History Behind the Headlines: Briefing

"This is not Winston Churchill we're dealing with," US president Donald Trump remarked of prime minister Sir Keir Starmer earlier this week. The comment came among the international tension sparked by US-Israeli military action against Iran, and specifically the UK government's initial refusal to let United States forces use the British base at Diego Garcia.   But what's the longer history at play here – both in the analogy to Britain's wartime PM, and of the use of American military bases in British territory? In this episode of HistoryExtra’s series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Sam Edwards from Loughborough University looks at some of the historical context behind the escalating situation in the Middle East. -----   HISTORY BEHIND THE HEADLINES For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna  ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Headlines in recent days have highlighted calls from the members of governments of various Commonwealth countries to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line of succession. Mountbatten-Windsor was released under investigation after being arrested on 19 February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has always denied any wrongdoing. In this episode of HistoryExtra’s series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Craig Prescott – a specialist in UK constitutional law and the role of the monarchy based at the Royal Holloway University of London – explores the longer history of the royal line of succession. -----   HISTORY BEHIND THE HEADLINES For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna  ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Headlines in recent weeks have highlighted the negative impact that recent acrimony between the United States and Europe has had on transport and tourism, with the number of visitors making the transatlantic trip reportedly down – in both directions.    Yet political friction in the US-Europe relationship is nothing new, and in this episode of HistoryExtra’s series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Sam Edwards from Loughborough University charts the longer links between tension and tourism. -----   HISTORY BEHIND THE HEADLINES For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna   ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, younger brother of King Charles, has now been released under investigation following his arrest yesterday (19 February 2026) on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The news followed an announcement by Thames Valley Police that they were assessing a complaint over the alleged sharing of confidential material by the former prince with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor has previously denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, but the arrest is the latest development in a scandal that could prove enormously damaging for the royal family.   In this episode of HistoryExtra’s series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Hannah Skoda from the University of Oxford looks back at other historical instances of royals being arrested – and the reasons behind their brushes with the law.   -----   HISTORY BEHIND THE HEADLINES For more in-depth thoughts from Hannah Skoda on the historical parallels of the news of Andrew's arrest, don't miss next Thursday's episode of our History Behind the Headlines podcast. For more details and to follow now for the latest updates, click here: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna   ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  If you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, achieved a landslide election victory last week – as rumours swirled online that the CIA had been predicting that outcome before the polls even closed. Whatever the truth of those claims, it's not the first time that potential connections have been drawn between the American intelligence agency and Japanese politics.In this episode of HistoryExtra’s series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Chris Harding from the University of Edinburgh investigates the interplay between America and Japanese politics since the depths of the Cold War. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy has described recent repercussions from the Epstein files as needing to be "a moment of reckoning". And the scope and severity of the scandal has certainly been sizeable. But what are the other moments of reckoning that have altered the course of recent political history?   In this episode of HistoryExtra's series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Sam Edwards from Loughborough University looks back at previous crises that have a similarly significant impact. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fallout from the latest revelations relating to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continues to reverberate throughout the political world. In the UK, former prime minister Gordon Brown has called for the creation of an 'anti-corruption commission'. But how was sleaze and scandal tackled in previous centuries?    In this episode of HistoryExtra's series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Hannah Skoda from the University of Oxford considers some of the ways in which people set out to deal with corruption. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 2026 Winter Games kick off today, with events set to take place around northern Italy across the next two weeks. The competition is being marketed with the tagline ‘100 Years of Olympic Winter Games’ - but is that really an accurate portrayal of their history? In this episode of HistoryExtra’s series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, sports historian Martin Polley charts the real origins of the contest. ----- MORE ON THE WINTER OLYMPICS For more from Martin Polley on the history of the Games, don't miss our Long Reads episode on Monday: https://play.megaphone.fm/tz3_ntwttvsdtrzofiz5dq GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sir Keir Starmer visited Beijing and Shanghai last week, making him the UK’s first prime minister to travel to China since Theresa May in 2018. The trip has sparked plenty of commentary that the two nations are aiming to end a ‘diplomatic ice age’ that has developed between them.   Ups and downs in this relationship are nothing new, however. In this episode of HistoryExtra’s series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Rana Mitter – ST Lee Chair in US-Asia Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School – looks back at the historical trajectory of ties between the UK and the China. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been back in the headlines over the weekend, as a new batch of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, released by the US Department of Justice, included correspondence with a man believed to be the former duke. It's the latest stage in the scandal surrounding Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his royal titles last November.    History shows that royal families have been no stranger to scandal, and in this episode of HistoryExtra's series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Hannah Skoda from the University of Oxford looks back at some of the most controversial examples. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conflict between the United States and Iran appears increasingly likely, as US forces continue to mass near Iranian waters. Tension has been building in recent weeks, with President Trump's administration repeatedly calling on Iran to negotiate a deal on its nuclear programme.   But what's the longer history of the strained relationship between the two nations? In this episode of HistoryExtra's series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Jason Burke – international security correspondent at The Guardian and author of The Revolutionists: The Story of the Extremists who Hijacked the 1970s – offers a concise overview. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A major winter storm is currently sweeping across the United States, bringing life-threatening conditions and leaving hundreds of thousands of homes without power. Meanwhile, in the UK, scores of flood warnings and alerts are in place following strong winds and heavy rain.   In today's episode of HistoryExtra’s series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Hannah Skoda from the University of Oxford explores the ways in which such extreme weather affected societies in past centuries – and how catastrophe was often met with surprising resilience.   -----   GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna   And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

US president Donald Trump claimed in an interview last Thursday that Nato troops "stayed a little back, a little off the front lines" during fighting in Afghanistan in the years after 2001. The comments sparked anger, particularly in the UK, and at the weekend Trump praised the role of UK soldiers in the conflict.    But what's the history behind the reaction? In this episode of HistoryExtra’s series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Sam Edwards from Loughborough University explores the relationship between the US and Nato since 9/11. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has unexpectedly called a general election despite riding high in the polls – and only being in office since October. In this episode of HistoryExtra’s series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Chris Harding from the University of Edinburgh explores why the roots of the present troubles date back to the postwar world order. -----   GO BEYOND THE PODCAST For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines: ⁠https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna⁠   And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: ⁠https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The relationship between the United States and United Kingdom has been under the spotlight in recent days, after US president Donald Trump called the UK’s 2025 deal to give the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back a key military base as an “act of great stupidity”. But is this really a new low for the alliance? In this episode of HistoryExtra’s History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Sam Edwards from Loughborough University looks back at its ups and downs. -----   GO BEYOND THE PODCAST For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines: ⁠https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna⁠   And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: ⁠https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

US president Donald Trump has restated his desire for the United States to have "complete and total control" of the autonomous territory of Greenland – but what's the longer context behind the story? In the first episode of HistoryExtra's new series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Sam Edwards from Loughborough University brings you the history you need to make sense of the latest breaking news.   -----   GO BEYOND THE PODCAST For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna   And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It can sometimes feel like the world is changing faster than ever before. But help is at hand: HistoryExtra's podcast History Behind the Headlines: Briefing tasks expert historians with bringing you the history you need to make sense of the headlines – in five minutes or less.    For more expert historical insights into the backstories behind today news, don't miss HistoryExtra's podcast series History Behind the Headlines: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna   And for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians, visit the HistoryExtra website and become a member today: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/⁠ History Behind the Headlines: Briefing is a HistoryExtra production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices