The Kings and Queens podcast

Elizabeth II (1952-2022) ruled for 70 years, the second longest verifiably recorded reign of any monarch in world history behind Louis XIV. For 4 out of 5 Brits, she was the only monarch they had ever known. In a reign that was characterised by a redefinition of monarchy and empire. She offered calmness, reassurance, comfort, leadership and perspective over perhaps the most significant period of social, economic and technological change of any reign in British history. Despite the challenges of modern perspectives around the principles and practicalities of monarchy her adaptability and strong sense of civic duty ensured its survival. Elizabeth II - Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms (1952-2022) Prince Philip - Duke of Edinburgh, Consort of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms (1952-2021) George VI - King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions (1936-52), Emperor of India (1936-47), father of Elizabeth Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon - Queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions (1936-52), Empress of India (1936-47), mother of Elizabeth Edward VII - King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India (1936), uncle of ElizabethGeorge V - King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India (1910-36), grandfather of Elizabeth Mary of Teck - Queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India (1910-36), grandmother of Elizabeth Princess Margaret - sister of Elizabeth Prince Charles - eldest son of Elizabeth and heir Princess Anne - daughter of Elizabeth Prince Andrew - son of Elizabeth Prince Edward - son of Elizabeth Prince William - son of Charles and Diana, grandson of Elizabeth Prince Harry - son of Charles and Diana, grandson of Elizabeth Princess Diana - first wife of Charles Camilla Parker-Bowles - second wife of Charles Marion Crawford - governess to Elizabeth and Margaret Cosmo Lang - Archbishop of Canterbury Winston Churchill - Prime Minister 1940-45, 51-55 Anthony Eden - Prime Minister 1955-57Harold MacMillan - Prime Minister 1957-63Alec Douglas-Home - Prime Minister 1963-64 Margaret Thatcher - Prime Minister 1979-1990 Tony Blair - Prime Minister 1997-2007 Liz Truss - Prime Minister 2022 Michael Fagan - Buckingham Palace intruder Credits Jerusalem - Hubert Parry, Edward Elgar A Moonlit Night On The Spring RiverZadok The Priest - George Friedrich Handel We Wait For Thy Loving Kindness - William McKie 76828__juskiddink__old-telephone2 660407__datari__toddler-laughing-2-years-old 581478__rvandemark__dogs-barking-in-distance_rural bbc_night-atmo_nhu0505305

George VI (1936-52) led Britain through one of the most consequential periods in world history. His modest and undramatic style of rule in stark contrast to the controversy and drama which surrounded the short reign of his brother was required to guide Britain through the Second World War and the death of the British Empire. He was a steady hand, who overcame his own personal limitations and won the respect of the British people. Characters George VI - King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions (1936-52), Emperor of India (1936-47) Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon - Queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions (1936-52), Empress of India (1936-47) Edward VII - King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India (1936), brother of GeorgeGeorge V - King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India (1910-36), father of George Edward VII - King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India (1901-10), grandfather of George Victoria - Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions (1837-1901) and Empress of India (1876-1901), Great-grandmother of George Mary of Teck - Queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India (1910-36), mother of George Wallis Simpson - Wife of Edward VIII Princess Elizabeth - elder daughter of George and Elizabeth Princess Margaret - younger daughter of George and Elizabeth Prince Philip - husband of Princess Elizabeth Prime Ministers Stanley Baldwin (1935-37)Neville Chamberlain (1937-40) Winston Churchill (1940-45, 1951-55) Clement Attlee (1945-51) Aneurin Bevan - Labour Minister of Health, co-founder of the NHS Duff Cooper - anti-appeasement Conservative politician  Alec Hardinge - Private Secretary of George VI Lionel Logue - Australian speech therapist Freda Dudley Ward - Edward VIII’s former mistress Phyllis Monkman - George’s former love interest Sheila Chisholm - George’s former mistress Cosmo Lang - Archbishop of Canterbury Adolf Hitler - Fuhrer of Germany (1934-45) Benito Mussolini - Dictator of Italy (1922-43) Richard Grigg - Historian Credits Wenn die Soldaten I was glad Hubert Parry King Oliver s Jazz Band The Planets - Jupiter - Gustav Holst Bbc_world-war-_07046171 bbc_air-raids-_07048083  bbc_bang----qu_07043166  Bbc_ships---tu_07018114 bbc_battle-of-_07008071

Edward VIII (1936) ruled for 325 days, the shortest reign of any English monarch since Lady Jane Grey in the 16th century. The first monarch to abdicate since James II in 1688 and the first to do so voluntarily. The abdication crisis shook the British establishment to its core. His connections to Nazi Germany has undoubtedly shrouded his life in ignominy. Even after the war, he was known to describe Hitler as ‘not such a bad chap’. Shunned by the royal family for the crisis he had created and for putting private desire above public duty. It could also have been because they knew, unlike the country, that he was a traitor. Characters Edward VIII - King of the United Kingdom and British Dominions. Emperor of India (1936). Duke of Windsor (1937-72) Wallis Simpson - Duchess of Windsor (1937-86), wife of Edward  George V - King of the United Kingdom and British Dominions. Emperor of India (1910-36), father of Edward VIII and George VI Mary of Teck - Queen consort of the United Kingdom and British Dominions. Empress of India (1910-36), mother of Edward VIII and George VI George VI - King of the United Kingdom and British Dominions (1936-52). Emperor of India (1936-47). Younger brother of Edward.  Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon - Queen consort of the United Kingdom and British Dominions (1936-52. Empress of India (1936-47). Wife of George VI Queen Victoria - Queen of the United Kingdom (1837-1901), great-grandmother of Edward Edward VII - King of the United Kingdom (1901-10), grandfather of Edward Herbert Warren - Edward’s tutor and President of Magdalen college, Oxford Lord Kitchener - Secretary of War Cosmo Lang - Archbishop of Canterbury Alec Hardinge - Private Secretary to the Sovereign  Louis Mountbatten - British Statesman and friend of Edward David Lloyd George - Leader of the Liberal Party, Prime Minister (1916-22) Stanley Baldwin - Leader of the Conservative Party, Prime Minister (1935-37) Winston Churchill - Leader of the Conservative Party, Prime Minister (1940-45, 51-55) Clement Attlee - Leader of the Labour Party, Prime Minister (1945-51) Anthony Eden - Foreign Secretary, Prime Minister (1955-57) Winifred Dudley Ward - mistress of Edward  Thelma Furness - mistress of Edward Ernest Simpson - husband of Wallis (1928-37) Lord Rothermere - media mogul, founder of the Daily Mail Lord Beaverbrook - owner of the Daily Express Oswald Mosley - leader of the British Union of Fascists Ricardo Espirito Santo - Portuguese banker and associate of Edward Adolf Hitler - Chancellor of Germany (1933-45), Fuhrer (1934-45) Joseph Goebbels - Reichminister of Propaganda Hermann Goering - Reichsmarschall and leading Nazi figure Joachim von Ribbentrop - German ambassador to the United Kingdom, Reichminister of Foreign Affairs, Wallis Simpson’s lover. Credits Pomp and Circumstance No. 3Erika (German Soldier’s song) When Eliza Rolls Her Eyes Bbc_d-i-y--and_07045141Bbc_air-raids-_07048098 Bbc_sirens---g_07033180 675234__craigsmith__s03-38-model-t-ford-in-stop Bbc_world-war-_07046171 Bbc_marching_00008067 640655__barkenov__soft-rain 36430__c97059890__fiji-beach-stereo 588640__urkki69__a-soldier-playing-bagpipes-in-edinborough 233068__newciv1__loud-tiger-ii-audio-test 559820__jackmichaelking__walking-on-wet-and-muddy-marsh-land-with-clothing-rustle 416703__funwithsound__laugh-group-of-children

George V's reign (1910-36) stretched across perhaps the most tumultuous period in world history. It saw the bloodiest war to date, the financial markets melt and the rise of fascism and communism His calm, dutiful leadership would be put to the test, the British monarchy faced perhaps its biggest existential threat as Europe faced unparalleled political and social change.  Characters George V - King of the United Kingdom and the British dominions, Emperor of India (1910-36) Mary of Teck - Queen of the United Kingdom and the British dominions, Empress of India (1910-36) Edward VII - Father of George, King (1901-10) Alexandra of Denmark - mother of George, Queen consort (1901-10) Albert ‘Eddy’ - brother of George Victoria - Grandmother of George, Queen (1837-01) Albert - Grandfather of George, Prince consort (1837-61) David - eldest son of George and future Edward VIII Bertie - younger son of George and future George VII John Neale Dalton - tutor Emmeline Pankhurst - leader of the Suffragette movement Emily Davison - Suffragette killed during the 1913 Derby Edward Carson - Irish Unionist politician Bertrand Edward Dawson - George’s physician Winston Churchill - Minister of Munitions, First Lord of the Admiralty, Chancellor of the Exchequer Field Marshal John French - Commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force Field Marshal Douglas Haig - Commander of the Expeditionary Force on the Western Front Lord Kitchener - Secretary of State for War Tsar Alexander III - Emperor of Russia (1881-94) Tsar Nicholas II - Emperor of Russia (1894-1917), cousin of George  Kaiser Wilhelm II - Emperor of Germany (1888-1918), cousin of George Archduke Franz Ferdinand - heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary Gavrilo Princip - Serbian nationalist and Franz Ferdinand’s assassin Prime Ministers Herbert Asquith - 1908-16 David Lloyd George - 1916-22 Andrew Bonar Law - 1922-23 Stanley Baldwin - 1923-24, 24-29, 35-37 Ramsey MacDonald - 1924, 1929-35 Pomp and Circumstance no. 4 The Last Post Wo alle Straßen enden bbc_world-war-_07008092 Bbc_pottery-fa_07025138 Bbc_crowds--ex_07058139 154792__supermatt1896__titanic-collision Bbc_factories-_07072111 27809__dobroide__20061224partridges 445614__cllari__owi_scrubbing-on-a-wooden-deck-or-floor

Politips host Ed Castel deep dives into the remarkable reign of Aethelstan, the man recognised as the first King of England as well as the Anglo-Saxons themselves. Many key questions are answered: Who were the Anglo-Saxons? What were the seven kingdoms and how did the deal with Viking invasions? How are sources found? The reign of Athelstan: his rise and consolidation of power, his historic coronation, becoming ‘King of the whole of Britain’, the Battle of Brunanburh and the birth of English national identity, his foreign and domestic policy, and his legacy Twitter - @kingsqueenspod Instagram - @kingsqueenspodcast Facebook - The Kings and Queens Podcast Email - thekingsandqueenspodcast@gmail.com For Politips https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/poli-tips Instagram and Twitter - @politipspodcast

It was a real privilege to interview Ben Kane. We spoke about his Lionheart series, his new book Napoleon’s spy, as well as the challenges faced and rewards gained from writing historical fiction. Initially well known for his excellent trilogies set in ancient Rome including the Forgotten Legion and the Spartacus series. More recently he has ventured into medieval England with his Lionheart series focussing on the reign of Richard I of England. His most recent book is set in the Napoleonic era. You can follow Ben on twitter - @BenKaneAuthor or on his website benkane.net I was joined by Ed Castel, a fellow History and Politics teacher, colleague and host of my other podcast – politips – politics for a-level and beyond. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/poli-tips

In the words of the Edward VII (1901-1910) ‘I don’t mind praying to the Eternal Father, but I must be the only man in the country afflicted with an eternal mother. He had to wait 59 years to become king. Though only 9 years, the king also lent his name to an era. The Edwardian era was distinct in its social and cultural change with a rejection of certain Victorian values. The era saw significant social mobility, reform yet also hedonism. In the words of W. B. Yeats ‘everybody got down off their stilts.' He was perhaps the final monarch to hold true political power. The power and influence was held over the great monarchs of Europe, his relatives, who would soon succumb to republicanism, to socialism and to war. Politips for A-Level and Beyond https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/poli-tips Characters Edward VII ‘Bertie’ – King of the United Kingdom and British Dominions, Emperor of India (1901-10)Alexandra of Denmark – Queen consort of the United Kingdom and British Dominions, Empress consort of India (1901-10)Victoria – Queen of the United Kingdom and British Dominions (1837-1901, Emperor of India (1876-1901), mother of EdwardPrince Albert – Consort of the British monarch (1840-61), father of EdwardVictoria, Princess Royal – German Empress consort, sister of Edward Prince Albert ‘Eddie’ – eldest son of Edward and AlexandraPrince George – second eldest son of Edward and Alexandra and heir apparent.Mary of Teck – former fiancé of Eddie and wife of Prince George. Canon Birch – tutor of EdwardFrederick Gibbs – tutor of Edward Frederick Johnstone – close university friend ofEdwardHenry Chaplin ‘Magnifico’ – close university friend of Edward Mistresses and alleged mistresses Nellie ClifdenHarriet Mordaunt Daisy GrevilleLady AylesfordAlice Keppel Lady Randolph Churchill – mother of Winston Churchill Charles Mordaunt – husband of HarrietRandolph Churchill – father of Winston ChurchillLord BlandfordLord Aylesford William Gordon-Cumming – army officer accused of cheating at baccarat. Prime Ministers Benjamin Disraeli – 1868, 1874-80William Gladstone – 1868-74, 80-85, 86, 92-94Lord Salisbury – 1895-1902Arthur Balfour – 1902-05Henry Campbell-Bannerman – 1905-08Herbert Asquith – 1908-16 Joseph Chamberlain – Conservative MP, Colonial secretary under BalfourDavid Lloyd-George – Liberal MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer under Asquith Winston Churchill – Liberal MP, Trade Secretary and Home Secretary under AsquithKeir Hardie – Founder of the Labour party Lord Kitchener – British commander during the Boer War Joseph Lister – British surgeon and medical scientist Social reformers Charles Booth Seebohm Rowntree Maud Pember Reeves Credits Land of Hope and Glory – Edward ElgarEgyptian Fantasy – Sucre d’Orge BurlesqueGilbert & Sullivan – Cow and Boxbbc_hammering-_07007064bbc_guns--gunf_07027153bbc_horse-raci_07016266bbc_cars--benz_07023013363836__mtheodp__caida-estatuabbc_the-age-of_07045057675980__craigsmith__s09-12-gavel-tapping-hitting539274__paulmerlo__playing-cards-being-dealtbbc_ships---tu_07018097

On the death of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), Arthur Balfour wrote, ‘I suppose that, in all the history of the British Monarchy, there never has been a case in which the feeling of national grief was so deep-seated as it is at present, so universal, so spontaneous. And that grief affects us not merely because we have lost a great personality, but because we feel that the end of a great epoch has come upon us—an epoch the beginning of which stretches beyond the memory, I suppose, of any individual whom I am now addressing, and which embraces within its compass sixty-three years, more important, more crowded with epoch-making change, than almost any other period of like length that could be selected in the history of the world.’ Characters Queen Victoria – Queen of the United Kingdom and Ireland (1837-1901)Prince Albert – Prince Consort of the United Kingdom and Ireland (1837-61)Prince Edward (Bertie) – Duke of Edinburgh, son of Victoria and Albert, heir apparentDuchess of Kent – mother of VictoriaPrince Edward, duke of Kent – father of Victoria Previous Kings of the United Kingdom and Ireland George III –1760-1820George IV – 1820-30William IV – 1830-37   John Conroy – comptroller to the duchess of KentLouise Lehzen – governess of the Victoria’s householdFeodore – Victoria’s half-sisterLeopold I – King of Belgium Ernest Augustus – King ofHanover, uncle of Victoria Prime Ministers Lord Melbourne – 1835-41Robert Peel – 1841-46John Russell – 1846-52, 65-66Earl of Derby – 1846-52, 66-68Earl of Aberdeen – 1852-55, 58-59Lord Palmerston – 1855-58, 59-65Benjamin Disraeli – 1868, 74-80William Gladstone – 1868-74, 80-85, 86, 92-94Earl of Rosebury – 1894-95Lord Salisbury – 1885-86, 86-92, 95-02Arthur Balfour – 1902-05 Flora Hastings – lady-in-waiting for the DuchessJohn Snow – physician and leader in the development of anaesthesiaMary Seacole – nurse who set up the ‘British Hotel’Florence Nightingale – social reformer and founder of modern nursing Sultan Khaleefah Abdul-Majid – Sultan of the Ottoman EmpireBahadur Shah Zafar – Mughal Emperor of IndiaCecil Rhodes – mining magnate and politicianGeneral Charles Gordon – army officerLili’uokalani – Heir apparent and later Queen of HawaiiJohn Brown – Victoria’s personal attendantAbdul Karim – Victoria’s India SecretaryKaiser Wilhelm II – Emperor of Germany, grandson of Victoria Credits Cherry RipeSail the Ocean Blue – HMS pinafore – Gilbert and SullivanHallelujah – George Frideric Handel 328065__guntherdorksen__old-book_-old-book-hard-casesfx194982__soundmary__wild-horses-runningbbc_crowds-che_07035074365676__mr_alden__dinner-table-ambience328065__guntherdorksen__old-book_-old-book-hard-casesfxbbc_rifle---ma_0009046423918__martinsadoux__african-bush-birds-insect-ms163456__lemudcrab__pistol-shot627087__clutvh__silenced-pistol-shotbbc_clocks--gr_07070146bbc_clocks---g_07022188bbc_whistles--_07055012660975__mchrpt__load_gun_slow.ogg584126__seventhsamurai__nasik-ambiencebbc_gunfire---_07034194bbc_old-textil_07016338bbc_wolf-flies_nhu0508611bbc_ships-and-_07043335592380__cribbler__fireplace-snappy

When William IV (1830-37) was a teenage sailor drinking and debauching his way across the empire alongside such esteemed friends as Horatio Nelson, no one expected that one day he would king. He was taught no royal graces or decorum, yet his time would come. He was described as unassuming and disinterested in pomp and as hard-working and conscientious. Despite a short rule, he would provide royal assent to some of the most significant acts in British history. He had political views and his lack of royal training meant; he would not be lightly brushed aside. Characters William IV – King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1830-37) Queen Adelaide – Queen consort of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1830-37) George IV - King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1820-30), elder brother of William IV George III - King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1760-1820), father of William IV and George IV Queen Charlotte – Queen consort of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1761-1818), mother of William IV and George IV Prince Frederick – elder brother of William IV Prince Adolphus – younger brother of William IV Prince Edward, Duke of Kent – younger brother of William IV, father of Victoria Victoria, Duchess of Kent – wife of Edward, mother of Prince Victoria Princess Victoria – niece of William IV and heir to the throne George, Earl of Munster – illegitimate son of William IV and Dorothea Jordan Dorothea Jordan – long-time mistress of William Horatio Nelson – British flag officer in the Royal Navy William Wilberforce – leading abolitionist George Canning – Prime Minister (1827) Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington – Commander at the Battle of Waterloo, Prime Minister (1828-30, 1834) Charles Grey, Earl Grey – Prime Minister (1830-34) William Lamb, Viscount Melbourne – Prime Minister (1834, 1835-41) Robert Peel – Prime Minister (1834-35) John Russell – Home Secretary Henry John Temple, Viscount Palmerston – Foreign Secretary Edward Smith-Stanley, Earl of Derby – War Secretary Henry Brougham – Lord High Chancellor John Nash - architect Charles Greville – Diarist Emily Eden - Poet George Washington – Commander-in-chief of the Continental army, 1stPresident of the United States Credits Beethoven’s 6th symphony ‘Pastorale’ Freesound.org and BBC sound effects 419503__straget__wine-glass-sound bbc_old-textil_07016341 590155__greg_surr__creaking-wood-6 328051__btherad2000__32-getting-into-bed bbc_weather-1-_07047148 168249__gmarchisio__munching-snack 35250__malexmedia__tumble_downstairs_c bbc_whistles--_07071084 bbc_playhouse-_07003062 195116__mattskydoodle__censor-beep 412054__funwithsound__major-destruction-crash-shatter-from-pillow-fight-disaster bbc_household-_07067069 bbc_boats--sai_07034052 bbc_boats--row_07068008 175946__freefire66__horn002 388391__maadmacs__horse-and-carriage

I have started a new podcast with my teaching colleagues. Politips... Politics for A-Level and Beyond. Reviewing the biggest stories in the world of politics in the UK and the US. Give it a try - links below for more episodes. https://anchor.fm/poli-tips  Also available on Spotify, Google, Amazon and Apple podcasts

Napoleon III, the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte holds a unique distinction. He became the first President of France in 1848 before becoming its last monarch when he ruled as Emperor between 1852-1870 founding the second French empire. He oversaw the modernisation of the French economy, the grand reconstruction of Paris, considerable social reform, further colonisation overseas and renewed rivalries in Europe. The impact of his rule would be felt deep into the 20th century. I was lucky enough to speak to Sam, my British housemate who grew up in France about Napoleon III.

Contemporary poet and critic Leigh Hunt described George IV (1820-30) as a violator of his word, a libertine, over head and ears in debt, a disgrace, a despiser of domestic ties, the companion of demi-reps and gamblers without a single claim on the gratitude of his country, nor the respect of posterity.  Characters George IV – King of Great Britain, Ireland and Hanover (1820-30) George III – King of Great Britain and Ireland (1760-1820), King of Hanover (1814-20) Charlotte of Mecklenberg- Strelitz – Queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland (1761-1818), Queen consort of Hanover (1814-18) Princess Charlotte of Wales – daughter of George and Caroline Prince Frederick, duke of York – younger brother of George and one-time heir presumptive Prince William – younger brother of George and eventual heir to the throne Maria Fitzherbert – illegitimate Catholic wife of George Caroline of Brunswick – legitimate wife of George Mary Robinson – a lady-in-waiting for Queen Charlotte, love interest of George Charles James Fox – Whig statesman and friend of George William Pitt the Younger – Prime Minister (1783-1801, 1804-06) Henry Addington – Prime Minister (1801-04) Lord Liverpool – Prime Minister (1812-27) George Canning – Prime Minister (1827) Duke of Wellington – Commander at the Battle of Waterloo, Prime Minister (1828-30, 1834) Robert Peel – Home Secretary, founder of the Metropolitan Police Daniel O’Connell – political leader of Ireland’s Catholic majority, later an MP Elizabeth Fry – Prison and social reformer Henry Hunt – radical speaker and agitator John Nash – Architect James Gilray – contemporary cartoonist Leigh Hunt – contemporary poet and critic Richard Sheridan – Irish satirist Napoleon Bonaparte – Emperor of France Richard II – King of England (1377-99) Charles II – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1660-85)

The US declaration of Independence described George III (1760-1820) as “marked by every act which may define a tyrant.” At home he was described as one of the most conscientious sovereigns who ever sat upon the English throne. Yet, he vehemently opposed catholic emancipation and the abolition of slavery. His characterisations are almost as broad as the events that unfolded during long reign. It saw an independent United States and a revolutionary France. It saw the age of enlightenment, the age of industry, science and technology and the age of imperialism that would see Europe reach the peak of its global power. Characters George III – King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain (1760-1820) and Ireland (1801-20) Charlotte of Mecklenberg-Strelitz – Queen consort of the United Kingdom of Great Britain (1760-1820) and Ireland (1801-20) Prince Frederick – father of George III, son of George II, Prince of Wales (1729-51) Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha – mother of George III Prince George – son of George III, Prince of Wales, Prince Regent of the United Kingdom (1811-20) Prince Henry – duke of Cumberland, brother of George III France Maximillien Robespierre – leading Jacobin revolutionary Charles Danton – leading Jacobin revolutionary Napoleon Bonaparte – Emperor of France Louis XVI – King of France (1774-92) Louis XVIII – King of France (1814-15, 1815-24) Marie Antoinette – Queen consort of France, wife of Louis XVI (1774-92) Pierre-Charles Villaneuve – French vice-admiral at the Battle of Trafalgar Joseph Bonaparte – King of Spain and Naples, brother of Napoleon Louis Bonaparte – King of Holland, brother of Napoleon United States Thomas Paine – English-born American revolutionary activist Benjamin Franklin – writer, diplomat and philosopher George Washington – military officer and statesman. 1st President of the United States (1789-97) James Madison – President of the United States (1809-17) Andrew Jackson – general and statesman, President of the United States (1829-37) Prime Ministers Thomas Pelham, Duke of Newcastle (1757-62) John Stuart, Earl of Bute (1762-63) George Grenville (1763-65) Charles Watson-Wentworth, Marquess of Rockingham (1765-66, 82) William Pitt (the elder), earl of Chatham – Prime Minister (1766-68) Augustus FitzRoy, Duke of Grafton (1768-70) Frederick, Lord North (1770-82) William Petty, Earl of Shelburne (1782-83) William Cavendish-Bentinck, Duke of Portland (1783, 1807-09) William Pitt (the younger) (1783-1801, 1804-06) Henry Addington (1801-04) William Grenville (1806-07) Spencer Perceval (1809-12) Robert Jenkinson, Earl of Liverpool (1812-27) Charles Fox – Whig politician Lord Effingham – in charge of the coronation Horatio Nelson – Admiral and flag officer in the Royal Navy Cuthbert Collingwood – Admiral in the Royal Navy Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington – commander at the Battle of Waterloo William Howe – commander-in-chief of the British land forces during the American War of Independence John Burgoyne – British general during the American War of Independence Charles Cornwallis – British general during the American War of Independence Thomas Gray – British poet and scholar Sarah Lennox – favourite of George John Harrison – British clockmaker and inventor of the marine chronometer Abel Tasman – Dutch seafarer and explorer James Cook – British captain and explorer Capability Brown – British gardener and landscape architect Benjamin West – American artist William Herschel – German-born British astronomer Pope Pius VI – head of the Catholic Church (1775-99)

George II's (1727-60) temper was warm and impetuous but was good natured and sincere. He was unskilled in royal of talent of dissimulation, he always was what he appeared to be. He might offend but he never deceived. What you saw was what you got. Could Britain’s second Hanoverian king provide calm composure against the immense challenges presented by a new Jacobite claimant and the first true global conflict in an unforgiving environment led by burgeoning prime ministers?  Characters George II – King of Great Britain, Elector of Hanover (1727-60) Caroline of Ansbach – Queen consort of Great Britain, Electress consort of Hanover (1727-37) George I – King of Great Britain (1714-27, Elector of Hanover (1698-1727), father of George II Sophia Dorothea of Celle – mother of George II Sophia of Hanover – Electress of Hanover (1692-98), heiress presumptive to the British throne, grandmother of George II Ernest Augustus – Elector of Hanover (1692-98), grandfather of George II Frederick, prince of Wales – eldest son of George II and Caroline, heir apparent to British throne William, duke of Cumberland – youngest son of George II and Caroline, British army general Philip Christoph von Konigsmarck – Swedish count and lover of Sophia Dorothea of Celle Anne – Queen of Great Britain (1702-14) John Churchill, the duke of Marlborough – British military commander under Queen Anne James Stuart (the Old Pretender) – son of James II and Jacobite pretender Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) – grandson of James II and Jacobite pretender, son of James Stuart Robert Walpole – Prime Minister of Great Britain (1721-42) Charles Townshend – Statesman and director of foreign policy under Walpole Spencer Compton, earl of Wilmington - Prime Minister of Great Britain (1742-43) Henry Pelham - Prime Minister of Great Britain (1743-54) Thomas Pelham, duke of Newcastle - Prime Minister of Great Britain (1754-57, 57-62) William Pitt – British statesman and informal leader (1756-61) Horace Walpole – statesman and son of Robert Walpole Mary Bellenden – mistress of George II Henrietta Howard – mistress of George II Amalie von Wallmoden – mistress of George II John Hervey – courtier and political writer George Friderich Handel – German-British composer Robert Jenkins – Welsh mariner who sparked the War of Jenkin’s Ear Robert Clive – general and governor of the Bengal Presidency John Byng – British admiral at the Battle of Minorca James Wolfe – general at the Battle of Quebec Elizabeth Montagu – social reformer and literary critic James Caulfeild, earl of Charlemont – Irish statesman Credits Music for the Royal Fireworks – George Frideric Handel Concerto for flute in A minor – Johann Sebastian Bach bbc_18th-centu_07019161 bbc_period-bat_07019148 bbc_period-bat_07019002 bbc_large-outd_07019156 bbc_period-bat_07019151 451958__kyles__flag-flaps-back-and-forth-between-2-flags-in-high-wind-on-mountain-good-crisp-fabric-detail bbc_animals--h_07024150 horses resting bbc_700-people_07010060 bbc_atmosphere_07030054 505272__diegolar__surrounded-by-horse close perspective 464490__elynch0901__human-knocked-over 427972__lipalearning__male-grunt 365676__mr-alden__dinner-table-ambience 344145__brokenphono__swig-of-whiskey-001 275581__hinzebeat__cutlery-throwing-2 155589__leafs67__walking-in-long-grass 139973__jessepash__crowd-yay-applause-25ppl-long 98055__tomlija__wine-bottle-break-2 82019__benboncan__distant-hunt-with-shots or countryside

Author Simon Jenkins described the Georgian kings not as monarchs but as princelings, who came to power not by the sword or politics but merely descent from a distant protestant mistress. They were mostly bewigged, powdered non-entities who couldn’t even control their own children, nor say boo to a goose. The first, George I (1714-27), faced a perilous threat from the moment he stepped on British shores, the shadow of the Jacobites was widening. The foreigner would need to heavily rely upon his new British statesmen to ensure the House of Hanover would survive. Characters George I – King of Great Britain (1702-27), Elector of Hanover (1698-27) Sophia Dorothea of Celle – wife of George I (1682-94) Ernest Augustus – Elector of Hanover (1692-98), duke of Brunswick-Luneberg (1679-98), father of George I Sophia of the Palatinate – Electress consort of Hanover, former heir apparent to the British throne, mother of George I Prince George Augustus – son of George I Count Christoph von Konigsmarck – lover of Sophia Dorothea Melusine von der Schulenberg – mistress of George I Sophia von Kielmansegg – half-sister and companion of George I Mustapha and Mahomet – Turkish servants of George I Peter the wild boy – feral child brought to the court of George I Robert Walpole – British statesman, first de facto Prime Minister of Great Britain Charles Townshend – British statesman and ally of Robert Walpole James Stanhope – British statesman and chief minister (1717-21) Charles Spencer – British statesman and ally of Earl Stanhope Horace Walpole – son of Robert Walpole Duke of Shrewsbury – chief minister and Whig (1714) John Younger – dean of Salisbury James Stuart ‘the Old Pretender’ – chief Jacobite claimant to the British throne James Butler, duke of Ormonde – Commander-in-chief of the British forces, supporter of the Jacobite rebellion (1715) John Churchill, duke of Marlborough – commander-in-chief of the British forces Henry St. John – leader of the Tories and supporter of the Jacobite rebellion (1715) John Erskine, earl of Mar – leader of the Jacobite rebellion (1715) John Campbell, duke of Argyll – senior commander of the British army during the Jacobite rebellion (1715) George Frideric Handel – Baroque composer Louis XIV – King of France (1643-1715) Louis XV – King of France (1715-74), great-grandson of Louis XIV Philippe II, Duke of Orleans – regent of France under Louis XV Giulio Alberoni – Spanish cardinal and statesman Philip V – King of Spain (1700-46) William III – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1689-1702) Anne – Queen of Great Britain (1702-14) James II of England and VII of Scotland – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1685-88) James I of England and VI of Scotland - King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1603-25) Simon Jenkins – historian Lord Chesterfield – contemporary statesman and writer Credits Suite in D major – The Water Music – George Frideric Handel bbc_18th-centu_07019161 bbc_period-bat_07019148 bbc_period-bat_07019002 bbc_large-outd_07019156 451958__kyles__flag-flaps-back-and-forth-between-2-flags-in-high-wind-on-mountain-good-crisp-fabric-detail bbc_atmosphere_07030054 97382__soundbytez__lion-distant 33658__sagetyrtle__laughter

Anne (1702-14) was described as stubborn, miserable, weak-willed, vapid, grossly obese. A woman of ordinary character. Yet, she became the first Queen of Great Britain. Her reign would have long-lasting consequences, the establishment of the Bank of England meant the nation was now punching above its weight. The nation became the military force not seen since the days of Edward III and Henry V. Within the fledgling kingdom of Great Britain, the economic and political base was built for the golden age of the 18th century. Characters Anne – Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1702-07), Queen of Great Britain and Ireland (1707-14) Prince George of Denmark – husband of Anne Prince William, duke of Gloucester – son of Queen Anne and Prince George Mary II – Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland (1689-94), sister of Anne William III – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1689-1702), Stadholder (1672-1702), prince of Orange James II – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1685-88), father of Anne Anne Hyde – mother of Anne, first wife of James II Mary of Modena – Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland (1685-88) Charles II – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1660-85), uncle of Anne Charles I – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1625-49), grandfather of Anne Henrietta Maria – Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland (1625-49), grandmother of Anne Henrietta Anne – Aunt of Anne, sister of Charles II and James II Sarah Churchill, duchess of Marlborough – courtier of Anne, keeper of the privy purse John Churchill, duke of Marlborough – captain general of the British forces, husband of Sarah Abigail Masham – courtier of Anne Henry Compton – bishop of London, one of the immortal 7 Lord Sidney Godolphin – First Lord of the Treasury Robert Harley – Chief Minister of Great Britain Henry St. John – Secretary of State and leader of the Tories Prince Eugene of Savoy – field marshal in the Holy Roman Empire Louis XIV – King of France (1643-1715) Sophia, Electress of Hanover – granddaughter of James I, heiress presumptive to the thrones of England and Scotland George, Elector of Hanover – son of Sophia, Anne’s successor Daniel Defoe – writer, journalist and spy Jonathan Swift - satirist Credits The Prince of Denmark’s march – Jeremiah Clarke 438405__craigsmith__g29-45-western-bar-fight 564664__garuda1982__lace-up-leather-boots-sound-effect 157121__slave2thelight__soup-slurp 377041__milankovanda__eating-soup 618113__nachtmahrtv__walking-through-dry-bushes 422582__martin-sadoux__countryside-at-the-night-crickets 437090__craigsmith__g52-22-carriage-and-voices 475499__o-ciz__steps-stone-2-running 408202__170084__small-metal-objects-shaken bbc_period-bat_07019147 4 bbc_18th-centu_07019158 NC 194982__soundmary__wild-horses-running

William III (1689-1702) had limited interest in the affairs of England, Scotland and Ireland. His interest lay in keeping the King of France at bay and would use England as weapon to achieve his goals. It was perhaps the king’s indifference that allowed parliament to gain permanent supremacy over the nation leading to a remarkable transformation in the political and religious affairs of England. During William's reign, along with Mary II (1689-94) the parliamentary state was established, to this day it remains the enduring feature of the British political system. Characters William III – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1689-1702), Stadholder (1672-1702), prince of Orange Mary II – Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland (1689-94) James II – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1685-88), father of Mary II Charles II – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1660-85), uncles of Mary II and William III Charles I – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1625-49), grandfather of Mary II and William III Princess Anne – sister of Mary II William II – Prince of Orange, father of William III Mary – Princess Royal, mother of William III Anne Hyde – mother of Mary II, first wife of James II Mary of Modena – Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland (1685-88) James Stuart – son of James II and Jacobite claimant Johan de Witt – Grand Pensionary of Holland Sophia, Electress of Hanover – granddaughter of James I, heiress presumptive to the thrones of England and Scotland Louis XIV – King of France (1643-1715) Phillip V – King of Spain, grandson of Louis XIV Leopold I – Holy Roman Emperor (1658-1705) Archduke Charles – son of Leopold I John Branston – Essex MP Adam de la Prynne – English antiquary John Locke – philosopher and enlightenment thinker Mary I – Queen of England (1553-58) Philip II – King of Spain, King of England (jure uxoris) Credits Sound the trumpet – Henry Purcell Man that is born a woman – Henry Purcell bbc_tennis--ha_07012117 IMSLP312077-PMLP237007-S001-02-hbr bbc_period-bat_07019001 5 194982__soundmary__wild-horses-running CREDIT

James II of England and VII of Scotland (1685-59) followed in the footsteps of his predecessors. He too, struggled with the scope and nature of government. He believed it his duty as a Roman Catholic prince to level the religious playing field and did not learn the lessons of the civil war. He woefully underestimated the power of parliament. His rule saw the beginnings of the modern British state and the ultimate death knell of absolute monarchy. Characters James II of England and VII of Scotland Charles I – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1625-49), father of James Charles II – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1660-85), brother of James Henrietta Maria – Queen consort of England, mother of James Anne Hyde – Queen consort of England, 1st wife of James Mary of Modena – Queen consort, 2nd wife of James Princess Mary – eldest daughter of James Princess Anne – eldest daughter of James James, prince of Wales – son of James Oliver Cromwell – 1st Lord Protector of the English commonwealth Richard Cromwell – 2nd Lord Protector of the English commonwealth George Monck – English general Titus Oates – English priest and fabricator of the Popish plot Duke of Monmouth – illegitimate son of Charles II and claimant to the throne Earl of Argyll – Scottish peer and soldier, ally of the duke of Monmouth Nell Gwynne – mistress of Charles II Henry Compton – bishop of London Robert Spencer, earl of Sunderland – Lord President of the council William Penn – quaker and founder of the province of Pennsylvania John Churchill – English general and statesman William of Orange – Prince of Orange, husband of Princess Mary Louis XIV – King of France Henri de La Tour D’Auvergne, Viscount of Turenne – Marshall general of France Charles-Maurice Le Tellier – Archbishop of Reims Mary I – Queen of England and Ireland (1553-58) Henry VI – King of England (1422-61, 70-71) Richard II – King of England (1377-99) Edward II – King of England (1307-27) John Callow – Historian Gilbert Burnet - Historian CREDITS Courante – Henry Eccles Adagio – Henry Eccles 411087__jimsim__creaking-sailing-boat C 77696__benboncan__seven-bells-ship-time C bbc_700-people_07010060 202535__abolla__books01 bbc_footsteps-_07004171 168420__gurek__bushes-01 471761__lextao__48-cortandocarne bbc_babies---a_07011219 bbc_exterior-a_07044003 bbc_footsteps-_07004179 bbc_battle-cro_07019150 Soundmary – Wild horses 400632__inspectorj__ambience-seaside-waves-close-a 218488__danmitch3ll__distant-horns

Charles II (1660-85) was described by Ronald Hutton as the playboy monarch, naughty but nice, the hero of all who prized urbanity, tolerance, good humour, and the pursuit of pleasure above more earnest, sober or material virtues. Yet, like his grandfather he struggled to pay for it. Though Restoration England brought a new respect and freedom to the monarchy, the country had survived 11 years without the crown. He would test the patience of the establishment when his lifestyle and his faith drew him to the webs of Catholic Europe. Characters Charles II – King of England, Scotland and Ireland Catherine of Braganza – Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland James, duke of York – younger brother of Charles II Charles I – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1625-49), father of Charles II James I – King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1603-25), grandfather of Charles II Henrietta Maria – Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland, mother of Charles II Henrietta Anne – younger sister of Charles II, duchess of Orleans Princess Mary – daughter of James, duke of York William of Orange – prince of Orange, husband of Princess Mary Oliver Cromwell – Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland (1653-58) Richard Cromwell - Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland (1658-59), son of Oliver Cromwell Thomas Fairfax – Parliamentarian commander and general of the New Model Army Prince Rupert of the Rhine – Royalist cavalry commander and colonial governor, cousin of Charles II George Monck – prominent English soldier John Lambert – Parliamentarian general Henry Ireton – Parliamentary general John Bradshaw -  President of the High Court of Justice for the trial of Charles I Colonel Thomas Blood – Anglo-Irish officer Titus Oates – English Priest who fabricated the Popish plot Israel Tonge – English divine who helped fabricate the Popish plot Edmund Godfrey – English magistrate Edward Hyde, 1st earl of Clarendon – Lord Chancellor The CABAL - Lord Clifford, Earl of Arlington, Duke of Buckingham, Lord Ashley, Duke of Lauderdale George Pendrell – Catholic royalist Nell Gwynne - mistress of Charles II Barbara Villiers – mistress of Charles II William Harvey – physician and tutor of Charles II Christopher Wren – architect responsible for rebuilding 52 London churches Isaac Newton – mathematician and physicist Robert Boyle – philosopher, chemist, and physicist Edmund Halley – astronomer, geophysicist, and mathematician Louis XIV – King of France, cousin of Charles II Samuel Pepys – Diarist and President of the Royal society John Evelyn – diarist and writer Gilbert Burnet – contemporary historian and philosopher Figures from the past Henry V – King of England (1413-22) Richard III – King of England (1483-85) Edward, The Black Prince – son of Edward III and heir to the English throne Elizabeth II – Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms (1952-present) CREDITS Henry Purcell – The Old Bachelor bbc_period-bat_07019147 bbc_large-outd_07019157 bbc_horses---h_07039290 bbc_dusk-choru_nhu9679545 bbc_rain---rai_nhu0506113 366713__anandthethird__digging-in-dirt 240914__bdvictor__wheat-in-the-wind 516685__supreme1197__washingface 173930__johnsonbrandediting__water-pour bbc_crowds-che_07035075

The Commonwealth of England - 1649-60 In a weary speech to parliament on 4 February 1658 Oliver Cromwell told MPs that ‘I would have been glad, as to my own conscience and spirit, to have been living under a woodside to have kept a flock of sheep, rather than to have undertaken such a place as this’. In the 1630s, Oliver Cromwell raised chickens and sheep for their eggs and wool. 20 years later he was offered the crown. He helped lead an army to defeat and execute Charles I, becoming one of the most successful military leaders in British history. He now led a country that had become a republic, it had sailed into unchartered waters. As the nation leaned on the leadership and dogged personality of Oliver Cromwell would it be strong enough to sustain the religious and political ideals upon which it had been founded? Characters Oliver Cromwell – 1st Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland (1653-58) Richard Cromwell – 2nd Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland (1658-59), son of Oliver Cromwell Charles I – King of England (1625-49) Charles II – King of England (1660-85), son of Charles I Thomas Fairfax – Commander of the New Model Army George Monck – Prominent military leader under the Commonwealth John Lambert – Prominent Parliamentarian and military leader Arthur Aston – Prominent Royalist and military leader, Governor of Drogheda Prince Rupert – Royalist cavalry commander, nephew of Charles I David Leslie – Scottish cavalry commander Praise-God Barebone – Puritan preacher and MP, gave his name to Barebone’s parliament Menasseh Ben Israel – Portuguese rabbi John Morrill – Historian GM Trevelyan – Historian John Evelyn – contemporary writer and diarist Edward the Confessor – King of England (1042-66) Credits Music - The Old Bachelor - Henry Purcell chamonesteyn brush-strokes-on-a-canvas inspectorj ambience-seaside-waves-close-a richardemoore cw-battle-endsinvictory