Royal History Geeks

We went live to talk about the ongoing investigation and the papers exploring Andrew's appointment as trade representative.  This episode is presented as recorded without major editing.

As William attempts to reassure the public that he is committed to the Church of England, others raise questions about his ability to serve as supreme governor. The working Royals assembled to mark the centenary of Elizabeth II.  But onlookers note the lack of young blood in their ranks. Meanwhile, the King and Queen embark on a controversial state visit to the United States. We discuss all this a...

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are rarely out of the news.  Recent months have seen critics decry the "failure" of their commercial ventures.  Harry has intervened in global politics and the duchess described herself as the most trolled woman of the last decade. We discuss recent events and what the ongoing Sussex saga means for the monarchy.

We recap the latest events and reactions in the ever-unfolding drama around the former Duke of York.  As revelations continue to surface we analyse the consequences for the wider Royal family and the legacy of Elizabeth II.

Unedited and unpolished.  What does this mean for Andrew?  What does this mean for the monarchy?

Christmas represents a high-profile time in the Royal calendar, as the world watches the family make their way to church on Christmas Day.  Recent weeks however, have also given us plenty of unexpected events to discuss. The Queen bravely shares her story of an incident of assault. The King offers a (somewhat, but not very) controversial message, and James and Gareth express some sympathy for the...

The King's decision to strip Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of all Royal accolades has raised serious questions about the way styles and titles work in Britain.  We had the pleasure of catching up with Jason Loch, an expert on the British constitution, to discuss the intricacies and history of the title system. Unfortunately the interview is a little quiet, so put your volume up when you listen. You c...

November was another busy month in Royal news.  Royal commentator James Taylor joins RHG creator Gareth Streeter to discuss the stories that hit headlines in  recent weeks. Following the Andrew fallout, the Royal finances are inevitably back under the spotlight.  Meghan continues to divide opinion with her content.  The Royal assemble at the cenotaph to remember our heroic veterans.  We discuss a...

To prevent our October 2025 "Royal roundup" being dominated by the fall of the Yorks, we have devoted an entire bonus episode to the topic. We discuss the events that led up to Andrew's fall, the sanctions placed upon him and impact on the future of the monarchy. Apologies for the slightly dodgy sound in places.  Hopefully it doesn't impact enjoyment.

The King and Queen make an historic visit to the Vatican with the King, head of the Church of England praying publicly with the Bishop of Rome.  William gives a controversial - and unexpected -  interview to Eugene Levy and hints at changes to come under his watch.  Join us as we review the Royal month that was October. We also spoke to Royal historian Gareth Russell about the North America releas...

Join us as we review the Royal comings and goings of September 2025. From the sad death of the Duchess of Kent to the bells and whistles of Trump's state visits, September was saturated with Royal news.  The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were back in the headlines.  Toward the end of the month, the Duchess of York saw any credibility she had managed to claw back crumble as unfortunate emails came bac...

In the final part of our series on the Abdication crisis of 1936, we answer your questions. With Royal History Geeks creator, Gareth Streeter and Royal commentator, James Taylor.

The reign of King Edward VIII is over.  Now, the newly created Duke of Windsor begins his exile.  Painfully for Edward, he must wait several long months before he can make Wallis his Duchess.  This episode briefly explores the aftermath of the Abdication crisis.  During this episode, RHG founder Gareth Streeter and Royal commentator James Taylor explore:  The immediate 'logistics' around the Duke'...

After six weeks of build up, it is finally time to explore the actual Abdication of Edward VIII - the only truly voluntary surrendering of the throne in history. It this episode, RHG founder Gareth Streeter and Royal commentator, James Taylor explore: The "last supper" where the Prime Minister tries to convince the King to stay but is denied a bed for the night The Duke of York and his last-minute...

In this episode we pause the continuity of the crisis to take a look at how the events of 1936 affected members of the Royal family. Despite it having huge repercussions on their lives, Britain's premier pedigree were not major players in the crisis (apart from the King, of course).  However, this is a ROYAL history podcast so we wanted to take a moment to look at events from the family's vantage...

When the story of the King's relationship with the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson broke in the British press, Edward VIII believed his abdication was inevitable.  But for a brief moment on the 4th and 5th of December, it looked as if a flicker of public support might light a path for his survival. In the latest episode of "Royal Revolutions", RHG founder Gareth Streeter and Royal commentator James...

As Wallis Simpson awaits her divorce hearing, the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, pleads with Edward VIII to change course.  From that moment, the relationship between the King and Mrs Simpson becomes an official issue of government business and the event can truly be called a constitutional crisis. In the latest episode of our series on the abdication crisis, James Taylor and Gareth Streeter dis...

What are your burning Royal history questions?  Over twixmas, Gareth will do his best to answer them...

As the events of 1936 heat up, the King abandons the traditional Balmoral summer for a pleasure cruise of the Balkans.  The world media goes crazy for pictures of the King and Mrs Simpson.  The pressure begins to get too much for Wallis.   In this episode, Royal commentator James Taylor joins RHG founder, Gareth Streeter to discuss:  Churchill's "failure" to tell the King and Wallis what they want...

The second part in our series on the Abdication crisis of 1936.   Edward VIII ascends the throne and immediately begins a subtle but determined campaign to position Wallis Simpson as his consort.   But even without the dangers posed by Wallis, Edward soon begins to ruffle feathers.  Among government, fears abound around the new King's reliability, capability and political instincts.   This episode...

This episode was originally part of the "Royal Revolutions" series, broadcast in December 2024. The love affair between Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson could never have been a truly private matter.  But when their relationship began in 1934 few could have predicted that it would lead to Britain's most recent Royal Revolution.   Royal commentator James Taylor once again joins RHG founder, Gareth Street...

Today marks the paperback release of “Spare” – the tell all biography written by the Duke of Sussex.   It’s now been some years since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to step back as working members of the Royal family.  Now that the dust – to at least some extent – has settled – it’s possible to review that decision, and the controversies that followed with an open mind and...

Today marks the paperback release of “Spare” – the tell all biography written by the Duke of Sussex.   It’s now been some years since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to step back as working members of the Royal family.  Now that the dust – to at least some extent – has settled – it’s possible to review that decision, and the controversies that followed with an open mind and...

A year ago, the world was rocked by the release of the “missing Princes project” interim findings.  A new book and TV documentary on the “Princes in the Tower” followed hot on the heels.  The epic Philippa Langley was the driving force behind all three. Okay, so it may have been a relatively niche portion of the world that was “rocked” by this release.  But we Royal history geeks were curiously ca...

Welcome to the Royal History Geeks podcast.  This is a "catch all" channel where we post content from all our other series.  That said, there will be some original content here. If you prefer to listen to a series as a discrete unit, go to Royalhistorygeeks/podcasts to check out what we do...