Queens Podcast

Mary Tudor has already lost her title, her mother, and any illusion that her father is going to come to his senses. And somehow… things are about to get even messier.

In Part 2, Anne Boleyn is out, Mary is bullied into submission, and she's finally welcomed back into Henry VIII’s good graces. We follow her through new stepmothers, the brutal execution of Margaret Pole, and an uneasy reconciliation with the father who turned her life into a psychological horror story.

Then Henry dies, her baby brother becomes King and Mary’s Catholic faith puts her right back in danger.

By the end, Edward is dead. Mary is queen… right?

Well. Yes and no.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Tarot, moon water & catching up with Mary I
07:00 — Eustace Chapuys: Mary’s Tudor court gossip source
17:00 — Henry VIII forces Mary to submit
29:00 — Margaret Pole’s arrest and execution
37:00 — Henry VIII dies & Edward VI becomes king
43:00 — Mary I vs. the Protestant Reformation
47:00 — Mary’s escape plan & showdown with Edward VI
52:00 — Edward VI is dying: Is Mary about to become Queen?

Sources

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before she became Mary I of England, the queen history remembers as “Bloody Mary,” Mary Tudor was Henry VIII’s beloved only daughter.

Born to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon in 1516, Mary grew up ridiculously educated, wildly privileged, and fully expecting to become a queen.

Then came the King’s Great Matter.

As Henry fought to end his marriage to Catherine and marry Anne Boleyn, Mary’s world collapsed. She was separated from her mother, stripped of the title Princess, declared illegitimate, removed from the succession, and sent to serve in the household of her new baby sister, Elizabeth.

And when Henry demanded Mary accept his new marriage and authority over the Church of England? Absolutely not.

In Part 1, we follow Mary from spoiled Tudor princess to the family crisis that would shape England’s future queen.

Timestamps:

00:06:00 — Meet Mary Tudor: Henry VIII’s beloved little princess
00:16:00 — Royal engagements, first cousins & Mary’s queen-in-training era
00:30:00 — The King’s Great Matter & Anne Boleyn enters the chat
00:46:00 — Princess Mary becomes Lady Mary
00:54:00 — The Act of Supremacy & Mary refuses to submit

Resources:

- The Myth of Bloody Mary by Linda Porter

- HIstorical Royal palaces: Mary I

- Princess Mary, Henry VIII and Tudor history’s greatest battle of wills

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eleanor of Aquitaine was Queen of France, Queen of England, Duchess of Aquitaine, mother to Richard the Lionheart and King John, and one of the most powerful women of the Middle Ages.

While we get our Season 10 premiere ready, we’re sharing Katy’s visit to Right Answers Mostly, where she joined hosts Tess Bellomo and Claire Donald to tell the story of Eleanor’s marriages to Louis VII and Henry II, her time on the Second Crusade, the rebellion that landed her in captivity for 15 years, and her return to power later in life.

Want the deeper dive? Listen to our full three-part Eleanor of Aquitaine series:

Eleanor of Aquitaine

Follow our friends:

Right Answers Mostly (where this episode originally aired)

---

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before there was Dubya, there was Ann Richards the sharp-tongued, silver-haired Democrat who went from schoolteacher to Governor of Texas.

Ann Richards battled alcoholism, got sober, transformed the Texas Treasury, and became a national political star after her unforgettable speech at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. But first, she had to survive one of the wildest gubernatorial races in Texas history, featuring an opponent who seemingly could not stop saying the worst possible thing at the worst possible time.

Nathan tells Katy the story of the woman behind the famous one-liners, her rise through Texas politics, and the legacy she left behind.

You can watch her DNC speech here:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pvrvRT23is

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CzzkUHyDLI

Timestamps:

00:00 Patreon Preview Intro

01:06 Who Was Ann Richards?

07:09 Ann Richards Enters Texas Politics

11:47 Alcoholism, Rehab & Political Comeback

14:10 Texas State Treasurer & “Magic Money”

17:44 Ann Richards’ 1988 DNC Speech

23:38 The 1990 Texas Governor’s Race

26:53 Ann Richards vs. Clayton Williams

31:03 Ann Richards Becomes Governor of Texas

34:18 Education Reform & the Texas “Robin Hood” Plan

38:46 Life After the Governor’s Mansion

41:21 Ann Richards’ Death & Legacy

-----

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're peeking behind the Patreon wall with one of my favorite Katy's Corner episodes!

When Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester, was accused of witchcraft in 1441, was she actually casting spells... or simply too close to the English throne at the wrong moment?

We follow Eleanor's rise from noblewoman to one of the most powerful women in England, her romance with Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and the political intrigue that turned astrological predictions into charges of treason and sorcery.

If you like this episode, you may also like our Margaret of Anjou series. Find episode one here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4hcxHSkmoUU4NP1m8lCLfs

-----

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She was hanged. Declared dead. Buried... almost.

This week we're sharing one of our favorite stories from the Queens Podcast Patreon vault: the unbelievable tale of Margaret "Half-Hanged Maggie" Dickson, one of the most famous women in Scottish history.

Join us as we travel to Edinburgh's Grassmarket, explore the history behind public executions, body snatchers, and the city's infamous medical schools, and unravel the true story of the woman who survived her own hanging.

If you enjoy this episode, you'll find hundreds more bonus episodes covering forgotten women, haunted history, scandals, cults, and more over on Patreon.

Cheers, and enjoy!

time stamps:

00:00 A Story From Scotland

-----

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're joined by our friend Bash from Historical Homos to tell one of the most unbelievable stories we've ever covered.

Meet the Chevalier d'Éon: an 18th-century French noble who somehow managed to be a spy, soldier, diplomat, bestselling author, blackmailer of the King of France, celebrity fencer, and one of the earliest people in history to have their gender officially recognized by the state.

Seriously. This story has everything.

From secret missions in Russia to political scandals in London, royal intrigue at Versailles, and a transition that left all of Europe gossiping, d'Éon's life feels less like history and more like something a Netflix writer would get rejected for making too unrealistic.

Join us and Bash as we dive into one of history's strangest, funniest, and most fascinating lives.

---

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Katy and Nathan take a break from queens and head into the world of UFO cults.

In 1950s Chicago, housewife Dorothy Martin began receiving messages through automatic writing from beings she believed lived on the planet Clarion. With the help of a small group called the Seekers, she spread a startling prediction: a catastrophic flood would soon destroy Earth, and flying saucers would arrive to save the faithful.

The prophecy never came true, but what happened next fascinated psychologist Leon Festinger. His study of the Seekers would eventually lead to one of the most influential concepts in modern psychology: cognitive dissonance.

Join us for a story featuring alien Jesus, failed doomsday predictions, flying saucers, and the surprisingly important cult that helped explain why people cling to beliefs even when faced with evidence that they're wrong.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Season 9 finale of Queens, we're back in Russia with Alexandra Feodorovna, the last Tsarina of the Russian Empire.

When we last left Alexandra, she had married Tsar Nicholas II and stepped into one of the most powerful—and unforgiving—courts in Europe. Now, the pressure to produce an heir, her son Alexei's devastating hemophilia diagnosis, and the arrival of Grigori Rasputin will change the course of Russian history forever.

As Russia faces war, political unrest, and revolution, Alexandra becomes one of the most controversial women of her era. But was she truly the villain history remembers, or a devoted wife and mother caught in an impossible situation?

Join us as we explore Rasputin, the Romanovs, the Russian Revolution, and the tragic final chapter of the last Empress of Russia.

Time stamps:

00:00 Intro & Patreon shout outs!

03:37 All Daughters No Heir

05:32 Stress and Phantom Pregnancy

08:52 Faith Healer Philippe de Lyon

09:53 IT'S A BOY! Then... uh oh

13:59 Rasputin Enters

21:05 Russo Japanese War

23:43 Bloody Sunday

29:25 War Sparks Suspicion

31:15 Alexandra as Regent

36:02 Rasputin's Murdered... probably not as dramatic as you've heard

38:55 Russia Collapses Into Revolution

41:14 Pulling up to the Abdication Station

44:13 House Arrest

49:53 Execution Night

52:59 Legacy and Remains Found

55:06 Final Toast and Farewell

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re back with a completely reworked and expanded 2026 version of one of our most requested redo episodes: Alexandra Feodorovna, the last empress of Russia.

Originally covered way back in 2018, we realized there was so much more to unpack about the woman who would become the tragic final tsarina of Imperial Russia. So this time, we’re slowing down, diving deeper, and fully embracing the gaudy, dramatic chaos of the Romanov court.

In part one, we explore Alexandra’s early life as Princess Alix of Hesse, Queen Victoria’s favorite granddaughter, whose happy childhood was shattered by tragedy, illness, and loss. We talk about the spread of hemophilia through Europe’s royal families, Alexandra’s intense religious beliefs, and the deeply romantic (and deeply codependent) love story between Alix and the future Tsar Nicholas II.

From doomed romance to catastrophic public relations disasters, this is the beginning of the end for the Romanovs.

Timestamps:

00:00 Return to Imperial Russia & Alexandra Feodorovna Redo
02:39 The Revised “Rasputin” Cocktail Recipe
03:40 Alexandra Feodorovna’s Birth, Family & Triple Gemini Chaos
05:24 Queen Victoria, Royal Upbringing & Life in Hesse
10:12 Hemophilia in Europe’s Royal Families Explained
16:22 Alexandra’s Religion & the Divine Right of Kings
21:42 Alexandra Feodorovna’s First Trip to Russia
22:22 Young Nicholas II Meets Alexandra for the First Time
27:14 Nicholas and Alexandra’s Romantic Letters & Courtship
34:26 Nicholas II Proposes & Alexandra’s Religion Crisis
38:03 Alexandra Arrives in Russia as the Tsar Dies
45:40 Alexandra Feodorovna’s First Impressions at Court
47:35 Nicholas II’s Coronation & the Khodynka Field Disaster
53:06 “She Came to Russia Behind a Coffin” — Bad Omens Begin

Sources:

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices