Pull up a velvet throne and grab your alchemy kit – in this episode of Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things, Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams swirl together Arthurian legends, royal superstition, and some seriously dodgy medieval science. Listen now! Is the Holy Grail real? Can gold be made from stones? Did Diana really have a psychic on speed-dial? And why exactly did Queen Victoria try to give a clairvoyant a watch? From King Arthur’s suspiciously round table (equal rights, medieval-style!) to Queen Elizabeth I's astrologer with stage-magician energy – and a creepy sidekick who claims angelic permission to bed his boss’s wife – this episode dishes the royal gossip with a side of sorcery. Expect conjurers, clairvoyants, and chalices promising immortality. We meet John Dee, who mixed mathematics and magic (and questionable life choices), and peer into Queen Victoria’s séance-filled mourning rituals, featuring a moody Scottish manservant who may or may not be possessed by Prince Albert. And yes, we go full ghost story – haunted bedrooms and spectral jesters. History gets a magical makeover in this entertaining and insightful journey through fact, folklore, and the royal fondness for the utterly bizarre. Hosts: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Series Producer: Ben Devlin Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Bella Soames Hosts: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Series Producer: Ben Devlin Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Executive Producer: Bella Soames A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular. Sign up to Palace Confidential, the FREE royals newsletter from the Mail's top experts. Delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday, it's the smartest way to stay in the royal inner circle. Just head to dailymail.co.uk/palaceconfidential to sign up today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
