Wallis Simpson

This is the wild story of a 12th century French philosopher, Abelard, who fell in love with his student, Heloise.There are a lot of problematic issues going on. Not least their age gap, the resulting power dynamic, and, oh yes—Abelard was castrated.So why does this love story end ...  Show more

You know her from the perfume, the little black dress, the double C bag clasp, but who was the woman, Coco Chanel? What even was her real name?From her origin story, through her inspirations and affairs, to her connections to the Nazi party - today we find out more about Chanel.K ...  Show more

King Edward VIII gave up the throne to marry the woman he loved, Wallis Simpson. Their relationship has long been lauded as a royal fairytale. But there was a lot more going on. Wallis never really liked Edward but became trapped by her own ambition. And Edward, desperate to find ...  Show more

This week is for the true history girlies! We are taking you through the life and reign of the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I. From her tumultuous upbringing as the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn to her rise to become one of England's most notable monarchs. We talk sister figh ...  Show more

Join William and Anita as they discuss the extraordinary life of Princess Sophia. Her story includes a debut at Buckingham Palace, a meeting with Gandhi, fierce involvement in the suffragette movement, and the First World War. LRB Empire offer: lrb.me/empire Twitter: @EmpirePo ...  Show more

What picture comes to mind when you think of Queen Victoria? For many, it will be a grieving woman in her mourning gown, or perhaps a monarch cooly stating "we are not amused". From her marriage to Prince Albert to founding many of the royal traditions we know today, Tracy Borman ...  Show more