Recent Posts

Episode 222 – Food in Tudor England with Brigitte Webster

Guest Bio Brigitte Webster is a qualified teacher of home economics and history, making her the perfect ‘accomplished’ Tudor housewife in modern day Britain. As a competent and experienced cook with a deep passion for Tudor history she fully immersed herself in archaeological, experimental cookery which also motivated her to grow period vegetables, herbs and fruits to achieve the most authentic end results. In 2019 she and her husband bought a small Tudor manor that had escaped ruthless … [Read More...]

Episode 221 – The Battle of Flodden with Julian Humphrys

Julian Humphrys

Guest Bio After graduating in history from Emmanuel College Cambridge, Julian Humphrys joined the staff of London's National Army Museum where he curated numerous exhibitions and was spokesperson to the media on all matters of British Army history. He moved on to organise English Heritage's programme of guided tours to historic sites and continues to lead battlefield walks for its members. Julian is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and is a trustee of the Battlefields Trust, the UK … [Read More...]

Episode 220 – The Life & Reign of Claude of France with Professor Kathleen Wilson-Chevalier

Professor Kathleen Wilson-Chevalier

Guest Bio Kathleen Wilson-Chevalier is Art History Professor Emerita at The American University of Paris. Trained as a Fontainebleau specialist, she has published a catalogue on French Renaissance prints, edited books (Royaume de fémynie, with Eliane Viennot; Patronnes et mécènes en France à la Renaissance; Femmes et fonctions à la cour de France, with Caroline zum Kolk), and written articles on French women of rank and their artistic patronage. Her most recent publications examine … [Read More...]

A Weekend at the Tudor Court

A Weekend at the Tudor Court

Since launching the '365 Days' courses, I've received many messages from people asking if I'd consider hosting online events that require less of a time and financial commitment, and so your wish is my command! I'm delighted to introduce you to 'A Weekend at the Tudor Court', a 2-day online event exploring life at the Tudor court. Enjoy talks by 7 leading Tudor history experts all from the comfort of your home! Below is a list of lectures and presenters.  Lecture 1 – The Perfect … [Read More...]

Episode 219 – Hampton Court Palace with Gareth Russell

Portrait of Gareth Russell

Guest Bio Gareth Russell is a historian and broadcaster. He studied at Oxford and Queen's University, Belfast, where he specialised in the medieval and Tudor royal households. He is the author of several books, including the Catherine Howard biography, Young and Damned and Fair, and the bestselling Do Let's Have Another Drink, about the late Queen Mother. His next book is The Palace: From the Tudors to the Windsors, 500 Years of History at Hampton Court. Natalie Grueninger speaks with … [Read More...]

Episode 218 – William Somer: The King’s Fool with Dr Peter K. Andersson

Guest Bio Peter K. Andersson is a Senior Lecturer in History at Örebro University in Sweden. He is the author of Streetlife in Late-Victorian London and Silent History: Body Language and Nonverbal Identity, 1860-1914. His latest book ‘ Fool: In Search of Henry VIII’s Closest Man’ will be released on 19 September 2023.  Article: On A Fool’s Errand: Writing A Biography of Will … [Read More...]

Episode 217 – Young Queens with Leah Redmond Chang

Photo of the author Leah Chang

Guest Bio Leah Redmond Chang is a former associate professor of French literature and culture at the George Washington University. Her writing draws on her extensive experience as a researcher in the archives and in rare book libraries. Her previous books include Into Print: The Invention of Female Authorship in Early Modern France, which focused on women and book culture in the sixteenth century, and (with Katherine Kong) Portraits of the Queen Mother, about the many public faces of … [Read More...]

Episode 216 – Lavinia Fontana: Trailblazer, Rule Breaker with Dr Aoife Brady

Portrait of Dr Aoife Brady

Guest Bio Aoife Brady is Curator of Italian and Spanish art at the National Gallery of Ireland. A specialist in Bolognese painting, Brady holds a doctorate in the History of Art from Trinity College Dublin, and has held curatorial roles with The National Gallery, London, and the Paintings Department of The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Brady sits on the Old Masters vetting committee for TEFAF Maastricht. Her primary research interests relate to the study of painting techniques, … [Read More...]

Episode 215 – Children of the House of Cleves with Heather Darsie

Guest Bio Heather R. Darsie works as an attorney and a part-time law professor in the US. Along with her Juris Doctorate she has a BA in German, which was of great value in her research. She completed multiple graduate-level courses in Early Modern History, with her primary focus being the Holy Roman Empire under Charles V. Heather is an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and an adjunct law professor at Northern Illinois University. She runs the website … [Read More...]

Episode 214 – The Courtship of Elizabeth I & The Duke of Anjou

Guest Bio David Lee is an Irish historian who specializes in women's history. He graduated from Maynooth University with a MA in Irish History. David's thesis 'Ann Walker (1803-1854) and her times: elite women, inheritance and lunacy' discussed the life of a nineteenth century heiress and her fight for autonomy and independence. He also has a keen interest in the history of marriage, philanthropy and emotions. He has written for Tudor Life Magazine and is the author of The Queen's Frog … [Read More...]

Episode 213 – Tudor Women in Devon with Rosemary Griggs

Guest Bio Author and speaker, Rosemary Griggs has been researching Devon's sixteenth century history for years. She has discovered a cast of fascinating characters and an intriguing network of families whose influence stretched far beyond the West Country. She loves telling the stories of the forgotten women of history, the women beyond the royal court, the wives, sisters, daughters, and mothers who played their part during those tumultuous Tudor years. Her novel, A Woman of Noble Wit … [Read More...]

Episode 212 – Lady Penelope Rich with Tony Riches

Guest Bio Tony Riches was born in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, UK, and spent part of his childhood in Kenya. He gained a BA degree in Psychology and an MBA from Cardiff University. After careers in the Royal Air Force, the NHS and Local Government, he is a full-time author of historical fiction. His Tudor Trilogy has become an international best-seller and he is in regular demand as a guest speaker about the lives of the early Tudors. Tony has returned to Pembrokeshire, an area full of … [Read More...]