We are off for Easter for a couple of weeks before getting back to Prince Albert, so this week we're doing a feed swap with the History Daily Podcast, which releases c. 15 minute episodes every weekday covering an event in history. We are showcasing two of their episodes which should hopefully be of interest to Rex Factor Listeners: the jousting injury that changed the course of Henry VIII's life and reign, and the death of Elizabeth I and the end of the Tudor dynasty. (Apologies, this episode should have come out on the 5th of April but some reason got stuck in drafts and didn't release!) Lea ..read more

We speak to the historian Dr Linda Porter about some of the most notable mistresses of Charles II (Lucy Walter, Barbara Villiers, Frances Stuart, Nell Gwynn, Hortense Mancini), discussing why we know so much about them, what they tell us about Charles and how this affected his wife and queen, Catherine of Braganza. Sign up for bonus content (including ad-free episodes and hundreds of Patreon-exclusive bonus episodes) at https://www.patreon.com/rexfactor For all our links and more information, go to https://www.rexfactorpodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch ..read more

Adelaide is probably one of the least famous of Britain's consorts, wife of William IV. A very different character to her predecessor, Queen Caroline, Adelaide was quiet and kind but faced the challenge of an eccentric and uncouth husband in William and a febrile political atmosphere with agitation for reform. Will slow and steady win the race? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

If Ali still had his scandal bell, this episode might break it! It's Caroline of Brunswick this week, consort to George IV despite his spending their entire marriage trying to prevent that eventuality. A poorly matched couple, Caroline lived life according to her own rules, creating scandal in England and then in European exile before returning for a grand battle as George tried to deny her her position as Queen. It certainly made an impression, but will it deserve the Rex Factor? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

It's the first Hanoverian consort proper this week with Caroline of Ansbach, queen consort to George II. She's not so famous now, but Caroline was a highly influential consort, loved and respected by her husband and enjoying great influence through an alliance with Robert Walpole (the country's first Prime Minister). However, she also had to manage the usual Hanoverian family conflicts, with each generation hating each other, as well as her own husband's foibles and mistresses. So will Caroline emerge from the shadows and back into the Rexy spotlight? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit po ..read more

Sophia Dorothea of Celle was the wife of King George I but she was not, technically, a consort. We'll explain why this was the case, taking in dynastic politics, an unhappy marriage, a passionate romance, high drama and a new heroic character mostly invented by Ali. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

A little bonus to finish 2023, we've dipped into the archives and pulled out this recording of a live show we did at the We Have Ways of Making You Talk Festival in July 2022. We Have Ways of Making You Talk is a Second World War podcast, so we were talking about the royals during the war, specifically focusing on the former king (Edward VIII) and the actual king (George VI), looking at their different experiences of the war and some of their relationship during it. The episode was not recorded through the sound desk, so the sound quality isn't up to our usual standards, but a big thanks to Mi ..read more

Before we get started on the Hanoverian consorts, we read through various listener correspondence as well as sharing previews of our bonus content, including our new special episode on Edgar the Ætheling. You can sign up to join the Privy Council and gain access to all our bonus content here: https://www.patreon.com/rexfactor And you can purchase the Edgar the Ætheling special episode (as well as all our other specials) here: https://payhip.com/RexFactorPodcast  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

We speak to Dr Ellie Woodacre again, this time about male consorts. Our last mini series had two male consorts (Philip II and Prince George of Denmark) as well as covering the time period of Elizabeth I (with no consort) and William and Mary. We speak to Ellie about where England's experience fits in with other European countries - did England come to queens regnant late? What kind of roles, powers and titles did male consorts have in other countries? You can follow Ellie on X/Twitter (@monarchyconf) or check out her podcast Royal Studies Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podca ..read more

We speak to Dr Emma Southon for the second time on the podcast, this time discussing her new book A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women (or A Rome of One's Own in the US), a fascinating look at women from Roman history that (mostly) people don't tend to have heard of, but who give us a fascinating alternative look at the history of Ancient Rome and the varying experience of women in that history. For more on Emma, check out her website https://www.emmasouthon.com and her podcast History is Sexy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more