Rex Factor

After a separate biography episode, this time we review Katherine of Aragon by the factors: a regency defeating the Scots; resisting Henry in the divorce; was she being truthful about her first marriage? Lots to talk about, but the key question, as always, is will she get the Rex Factor? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastcho...

We kick-off the Six Wives of Henry VIII with Katherine of Aragon, whose story is so dramatic that we had to split it into two. In this episode, we look at her biography, charting her life from her upbringing in Spain, to her time in England, with years of uncertainty, a near-golden age with Henry VIII before the lack of a male heir saw Katherine resisting Henry's attempts to annul their marriage,...

In June 2022, we were a keynote speaker at the online Intelligent Speech Conference, and also took part in a Rexy Panel, discussing podcasting with the Rex Factor format alongside Rob and Jamie from Totalus Rankium and Bry from Pontifacts. For today's episode, we're bringing you the Rexy Panel discussion, where the three podcasts have an informal chat about podcasting. You can find out more about...

As Graham gets started on the research for the Six Wives of Henry VIII, we have a one-off episode going through lots of listener correspondence and sharing some previews of our bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We speak to the historian Dr Nicola Tallis about Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII who lived a dramatic life, enduring the trials and tribulations of the Wars of the Roses to ultimately see her son, against all odds, become king, founding the Tudor dynasty. You can follow Nicola on Twitter where she is @NicolaTallis or find out more information about her on her website https://nicolatallis.co...

Following the sad death of Queen Elizabeth II, we wanted to record our thoughts on her life and reign and some of the feelings that her death has evoked. We do a recap of her life and reign as originally covered in our 2013 episodes, plus an update for the near-decade of her reign since then, as well as some impressive statistics and looking ahead to the week leading up to the Queen's funeral. Thi...

We speak to historian Nathen Amin about the House of Beaufort, the initially illegitimate line of John of Gaunt who enjoyed great power and influence under the Lancastrian kings and were major players in the Wars of the Roses. We learn about some of the key figures, why the Wars of the Roses may have started earlier than you think, and how they ultimately found one of their own on the throne with...

We start a new round of interview podcasts, kicking off with Matt Lewis, Chair of the Richard III Society. Matt spoke to us, appropriately enough, about Richard III, suggesting alternative ways of interpreting Richard's character and motivation, what he was up to in 1483 and the fate of the Princes in the Tower. You can follow Matt on Twitter where he is @MattLewisAuthor or check out his website f...

In our second Right to Reply episode, we look back at the Yorkist consorts Elizabeth Woodville, Anne Neville and Elizabeth of York, comparing their scores and lives before then going through listener correspondence on the queens. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The last of our Yorkist consorts (though technically first of the Tudors), Elizabeth of York was the daughter of Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV, experiencing all the drama and tribulations of the Wars and the Roses and Richard III before helping to kickstart the Tudor dynasty by marrying Henry VII. Elizabeth would have a key role in reconciling Yorkists to Henry VII's rule and proved a popular...

One of the more obscure English queens, despite being married to one of the most famous kings in Richard III, Anne Neville certainly had a dramatic life: daughter of Warwick the Kingmaker, married into the Lancastrian and Yorkist royal families, facing triumph and disaster throughout her life. We see whether we can shine more of a light on Anne and whether she has that certain something, we call.....

We move onto the Yorkist consorts with Elizabeth Woodville, Queen Consort to Edward IV. Originally a Lancastrian, she was an unlikely and controversial consort, who had to endure great hardship and loss through the Wars of the Roses, facing off against Margaret of Anjou, Warwick the Kingmaker and Richard III. Find out whether she can survive the Wars of the Roses and whether she is worthy of the R...

As Graham gets started on the research for the Yorkist queens, we have a one-off episode going through lots of listener correspondence and sharing some previews of our bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We speak to the historian and broadcaster Tom Holland about his podcast The Rest Is History and their Twitter World Cup of Monarchs poll, discussing who were the greatest kings and queens of England and comparing our respective results. In particular, we spoke to Tom about Athelstan and Æthelflæd Lady of the Mercians (both of whom Tom has written about) and why they are so important in English his...

In this episode, we (though mainly Graham due to Ali's connection issues!) speak to Olivia Miller, an actor and playwright who has written and stars in a show called "Bloody Mary: Live!" where she plays a modern, 'queenager' version of Queen Mary I of England. We talk to Olivia about the show, her characterisation of Mary and what has inspired that, plus she has a go at rating Mary by our factors....

In our first ever Right to Reply episode, we take a look back at our recent mini-series on the Lancastrian queen consorts reminding ourselves/Ali about Joan of Navarre, Catherine of Valois and Margaret of Anjou, then reading through listener's messages and questions about them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/a...

In today's episode, we teamed up with Scottish Ballet to talk about their forthcoming production 'The Scandal at Mayerling' about Crown Prince Rudolf, the heir to the Austrian throne who took his own life and his lover, Mary Vetsera, at a hunting lodge. We speak to Evan Loudon, principal dancer who plays Rudolf, about the ballet (a re-imagining of Sir Kenneth Macmillan's 'Mayerling') and historian...

After doing a full-length Biography episode, this time it's all a review for Margaret of Anjou, queen consort to Henry VI. Plenty for us to get our teeth into - Margaret leading the Lancastrians in the wars of the Roses, rumours of affairs and transgressive behaviour, having to do the job of kinging. And, of course, the most important question - will she get the Rex Factor? Hosted on Acast. See ac...

As Shakespeare's 'She-Wolf of France', Margaret of Anjou is one of England's most notorious queens, with one of the most dramatic stories. A young queen who was supposed to bring peace with France, the mental illness of her husband, Henry VI, saw Margaret effectively rule in opposition to the growing power and ambition of the Duke of York, resulting in the Wars of the Roses. In her bid to protect...

Welcome to Local Legends! This is a new bonus podcast series focusing not on kings and queens but on people or places that are more local to listeners. Maybe a statue or building (or, indeed, a local legend) you've wanted to know more about or would fancy hearing us talk about. In this first episode, we have Graham's choice of Judge Nicholas Conyngham Tindal. Local Legends will be a reward for Spe...

We talk to Dr Ellie Woodacre about one of our recently reviewed consorts, Joan of Navarre. Joan is one of England's less well-known queens but Ellie is publishing the first biography of her, so we went into more detail about Joan, how she fitted in to the complex web of European diplomacy, her status in Brittany, why she married Henry IV and even what her actual name was! You can follow Ellie on T...

Catherine of Valois was the Queen Consort of Henry V, whose early life was shaped by her father's madness and the Hundred Years War, but the latter part was very much her own story, with scandalous romances and life on her own terms. Did she tick the boxes for the Rex Factor, or was she happy to play her own game? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your a...

Joan of Navarre is one of Medieval England's less famous queens but she had quite the life: a Spanish princess who became Duchess of Brittany and then Queen of England. Curiously, her husband Henry IV already had son and heirs from a previous marriage, so Joan would go on to be an honorary rather than actual Queen Mother - initially a position of honour but one that would later reveal great vulner...

In the second part of our December Messages & Previews podcasts, we go through some more listener messages and share some more clips of our bonus content, while we continue to prepare for the next round of consort podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we prepare for the next round of Consort episodes, we spend some time going through listener messages as well as sharing various clips from our bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices