THE KINGS & QUEENS OF GREAT BRITAIN

The British Monarchy from Boudicca to Elizabeth II

By: The History Journals, Liam Dale

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Anybody who visits London at the height of the summer will soon realise that the United Kingdom’s capital city attracts sightseers from every far-flung corner of the globe. And what’s on their list of attractions to see? Nine times out of ten it will be Buckingham Palace, often followed by the Tower of London, and since the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, her former residence, Kensington Palace. In an age when the monarchy, British or otherwise, is accused of being an outdated institution, the tourists still flock in their millions to follow in the footsteps of Royalty, both ancient and modern, to see for themselves the places where history was made. When it comes to listing the great Kings and Queens of the past, there are undoubtedly some that are better remembered than others. Richard the Lionheart, Henry the Eighth and King George the third are renowned for very different reasons and when it comes to the ladies, Mary the first, both of them, one of England and one of Scotland, Elizabeth the first and Queen Victoria are as fascinating today as when they were alive. But there are many more characters worthy of investigation that are far less well known. So whether you want a basic who’s, who of the British Monarchy to help you in the next pub quiz, or you’d like to find out how we got from feuding tribes of Ancient Britons to the present day, prepare for a right Royal romp through the history books so that you never need to get your Henrys, Georges, Edwards, Richards, Marys and Williams mixed up again! Before we get down to the nitty gritty of succession, it’s well worth stepping back further in time to take a closer look at the British Isles just after the birth of Christ, when the Romans were masters of all they surveyed, including a large part of the United Kingdom. Of the native Brits, many of whom were Celts, there was considerable opposition to the Roman occupation, not least from the woman often dubbed the Queen of the Ancient Britons, Boudicca, or if you happen to be of a certain age, Boadicia.