Ever since the 1870s, rumours have swirled around Queen Victoria and her Highland servant John Brown. Were the pair in love? Could they have got married? And might they even have had a secret child? Historian Fern Riddell investigates these claims in her book Victoria's Secret, and has made some dramatic discoveries that she believes cast the story in a new ... Show More
Oct 7
The dark side of Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys is well-known for his brilliantly evocative diary, which gives an unsurpassed insight into daily life in Restoration London. However, it turns out Pepys also had a sinister side. Something that has been overlooked or ignored in his diaries for centuries, is that Pepy ... Show More
38m 21s
Oct 5
Britain's female slaveowners: the heiresses who made fortunes from enslavement
Women's role as slaveowners is often overlooked – but, just like men, they both profited from and maintained the institution of slavery. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian Miranda Kaufmann profiles several 'Caribbean heiresses' who married into the British aristocracy and bro ... Show More
38m 12s
Oct 3
Preview: Should historians be celebrities?
Historian, author and broadcaster David Olusoga is among the famous faces to feature on new TV series The Celebrity Traitors, which launches in the UK next Wednesday, 8 October on BBC One. But what are the opportunities, and dangers, when historians become celebrities? And to wha ... Show More
10m 42s
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
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
Nov 2024
Jane Seymour | Secret Lives of the Six Wives
Meek and mild, or smart and scheming? Have we all been underestimating the third wife of Henry VIII?
Was Jane Seymour the meek and mild lady she's often portrayed as, or was she more smart and scheming than we give her credit for?
Although her time as queen didn't last long, Seym ... Show More
38m 43s
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
Anne of Cleves | Secret Lives of the Six Wives
Anne of Cleves gets a pretty raw deal in the history books.
She's often accused of being ugly, after Henry VIII claimed the painting he had made of her was overly flattering.
While their marriage was short-lived, is it time we give Anne of Cleves, who hailed from a small state in ... Show More
39m 38s
Aug 2024
The Real Anne Boleyn: Sex, Scandal & Betrayal
Anne Boleyn was smart, sophisticated and had SO much charisma.
She kept Henry VIII waiting for SEVEN YEARS before they finally got together, and even then it was on her terms.
So where did it all go wrong for Anne Boleyn? Were any of the wild accusations made against her true? An ... Show More
50m 56s
Sep 18
Anne Boleyn: Myths vs Reality
The life of Anne Boleyn has intrigued audiences for centuries. Everyone knows something about her time as Queen of England, and of course, her betrayal and execution. But her formative years in France remain a bit of a mystery.Joining us today is Estelle Paranque, an Associate Pr ... Show More
1h 1m
Oct 3
The Scandalous Royal Mistress Who Ruled France
Is this strangest threesome in royal history?!We're endlessly fascinated with the lives of royal mistresses, and this has to be one of the most notorious.It takes place in 16th century France between Henry II, his wife Catherine de Medici and his much older mistress, Diane de Poi ... Show More
37m 45s