This episode of The News Agents opens with the surprise announcement that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle plan to return to the UK, days after Harry lost his libel case against the Daily Mail and amid continued uncertainty over whether the state will fund his security. The hosts explore possible motives, including Meghan's rumoured but unconfirmed Netflix role, King Charles's health, tax residency rules, and the couple's fraught relationship with the tabloid press, while criticising the tone of coverage since the announcement. They also discuss a reported backlog on the committee that decides royal security arrangements and note the Crown Estate's recent profit boom from offshore wind, which feeds into royal funding.
The conversation then shifts to escalating trade tensions between the US and Canada, triggered by Donald Trump's claims that Canada depends on America economically and his threats over trade talks breaking down. The hosts examine aluminium and lumber costs, approval ratings for Trump and Canadian PM Mark Carney, and estimates of the extra cost tariffs impose on American households. A shorter final segment covers a UK political trip to Kyiv, focusing on media reaction to Andy Burnham's choice of clothing during the visit rather than the substance of the diplomatic mission.
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The hosts said the committee that decides state security for political figures reportedly would not be able to review Prince Harry's case for around nine months due to a backlog.
~1:17 min inContext
The committee referred to is the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), which decides on state-funded security for royals and other public figures in the UK. Prince Harry lost his legal challenge over the removal of his automatic police protection when he stepped back from royal duties in 2020. Reports at the time of this discussion suggested RAVEC would not reconvene to review his case for several months.
The hosts said a ton of aluminium currently costs around $3,000 in Europe.
~33:57 min inContext
Aluminium is a globally traded industrial metal used widely in construction, packaging, transport and food production, with prices set on international commodity markets such as the London Metal Exchange.
The hosts said Americans are currently paying more than $5,000 a ton for aluminium because of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
~34:00 min inContext
Tariffs are import taxes that raise the cost of foreign goods entering a country. The Trump administration imposed tariffs on Canadian metals including aluminium, which the hosts said has driven up domestic US prices for that commodity.
The hosts said it has been estimated that the average American family now faces an extra $1,100 a year in costs as a result of tariffs linked to the Canada trade dispute.
~34:28 min in