We are into our final mini-series of the series, with Alexandra of Denmark (or Alix, as she was known), consort to King Edward VII. Alix enjoyed a surprisingly modest upbringing and was not initially favoured as a bride by Queen Victoria, but her kindly character and natural beauty saw her win the day. However, she would have to deal with excessive nagging from her mother-in-law and serial infidelity from her husband as well as the pressures of ill health and international diplomacy. It would be a long wait to become queen, but will Alexandra of Denmark be able to make her mark and be worthy o ..read more

Before we get started on the Windsor consorts, we read through various listener correspondence as well as sharing previews of our bonus content, including our new special episode on Geoffrey Chaucer. 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 Geoffrey Chaucer 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 chat to the historian Professor Gretchen Gerzina about Black Britons in Georgian Britain. There is a widespread misconception that Britain's black history only begins with Windrush, but we discuss the sizeable black and mixed raced population in Georgian Britain, the differing experiences that these people faced and some of the fascinating characters of the time. For more information on Gretchen, check out her website https://gretchengerzina.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

We speak to the historian Gareth Russell about his book The Palace, which covers the history of Hampton Court Palace, from the Tudors to the Windsors. It's a fascinating book (and podcast!) covering lots of fascinating characters - from Henry VIII and George III to chocolatiers and the Romanovs. For more on Gareth, you can find him on Twitter (https://x.com/garethrussell1) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/_garethrussell) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

We speak to the historian Professor Penelope Corfield about the Georgians in a wide-ranging discussion that takes us from epoch-shifting changes in technology and literacy to the beginnings of handshakes and the postal system. For more information on Penelope and her essays, check out her website: https://www.penelopejcorfield.com/ For additional resources on the Georgians: https://www.thegeorgiansdeedsandmisdeeds.com/ Plus you can buy her excellent book on the subject, The Georgians: The Deeds and Misdeeds of 18th-Century Britain, online and all good bookstores. Learn more about your ad choic ..read more

After a full biography episode last week, this time we review Prince Albert, scoring him on the factors and deciding whether or not he has the Rex Factor. Sign up for ad-free episodes and lots of bonus content at https://www.patreon.com/rexfactor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

In the first of two episodes, we do a full episode just looking at the life and consortship of Prince Albert, husband to Queen Victoria, with a full review episode to come next time. One of the most famous names in British royal history, Albert has perhaps been overshadowed by the extensive memorialisation undertaken by Victoria after his death, so we put the realm man centre stage: how did he come to marry Victoria, what was his role as consort and was it really such a great romance? Head to https://www.patreon.com/rexfactor for ad-free episode and lots of bonus content. Learn more about your ..read more

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