Back in 2019, when the head of Daily Mail videos asked me to host a talk show all about the Royal Family, the first thing I said was, ‘But I give no fucks about the Royal Family.’
‘That’s exactly why you’d be good,’ he said.
At the time, I really didn’t understand the obsession. But now, as a journalist who accidentally veered into royal reporting - I hosted Palace Confidential for years before pivoting to The Royals Uncensored this year - I’m invested. You’ll never see me tearfully waving a Union Jack on the Mall. But I’m fascinated by the blend of celebrity, diplomacy, power and mystique
The King at The White House earlier this year showed us how effective the deployment of The Firm’s so-called ‘soft power’ can be. What other country can wheel out a family who can smooth over political ickiness, just by turning up? The Royal Family’s global fame, and the admiration they inspire really does influence so much about what the ‘British’ even is in British culture.
So yeah, I’ve come to really respect it. And I’ve gone from being non-plussed about the whole thing, to finding myself in conversations saying things like, ‘No no, that’s not true, what’s really happening with Harry’s security appeal is….’. And while words are coming out of my mouth I’m having a sort of out of body experience, watching myself and thinking ‘who even is this version of you?’
I’m also taken aback to be someone whose friends now phone me when they want to know what’s going on with the royals.
But what really shocks me on the regular is, what I will politely call the more ‘passionate’ devotees of the royal family. By which I mean… unhinged. Oh the vitriol that gets flung about online! Just the other day, someone turned up on my Instagram page to accuse me of
