When the peace of an Edinburgh night is shattered by an explosion and the Queen of Scotland’s husband is found dead, but no murderer can be found, the question is not only who killed the King Consort but why? Join Professor Kate Williams and Robert Hardman as they uncover the suspects, the events and the motives behind a murder that definitively changed the course of Mary Queen Of Scots’ reign. Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week.  Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past.  New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow us on TikTok and Instagram @queenskingspod, and email us at @dastardlythings@mailonline.co.uk Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Producer: Rich Jarman  Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini  Executive Producer: Bella Soames  Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did Queen Victoria find comfort and love in the arms of a servant following the death of Prince Albert? What can we conclude from the Queen’s disregard for public, parliamentary and family concern about her close relationship with John Brown, the Scottish servant who found himself resident at Buckingham Palace? And, was the Queen so devoted to John Brown that they secretly married? Professor Kate Williams and Robert Hardman reveal all about this mysterious royal relationship that captivated the Victorian public and continues to mystify royal historians and commentators today. Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past.  New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow us on TikTok and Instagram @queenskingspod, and email us at @dastardlythings@mailonline.co.uk Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Producer: Rich Jarman  Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini  Executive Producer: Bella Soames  Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On June 10 1688, Queen Mary of Modena, the Catholic wife of James II, gave birth to a son, James Francis Stewart.  Or did she? Join Kate Williams and Robert Hardman as they dive into one of royal history’s juiciest, and often forgotten, scandals: an event that should have been a joyous moment (a male heir - hurrah!) but one that instead unleashed a chain of events that would lead to mother, father, and child being driven out of England to spend the rest of their lives in… exile.  Robert and Kate will explore whether Queen Mary really did give birth to a healthy son, or if – as many English Protestants, unwilling to see a Catholic heir on the throne, claimed – the pregnancy was all a ruse. Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past.  New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow us on TikTok and Instagram @queenskingspod, and email us at @dastardlythings@mailonline.co.uk Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Producer: Rich Jarman  Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini  Executive Producer: Bella Soames  Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do you get when you mix a $20 million diamond necklace; a sycophantic cardinal; a con-artist; and Marie Antoinette? Only one of French history’s biggest royal scandals – a scandal that, arguably, led to the abolition of nearly a thousand years of French monarchy and the demise of France's final two monarchs on the guillotine. Join Kate Williams and Robert Hardman for a rollicking ride through a royal scandal that really does have it all: sex, lies – and Marie Antoinette: one of the most iconic – and most misunderstood – female figures of the 18th Century.  Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week.  Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past.  New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.  Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Producer: Rich Jarman  Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini  Executive Producer: Bella Soames  Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charles II's sexual appetite was infamously compared to a racehorse, and he revelled in reversing the social strictures that Oliver Cromwell had strictly enforced during the Interregnum. Unsurprisingly, Charles II had mistresses. And lots of them. But Charles II’s mistresses were so much more than footnotes in a new era of frivolity, parties and hedonism –  many of these women wielded significant power in their own right, and played pivotal roles in court politics and international relations. Their close relationship to Charles II during an intense period of social and political change means that they played a key role in shaping the course of English history.  Join Robert Hardman and Kate Williams as they explore the stories of three of these fascinating women – Barbara Castlemaine, Nell Gywnne, and Lucy Walter – and ask what their stories reveal about the wider history of the period. Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week.  Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past.  New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.  Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Producer: Rich Jarman  Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini  Executive Producer: Bella Soames  Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite being immortalised in the iconic song by Boney M, the life and death of Grigory Rasputin remains shrouded in mythology and mystery. A mystic healer, political saboteur, and renegade monk, Rasputin’s life – and his ‘member’ – casts a long shadow over Russian history, not least in the questions surrounding his role in formenting the opposition to the Russian Tsar that ultimately caused the 1917 Revolution, a cataclysmic event that overturned Russia’s social and political order forever, and preceded wider social change in Europe and beyond.  Join Robert and Kate for the second episode of Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things as they unpack the life and times of Russia’s greatest love machine – surely one of very few dastardly historic icons for whom genital warts and cataclysmic social upheaval can justifiably be included in the same sentence.  Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week.  Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past.  New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.  Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Producer: Rich Jarman  Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini  Executive Producer: Bella Soames  Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Robert and Kate tackle one of history's biggest questions: was Anne Boleyn guilty of everything that Henry VIII accused her of? Over the centuries, historians have spilt vast quantities of ink dissecting the evidence, the political intrigue, and the motives behind the charges that led to Anne's tragic demise. Robert and Kate explore the wider context of Anne’s astronomical rise and rapid fall; the key players in her trial; and, whether her alleged infidelities were fabrications to justify Henry VIII’s desire for a new wife, and that longed for son…  Join Kate and Robert as they separate fact from fiction and uncover the truth behind surely one of the juiciest royal scandals of all time. Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week.  Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past.  New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.  Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Producer: Rich Jarman  Production Manager: Victoria Cecchini  Executive Producer: Bella Soames  Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On 31st May 1810, the Duke of Cumberland – George III’s fifth child, and notorious 19th Century wrong’un – was attacked while asleep in his apartments in St James’ Palace. And, hours later, one of the Duke’s valets, Joseph Sellis, was found dead in his room. His throat had been cut with a razor. It was a grisly crime scene. Sellis’ head was nearly severed from his body, and blood had soaked the bedclothes, furniture, and walls.  Join Kate and Robert as they delve into the circumstances surrounding Sellis’ death by reconstructing what exactly happened on the night of the murder; exploring the Duke of Cumberland’s scandalous background and his subversive relationship with both Joseph Sellis, and his other valet. Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week.  Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past.  New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.  Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Producer: Rich Jarman  Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini  Executive Producer: Bella Soames  Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nepalese Massacre was one of the most dramatic, bloody royal events to ever happen – and the chances are that most listeners won’t have heard of it.  On a summer’s evening in Kathmandu in 2001, Nepal’s royal family was almost entirely wiped out, in a single night. Hours later, the alleged killer lay in a hospital bed in a coma, having been proclaimed King the moment that his father died. The man in question – Crown Prince Dipendra – allegedly went on a murderous rampage, killing nine members of his own family, including his parents, King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, before taking his own life.  In this episode, Robert Hardman and Kate Williams will guide listeners through three turbulent Centuries of Nepalese history, tracing the build up to, and the fall out from, this shocking event. Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things is the Daily Mail's unmissable podcast that promises listeners a weekly dose of royal history and intrigue by unpacking a different royal scandal each week.  Hosted by Daily Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams, each episode delves into the juiciest parts of royal history from eras past, and present... but mainly past.  New episodes out every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.  Presenters: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Producer: Rich Jarman  Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini  Executive Producer: Bella Soames  Thanks to Dr. Fern Riddell  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In our first episode, the Mail on Sunday's Royal Correspondent Natasha Livingstone and Royal Biographer and Mail Columnist Robert Hardman sit back, luxuriate and pontificate on Episode 1 of The Crown's final season - Persona Non Grata. As we join the Windsors & Co in 1997, can it possibly live up to expectation? How will the producers portray one of the defining news stories of modern times? As fans of the show, this podcast is looking to separate fact from fiction and by speaking to Royal experts, determine where the series is spot on - and where creative license has been used. If you enjoy this episode - please do hit the follow button and leave a positive comment. The Crown is available to watch on Netflix. Season 6 is being released in two chunks: Episodes 1-4 on November 16th, episodes 5-10 on December 14th. For incredible Royal coverage, please visit Mailonline. Presented by Natasha Livingstone & Robert Hardman. Produced by Rich Jarman. This is a Mail Metro Media Audio production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode Natasha Livingstone and Robert Hardman discuss the events of episode 2 Season 6 of The Crown, plus they’re joined by special guest Richard Kay who joins the show to discuss his experience of attending Prince Charles’ iconic Balmoral photoshoot in the summer of 1997. Make sure you’re following The Crown: Fact or Fiction so you don’t miss an episode.  https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572 Send The Crown: Fact Or Fiction your views and opinions on Whatsapp: 07796657512 Include the words “The Crown”, “Fact or Fiction” or “FOF” so we know which show you’re giving your opinion on! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode Natasha Livingstone and Robert Hardman along with special guest, journalist and author, Petronella Wyatt, discuss the events of episode 3 Season 6 of The Crown. Petronella gives her opinion on how accurate The Crown's depictions of Diana and Dodi are. She also talks about the Diana she knew, of meeting Dodi and of being shown Mohamed Al-Fayed's taste in home decor, first hand. You can read Petronella's article referenced in the podcast here:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12736515/Crown-depicts-Diana-love-Dodi-PETRONELLA-WYATT-reveals-startling-confidence.html Make sure you’re following The Crown: Fact or Fiction so you don’t miss an episode.  https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572 Send The Crown: Fact Or Fiction your views and opinions on Whatsapp: 07796657512 Include the words “The Crown”, “Fact or Fiction” or “FOF” so we know which show you’re giving your opinion on! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Crown: Fact or Fiction, Natasha Livingstone and Robert Hardman discuss the events of episode 4 season 6 of The Crown, the last of the first batch of episodes to be released as part of season 6.  This episode focuses on the aftermath of the deaths of Diana and Dodi and we take a look at the way the Queen and the Royal Family's response to the tragedy are depicted in The Crown, the protocols that were followed, as well as some finer details that might only be perceptible to those with first hand knowledge and insight. Richard Kay joins the podcast to share his recollections of how the news broke, both from the perspective of a journalist covering the story, but also as a friend of Diana.  Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode.   https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572 Send The Crown: Fact Or Fiction your views and opinions on Whatsapp: 07796657512 Include the words “The Crown”, “Fact or Fiction” or “FOF” so we know which show you’re giving your opinion on! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Crown: Fact or Fiction, Natasha Livingstone and Robert Hardman discuss the events of episode 5, season 6 of The Crown: "Willsmania." The episode finds a teenage Prince William coming to terms with the loss of his mother, struggling with a strained relationship with his father, Prince Charles, and new found celebrity as a pin up for teenage girls around the world. Robert Hardman describes what it was like when Willsmania hit, with first hand experience of the famous Royal visit to Vancouver that saw teenage pandemonium take hold, huge crowds and even interruptions to the biggest television shows of the time. But did the Crown get it right? Natasha Livingstone sheds some light on the accuracy of The Crown's depiction of the teenage Prince William and shares a story about a practical joke played upon him by his mother that would be almost impossible for anyone but Diana, Princess of Wales. Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode.   https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572 We love reading your reviews and comments, leave one and we might read it on the next episode! Send The Crown: Fact Or Fiction your views and opinions on Whatsapp: 07796657512 Include the words “The Crown”, “Fact or Fiction” or “FOF” so we know which show you’re giving your opinion on! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Crown: Fact or Fiction, Natasha Livingstone and Robert Hardman discuss the events of Season 6, Episode 6 of The Crown: "Ruritania."   The episode depicts Tony Blair at the height of his powers, having won a landslide election, riding the wave of "Cool Britannia" and leading Nato in a just war. By contrast the Royal Family find their appeal waning, questioning if they are being left behind by the world and debating if modernisation is needed.  Robert Hardman explains some of the more esoteric roles that are employed by the Crown and explores the relationships between the monarch and their closest advisors.  Natasha Livingstone fact checks the events and timeline of the episode and gives additional detail on one of Tony Blair's lesser known but most heartfelt honours from the time. Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode.    We love reading your reviews and comments, leave one and we might read it on the next episode! Send The Crown: Fact Or Fiction your views and opinions on Whatsapp: 07796657512 Include the words “The Crown”, “Fact or Fiction” or “FOF” so we know which show you’re giving your opinion on! https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the Crown: Fact or Fiction, Natasha Livingstone, Robert Hardman and special guest, Rebecca English, the Mail’s Royal Editor, take a look at Alma Mater - Episode 7 of Season 6 of The Crown. This episode of the Crown focusses on William’s time at St Andrews and the beginnings of his relationship with his future wife, Kate Middleton.  Find out: Have the Crown got it right about William and Kate’s first meet?  What do we really know about William’s time at St Andrews? Is there more than meets the eye when it comes to the Crown’s depiction of William’s first university girlfriend? Was William hounded by reporters and photographers while at University?  Did the Crown depict the Middleton family accurately and fairly? All this and more, in this episode of The Crown: Fact or Fiction.  Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode.  We love reading your reviews and comments, leave one and we might read it on the next episode! Send The Crown: Fact Or Fiction your views and opinions on Whatsapp: 07796657512 Include the words “The Crown”, “Fact or Fiction” or “FOF” so we know which show you’re giving your opinion on, or even leave us a voice note! https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the Crown: Fact or Fiction, Natasha Livingstone and Robert Hardman take a look at Ritz - Episode 8 of Season 6 of The Crown. This episode of the Crown splits its attention between the end of Princess Margaret's life and the story of the Queen and Princess Margaret's celebration in London on VE day. We answer the questions: What do we know about the Queen and Princess Margaret's celebration of the end of the second world war? Has the Crown got it right with their characterisation of Princess Margaret? Did The Ritz have a secret club hidden from the sight of its genteel patrons? Did the Duke of Edinburgh miss Princess Margaret's birthday celebrations? What drove Princess Margaret's decision to have a very different kind of funeral to other royals? All this and more, in this episode of The Crown: Fact or Fiction.  Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode.  We love reading your reviews and comments, leave one and we might read it on the next episode! Send The Crown: Fact Or Fiction your views and opinions on Whatsapp: 07796657512 Include the words “The Crown”, “Fact or Fiction” or “FOF” so we know which show you’re giving your opinion on, or even leave us a voice note! https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Natasha Livingstone and Robert Hardman take a look at the penultimate episode of Season 6 of The Crown, Hope Street. Special guest Gary Goldsmith joins the show to talk about what it's like seeing his sister, Carole Middleton, and his niece Catherine, Princess of Wales, represented onscreen in The Crown, how he feels about his sister's portrayal and how accurate he feels the show is in general. Plus, Find out: Why did Mohamed Al-Fayed refer to the British royals a "Dracula family"? Did The Crown get the details about the inquiry into Diana's death right? What happened at the St Andrew's fashion show where William and Kate's romance began? In an episode packed with events and storylines, has The Crown got its dates right? Did William hurriedly leave the Middletons' jubilee celebration to support the Queen? All this and more, in this episode of The Crown: Fact or Fiction.  We love reading your reviews and comments, leave one and we might read it on the next episode! Send The Crown: Fact Or Fiction a voicenote on Whatsapp: 07796657512 and start your message with "The Crown" so we know which show you’re giving your opinion on. Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode.  https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Natasha Livingstone and Robert Hardman take a look at the final episode of Season 6 of The Crown, Sleep, Dearie, Sleep. This episode finds the Queen planning her funeral and questioning her role while Harry makes the headlines in fancy dress and Charles and Camilla get engaged and marry. Find out: Was The Queen's funeral under review as Charles planned to marry Camilla? Did Charles have to ask the Queen permission to marry Camilla? Was there a request to confess "Past Wickedness"? Was The Queen planning to abdicate, as per The Crown? Why would The Crown's Piper fail to have woken the Queen? Did The Crown get The Queen's speech notes right? All this and more, in this episode of The Crown: Fact or Fiction.  Robert Hardman's latest book, Charles III, can be ordered here: https://books.mailshop.co.uk/charles-iii-9781035027415 We love reading your reviews and comments, leave one and we might read it on the next episode! Send The Crown: Fact Or Fiction a voicenote on Whatsapp: 07796657512 and start your message with "The Crown" so we know which show you’re giving your opinion on. Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode.  https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Series 6 over and no more episodes of The Crown expected, Natasha Livingstone and Robert Hardman have stepped in to imagine what Series 7 could look like if a new series were commissioned.   On this episode, find out which major events would be guaranteed to make an appearance in a future series of The Crown.   Find out: How has the Queen's role in politics changed over the years? Why is a hung parliament a headache for a monarch? What happened when the Queen made headlines on her state visit to Ireland? Find out what it was like to attend William and Kate's wedding. How do we think The Crown would represent key scenes, including William's proposal?   All this and more, in this episode of The Crown: Fact or Fiction.    We love reading your reviews and comments, leave one and we might read it on the next episode! Send The Crown: Fact Or Fiction a voicenote on Whatsapp: 07796657512 and start your message with "The Crown" so we know which show you’re giving your opinion on.   Make sure you're following The Crown: Fact Or Fiction so you don't miss an episode.  https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-crown-fact-or-fiction/id1714259572 Robert Hardman's latest book, Charles III, can be ordered here: https://books.mailshop.co.uk/charles-iii-9781035027415 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices