Overview of The Megyn Kelly Show Ep. 1326
This episode split between two major topics: a deep dive into the Texas GOP Senate runoff aftermath, and a wide-ranging interview with royal biographer Andrew Lownie about explosive new claims in his book Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York. Megyn Kelly and guest Tom Bevan discussed Ken Paxton’s dominant win over John Cornyn and what it means for the 2026 Texas Senate race, while the second half focused on Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, Jeffrey Epstein, and the broader dysfunction inside the royal family.
Texas Senate Race: Ken Paxton vs. James Talarico
Paxton’s big runoff win
- Ken Paxton, backed by Donald Trump, beat incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican runoff by a wide margin.
- The win was framed as a rejection of the GOP establishment and a sign that Texas Republican primary voters want a more combative, MAGA-aligned candidate.
- Cornyn conceded and noted low turnout.
Why Republicans think Paxton can still win
- Megyn and Tom Bevan argued that Paxton’s base is energized by his hardline posture and his willingness to fight the “swamp.”
- They suggested many Cornyn voters may simply stay home rather than switch to the Democrat.
- The discussion emphasized that Texas is still structurally red, despite blue pockets like Austin and shifting demographics in major cities.
Who he’ll face: James Talarico
- The Democratic nominee is James Talarico (referred to throughout as Tallarico), a Texas state lawmaker and seminary student with a strongly progressive profile.
- Clips played from his past remarks highlighted:
- “God is non-binary”
- “There are six genders”
- “Christianity is a feminist religion”
- Support for trans children and abortion rights
- Megyn and Tom both argued that his rhetoric is far outside the Texas mainstream and gives Republicans easy attack material.
Paxton’s campaign strategy
- Paxton’s team is already branding Talarico with nicknames and painting him as a radical leftist.
- The argument is that the race will be fought on culture-war terrain, not just economic issues.
- Tom Bevan said Texas Democrats will likely be unified, but Republicans may still be favored if Paxton’s negatives don’t move enough voters.
Paxton’s baggage
- Talarico and Democrats plan to attack Paxton as corrupt and unethical.
- Discussed controversies include:
- A securities fraud case that ended in a pretrial resolution
- Whistleblower allegations from Paxton’s own staff
- A $6.6 million payout related to the whistleblower case
- His impeachment by the Texas House
- Allegations of marital infidelity
- Megyn argued the infidelity issue likely won’t matter much to voters; the office-related corruption allegations are more serious, but still may not outweigh party loyalty in Texas.
SAVE Act and Senate math
- The conversation also touched on the Republican push for the SAVE Act and changing filibuster rules.
- Tom suggested Trump’s endorsement of Paxton may have been tied to getting Cornyn to support the bill.
- Bottom line: the race is likely to be expensive, ugly, and a major national proxy fight.
Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, Epstein, and the Royal Family
Andrew Lownie’s book: Entitled
- Royal biographer Andrew Lownie joined to discuss his updated book, which includes new allegations about Prince Andrew’s behavior and the royal family’s role in shielding him.
- The claims include:
- Requests for very young blond women
- Allegedly booking two hotel rooms: one for sleeping, one for sex workers
- Ongoing predatory behavior toward young women
- Deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
Virginia Giuffre and the BBC interview
- The interview revisited Andrew’s disastrous BBC appearance in which he denied remembering Virginia Giuffre and offered highly implausible explanations.
- Lownie argued Andrew lied unnecessarily and that his denials do not hold up under scrutiny.
- The book suggests Andrew’s interactions with Epstein involved multiple young women, not just Giuffre.
A disturbing personal history
- Lownie also claims Andrew had an extremely early sexual history, possibly beginning in childhood, which may help explain his later behavior.
- He presents that history as tragic and damaging, while still making clear it does not excuse anything Andrew later did.
Sarah Ferguson’s behavior
- The interview also portrayed Sarah Ferguson as extravagant, insecure, and deeply opportunistic.
- Allegations included:
- Heavy spending and massive staff demands
- Exploiting charities for access and lifestyle perks
- Close ties to Epstein and, reportedly, Diddy
- Bringing her daughters into unsavory social circles
- Lownie described her as capable of kindness and charity work, but also as someone who repeatedly blurred the line between philanthropy and self-promotion.
Royal family cover-up and enabling
- Lownie argued that Queen Elizabeth knew far more about Andrew’s behavior than the public realized and that the palace repeatedly protected him.
- He suggested the family’s deference, secrecy, and internal loyalty allowed Andrew to avoid real accountability.
- He also described Andrew’s difficult relationships with:
- King Charles
- Prince William
- Prince Harry
- The book claims Andrew and Harry had physical fights and that Andrew warned Harry against Meghan Markle, comparing Meghan’s role to a destabilizing force similar to Sarah Ferguson and Wallis Simpson.
The palace’s broader problem
- The interview painted a picture of a royal institution more interested in preserving image than accountability.
- Lownie argued the family’s habits of silence, privilege, and protection created the conditions for repeated scandals.
Key Takeaways
- Texas Republicans appear to have chosen confrontation over moderation by nominating Ken Paxton.
- James Talarico gives Republicans easy culture-war targets, especially on gender, religion, and abortion.
- Paxton has real baggage, but the episode suggests Texas voters may care more about ideology than ethics in this matchup.
- Andrew Lownie’s book presents Prince Andrew as deeply compromised and repeatedly protected by the monarchy.
- Sarah Ferguson is portrayed as another figure who exploited royal privilege while mixing with highly questionable people.
- The royal segment reinforced the idea that the House of York has been a long-running scandal factory, with the palace repeatedly failing to contain the fallout.