This week – in the final episode of Season One – Robert and Kate tackle one of history's most scandalous, unsolved mysteries: what on earth happened to the Princes in the Tower?  The disappearance of Edward V and his younger brother, Richard, Duke of York, has sparked centuries of speculation. Were they murdered, and if so, by whom? Was it Richard III – their own uncle, and that great Shakespearean villain – in a bid to secure the throne? Or, could other powerful figures have been...

The Nepalese Massacre was one of the most dramatic, bloody royal events to ever happen – and the chances are that most listeners won’t have heard of it.  On a summer’s evening in Kathmandu in 2001, Nepal’s royal family was almost entirely wiped out, in a single night. Hours later, the alleged killer lay in a hospital bed in a coma, having been proclaimed King the moment that his father died. The man in question – Crown Prince Dipendra – allegedly went on a murderous rampage, killing nine...

On 31st May 1810, the Duke of Cumberland – George III’s fifth child, and notorious 19th Century wrong’un – was attacked while asleep in his apartments in St James’ Palace. And, hours later, one of the Duke’s valets, Joseph Sellis, was found dead in his room. His throat had been cut with a razor. It was a grisly crime scene. Sellis’ head was nearly severed from his body, and blood had soaked the bedclothes, furniture, and walls.  Join Kate and Robert as they delve into the circumstances...

This week Robert and Kate tackle one of history's biggest questions: was Anne Boleyn guilty of everything that Henry VIII accused her of? Over the centuries, historians have spilt vast quantities of ink dissecting the evidence, the political intrigue, and the motives behind the charges that led to Anne's tragic demise. Robert and Kate explore the wider context of Anne’s astronomical rise and rapid fall; the key players in her trial; and, whether her alleged infidelities were fabrications to...

Despite being immortalised in the iconic song by Boney M, the life and death of Grigory Rasputin remains shrouded in mythology and mystery. A mystic healer, political saboteur, and renegade monk, Rasputin’s life – and his ‘member’ – casts a long shadow over Russian history, not least in the questions surrounding his role in formenting the opposition to the Russian Tsar that ultimately caused the 1917 Revolution, a cataclysmic event that overturned Russia’s social and political order forever,...

Charles II's sexual appetite was infamously compared to a racehorse, and he revelled in reversing the social strictures that Oliver Cromwell had strictly enforced during the Interregnum. Unsurprisingly, Charles II had mistresses. And lots of them. But Charles II’s mistresses were so much more than footnotes in a new era of frivolity, parties and hedonism –  many of these women wielded significant power in their own right, and played pivotal roles in court politics and international...

What do you get when you mix a $20 million diamond necklace; a sycophantic cardinal; a con-artist; and Marie Antoinette? Only one of French history’s biggest royal scandals – a scandal that, arguably, led to the abolition of nearly a thousand years of French monarchy and the demise of France's final two monarchs on the guillotine. Join Kate Williams and Robert Hardman for a rollicking ride through a royal scandal that really does have it all: sex, lies – and Marie Antoinette: one of the...

On June 10 1688, Queen Mary of Modena, the Catholic wife of James II, gave birth to a son, James Francis Stewart.  Or did she? Join Kate Williams and Robert Hardman as they dive into one of royal history’s juiciest, and often forgotten, scandals: an event that should have been a joyous moment (a male heir - hurrah!) but one that instead unleashed a chain of events that would lead to mother, father, and child being driven out of England to spend the rest of their lives in… exile.  Robert...

Did Queen Victoria find comfort and love in the arms of a servant following the death of Prince Albert? What can we conclude from the Queen’s disregard for public, parliamentary and family concern about her close relationship with John Brown, the Scottish servant who found himself resident at Buckingham Palace? And, was the Queen so devoted to John Brown that they secretly married? Professor Kate Williams and Robert Hardman reveal all about this mysterious royal relationship that captivated...

When the peace of an Edinburgh night is shattered by an explosion and the Queen of Scotland’s husband is found dead, but no murderer can be found, the question is not only who killed the King Consort but why? Join Professor Kate Williams and Robert Hardman as they uncover the suspects, the events and the motives behind a murder that definitively changed the course of Mary Queen Of Scots’ reign. Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises...

Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week.  Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past.  New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow us on...

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Wolferton Splash" the first episode of season 1 of The Crown. This episode focuses on the wedding and early years of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip's marriage, and the failing health of Princess Elizabeth's father King George VI. Find out: Did Winston Churchill heckle at Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip’s wedding? Did King George VI have surgery at Buckingham Palace?  How did King George VI’s plans for an overseas...

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Moondust" season 3, episode 7 of The Crown. This episode of The Crown shows Prince Phillip having a mid life crisis as he considers his faith and his place in the universe, all put into context as Neil Armstrong steps on the moon and a new Dean of Windsor is appointed. Find out: Is there evidence that Prince Phillip was having a mid life crisis around the time of the moon landings? Did The Crown get the astronaut's visit to...

Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone sit down with Sam McAlister for a very special episode of the The Crown Fact or Fiction that focuses on Scoop, Netflix's film about Prince Andrew's disastrous Newsnight interview.   Scoop is based on Sam's first hand experience of booking Prince Andrew for Newsnight. Hear Sam tell the story behind the meetings, the planning, the recording and aftermath of the interview - what it was like to work on the biggest interview in the world, and how Netflix...

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Marionettes" season 2, episode 5 of The Crown. This episode of The Crown depicts Queen Elizabeth II facing criticism from Lord Altrincham following a tone deaf speech at a Jaguar factory in Coventry before taking to the airwaves for the first ever televised Christmas message. If you'd like us to analyse a favourite episode of The Crown, write to us at: [email protected]. Find out in this episode of The Crown Fact Or...

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Aberfan" season 3, episode 3 of The Crown. This episode of The Crown depicts a reluctant Elizabeth 2nd questioning the appropriateness of her visiting Aberfan in the days following a disaster in the Welsh town, despite the insistence of those around her. Our thanks to Claire Heeley, Melissa Clark and Kelly Woods who all wrote in to suggest the episode this week. If you'd like us to analyse a favourite episode of The Crown, write...

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Ipatiev House" season 5, episode 6 of The Crown. This episode of The Crown delves into the history of the British royal family and portrays a strained marriage between the Queen and Prince Phillip while Britain forges a new relationship with Boris Yeltsin's Russia. Our thanks to Hannah from Hertfordshire who wrote in and suggested the episode this week. If you'd like us to analyse a favourite episode of The Crown, write to us...

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Dear Mrs Kennedy" season 2, episode 8 of The Crown. This episode of The Crown portrays a rivalry taking place between the Queen and Jackie Kennedy, the first lady of the United States. Meanwhile, the Queen is trying to keep the commonwealth together, before the episode culminates in the news and aftermath of John F. Kennedy's assassination. Our thanks to Emily Edery who wrote in and suggested the episode this week. If you'd like...

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Bubbikins" season 3, episode 4 of The Crown. The episode focusses on the BBC filming the Royal Family while Prince Phillip's mother, Princess Alice, moves into Buckingham Palace in the late 1960s. Our thanks to Paul Schlotthauer who suggested this episode. If you'd like us to analyse a favourite episode, get in touch at [email protected]. Find out in this episode of The Crown: Fact or Fiction: Did Prince Phillip tell...

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Gelignite" season 1, episode 6 of The Crown. Thanks to The episode focusses on Princess Margaret's relationship with Peter Townsend, our thanks to Nicole, one of our Canadian listeners who suggested this episode. If you'd like us to analyse a favourite episode, get in touch at [email protected]. Find out in this episode of The Crown: Fact or Fiction: Did a journalist from The People uncover the relationship, and how...

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "48:1" season 4, episode 8 of The Crown. Find out: Did the Queen ask that Margaret Thatcher agree to trade sanctions on South Africa? Did the Queen really ask that her opinion of Margaret Thatcher be leaked to the press? What do we really know about the Queen's relationship with Margaret Thatcher? Plus much more.  Tell us which episodes of The Crown are your favourites and we might give them the Fact or Fiction treatment on the...

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Paterfamilias" Season 2 Episode 9 of The Crown.  In this episode find out the truth of the circumstances that led to Prince Phillip's sister taking a tragic flight in 1937.  How did the Queen and Prince Phillip decide which school to send their children to?  Did The Crown get it right when depicting the "Gordonstoun Challenge?" Plus much more.  Tell us which episodes of The Crown are your favourites and we might give them the...

This is the last of our imagined episodes of The Crown - our next episodes will be a return to analysing real episodes of The Crown!  This episode focuses on the "second sons" - Prince Harry and Prince Andrew.  Find out What happened when Prince Harry married Meghan and Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank. What happened after Oprah interviewed Meghan and Harry What happened after Andrew was interviewed by Emily Maitliss.  And how would The Crown have tackled them? Tell us which episodes...

With Series 6 over and no more episodes of The Crown expected, Natasha Livingstone and Robert Hardman have stepped in to imagine what Series 7 could look like if a new series were commissioned and explain which events would be guaranteed to be covered along with some insights and trivia that might not make it to an adaptation.   This episode focuses on the events that followed after 2012 - the birth of Prince George, the Queen relying on the support of Prince Charles at international and...