King Tries Hotdog!

King George VI first tasted a hot dog on June 11th, 1939.

The moment occurred during a picnic at the Hyde Park residence of US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But behind the culinary first for the King, the famous American Royal Picnic would turn out to be an essential moment in the Special Relationship between the UK and the US.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly discuss how the event warmed the American public up to the idea of supporting Britain in the Second World War; look into how sausages in buns became synonymous with US culture; and explain how hot dogs got their name (probably)...

Further Reading:

• ‘When Franklin Delano Roosevelt Served Hot Dogs to a King’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2017): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-franklin-delano-roosevelt-served-hot-dogs-king-180963589/

• ‘The Royal 'Hot Dog' Picnic’ (The American, 2020): https://www.theamerican.co.uk/pr/ft-Special-Relationship-Hot-Dog-June-11-1939

• ‘How Hot Dogs Helped Endear This British King to his U.S. Hosts’ (Smithsonian, 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HiOM7XFMzc

Love the show? Support us! 

Join  🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… 

… Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. 

Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices