We've been fascinated by royalty for hundreds of years, but what do we know about their sex lives? Quite a lot, it turns out.
Today we're revisiting an episode Kate recorded with bestselling author Eleanor Herman to find out about what it took to not just be a mistress of a royal, but keep competitors at bay, too.
This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and Matt Peaty. It was produced by Stuart Beckwith and Sophie Gee, the senior producer was Charlotte Long.
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Scandalous Sex Lives of Royalty

Why did kings and queens have spectators on their wedding night? Who had the very first boob job? And did our ancestors have their unmentionables pierced?
Join historian, Kate Lister, Betwixt the Sheets as she unashamedly roots around the topics which seem to have been skipped in history class.
Everything from landmark LGBTQ+ court cases, to political scandal, to downright bizarre medieval cures for impotence. The etymology of swear words, gender bias in medicine, and satanic panic and cults - there’s nothing off limits.
She'll be bed-hopping around different time periods; from ancient civilisations, to the middle ages, to renaissance and early modern...right up to now.
You’ll laugh, you’ll wince, and you’ll ask yourself how much has actually changed.
So join Kate Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society - a podcast from History Hit.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe.
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History

Society & Culture

The third season of Bridgerton is out and we are back in sexy scandalous Georgian society. But while we watch, we're taking a step back to ask: how real is Bridgerton?
On this second episode in our REAL Bridgerton mini-series, we're looking at the royals and celebrities who filled the newspapers during 18th and early 19th century Britain.
What was Queen Charlotte really like? What was the genius Mozart's fascination with fart jokes? And was Lord Byron as dangerous to know as they say he was?
Joining Kate today are Catherine Curzon, Judith Grohmann and Emily Brand.
Also, if you'd like to find out more about this incredible period, you can watch Kate present a two-part documentary - Georgian Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll: Unbuttoning Bridgerton - over on History Hit. Simply click here for a free 14 day trial and watch now.
This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. Additional production was provided by Annie Woodman. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/
You can take part in our listener survey here.

The REAL Bridgerton: Queen Charlotte, Lord Byron & Georgian Celebrity

From the earliest iterations on the plains of Africa, to 21st century reconsiderations of it: are humans meant to be monogamous?
Joining Kate today is Helen Fisher, author of ANATOMY OF LOVE: A Natural History Of Mating, Marriage, And Why We Stray, to shed a light on our own relationship with this ancient social status.
How successful is it really? And will it survive well into the future?
This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/
You can take part in our listener survey here.

History of Monogamy

The long-awaited third season of Bridgerton is here! And with it, we all become obsessed with a particularly sexy version of Regency-era history.
Today's episode is the first in our mini-series on the REAL Bridgerton. Across four episodes we'll uncover Georgian attitudes to drugs and alcohol, insights into the celebrities of the time, and a re-cap on the historical accuracies of the latest season.
First and foremost, though, what was sex really like in Georgian England? How effective were the fashionable animal gut condoms? And what erotica were people enjoying?
Today's guests are Catherine Curzon, Kate Stephenson, Julie Peakman and Katie Wignall.
This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/
You can take part in our listener survey here.

The REAL Bridgerton: Georgian Sex

When you say ‘going medieval’ on someone, it brings up quite nasty connotations. 
But is this brutal suggestion a fair depiction of medieval times and their thoughts on torture and punishment? What are some of the more gruesome methods they employed? And why did Henry I give authorisation for his own granddaughter-in-law to be blinded? 
Joining Kate today is Matt Lewis, co-host of our sister podcast, Gone Medieval, to find out more. 
This episode was edited by Sophie Gee. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. 
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/
You can take part in our listener survey here.

Medieval Torture & Execution

When you look into the history of menopause it’s steeped in misogyny, fear and demonising women’s bodies. 
But what is the truth behind some of the popular menopause myths? How has it been understood (or misunderstood) throughout history? And how have post-menopausal women essential to human evolution? 
Joining Kate today is Dr. Jennifer Gunter, author of the Menopause Manifesto and gynaecology physician of 30+ years.
You can also read more of Jen’s writing on her blog here: https://vajenda.substack.com/
This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. 
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/
You can take part in our listener survey here.

Scandalous Sex Lives of Royalty

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