Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds..... So goes the rhyme Charlie Higson learnt at school, each a Monarch and each seemingly unable to learn any lessons from their predecessor, as ably demonstrated by this episode's King, Edward The 2nd.

Find out how his disastrous relationships, especially with Piers Gaveston gave rise to his downfall at the hands of his own wife Queen Isabella which led to a particularly unpleasant end.

Charlie's proper historian this episode is Dr Rory Cox, author of Origins of the Just War: Military Ethics and Culture in the Ancient Near East

And just in case you DIDN'T unwrap a copy of Charlie's book-of-the-podcast, Willie Willie Harry Stee on Christmas morning, well don't worry. Clicking the link below will get you one just as soon as the post starts up again.

https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/willie-willie-harry-stee-an-epically-short-history-of-our-kings-and-queens-charlie-higson?variant=55169046708603

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Alice Loxton joins Charlie Higson to talk about her new book, ‘Eleanor’.

In 1290, England mourned the death of a queen, Eleanor of Castile, beloved wife of King Edward I, the warrior king.

Her body was carried on a 200-mile journey from Lincoln to London, a solemn procession that would become immortalized in stone.

To mark the places where it laid, a heartbroken Edward commissioned twelve magnificent Eleanor Crosses.

More than seven centuries later, Alice Loxton set herself an epic challenge: following in history’s footsteps by walking the entire 200-mile funeral route on the corresponding dates and in this edition of Willy Willy Harry Stee, Charlie Higson chats with Alice about the journey and the writing of the book itself.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry, Dick, John, Harry Three, One Two Three Neds.........Well in this episode Charlie Higson concerns himself with Ned No.1..Edward The 1st, Edward Longshanks or The Hammer Of The Scots, although whilst he did a lot of hammering, the nails weren't really driven home very well.

Charlie's 'Proper Historian' for this episode is the excellent Marc Morris, author of A Great & Terrible King: Edward I and the Forging of Britain and speaking of books, remember that you can still buy the book of the podcast, Willie Willie Harry Stee, a hardback volume lovingly created by Charlie, with sumptuous illustrations by his old pal Vic Reeves....or Jim Moir to be more precise.

Available now wherever books are sold.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.