Rex Factor

In Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon's second episode, we review the consort of King George VI by all the factors and decide whether or not she had the Rex Factor.

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In the first of two episodes, we look at the life and queenship of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (AKA the Queen Mother), consort to King George VI. From growing up in a Scottish castle to the First World War, becoming the Duchess of York, helping the monarchy through the Abdication Crisis and the Second World to a half-century as the Queen Mother, Elizabeth spanned the twentieth century. We tell the story of her long life in this episode, with the review to follow in the second of her episodes.

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This time we review Wallis Simpson, the wife-but-not-consort of Edward VIII. There's lots for us to get our teeth stuck into: an independent spirit but not able to become queen; myriad rumours of scandals across the world plus an unhealthy dose of Nazi associations. Famous, notorious and compelling - but does she have that certain something?

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In the first two episodes, we tackle one of the most controversial women in English royal history, Wallis Simpson. Technically not a consort, but her role in the Abdication Crisis and marrying the (former) King Edward VIII makes hers a fascinating and pertinent part of the story. In this episode, we tell her full life story, from growing up in Baltimore to marrying the king and having tea with Hitler.

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Mary of Teck (or Queen Mary, as many would have known her) was the consort of George V, and the first proper Windsor consort. Together with George, she helped set a model for the modern monarchy, facing a remarkable succession of crises (including two world wars). It was quite the story to get there as well, with a disrupted childhood, a royal tragedy and much more besides. Mary of Teck was there for it all, but will that be enough for the Rex Factor?

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We are into our final mini-series of the series, with Alexandra of Denmark (or Alix, as she was known), consort to King Edward VII. Alix enjoyed a surprisingly modest upbringing and was not initially favoured as a bride by Queen Victoria, but her kindly character and natural beauty saw her win the day. However, she would have to deal with excessive nagging from her mother-in-law and serial infidelity from her husband as well as the pressures of ill health and international diplomacy. It would be a long wait to become queen, but will Alexandra of Denmark be able to make her mark and be worthy of the Rex Factor?

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Before we get started on the Windsor consorts, we read through various listener correspondence as well as sharing previews of our bonus content, including our new special episode on Geoffrey Chaucer.

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And you can purchase the Geoffrey Chaucer special episode (as well as all our other specials) here: https://payhip.com/RexFactorPodcast 

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We chat to the historian Professor Gretchen Gerzina about Black Britons in Georgian Britain. There is a widespread misconception that Britain's black history only begins with Windrush, but we discuss the sizeable black and mixed raced population in Georgian Britain, the differing experiences that these people faced and some of the fascinating characters of the time.

For more information on Gretchen, check out her website https://gretchengerzina.com/

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We speak to the historian Gareth Russell about his book The Palace, which covers the history of Hampton Court Palace, from the Tudors to the Windsors. It's a fascinating book (and podcast!) covering lots of fascinating characters - from Henry VIII and George III to chocolatiers and the Romanovs.

For more on Gareth, you can find him on Twitter (https://x.com/garethrussell1) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/_garethrussell)

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We speak to the historian Professor Penelope Corfield about the Georgians in a wide-ranging discussion that takes us from epoch-shifting changes in technology and literacy to the beginnings of handshakes and the postal system.

For more information on Penelope and her essays, check out her website:

https://www.penelopejcorfield.com/

For additional resources on the Georgians:

https://www.thegeorgiansdeedsandmisdeeds.com/

Plus you can buy her excellent book on the subject, The Georgians: The Deeds and Misdeeds of 18th-Century Britain, online and all good bookstores.

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