Life Changing

The coalman who could have been a prince


Listen Later

Keith Williams aka Keith ‘y Glo’ or ‘Keith the coal’ was born in 1952 and brought up as the son of a coal merchant in South Wales. At the age of 13 he found out he had been adopted but it was only when he was in his forties and expecting a grandchild that he started looking into his family history.

He eventually tracked down his birth mother and arranged an emotional reunion. It was at this first meeting that Keith asked her about his birth father and was presented with a bundle of documents and photographs. She told him that his father had been a young Malaysian prince who had also been studying in London. They had fallen in love and started a relationship but he was forced to return to Malaysia, where he later became the Sultan of Perak, one of the country’s nine royal families.

That revelation and Keith’s search for answers has taken him to Malaysia and back as he attempts to piece together who he really is and what defines his identity.

In another life Keith could have been royalty, and while that knowledge has changed him he reflects that he wouldn’t have had what he has now; the warmth and love of his large Welsh family and the strong relationship he built with his birth mother.

If you have a story you would like to share you can contact the programme at [email protected]

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Life ChangingBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

47 ratings


More shows like Life Changing

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,685 Listeners

The Archers by BBC Radio 4

The Archers

1,071 Listeners

The Archers Omnibus by BBC Radio 4

The Archers Omnibus

375 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,044 Listeners

Woman's Hour by BBC Radio 4

Woman's Hour

402 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,433 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,791 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,794 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,100 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,923 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,083 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

601 Listeners

Saturday Live by BBC Radio 4

Saturday Live

36 Listeners

Ramblings by BBC Radio 4

Ramblings

166 Listeners

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day by Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

1,266 Listeners

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle by BBC World Service

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle

4,178 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,185 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

736 Listeners

The Mid•Point with Gabby Logan by Spiritland Creative

The Mid•Point with Gabby Logan

184 Listeners

Where Are You Going? by Loftus Media

Where Are You Going?

31 Listeners

Young Again by BBC Radio 4

Young Again

50 Listeners

Off Air with Jane & Fi by The Times

Off Air with Jane & Fi

173 Listeners

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth by Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

502 Listeners

Strangers on a Bench by Tom Rosenthal

Strangers on a Bench

700 Listeners

What's Up Docs? by BBC Radio 4

What's Up Docs?

97 Listeners