Skip to content
Melo Podcasts Home
CategoriesLanguagesFollowing

Episode · This Is Why

Why Diana’s brother is making bombshell claims about the King

18 Sep 2026 · 17 min

Play episode WhatsApp Download

Episode notes

Lots of people have fallen out with their brother-in-law over the years - but it’s perhaps never been as explosive as the row between the King and Earl Spencer. In the latest royal drama involving the House of Windsor, the Palace has hit back at claims made by Princess Diana’s younger brother in a new book about his sister. Among them is that the King was “giddily elated” after Diana’s death. So, what else is in Earl Spencer’s memoir and why is he making these bombshell allegations now? Niall is joined by Sky’s royal correspondent Laura Bundock. Since recording this episode, Earl Spencer has…

Podcast

This Is Why

Sky News · News · English

The world’s a pretty confusing place right now – so how do you make sense of it all? This Is Why  takes one story every day, explains how we got here and why it matters to you. Sky News’ Niall Paterson speaks to experts and correspondents from around the world, getting simple answers to some compl

More from This Is Why All episodes →

  1. 25 Sep 2026 · 17 min

    Why is Ed Sheeran fighting for his reputation?

    Ed Sheeran is used to thousands of people singing his songs back at him. But last week, he found himself addressing his audience in a very different way. After Macklemore left Sheeran’s tour following his comments about the war in Gaza, other performers on the bill also pulled out. Sheeran returned to the stage in Philadelphia. Looking visibly upset, he addressed the crowd and apologised. But for a singer who has built his career on being the ‘nice guy’, can Ed Sheeran come back from this? Or has this controversy permanently damaged the image he’s spent years building? Niall Paterson is…

  2. 24 Sep 2026 · 19 min

    Why is Diana book still on sale despite Piers Morgan mistake?

    Recollection may vary, but the facts do not. That’s something that was lost on Princess Diana’s brother in his new book about his sister’s life - which managed to squeeze in a mistake about Piers Morgan amongst its bombshell claims about the King. The former Daily Mirror editor is now suing Earl Spencer and calling for the book to be pulped. So, what checks take place when a memoir is written? And why does the format allow people to publish unproven claims? Niall is joined by the journalist Helen Brown, who writes about culture for The Telegraph. Have you got a question for Niall? Email us:…

  3. 23 Sep 2026 · 22 min

    Three reasons AI could ‘save us all’: This is why

    There’s nothing like the warning of an AI apocalypse to ease you out of summer - but as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. Of course, we can’t rule out artificial intelligence one day doing the unthinkable, as many experts have politely warned, but there are also reasons to believe it could actually save the human race. From breakthroughs in healthcare to helping tackle climate change, this episode explores how small steps for AI could bring about giant leaps for mankind. Niall Paterson reveals the reasons to be cheerful with Sky’s science and technology editor Tom Clarke. For a…

  4. 22 Sep 2026 · 17 min

    Why is Andy Burnham giving military support to Saudi Arabia?

    It's been a busy week already for Andy Burnham - who approved his first military intervention as prime minister just hours before his inaugural meeting with Donald Trump. The RAF will now provide Saudi Arabia with "purely defensive" air support against attacks from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, after Burnham agreed to Riyadh’s request. The Saudis had earlier been turned down by Trump – so why is the new PM so happy to help? And is it really due to cost-of-living pressures as he claims? Niall Paterson is joined by Dr H A Hellyer, an expert in geopolitics across the Middle East and Europe…

  5. 21 Sep 2026 · 19 min

    Why TV’s The Wargame exposes some uncomfortable truths

    The new Sky Original TV series The Wargame imagines a terrifying situation – and not just because Michael Gove is prime minister. Vladimir Putin and Russia haven’t yet launched a military attack on UK soil, but the threat is rising. That’s why the show picks a fantasy crisis team of real-life former ministers and ex-military chiefs to see how they might respond to such a potential attack. So, what does The Wargame tell us about the UK’s readiness for all-out Russian aggression? Niall Paterson is joined by the former Labour adviser Baroness Hazarika, who plays the government’s director of…

  6. 17 Sep 2026 · 16 min

    Why Canada courting the EU isn’t great news for Great Britain

    Canadian prime minister Mark Carney is looking for closer ties with Europe – but could an “associate” membership with the EU push the UK to the back of the queue? Addressing the European Parliament, Carney welcomed the idea of forming a partnership, which could potentially give Canada closer ties on trade, defence, and technology. The country is keen to strengthen its ties beyond the USA – with Donald Trump still intent on a punishing trade war. But what are the implications for the UK, as relations with Brussels continue to stall? What would associate membership mean? And could Canada…

  7. 16 Sep 2026 · 31 min

    Chief of Defence Staff: Why this is the UK’s ‘most dangerous moment’

    The country is under threat. Russian aggression, war in the Middle East and a military which has been ‘hollowed out’ for decades have all led to a crisis point for the United Kingdom. In a special episode of This Is Why, Britain’s most senior military official has explained why he believes this is the most dangerous moment in his 35-year career. In a wide-ranging interview with Niall Paterson, the Chief of the Defence Staff – Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton – has also revealed: How John Healey’s resignation as defence secretary took him by surprise The battle for more military…

  8. 15 Sep 2026 · 17 min

    Why the Thirlwall Inquiry isn’t the last word on Lucy Letby

    The case of Britain’s most prolific child killer has gripped the nation ever since Lucy Letby’s trial began in October 2022. The former neonatal nurse was later convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016. Now, a public inquiry has found some of those deaths could have been avoided if safeguarding action had been taken to remove her from the ward. So, what else did the report find and what action might the hospital face? Niall Paterson and Sky’s chief North of England correspondent, Greg Milam, also discuss…

  9. 14 Sep 2026 · 19 min

    Why has Donald Trump called for Irish reunification?

    It was a hole-in-one for the republican cause – the US president using a trip to his golf course in County Clare to lend his weight to the fight for a united Ireland. The timing couldn’t have been better for the first ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as they met to discuss further cooperation in the campaign for independence. But despite Donald Trump’s insistence that he would “love to see” a united Ireland – even if that means the break-up of the United Kingdom – Westminster should not worry just yet. Niall Paterson has been speaking to Sky’s Ireland correspondent, Stephen…

  10. 11 Sep 2026 · 20 min

    Why 9/11 has turned toxic for Rudy Giuliani and Zohran Mamdani

    As America marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks, a row has erupted between the man who led New York through its darkest moments and the city’s current mayor. Rudy Giuliani became the face of New York’s resilience following the fall of the Twin Towers, but he warned Zohran Mamdani to stay away from official memorial events. Mamdani, the city’s first ever Muslim mayor, ignored his predecessor advice – despite being compared by Giuliani to the al Qaeda terrorists who carried out the 9/11 atrocities. Is Giuliani’s ire racially motivated? What brought about the former…

Take it with you

The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.

Get it on Google Play