Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things

Six wives. Beheadings. A tyrant on the throne. You think you know Henry VIII... but that's not where this story begins.In the first episode of our Tudor season, Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams go back to the making of England's most infamous king. Discover why Henry was never supposed to wear the crown, how the death of his older brother changed history forever, and why Catherine of Aragon may have been the greatest queen England never truly appreciated.From the glittering Tudor court and the spectacular Field of the Cloth of Gold to the tragedy that shaped a dynasty, this is the untold story of the young Renaissance prince, long before Anne Boleyn, the break with Rome and the bloody legend of Henry VIII.Hosts: Robert Hardman and Kate WilliamsSeries Producer: Ben DevlinProduction Manager: Vittoria CecchiniExecutive Producer: Bella Soames

Kidnapped, blindfolded, locked in a cupboard for weeks and then caught on camera during a bank robbery. In the second part of our look at America's closest thing to a royal dynasty, Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams unravel the astonishing story of Patty Hearst, the newspaper heiress whose abduction by a revolutionary gang became one of the most sensational crimes of the twentieth century.Was she brainwashed into joining her captors? Or did she willingly cross the line from victim to outlaw? From ransom demands and armed robberies to one of America's most controversial trials, this is a story that still divides opinion today.And, in an extraordinary twist worthy of Hollywood, discover how the woman once branded a terrorist ended up years later as an unlikely dinner guest of the future King Charles III.Hosts: Robert Hardman and Kate WilliamsSeries Producer: Ben DevlinProduction Manager: Vittoria CecchiniExecutive Producer: Bella Soames

America's newspaper magnate who built himself a palace worthy of a king!In this episode of Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things, Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams explore the extraordinary world of William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper titan whose vast fortune, political ambition and spectacular California castle earned him a reputation as America's uncrowned monarch.At the heart of the story is Hearst's lifelong relationship with actress Marion Davies. Was she simply the glamorous mistress history remembers, or a gifted Hollywood star unfairly overshadowed by the man who loved her? Together they created a glittering world of movie stars, priceless art, lavish parties and one of the most astonishing private homes ever built.Discover how Hearst Castle became a playground for the rich and famous, why Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin were among its guests, how Citizen Kane transformed Hearst into one of cinema's greatest villains, and why the real Marion Davies deserves a far kinder verdict than history has often given her.A story of immense wealth, irresistible ambition, Hollywood glamour and heartbreaking loyalty.Hosts: Robert Hardman and Kate WilliamsSeries Producer: Ben DevlinProduction Manager: Vittoria CecchiniExecutive Producer: Bella Soames

What do Royals and hot dogs have in common?Both are part of the most remarkable diplomatic relationships in modern history.In this special Independence Day episode of Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things, Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams mark America's 250th birthday by exploring the often surprising story of the relationship between the British monarchy and the United States.From King George VI's triumphant pre-war tour of America and Princess Elizabeth's wartime broadcasts, to JFK and Jackie at Buckingham Palace, Ronald Reagan riding through Windsor Great Park, and the extraordinary role played by Queen Elizabeth II in managing relations with fourteen American presidents, this is a story of diplomacy, personality and history on both sides of the Atlantic.Along the way, discover how a royal hot dog helped win American hearts, why Jacqueline Bouvier found herself covering the Coronation before she became Jackie Kennedy, how a recipe for royal scones reached the White House, and what really happens when presidents and monarchs meet behind closed doors.A tale of friendship, politics, pageantry and personalities that stretches from the American Revolution to the celebrations of today. 🇺🇸🇬🇧Hosts: Robert Hardman and Kate WilliamsSeries Producer: Ben DevlinProduction Manager: Vittoria CecchiniExecutive Producer: Bella Soames

A wonderfully strange-but-true episode of Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things with Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams.From a mysterious sighting over Lord Mountbatten's estate at Broadlands to Prince Philip's fascination with UFO reports, the story takes in royal astronomers, Victorian visions of life on other worlds, Cromwell-era plans for a gunpowder-powered "space chariot", and the curious tale of an alleged extraterrestrial named Janus who reportedly wanted an audience with the Duke of Edinburgh.Along the way, discover how George III became one of Britain's most enthusiastic royal stargazers, why Queen Elizabeth II left a message on the Moon, and how the modern monarchy found itself connected to everything from the Space Race to concerns about space junk.Part history, part science, part mystery and just a little bit Mulder and Scully, this is a journey through the royal family's surprisingly close encounters with the final frontier.The truth may be out there. 🚀👽🌙

Secrets hidden behind the walls of one of England's greatest country houses!In this special episode, Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams step inside Badminton House with its chatelaine, the Duchess of Beaufort, to uncover the extraordinary royal and historical stories that lie beyond the immaculate lawns. Spoiler alert: Prince Harry once demonstrated some very poor judgment after a party there.The episode explores Badminton's long royal connections. Hear how Queen Mary spent the Second World War at the house, reportedly waging war on the estate's ivy, how a secret floor was discovered hidden within the building, and how the sport of badminton itself was born under its roof.Along the way, the Duchess reveals what it's really like to live in a house that welcomes more than 100,000 visitors a year, hosts one of Europe's great sporting events, and is now opening its gardens to a new generation through the RHS Badminton Flower Show.A story of queens, duchesses, gardeners, hidden rooms and English eccentricity, proving that some of the most fascinating chapters in royal history are growing quietly behind the garden wall.Guest: Georgia, Duchess of BeaufortHosts: Robert Hardman and Kate WilliamsSeries Producer: Ben DevlinProduction Manager: Vittoria CecchiniExecutive Producer: Bella Soames