logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
30 m

Queens of England

Lindsay Holiday
About this episode

Episode originally aired in 2019, I have added a 2024 update.

Of the 66 monarchs who have ruled over England since the Norman conquest only 8 have been Queens. These women have had to fight to gain and hold power. Through most of English history men outranked women in the line of succession so the only way for a woman to inherit the throne was if she had no living brothers. The wives of Kings, while called Queens are not monarchs in their own right and are referred to as Queen Consorts. Some of these female monarchs who were fortunate enough to occupy the throne were less than brilliant rulers. But some reigned with wisdom and justice proving a woman could do the job just as well as a man. Here are their stories...

Matilda (1141-1148)

Jane (1553)

Mary I (1553-1558)

Elizabeth II (1558-1603)

Mary II (1689-1694)

Anne (1702-1714)

Victoria (1837-1901)

Elizabeth II (1952-2022)


Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History!

Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091781568503

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyteatimelindsayholiday/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@historyteatime

Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes!

Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell

#HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday

Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on this podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Jul 8
The Kennedys – America's 'Royal' Families
Correction: JFK was assasinated on 11/22/1963 Ever since the United States rejected hereditary Monarchy, Americans have had a fascination with political dynasties. The Adamses, the Roosevelts, and the Bushes have all become pseudo-royal families with multiple generations in high ... Show More
34m 15s
Jul 1
Diana, Princess of Wales
Lady Diana Spencer was the daughter of an Earl and was hand picked at 19 to become the bride of heir to the throne, Charles, Prince of Wales. But he was already in love with another woman and the fairytale marriage soon devolved into a messy divorce splashed across the tabloids. ... Show More
30m 10s
Jun 24
Caroline Astor, The Queen of Gilded Age New York
Caroline was born into old money, and married into the richest new money family in the world. She became the ultimate Queen bee, determining who was and was NOT part of the illustrious 400, the high society of gilded age New York. A coveted invitation to one of her balls was the ... Show More
29m 3s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 6
The Tudors, Part 2 of 2
The later Tudor years were a time of turmoil, political intrigue, and national transformation. Initially defined by crises of succession, and shifts in the religious landscape, the period went on to see the reign of some of the most famous royal women in history. And, under the 4 ... Show More
1h 3m
Mar 2025
The Tudors, Part 1 of 2
The Tudors are the most famous royal family in English history, ruling from 1485 to 1603. The dynasty began with the reign of King Henry VII, and ended with his granddaughter, Elizabeth I. Marked by political, religious, and cultural change, the Tudor era shaped the course of Eng ... Show More
1h 5m
Nov 2024
Anne Boleyn | Secret Lives of the Six Wives
How did Anne Boleyn go from being a commoner to being the Queen of England? As soon as she arrived in the Tudor court she stood out from the other beautiful women who were throwing themselves at Henry VIII, but made him wait for seven years before they eventually got together. In ... Show More
41m 17s
Sep 2024
Mary Queen of Scots
Born amid the turmoil of 16th century British society, Mary Queen of Scots was a leader trapped between Scotland and England, Catholic and Protestant ideologies, as well as love and duty. But she was also a woman with burning ambition, and her obsession with securing the English ... Show More
58m 16s
Jul 2024
The Medieval Tudors
We don't often use the word 'Tudor' on Gone Medieval but we can't ignore how the Tudors have a sensational medieval story.  Henry VII was descended from the greatest Welsh princes and when word spread that he had a chance to sit on the English throne the Welsh prophecies, which f ... Show More
46m 40s
Dec 2024
Six Wives: Katherine of Aragon & Anne Boleyn
In the first of three special Christmas editions, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb offers another chance to hear the series from earlier this year in which she took an in-depth look into the six wives of Henry VIII, revealing the rich stories and incredible lives of these women who ch ... Show More
1h 28m
Nov 2024
Catherine of Aragon | Secret Lives of the Six Wives
We know the fates of Henry VIII's wives, but what were these iconic women really like? In the first episode of this limited series, Secret Lives of the Six Wives, we'll explore the ways that Catherine of Aragon was a formidable queen and leader, and why, perhaps, she's been misun ... Show More
36m 17s
Dec 2024
Kateryn Parr | Secret Lives of the Six Wives
At the time, surely Kateryn Parr had her reservations about being Henry VIII's sixth wife? Aside from being a tyrannical maniac who'd just beheaded his last wife, Catherine Howard, he was getting old, angry and his ulcerous leg was getting smelly. However, Kateryn was smart - she ... Show More
37m 8s
Aug 2024
Henry VII: Rise of the Medieval Tudors
Henry VII was descended from some of the greatest Welsh princes. When word spread that he had a chance of taking the English throne, Welsh prophecies - which foretold that one day, one of their own would become king of the islands and would be crowned in London - looked to be com ... Show More
46m 2s
Dec 2024
Catherine Howard | Secret Lives of the Six Wives
Henry VIII called her his 'rose without a thorn', but the teenage Catherine Howard was to fall out of favour less than 18 months after becoming Queen of England. Out of all of Henry's wives it could be argued that the young queen, who was a cousin of Anne Boleyn, is most deservin ... Show More
37m 38s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami