Palace Politics Meaning

(idiomatic) The relationships and interactions of top-level officials, advisors and other powerbrokers within a government, especially as involving internal rivalry and intrigue.

Example: 1859, George Dodd, The history of the Indian revolt and of the expeditions to Persia, China, and Japan, 1856-7-8, W. and R. Chambers (London), pp. 67-68:
  [T]he palace at Delhi was known to have been a focus of discontent and intrigue for some time previous to the Revolt. The mode in which the Marquis of Dalhousie treated these matters, in his minute of 1856, has already been adverted to; but it may be well to repeat his words here, to shew the exact state of Delhi palace-politics at that time.
1940, "The Election: The Next Administration," Time, 11 Nov.:
  Some Janizaries predicted that Justice Douglas would eventually be either Secretary of State or Chairman of the Defense Commission. He had given the President valiant aid in the campaign, in ideas and memoranda for the six speeches, and was still a chief figure in the palace politics of the inner circle.
2009, Mazibuko K Jara, "The capitulation of the great communists," The Times (South Africa), 17 May (retrieved 20 July 2009):
  As the SACP’s deputy general secretary, Jeremy Cronin, noted in a 2008 article for New Agenda, “The ANC’s 2007 national conference created a situation in which there is the danger of further fragmentation and factionalism, palace politics, a politics of revenge and of rear-guard fight-backs”.