History Tea Time

Agrippina was the great granddaughter of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus; the grand niece of the second Emperor, Tiberius, the sister of the third, Caligula, wife of the fourth, Claudius and mother of the fifth, Nero. After several personal tragedies, Agrippina became ruthless in her pursuit of security and power. As a woman, she couldn’t rule herself, so she manipulated and murdered her way int...

Every 4 years the Olympics draws the very best elite athletes from around the world to it’s host city. The games attract many other elites as well. From its origins in ancient Greece, to it’s modern revival in 1896, the Olympics long has been closely associated with royalty. In last week’s episode we met 40 royal athletes who practiced or purchased their way onto the Olympic field. But even more K...

Every 4 years the Olympics draws the very best elite athletes from around the world to it’s host city. The games attract many other elites as well. From its origins in ancient Greece, to it’s modern revival in 1896, the Olympics has long been closely associated with royalty. There have even been a handful of Princes, Princesses and Kings who’ve made their way onto the field of competition as Olymp...

Charlotte of Belgium was the beautiful and bright only daughter of the first King of Belgium. Her life looked to be joyous too, when she fell in love with a Hapsburg Archduke, Maximilian of Austria. The couple’s numerous royal connections even got them a incredible job opportunity, to become the rulers of the newly established Empire of Mexico. They crossed the Atlantic full of tropical, turquoise...

Today I’m dropping a bonus episode to introduce you to one of my favorite history podcasts, History Daily. Every weekday host Lindsay Graham takes you back in time to explore an event that happened ‘on this day’ in history. The show covers everything from famous battles to fashion firsts; medicine, science, technology, religion, politics and sports. January 10, 49 BC. A provincial governor named J...

If you google “Princess Charlotte of Wales” you will be greeted by pictures of William and Catherine’s adorable daughter, born in 2015. But there was another Princess Charlotte of Wales, born over 200 years earlier who had a much different life. She endured the neglect of parents who hated each other and the abuse of a father who saw her as competition. She grew up resilient and brash. After dragg...

Queen Charlotte went from minor German country gentry to Queen Consort of Great Britain and Ireland. She and George III had a happy marriage and an astonishing 15 children. Charlotte stayed out of politics as her husband lost the American revolution, and she lost her dear friend, Marie Antoinette in the French revolution. Charlotte made numerous cultural contributions including introducing the Chr...

Pin on your most fascinating fascination and don your most debonair mourning jacket, hop in your carriage to Buckingham Palace and let's enjoy the royal wedding feasts of... Princess Elizabeth & Prince Philip of Greece & Denmark Charles, Prince of Wales & Lady Diana Spenser Prince William & Catherine Middleton Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel...

Catherine Parr is remembered as Henry VIII’s 6th and final wife, the one who survived the murderous monarch. But while earlier wives, who ended their Queenship more tragically are glamorized, Catherine is often hidden in the background. The new film Firebrand tells the harrowing tale of an argument with the King, which nearly landed Catherine on the block and a 7th wife in Henry’s bed. And the mus...

Royals were the worlds first celebrities. Their wealth and power made them stand out from the mud-caked peasantry. People wanted to know them, or at least know all about them. As actors and eventually actresses started treading the boards and becoming famous for their theatrical turns both on stage and off, it’s no wonder that these celebrity worlds were draw together. Whenever Hollywood royalty m...

Royals were the worlds first celebrities. Their wealth and power made them stand out from the mud-caked peasantry. People wanted to know them, or at least know all about them. As actors and eventually actresses started treading the boards and becoming famous for their theatrical turns both on stage and off, it’s no wonder that these celebrity worlds were draw together. Whenever Hollywood royalty m...

In Ancient Greece and the Roman empire homosexual relationships were an accepted and common practice. In this hyper-masculine society the male form was revered for its physical perfection while women’s virtue was jealously guarded to ensure the legitimacy of children. In Greece romantic and sometimes sexual relationships between older and younger men was seen as an initiation rite. The Romans mode...

In recent years Queen Victoria's royal paternity has been called into question. Let’s take examine the evidence in this historic mystery. And take a look at the royal family tree to answer the question “If Victoria’s decedents aren’t the rightful monarchs of the UK, then who is?” Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lin...

From Jane Austen novels to Downton Abbey, to Bridgerton young debutantes dressed in white gowns with feathers in their hair curtsy before the Queen and then get down to the serious business of attending balls and bagging a rich husband. Debutantes balls and the London season have been highly romanticized. But who were these young women, what was the etiquette of court presentation and the social s...

Marie Antoinette, Queen of France was a naive young woman under a great deal of pressure and expectation. Her out-of-thouch excesses infuriated the people and contributed to the French Revolution and her downfall. 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...

Henry VIII’s is infamous for his relationships with women. The domineering King took 6 wives during his 36 years on the throne. And he disposed of them with as much scandal as he wooed them – Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived. But three other women had an important impact on his childhood, his mother Elizabeth of York and his two Grandmothers Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret B...

Catherine de' Medici from the powerful Italian family married the future King Henry II of France at 13. When he was impaled through the eye during a joust Catherine ruled France as regent for three of her sons during civil and religious wars. She was also a patron and devotee of mystic Nostradamus. Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://ww...

Queen Victoria’s great-grand children, the children of King George V were a fascinating bunch. The two eldest brothers Edward VIII and George VI both took their turns on the throne. The four younger siblings never wore crowns but still got into plenty of mischief. They were: Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood who dedicated herself to improving the lives of women, Prince Henry, Duke of G...

Sibling fights are unavoidable, but what if every moment of tension – real or imagined – was under a microscope on a global scale? That’s the reality for the brothers from the House of Windsor: Prince William and Prince Harry. They were others’ closest friends and allies since the death of their mother. But, that all began to crack as they each Wondery’s podcast DISS AND TELL is hosted by comedian...

Queen Victoria’s great-grand children, the children of King George V were a fascinating bunch. The two eldest brothers both took their turns on the throne. Edward VIII abdicated amid scandal because he wanted to marry a divorced woman, Wallis Simpson and because he never really wanted to be king anyway. He nearly toppled the British monarchy in the process. His younger brother picked up the pieces...

The story of George Villiers and King James I & VI reads like a stylish, sexy and scandalous historic drama series. It probably hasn’t been made into one before because, until recently, Hollywood wasn’t too keen on portraying homosexual characters and relationships, authentically. However, the new Starz series, Mary and George promises to finally introduce the wider world to the dashing country co...

Throughout history, women have been feeding their babies from their bodies. Breastfeeding is portrait as the natural way. But since ancient times, women have been struggling to nurse, feeling societal pressures and shame to breast feed or to hand their infants to wet nurse or to bottle feed. And hearing a great many men’s opinions on what they should and shouldn’t do with their bodies. Let’s take...

Throughout history, across cultures and in every walk of life, there have always been people whose identity went beyond the two-gender mold. And those who do not fit the gender assigned to them at birth. Though people in the past did not often have the concepts, terminology or relative freedom we have today, there are many notable historic figures whom historians speculate were likely transgender...

Join me on my historic tour of Scotland, May 15th-21st. MARCH 25th is the LAST DAY TO BOOK: https://trovatrip.com/trip/europe/united-kingdom/united-kingdom-with-lindsay-holiday-may-2024 Whenever a royal dies under mysterious circumstances, conspiracy theory about what might really have happened inevitably spring up. And with them come pretenders claiming to be the long lost lord or lady. And claim...

Join me on my historic tour of Scotland, May 15th-21st. MARCH 25th is the LAST DAY TO BOOK: https://trovatrip.com/trip/europe/united-kingdom/united-kingdom-with-lindsay-holiday-may-2024 Fans of the hit show Outlander or of Scottish history in general have likely heard of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Battle of Culloden and the Jacobite succession. This 18th century feud between members of the British...