Did QEII have more standing as she reigned 70 years? Longer time to develop relationships, offer deals (dial that down, will give first run of that). And. of course, journalism (ahem) has changed.
A man wants both his sons and their wives and children at his funeral. I’m shocked. How outrageous. Next thing you’ll tell me is he gives his grandchildren Christmas presents or hugs.
It’s wild how they somehow managed to find a way to center this on Harry and Meghan. #RentFree
London Bridge was the code name for QEII’s funeral, KC’s is Menai Bridge. That alone makes it a little sus. All royal funerals have different code names. Margaret was Hyde Park Corner, Queen Mother – Tay Bridge, Phillip – Forth Bridge. They typically reuse names, exceptions were Princess Diana since they used the Queen Mother’s plans since she was still living when Diana passed.
Given how hard it seems they worked to try and prevent this getting out and finally it seems like this is pretty strong proof of how little the BRF really has over the media
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