The Royal Family & WW1

Happy Platinum Jubilee! As Queen Elizabeth II becomes the first British monarch to mark 70 years on the throne - as well as commander-in-chief of Her Majesty's Armed Forces - we trace the origins of the House of Windsor's close-knit links to the British military.

Why are the two so seemingly inseparable? The story begins in the First World War, when the dynasty changed its name from the House of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha to distance itself from its German roots. Rather than suffer due to its kinship with the kaiser, the royal family's stock amongst the UK public and its soldiery actually rose during and after the Great War.

In this episode James is joined by Heather Jones, Professor in Modern & Contemporary European History at UCL and the author of a new book on the subject, to explore exactly why the Armed Forces serve for king, queen and country.

Prof. Jones's book For King and Country: The British Monarchy and the First World War is out now via Cambridge University Press.

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