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Today marks the paperback release of “Spare” – the tell all biography written by the Duke of Sussex.
It’s now been some years since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to step back as working members of the Royal family. Now that the dust – to at least some extent – has settled – it’s possible to review that decision, and the controversies that followed with an open mind and a level head. During this two-part podcast, this is what we have tried to do.
In part 2, Royal commentator James Taylor and history writer Gareth Streeter discuss:
The Netflix series and the background (as far as we understand it) of the dealThe treatment of the Duchess of Sussex in aspects of the UK media and how this compares with the way the Princess of Wales is discussedThe importance of source criticism in dealing with any mediaThe book Spare, and why Gareth got too angry to finish itHarry’s bravery and honesty in being vulnerable about his mental healthThe book’s strengths and weaknesses -
Today marks the paperback release of “Spare” – the tell all biography written by the Duke of Sussex.
It’s now been some years since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to step back as working members of the Royal family. Now that the dust – to at least some extent – has settled – it’s possible to review that decision, and the controversies that followed with an open mind and a level head. In this two-part podcast, this is what we have tried to do.
During this podcast, Royal commentator James Taylor and history writer Gareth Streeter discuss:
Harry and Meghan’s engagement and initial clash with the mediaThe Royal wedding and the huge optimism that surrounded itThe couple’s early married life as working RoyalsTheir decision to step backThe “Sandringham summit” and the Royal family’s responseThe controversial Oprah Winfrey interviewHow Royal titles work and the reason that the couple’s children were not initially a Prince and Princess -
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A year ago, the world was rocked by the release of the “missing Princes project” interim findings. A new book and TV documentary on the “Princes in the Tower” followed hot on the heels. The epic Philippa Langley was the driving force behind all three.
Okay, so it may have been a relatively niche portion of the world that was “rocked” by this release. But we Royal history geeks were curiously captivated.
In this video, history writer Gareth Streeter and Royal commentator James Taylor discuss the books strengths and weaknesses.
We cover:
· The background and merits of the "missing Princes project"
· The positives of the book and corresponding TV show
· The problem with biases in historical research
· Our big issues with the book's approach to source criticism
· The opportunities for the future of the project
· Our fears that the quest to prove Richard III’s innocence will undermine the genuine historical value of the project
· Whether the bones supposedly belonging to Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York should be subject to DNA examinations
Please note that this episode was recorded several months before broadcast. As such, some topical references will be out of date.
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Welcome to the Royal History Geeks podcast. This is a "catch all" channel where we post content from all our other series. That said, there will be some original content here.
If you prefer to listen to a series as a discrete unit, go to Royalhistorygeeks/podcasts to check out what we do...
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Gone but never forgotten.
It's been one year since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
Royal commentator, James Taylor and history writer, Gareth Streeter reflect on the late Queen's passing, her reign and her legacy.
As well as discussing news of Elizabeth's death and the public reaction, the discussion explores crucial moments from the Queen's reign.This episode was originally broadcast on September 8 2023
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A special bonus episode in the "Coronation catastrophes" podcast.
Royal commentator, James Taylor and history writer, Gareth Streeter, discuss the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
This episode was originally broadcast on June 20 2023
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In 1838, Britain was in the midst of a new dawn. Following the years of George III’s mental illness and the debauchery of his sons, a new, young Queen had come to the throne the previous year.
While other coronation ceremonies may have been beset with problems ahead of the event but were alright on the night, Victoria’s coronation didn’t live up to that adage.
There was much confusion about the form of service, she was made to wait around an interminable amount of time, an elderly peer was almost injured paying homage and the Queen left the abbey with a very painful finger.
In this episode, we look at the events of this tumultuous ceremony and, using the Queen’s own words, we explore some of the familial relations within the Royal Family itself at the time.
This episode was originally broadcast on May 8 2023
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The marriage between George IV and Caroline of Brunswick was doomed from the start. Their mutual dislike - which festered from their first meeting - was about the only thing they could agree on.
Estranged within two years, George eventually managed to exile his hated wife to the continent. But when he eventually ascended the throne, Caroline returned to claim her place as Queen.
Initially, Caroline rode a wave of public support rendering the King unable to secure a divorce. So when he decided to bar her from the coronation, she tried and force her way in.
In this episode, we explore the history of the unhappy couple, the accusations that were levied against Caroline and the surge in popularity she enjoyed as the public rallied to the cause of a wronged woman.
This episode was originally broadcast on May 8 2023
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When Henry VIII ascended the throne in 1509 he was weeks shy of his 18th birthday. Most would have assumed that the young King would be crowned alone.
However, shortly after taking the throne, Henry announced that he was to marry the resident Spanish Princess, Katherine of Aragon. The Infanta was the widow of Henry's brother Arthur and had once been betrothed to the new King himself.
The marriage would not end well. But for Katherine, Henry's decision to marry her was more than a grand romantic gesture. It rescued her from seven years of obscurity, isolation and genteel poverty.
This episode explores the history of the couple from their first meeting in 1501 to their eventual nuptials and speculates as to why Henry was in such a rush to take a wife.
This episode was originally broadcast on May 3 2023
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After his ultimate and unlikely victory at Bosworth in August 1485, many expected Henry VII to quickly marry the Princess Elizabeth of York. This would have restored the "true" Royal line to the throne. It was Henry's promise to marry Elizabeth that had caused many of his men to support him.
But, much to the likely horror of the nobility, Henry announced that he was to be crowned alone. The coronation ceremony was hastily rewritten to remove the role of Queen Consort and much of the political class were likely left wondering if Henry was ever going to come true on his promise.
In this episode we explore the practical, ceremonial and political ramifications of Henry’s decisions and speculate about the motivations and factors that shaped his strategy.
This episode was originally broadcast on May 2 2023
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In Gareth's new book "Do Let's Have Another Drink" the late Queen Mother steps forth as a figure of fun, a staunch defender of tradition and a woman you did not want to make an enemy of.
RHG caught up with Gareth to learn more about his new book and the life of Elizabeth Bowes Lyon: Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
If you enjoy what Gareth has to say, consider buying "Do Let’s Have Another Drink: The Singular Wit and Double Measures of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother".
This episode was originally broadcast on March 6 2023
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Gareth Russell is emerging as one of the strongest narrative historians of a generation. He has penned books on Catherine Howard, the history of English Kings and the sinking of the Titanic.
In this interview, Royal History Geeks asked Gareth about his research on Catherine Howard, his thoughts on the Crown season four and his obsession with Anne Boleyn.
This episode was originally broadcast on March 22, 2021
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Royal History Geeks caught up with Dr Owen Emmerson, residents historian and castle supervisor at Hever Castle.
The magnificent Hever Castle was the home of Anne Boleyn. We spoke to Owen about the huge role it has played in history and its importance in the lives of legendary figures.
We also talked about Hever's vast collection of portraiture and explored the elusive question of what Anne Boleyn may have actually looked like.
This episode was originally broadcast on 28 September 2020
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Lady Margaret Beaufort was the mother of Henry VII. She played a vital role in establishing the Tudor dynasty on the throne of England. In recent years, she has been much maligned in popular fiction.
I am joined by two authors and experts to discuss the real Margaret Beaufort. How accurate are the depictions we see in fiction? What were her real qualities? What is her legacy?
This episode was originally broadcast on 26 September, 2020
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It was an immense privilege to sit down (over zoom) with historian and novelist, Alison Weir.
Alison is responsible for some of the best researched 'narrative history' on the Tudor and Plantagenet periods. She has written novels as well as history books. At the time of the interview, she had just released her 5th book in the 'Six Tudor Queens' fictional series: Katherine Howard, the Tainted Queen (Scandalous Queen in the USA).
Please visit Alison's website and consider buying her books from a local bookstore or online.
