British History: Royals, Rebels, and Romantics

British History: Royals, Rebels, and Romantics

Weekly podcast, British History: Royals, Rebels, and Romantics, available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. Meet famous and infamous characters, walk with playwrights and peasants, and wander through castles and cathedrals. New episodes every Wednesday. Have a question about British history, something you’ve always wanted to know? Just ask! Let’s explore history together.

Episodes

August 5, 2026 49 mins

We think we know the story of Anne Boleyn and her family. But what went on behind closed doors? In her new novel, Tracy Borman explores the personal side of the Boleyns: their rivals, their supporters, and the years that changed England forever.

Tracy Borman, OBE
https://www.tracyborman.co.uk/
Details on 2026 Theatre Tour: http://tracybormanlive.co.uk/ 
https://x.com/TracyBorman
https://www.instagram.com/...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Shakespeare's Richard II clung to his crown as if it could transform him. Henry V took off his royal robes to focus on his people. Shakespeare shows the difference between clinging to power and taking responsibility.

Carol Ann Lloyd
TEDx talk: 3 Leadership Secrets from Shakespeare
@shakeuphistory
https://carolannlloyd.com/
https://patreon.com/carolannlloyd
https://bookshop.org/shop/carolann
The Tudors by Numbers

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

The history of Medieval Europe is shaped by the women--wives, mothers, daughter, sisters who wielded power, made alliances, governed areas and nations. Susan Abernethy joins us to discuss the women who shaped the Medieval world.

Susan Abernethy

The Freelance History Writer https://thefreelancehistorywriter.com/ 

Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza

The Formidable Women of Medieval Europe: Power ...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

This year, the US is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Despite his limited powers, George III is the focus of grievances the Americans expressed as they demanded independence. George Washington lead the Continental Army and then the nation. The story of two Georges is the story of America.

Carol Ann Lloyd
TEDx talk: 3 Leadership Secrets from Shakespeare
@shakeuphistory
https://carolannllo...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Shakespeare's plays Othello and Much Ado About Nothing start with the same storyline: someone tells a lie about a relationship that threatens an entire community. But when does the lie become a weapon? When someone chooses to believe it. True leaders must push back against lies, even when it's risky and unpopular.

Carol Ann Lloyd
TEDx talk: 3 Leadership Secrets from Shakespeare
@shakeuphistory
https://carolannlloyd....

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Tudor and Stuart England is sometimes considered "a scepter'd isle," as Shakespeare put it--proudly alone. But in fact, the history is much more complicated. Nandini Das explores how small and interconnected the world was in the 16th and 17th centuries, and how that contributed to the nature and character of England at the time.

Nandini Das
University of Oxford
https://www.english.ox.ac.uk/people/nandini-das https://ww...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Amy McElroy
Substack: The Tudor Notebook with Rebecca Batley
https://amymcelroy.substack.com/p/welcome
@amymcelroy on Substack
@amymcelroy_author on Instagram
Books: Desiderius Erasmus (2026), Mary Tudor Queen of France (2025)
And many more!

Carol Ann Lloyd
TEDx talk: 3 Leadership Secrets from Shakespeare
@shakeuphistory
https://carolannlloyd.com/
https://patreon.com/carolannlloyd
https://boo...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

In this episode of the Royals, Rebels, and Romantics Leadership Series, Carol Ann examines Shakespeare's King Lear as a cautionary tale. Instead of behaving as a leader, Lear behaves as a bully, grasping for power and control. He treats leadership as a transaction, attempting to exchange power for praise. Not surprisingly, everything falls apart.

Carol Ann Lloyd
TEDx talk: 3 Leadership Secrets from Shakespeare
@shakeuphistory<...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

From the time she burst onto the stage of the royal court in 1522, people have been debating what Anne Boleyn looked like. Recent discoveries about portraits created in the reign of her daughter shed some light on the political importance of Anne's hands. Historian Helene Harrison joins us to share her insight and early identification of the way politics and portraiture come together in the appearance of Anne Boleyn.

Show Notes:

Hele...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Anne Boleyn changed the history of England, but her impact was felt far beyond her native country. Author and historian Heather Darsie brings a Continental perspective to Anne's life, and her death.

Show Notes:

Heather Darsie
Heather holds degrees in law and German, which gives her special insight into the Continental perspective on the factors leading to the death of Anne Boleyn. 
https://maidensandmanuscr...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet has captured the attention of the world, focusing on Shakespeare's family. The importance of Agnes (Anne) Hathaway Shakespeare and the death of son Hamnet changed the family. Carol Ann looks at how four adaptations give us new understanding of the family and the works of Shakespeare.

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell affiliate link:   

Carol Ann Lloyd
TEDx talk: 3 Leadership Secrets fro...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Macbeth begins ominously: "Enter three witches." What did Scottish people believe about witches? Historian and author Mary Craig joins Royals, Rebels, and Romantics to explain.

Show Notes:

Mary Craig
https://marywcraig.com/ 
Mary and Doug's podcast: https://bordersbletherings.uk/#podcast 
Twitter: https://x.com/11mwc 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marywcraig 
Instagram: https://...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

A new series on Royals, Rebels, and Romantics!
Leadership Lessons from History and Shakespeare.
This week we take a deep dive into Shakespeare's Henry V and why listening is a leader's superpower.

Carol Ann Lloyd
TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVWJml2otH0 
@shakeuphistory
https://carolannlloyd.com/ 
https://patreon.com/carolannlloyd
https://bookshop.org/shop/carolann
The Tudors b...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Jane Seymour was not the only famous Seymour woman of the sixteenth century. Rebecca Batley explores the lives of Edward Seymour's two wives, Catherine Filliol and Anne Stanhope. 

Show Notes:

Rebecca Batley
https://substack.com/@rebecca192630 
https://amymcelroy.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips 
@damagedbybooks 
@rebecca192644 
https://bsky.app/profile/bec1926.bait.socia...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Elizabeth Goff, aka The Historical Gal, brings the Tudors to life, with 100 tales of gowns, gossip, and gory ends!

Show Notes

Elizabeth Goff
 @TheHistoryGal  
@thehistoricalgal
@the_historical_gal on Instagram
Bloody, Brilliant Tudors

Carol Ann Lloyd
@shakeuphistory
https://carolannlloyd.com/ 
https://patreon.com/carolannlloyd
The Tudors by Numbers
Courting the Virgin Q...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

It was a conflict that raged on for years, shifting alliances, remaking warfare, and changing the political and economic landscape of Europe forever. Michael Livingston deep into the history of what we call "The Hundred Years War," revealing conflicts and battles that raged for two centuries that laid the foundation of the modern world.

https://www.michaellivingston.com/ 

Show Notes:

Michael Livingston
...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Throughout history, women have used their own ways to establish credibility and exercise influence. In the sixteenth century, two women took this to high art: Catherine de Medici and Bess of Hardwick. In different countries and using different techniques, these two women demonstrate how the public performance of marriage and motherhood could change history.

Carol Ann Lloyd
www.carolannlloyd.com
@shakeuphistory
patre...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Joanna Plantagenet, daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, was a princess and a pioneer. Author and historian Catherine Hanley takes us through her exciting life and shares insights from her book, Lioness Heart.

Carol Ann Lloyd
www.carolannlloyd.com
@shakeuphistory
patreon.com/carolannlloyd
The Tudors by Numbers
Courting the Virgin Queen 

Catherine Hanley
@catherinehanley_author
Lionessheart:...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
January 14, 2026 31 mins

Happy 2026! I believe studying history is more important now than ever! Join me for a discussion about the power of history, one of my favorite historical moments (1399), and how history is showing us what's possible.

Show Notes:

Carol Ann Lloyd
www.carolannlloyd.com
@shakeuphistory
patreon.com/carolannlloyd
The Tudors by Numbers
Courting the Virgin Queen 

Book mentioned in podcast: The Eagle and the Hart, by Helen...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Rosemary Griggs is an author, researcher, and presenter who shares the often unknown stories of Tudor women.

Show Notes: 

Carol Ann Lloyd
www.carolannlloyd.com
@shakeuphistory
patreon.com/carolannlloyd
The Tudors by Numbers
Courting the Virgin Queen 

Rosemary Griggs
rosemarygriggs.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/ladykatherinesfarthingale
https://www.instagram.com/griggs6176/
https://bsky.app/profile...

Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Betrayal Weekly

    Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.

  • Help
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • AdChoicesAd Choices