History Tea Time

For 500 years Lucrezia Borgia has been the focus of operas, novels, movies, and televisions shows. She was one of the inspirations for Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones. Nearly all of these works further her reputation as a femme fatale and one of the most evil women in history. It is said that she went through 3 husbands, used a poison ring to murder her enemies, and slept with her father and b...

Have you every felt like you really should be living in a palace? Do diamond encrusted, golden crowns look particularly fetching on you, and are you darling at waving to adoring crowds from a carriage or balcony? Then you may have wondered if you have a few Kings and Queens way back in your family tree! Today I will share how you can find out if you have royal blood and introduce you to 10 histori...

Time, it marches on relentlessly outside of human control. But humanity has long found a variety of ways to mark our passage through the eons. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. But why do we count our collective journey through the ages in these integers? A day makes sense, that’s one rotation of the earth on its axis and can easily be marked by the rising and setting of the...

In Germany, Christmas really glitters! In fact many of the traditions we associate with the festive season in Britain, the US and around the world come to us via Germany. The Christmas Tree, Santa Claus, Advent Calendars, nutcrackers, toys, Christmas Markets and a cornucopia of Christmas confections had roots in Deutschland. Much of this cultural exchange comes from the tight familial bonds betwee...

Jane Austen was born in the 16th of December, 1775, which means this month marks her 250th birthday. Jane lived a quiet, mostly happy life in the English countryside, surrounded by the balls, romantic intrigues and family dramas that fill her novels. Her writing was always her true passion. She glimpsed success, with 4 books becoming wildly popular in her lifetime. But she died tragically young, d...

Each Disney Princess movie is set in a different time and part of the world. For many they are a first glimpse of history and cultures outside of our own. But have you ever wondered what life was really like for your favorite Disney Princess? Let’s take a look at each of Disney’s 16 animated Princesses, including the latest addition, Asha, to determine where and when they are most likely set. Then...

Each Disney Princess movie is set in a different time and part of the world. For many they are a first glimpse of history and cultures outside of our own. But have you ever wondered what life was really like for your favorite Disney Princess? Let’s take a look at each of Disney’s 16 animated Princesses, including the latest addition, Asha, to determine where and when they are most likely set. Then...

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Kensington Palace in London, where Queen Victoria was born and raised. Let’s explore the rooms where she spent her troubled youth, examine the harsh Kensington system under which she was reared, discover a few of her childhood joys and learn what transformed her into a Queen. We’ll also get to know her two half siblings, find out what became of them and what...

From repairing the damage wrought by disease, injury and warfare to enhancing beauty, healers have long sought new and innovative ways to improve the looks and the lives of their patients. Let’s take a journey through the historic of plastic surgery, from it’s painful and primitive yet surprisingly effective ancient origins, through a few shocking case studies to the modern medical procedures of t...

1066, a date which lives in infamy in many a school child’s history test. For in that year England saw 4 Kings, and two bitter enemies battle for the throne. The ultimate victor would change the course history. The new series King and Conqueror dramatizes this pivotal rivalry with all the guts and Glory of Game of Thrones, sans the dragons and Ice zombies, and with surprisingly little incest. But...

On October 30th, 2025, Buckingham palace announced that King Charles III had begun a formal process to remove his brother Andrew’s style, titles, and honours. Find out what that means and learn about other royals from history who lost their titles. 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 Faceboo...

With so much money and power, royals were able to invent some pretty unique and creative ways to slay their enemies, or accidentally seal their own doom. From a Chinese Emperor’s deadly elixir of life to a steamy Roman romance that got a little too scalding hot. From a court jester so hilarious he made a Spanish king litrally die laughing, to a Swedish King’s massive last meal of caviar, champagne...

Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday The eerily beloved British comedy Ghosts was first adapted into an American supernatural sit com. It has now appairated into 3 more adaptations in Germany, France and Australia. In each version, half of a modern, living couple inherit a historic mansion. After moving in, the woman has a brush with death, which allows her to se...

Europe has a new monarch! On the 3rd of October, 2025 Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg abdicated the throne. And his son, Prince Guillaume was sworn in as the nation’s new Grand Duke. Let’s explore the history of this small, but ancient monarchy, learn what a Grand Duke actually is, meet the old and new Grand Dukes and their Grand Duchesses, and find out what happened at this royal event! Join me ev...

For nearly 1000 years, the tower of London has been the site of the bloody executions of some of England’s most famous historic figures. And many of the tower’s victims were laid to their final rest within the walls, never to escape the prison where they met their tragic end. A King, 3 Queens, A Prince, 5 dukes and many more noble men and women were buried here. Let’s meet them and learn how they...

For nearly 1000 years, the tower of London has been the site of the bloody executions of some of England’s most famous historic figures. And many of the tower’s victims were laid to their final rest within the walls, never to escape the prison where they met their tragic end. A King, 3 Queens, A Prince, 5 dukes and many more noble men and women were buried here. Let’s meet them and learn how they...

Royalty 101: Ten hereditary monarchies survive in Europe today; Belgium, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, The United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Monaco. Each of them pass their thrones within their respective royal or noble family based on different rules. Some give daughters equal right to sons, some bar women and their children entirely. Princes and Princesses may be b...

“As rich as a Rothschild” was a common saying in the gilded age. Their rags to riches story reads like many other great modern financial dynasties; a brilliant founder who forged a fortune and future generations who squandered it on eccentricities. But the Rothschilds have a few interesting twists; The Patriarch’s five sons were sent across Europe to establish their own banking dynasties. They exp...

In 2013, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands stepped down and handed the throne to her son, Willem Alexander. In 2022 Queen Elizabeth II of the UK died at the age of 96 and her son, Charles III inherited the throne. And on January 14th, 2024, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark abdicated in favor of her son, Frederik X. In just over 10 years, the world has gone from three accomplished, popular and long rei...

Henry VIII is famous for marrying 6 wives, abandoning 2 of them and beheading another 2. Some might say he ruined their lives! And though they may have briefly been Queens, they also likely cursed they met the royal tyrant. In his Majesty’s search for new brides there were a handful of ladies whom he considered, but either turned down, or rejected him. Let’s meet the 8 lucky ladies who managed to...

For thousands of years, Emperors of China had harems of dozens or even hundreds of wives. Emperors had the right to select concubines from among the teenage daughters of the nobility or the peasantry. During the Ming dynasty 5,000 beautiful woman were brought from around the country and lined up in front of the palace. They were narrowed down to just a handful who were admitted into the palace and...

Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was a bright rose, who bloomed even in the shadow of her older sister, Queen Elizabeth II. She was a fashion icon and the life of many parties. She had a scandalous romance her sovereign sibling could never sanction, and a disastrous marriage which paved the way for future royal divorces. And through it all, she was a dedicated support and friend to the Queen...

I’m at Ye Olde Mitre, one of the oldest pubs in London with a cold pint of Ale. And I can think of no better place to discuss the history of alcohol. Intoxicating beverages has been a part of human culture from the beginning. Alcohol flows through our social, ritual, religious, economic, government, and medical history. So join us for a glass of your favorite hard or non-alcoholic tipple, as we ex...

When Queen Elizabeth II and her family went on vacation, they didn’t fly coach or take a carnival cruise. They traveled in style aboard Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia. The Queen designed the ship herself the year of her coronation. This was her favorite place to be, where she could truly unwind. I recently had the opportunity to tour this historic yacht in Edinburgh, Scotland. And to talk with the...

King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette of France had 4 offspring. They also adopted 6 orphans. These children spent their early years in the lap of luxury at the Palace of Versailles. But the French revolution tore the family apart. The King and Queen lost their heads to Madame Guillotine and the children were imprisoned and scattered to the wind. Let’s meet the children of the King and Queen o...