Willy Willy Harry Stee...

Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five...Dick The Bad, Harry's Twain and Ned The Lad, Mary, Bessie, James The Vain, Charlie Charlie, James again. William & Mary.......

Having booted her Dad out of power, along comes Mary II, complete with husband William Of Orange.

In the episode, the first of two on these joint rulers, Charlie Higson looks at Mary's life, along with his 'proper' historian, Dr Jonathan Healey who makes a welcome return to the podcast.

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Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five...Dick The Bad, Harry's Twain and Ned The Lad, Mary, Bessie, James The Vain, Charlie Charlie, James again.......

In this episode, Charlie Higson examines a reign that could be filed under 'Not Very Successful', lasting only 3 years and being ended by his daughter and son-in-law.

Helping Charlie understand our last catholic king is 'proper' historian Rebecca Rideal, author of 1666 Plague War and Hellfire

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Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five...Dick The Bad, Harry's Twain and Ned The Lad, Mary, Bessie, James The Vain, Charlie Charlie.....

And so, after an 11 year gap, Britain goes from puritan republic to the land of randy rakes, headed up by Charles II.

Charlie Higson regales us with the story of a man who loved ladies, laziness and.....well, that was about it really.

And, to make it a triplet of Charles', Lord Charles Spencer author of 'Blenheim' and 'To Catch A King' joins as this episodes 'Proper' Historian.

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Now that the podcast is firmly into the the time of The Stuarts, we welcome back the excellent Ian Mortimer to chat with Charlie Higson about life in the 17th century - a time of Puritan Piety, Republic into Reformation and Foppish Frippery. Oh, and Potatoes.

There's plenty more time travelling in Ian's book....The Time Traveller's Guide To Restoration Britain

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Willy Willy, Harry......er.....no. This one doesn't fit into the rhyme, BUT, after lopping Charles I's head off, Oliver Cromwell abolished the Monarchy and led the country himself, so he's a worthy inclusion.

In this episode Charlie Higson unpicks Cromwell's life and the reasons why we had 11 years without a King or Queen.

His 'proper historian' is Dr Jonathan Healey, author of 'Blazing World - A New History of Revolutionary England'

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Robbie, Willie, Mattie, Eustace, Harry, Arthur, Edward, Roger…

What's that? I hear you say - that's not the normal rhyme - what's happened here? Who are these people? Well, this is another special episode of Willy Willy Harry Stee - a sidebar episode, in which we take a look at some of the people in our history who should have come to the throne but never did.

Joining Charlie Higson to find out about these unfortunates is Ashley Mantle, author of Uncrowned - Royal Heirs Who Didn't Take The Throne

Remember to e-mail Charlie with your thoughts on the podcast and any suggestions on areas he should explore, the address is [email protected]

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Willy Willy Merry Christmas!

In this Christmas Special episode, Charlie Higson takes us through the many connections the Monarchy has had with Christmas over the years.

Learn about carols you've been singing incorrectly, how early Christmas trees doubled as incendiary devices and hear Charlie and guest Helen Castor discuss one of the greatest seasonal royal films of all time.

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Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five...Dick The Bad, Harry's Twain and Ned The Lad, Mary, Bessie, James The Vain, Charlie......

Charles The 1st, a king so bad he got himself executed and almost finished the Monarchy off for good.

But, of course, the story isn't that simple. Luckily for us, Charlie Higson unpicks his life with the help of Leanda De Lisle, historian and author of Henrietta Maria, Conspirator, Warrior, Phoenix Queen.

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Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five...Dick The Bad, Harry's Twain and Ned The Lad, Mary, Bessie, James The Vain.......

As we wave goodbye to the Tudors, we usher in the Stuarts for an episode of plotting, gunpowder or otherwise.

In the 'proper historians' chair this week, we welcome Clare Jackson, author of Devil-land - England Under Siege - 1588 to 1688 and who is currently writing a book on James VI & I

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In this special bonus episode of Charlie Higson's Personal History Of The Monarchy, he's joined by Suzannah Lipscomb, author of A Visitors Guide To Tudor England.

And what a visit that would be!

It was a time when life was precarious, London was smelly and the next plague was just around the corner!

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