The Brand Breakdown

Author: Courtney & Michelle

What goes up, must come down. On The Brand Breakdown, were taking a deep dive into some of the biggest brands - from companies to pop stars and everything in between - to examine what helped their brand rise above the fray, how they handled success, what happened when it all went wrong... and whether theyve been able to - or can - make a comeback.
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Language: en

Genres: Entertainment News, News, Society & Culture

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A Royal Mess: The Problem with (Just) Andrew - Prince Andrew Loses His Royal Titles
Episode 1
Friday, 31 October, 2025

This week, Michelle and Courtney unpack the latest - and most dramatic - turn yet in the Prince Andrew saga. Overnight headlines and a fresh report collide with a decisive move from King Charles: the removal of Andrew’s HRH and prince styles, plus the unwinding of his public identity and living arrangements. The conversation traces how we got here - from the 1986 royal wedding and the Royal Lodge lease, to Jeffrey Epstein, Virginia Giuffre’s allegations and memoir, the disastrous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, and the strategic calculus behind a monarchy trying to protect its future.Note: Allegations discussed in this episode are reported claims. Where relevant, we use “alleged” and reference civil settlements rather than criminal convictions for clarity.What We CoverThe breaking news: Reports of a forthcoming exposé and why Buckingham Palace may have moved swiftly.Stripping of titles: What it means to remove “HRH” and “Prince,” why it’s unprecedented, and why Parliament comes into play with the Duke of York title.Royal Lodge, explained: The 75-year lease, the private renovation spend, and why eviction surprised royal watchers.Exile to Sandringham: Why that estate matters (private funding, privacy, optics) and what it signals about future visibility.The Epstein timeline: Introductions, allegations, the civil case and settlement, and how the public narrative hardened after Newsnight.The Newsnight interview: The “Pizza Express/Woking” alibi, the “I can’t sweat” claim, and why the tone backfired so profoundly.Fergie’s role: A resurfaced email to Epstein, her public standing, and where she may land now.The bigger picture: Charles’s transitional reign, protecting William’s runway, and the monarchy’s “never complain, never explain” dilemma in the media era.