Victoria, Ella, Irene and Alix of Hesse were four young European princesses and granddaughters of Queen Victoria, whose marriages would change the face of early 20th-century Europe. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Frances Welch introduces the four sisters. She explores their relationships with one another, and reveals how their stories stretch from the court of th ... Show More
Today
Harriet Martineau: life of the week
Thinker, feminist, sociologist, campaigner: 19th-century writer Harriet Martineau was a pioneer and a radical across a huge range of areas, but it's very likely you've never heard of her. Stuart Hobday tells Matt Elton about a figure who played a key role in shaping the modern wo ... Show More
40m 4s
Yesterday
Sores, sweat and secretions: the pox in early modern London
With sinful associations and incredibly painful symptoms, the pox could be a damning diagnosis in the early modern period. In this episode, Olivia Weisser speaks to Charlotte Vosper about the pox-ridden world of London in the era. She takes us behind the doors of medical practiti ... Show More
39m 24s
Mar 22
Elizabeth’s enemies: plots, rivals and the Spanish Armada
Elizabeth I’s reign was defined by constant threat, both at home and abroad. In this third episode of our four-part Sunday Series on the Tudor monarch, Rachel Dinning is joined by historian Nicola Tallis to examine the rivals and conspiracies that endangered the queen's security ... Show More
31m 57s
Mar 2025
Catherine of Braganza: Loyalty, Politics, and Heartbreak
<p>Catherine of Braganza, Charles II’s Portuguese queen, faced political turmoil, religious strife, and a scandalous court—yet her influence endured. In this episode, historian <strong>Susan Abernethy</strong> joins me to discuss her book on Catherine’s remarkable life, from roya ... Show More
53m 7s
Nov 2024
Catherine of Aragon | Secret Lives of the Six Wives
<p>We know the fates of Henry VIII's wives, but what were these iconic women <em>really</em> like?</p><br><p>In the first episode of this limited series, <em>Secret Lives of the Six Wives</em>, we'll explore the ways that Catherine of Aragon was a formidable queen and leader, and ... Show More
36m 17s
Jul 2025
Current Queens & Consorts of Europe
Through most of history, monarchs wielded unlimited political and military power, while their Queens and consorts were in charge of producing heirs and ruling the hearts of the people. Since the fall of feudalism, the 10 remaining hereditary monarchs of Europe have lost their unc ... Show More
33m 19s
Dec 2024
Catherine Howard | Secret Lives of the Six Wives
<p>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.</p><br><p>Out of all of Henry's wives it could be argued that the young queen, who was a cousin of Anne Boleyn, is ... Show More
37m 38s