Charles II's sexual appetite was infamously compared to a racehorse, and he revelled in reversing the social strictures that Oliver Cromwell had strictly enforced during the Interregnum. Unsurprisingly, Charles II had mistresses. And lots of them.

But Charles II’s mistresses were so much more than footnotes in a new era of frivolity, parties and hedonism –  many of these women wielded significant power in their own right, and played pivotal roles in court politics and international relations. Their close relationship to Charles II during an intense period of social and political change means that they played a key role in shaping the course of English history. 

Join Robert Hardman and Kate Williams as they explore the stories of three of these fascinating women – Barbara Castlemaine, Nell Gywnne, and Lucy Walter – and ask what their stories reveal about the wider history of the period.

Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week. 

Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past. 

New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. 

Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams

Producer: Rich Jarman 

Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini 

Executive Producer: Bella Soames 

Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell

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What do you get when you mix a $20 million diamond necklace; a sycophantic cardinal; a con-artist; and Marie Antoinette? Only one of French history’s biggest royal scandals – a scandal that, arguably, led to the abolition of nearly a thousand years of French monarchy and the demise of France's final two monarchs on the guillotine.

Join Kate Williams and Robert Hardman for a rollicking ride through a royal scandal that really does have it all: sex, lies – and Marie Antoinette: one of the most iconic – and most misunderstood – female figures of the 18th Century. 

Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week. 

Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past. 

New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. 

Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams

Producer: Rich Jarman 

Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini 

Executive Producer: Bella Soames 

Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On June 10 1688, Queen Mary of Modena, the Catholic wife of James II, gave birth to a son, James Francis Stewart. 

Or did she?

Join Kate Williams and Robert Hardman as they dive into one of royal history’s juiciest, and often forgotten, scandals: an event that should have been a joyous moment (a male heir - hurrah!) but one that instead unleashed a chain of events that would lead to mother, father, and child being driven out of England to spend the rest of their lives in… exile. 

Robert and Kate will explore whether Queen Mary really did give birth to a healthy son, or if – as many English Protestants, unwilling to see a Catholic heir on the throne, claimed – the pregnancy was all a ruse.

Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past. 

New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. 

Follow us on TikTok and Instagram @queenskingspod, and email us at @[email protected]

Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams

Producer: Rich Jarman 

Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini 

Executive Producer: Bella Soames 

Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did Queen Victoria find comfort and love in the arms of a servant following the death of Prince Albert? What can we conclude from the Queen’s disregard for public, parliamentary and family concern about her close relationship with John Brown, the Scottish servant who found himself resident at Buckingham Palace? And, was the Queen so devoted to John Brown that they secretly married?

Professor Kate Williams and Robert Hardman reveal all about this mysterious royal relationship that captivated the Victorian public and continues to mystify royal historians and commentators today.

Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past. 

New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. 

Follow us on TikTok and Instagram @queenskingspod, and email us at @[email protected]

Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams

Producer: Rich Jarman 

Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini 

Executive Producer: Bella Soames 

Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the peace of an Edinburgh night is shattered by an explosion and the Queen of Scotland’s husband is found dead, but no murderer can be found, the question is not only who killed the King Consort but why?

Join Professor Kate Williams and Robert Hardman as they uncover the suspects, the events and the motives behind a murder that definitively changed the course of Mary Queen Of Scots’ reign.

Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week. 

Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past. 

New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. 

Follow us on TikTok and Instagram @queenskingspod, and email us at @[email protected]

Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams

Producer: Rich Jarman 

Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini 

Executive Producer: Bella Soames 

Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week. 

Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past. 

New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. 

Follow us on TikTok and Instagram @queenskingspod, and email us at @[email protected]

Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams

Producer: Rich Jarman 

Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini 

Executive Producer: Bella Soames 

Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Wolferton Splash" the first episode of season 1 of The Crown.

This episode focuses on the wedding and early years of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip's marriage, and the failing health of Princess Elizabeth's father King George VI.

Find out:

Did Winston Churchill heckle at Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip’s wedding?

Did King George VI have surgery at Buckingham Palace? 

How did King George VI’s plans for an overseas tour dictate the timing of 1951’s general election?

Did King George VI ever wear makeup?

Was the truth of King George VI’s illness kept from him?

Plus much more.

Email us at 

[email protected]

or send us a message or voicenote on Whatsapp:

07796657512 (start your message with "The Crown" so we know which show you’re getting in touch with.)

Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode. 

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572

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

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Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Moondust" season 3, episode 7 of The Crown.

This episode of The Crown shows Prince Phillip having a mid life crisis as he considers his faith and his place in the universe, all put into context as Neil Armstrong steps on the moon and a new Dean of Windsor is appointed.

Find out:

Is there evidence that Prince Phillip was having a mid life crisis around the time of the moon landings?

Did The Crown get the astronaut's visit to Buckingham Palace right?

How did Prince Phillip really feel about the creation of St George's House?

Were the Queen and Prince Phillip space fans?

And, how many stags roam the grounds of Windsor Castle?

Plus much more.

Tell us which episodes of The Crown are your favourites and we might give them the Fact or Fiction treatment on the next episode of the podcast!

Email us at 

[email protected]

or send us a message or voicenote on Whatsapp:

07796657512 (start your message with "The Crown" so we know which show you’re getting in touch with.)

Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode. 

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone sit down with Sam McAlister for a very special episode of the The Crown Fact or Fiction that focuses on Scoop, Netflix's film about Prince Andrew's disastrous Newsnight interview.

Scoop is based on Sam's first hand experience of booking Prince Andrew for Newsnight. Hear Sam tell the story behind the meetings, the planning, the recording and aftermath of the interview - what it was like to work on the biggest interview in the world, and how Netflix captured it for the screen.

Sam's book Scoops is available now:

https://amzn.eu/d/6qPhhfn

Scoop is streaming on Netflix now.

Tell us which episodes of The Crown are your favourites and we might give them the Fact or Fiction treatment on the next episode of the podcast!

Email us at 

[email protected]

or send us a message or voicenote on Whatsapp:

07796657512 (start your message with "The Crown" so we know which show you’re getting in touch with.)

Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode. 

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join Robert Hardman and Natasha Livingstone for an analysis of "Marionettes" season 2, episode 5 of The Crown.

This episode of The Crown depicts Queen Elizabeth II facing criticism from Lord Altrincham following a tone deaf speech at a Jaguar factory in Coventry before taking to the airwaves for the first ever televised Christmas message.

If you'd like us to analyse a favourite episode of The Crown, write to us at: [email protected].

Find out in this episode of The Crown Fact Or Fiction:

Did the Queen address the workers at a Jaguar factory with a tone deaf speech?

Was Lord Altrincham punched in the face following his criticism of the Queen?

Did the Queen send for Lord Altrincham to discuss his criticisms?

Does Buckingham Palace have a network of secret doors and tunnels for monarchs to stealthily navigate the palace?

Plus much more. 

Tell us which episodes of The Crown are your favourites and we might give them the Fact or Fiction treatment on the next episode of the podcast!

Email us at 

[email protected]

or send us a message or voicenote on Whatsapp:

07796657512 (start your message with "The Crown" so we know which show you’re getting in touch with.)

Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode. 

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices