

Willy Willy Harry Stee...
Charlie Higson
Charlie Higson's History of the Monarchy. In each new weekly episode, Charlie and his friendly experts....(ie REAL historians)...learn all about one of our Kings or Queens and ask searching questions like:Were they any good?What did they actually do?Why did so many die from an exploding stomach?It's the story of families at war....literally! New episodes every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 26, 2023 • 1h 3min
Lady Jane Grey
Willy Willy Harry Stee..........actually, we'll stop there for this episode. The lady in question was Queen, but only for 9 days and apart from a small apologetic addendum at the end of some versions of the rhyme, Lady Jane Grey doesn't get a mention. They say a week is a long time in politics. Well, it's nothing compared to 9 days in the Monarchy and as Charlie Higson discovers, her tale is a tragic one. She didn't even want to be Queen!Joining him to unravel the tale is Helen Castor author of She-Wolves who returns for one last time to uncover a story of plotting, religious fanaticism and eventually, violence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 19, 2023 • 1h 8min
Edward VI
Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five...Dick The Bad, Harry's Twain and Ned The LadHenry VIII's only legitimate son is crowned King at 9 years old and as Charlie Higson discovers, his should have been the perfect reign, but it will come as no surprise to find out that things didn't go according to plan. Helping Charlie is this episodes proper historian, Stephen Alford who wrote about Edward for Penguin Books 'Monarch' series as well as authoring his highly acclaimed book 'The Watchers: A Secret History of the Reign of Elizabeth' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 17, 2023 • 48min
BONUS EPISODE - Mortal Monarchs
So you've done it. You're the King......or the Queen.....you are the supreme ruler.....the big cheese......so surely you're not likely to die like those normal people are you?Except you are and sometimes, in ways even more hideous than your lowly subjects. In this bonus episode, Charlie Higson welcomes Dr Suzie Edge, author of 'Mortal Monarchs - 1,000 Years of Royal Deaths' and 'Vital Organs - The History of the Worlds Most Famous Body Parts' to talk about her work studying the ways Monarchs died. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 12, 2023 • 1h 21min
Henry VIII - Part 2
Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five...Dick The Bad, Harry's Twain.......Henry VIII gets a second episode in which Charlie Higson tells the story of Katherine, Anne, Jane, Anne, Catherine and Katherine. The Six Wives of Henry VIII. Assisting him on this tumultuous voyage is the husband and wife historical tag-team of Julia Fox & John Guy, authors of Hunting the Falcon: Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and the Marriage that Shook Europe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 5, 2023 • 1h 11min
Henry VIII - Part 1
Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five...Dick The Bad, Harry's Twain.......Yes, we usher in Henry VIII.He ate a lot. He spent a lot. He married a lot.If that's all you know about the most famous of all our Kings, then listen on as Charlie Higson uncovers Henry's life in the first part of a story that is so epic, it requires.....well......two parts!Such is Henry's magnitude, one guest is not enough either. In this episode we have two, the formidable husband and wife team of John Guy & Julia Fox, authors of many books on this Monarch including Hunting The Falcon, Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and the Marriage that Shook Europe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 3, 2023 • 39min
BONUS EPISODE - David Mitchell
The Monarchy is a hot topic. Willy Willy Harry Stee from Charlie Higson may be your royal podcast of choice, but David Mitchell wants you to buy his book, which takes the story of the English Monarchy up Elizabeth 1st.The book is called Unruly and in this fun episode, Charlie and David compare notes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 28, 2023 • 1h 13min
Henry VII
Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five...Dick The Bad, Harry's Twain.......Yes, Charlie Higson's personal history of the Monarchy lands on Henry VII, the victor at the Battle Of Bosworth and our first Tudor King, and it turns out he was a pretty good one!Joining Charlie is this episodes 'Proper Historian', is Nathen Amin, author of Tudor Wales, The House of Beaufort, and Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders: Simnel, Warbeck and Warwick Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 26, 2023 • 34min
BONUS EPISODE - Understanding The Tudors
Welcome to another Sidebar episode from Charlie Higson in his personal history of the Monarchy, Willy Willy Harry Stee. As we wave goodbye to the Plantagenets and that pesky War Of The Roses, we welcome a new Dynasty, The Tudors. To help understand where they came from, Charlie chats to Tracy Borman, a proper historian and author of Crown & Sceptre & The Private Lives Of The Tudors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 21, 2023 • 1h 11min
Richard III
Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five...Dick The Bad!Yes, Charlie Higson lands on Richard III. Was he Dick The Bad or should we celebrate him as one of the good ones?Here to argue his case is the Chairman of the Richard the Third society, Matt Lewis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 14, 2023 • 50min
Edward V
Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five....As he wades through the Wars Of The Roses, Charlie Higson reaches a king whose reign can be measured in days, Edward V. As one of the two Princes In The Tower along with his brother Richard Of Shrewsbury, Edward's life was short and tragic.In a departure from the norm, instead of the usual 'proper historian', Charlie invites a fellow history fan to join him, as David Mitchell, author of the forthcoming book Unruly chats all things Edward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.