From the Louvre heist in Paris to a bank vault in Quebec, lost and found royal jewels are having a moment! Alicia takes us through the audacious daylight robbery – with some cybersecurity tips – and the rediscovery of the Florentine Diamond after a century in seclusion on this side of the pond. Listen ad-free…
156. Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten Windsor
Today, in a crossover episode from Trashy Divorces, Alicia revisits a first season episode where… well, we were sweet summer children and there was much that would be revealed. This week, we’re going deep on the current status of no-longer-prince Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and his ex-wife but longstanding partner in crime, Sarah Ferguson. Listen ad-free…
155. Egypt’s Greatest Female Pharaoh, Hatshepsut
Ancient Egypt may never stop fascinating us modern types, but as archeologists in recent centuries began to explore the ruined temples and tombs of one of humanity’s oldest civilizations, they unearthed a puzzle: what had led to the seemingly violent attempt to erase a pharaoh whose monuments – intact or destroyed – were some of…
154. The House of Grimaldi and Princess Grace’s Scorpio Party (Encore!)
The House of Grimaldi has ruled the tiny principality of Monaco since January 8, 1297, when Francois “The Spiteful” Grimaldi disguised himself as a monk and knocked on his uncle’s castle door, launching a coup. In the violence that followed, according to legend, a woman – possibly a lover of Francois, possibly a witch he…
153. La Peregrina | A Cursed Pearl’s 500 Year Journey
In this episode, Alicia spills all the details of this possibly cursed pearl, La Peregrina, which was the largest pearl ever found when it was pulled from Panamanian waters. It would spend centuries bothering Europe’s first families before an English Duke gave it to Sotheby’s for auction in 1969, and the legend of La Peregrina…
152. The Trashy Spiderwebs of Elizabeth Taylor
Alicia’s taking over all the podcasts this week, with the stories and spiderwebs of screen goddess Elizabeth Taylor. In this week’s musically-themed episode, Alicia breaks down some of the lyrics in Taylor Swift’s new track, Elizabeth Taylor, from her album The Life of a Showgirl. From Portofino to the very best table at Musso & Frank’s,…
151. Andrew Morton Talks Winston Churchill, The Windsor Family, and More!
In an exciting crossover episode today, Alicia was delighted to speak with author and biographer Andrew Morton about his new release Winston and the Windsors: How Churchill Shaped a Royal Dynasty. Our conversation explores the influence of Winston’s mother Jennie Jerome on his early days, as well as Winston’s relationship with each of the Windsor…
150. Lady Jane Grey | Queen Mary, Victorious
As word spreads of Queen Jane and the English people turn to Princess Mary instead, Dudley’s coup plot rapidly unravels. The English Navy, forced ashore by storms, learns the situation and the sailors side with Mary, taking personnel and materiel to join her cause against Dudley. In London, efforts to secure the city from invasion…
149. Lady Jane Grey | Queen Jane & Rebel Mary
Once on the throne, Queen Jane Grey begins to surprise her would-be handlers, making clear that there would be no crown for her ne’er-do-well husband, and that John Dudley was her subject, not her master. As Dudley rallies the troops for what he thinks will be an easy capture of Princess Mary, the people of…
148. Lady Jane Grey | 1553 and Succession Problems
Game of Thrones may have wrapped up on that streaming site, but for the Tudor-obsessed, it really never ends. Which brings Alicia to the run-up to the year 1553. King Henry VIII has been succeeded by his son with Jane Seymour, King Edward VI. Having taken the throne at the tender age of nine, the…