Who was the most monstrous queen — England’s Bloody Mary or France’s Serpent Queen? Listen to find out!

This week on Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things, royal historian Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams pit two formidable women against the seven deadly sins.

Mary I of England, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, fought her way onto the throne and set out to restore Catholicism by fire. Three hundred Protestants met their end at the stake, earning her the chilling epithet “Bloody Mary.” Catherine de Medici, the Italian-born queen of France and mother of three kings, gained her own dark reputation as the “Serpent Queen.” Legend has her inventing high heels, perfecting the poisoned glove, and masterminding the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre.

From pearls and palaces to phantom pregnancies and poisoned perfumes, the judges weigh whether these reputations were deserved or distorted — and whether misogyny shaped how history remembers them.

It’s England versus France, pyre versus poison, bonfires versus bechamel. Which queen was the deadlier sinner?

Hosts: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams

Series Producer: Ben Devlin

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini 

Executive Producer: Bella Soames

Hosts: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams

Series Producer: Ben Devlin

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini 

Content Editor: Joseph Palmer

Executive Producer: Bella Soames

A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular.

Sign up to Palace Confidential, the FREE royals newsletter from the Mail's top experts. Delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday, it's the smartest way to stay in the royal inner circle. Just head to dailymail.co.uk/palaceconfidential to sign up today.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.