English Royalty Biographies

Did you know that Queen Victoria could speak five different languages? Or that her closest childhood friend was a King Charles spaniel by the name of Dash? What did she ask staff to do instead of knocking on her door? And how did she deliberately annoy Prime Minister William Gladstone? All of these facts and more can be found in this fantastic guide to the long-reigning monarch and Empress of India. This audiobook is perfect for those studying Queen Victoria at school, or even for those who are just interested in learning more about one of history's most fascinating figures.

Princess Diana had a whirlwind of a life, or in the words of Sir Elton John, she “lived her life like a candle in the wind”. After her marriage to Prince Charles, she became not just a princess but a global icon. Diana could draw crowds by the thousands, but despite her rising popularity, she couldn’t keep her marriage together. Not many have had the kind of life that Princess Diana led, but to be sure, this was no fairy tale with a happy ending. This book tells the tragic story of the life of Princess Diana, from beginning to end.

Mahidevran was the concubine of Lawmaker Sultan Suleiman. But more importantly, she was the mother of Prince Mustafa, the prince being the number one contender to be the next ruler of the Ottoman Empire. But unfortunately the prince did not become the next ruler, as he was brutally executed with the cruel order by his sultan father.

Catherine the Great is one of the most influential rulers in Russian history. Though born in Prussia, she endeavored to gain the throne of Russia and went on to be the longest-ruling empress in Russian history. She ruled as an enlightened despot, promoting the principles of the European Enlightenment as she sought to modernize her beloved country. She reformed the educational system of Russia, creating a national system that utilized modern educational theory in a co-educational setting.

Over 450 years after his reign, Henry VIII is still the most famous and recognizable King of England, but it’s for all the wrong reasons. Though well regarded by contemporaries as a learned king and "one of the most charismatic rulers to sit on the English throne", he is best remembered today for his gluttony and multiple marriages. History for Kids: An Illustrated Biography of King Henry VIII chronicles Henry VIII’s life and reign.

Do you know the main difference between the diet of a Tudor nobleman and that of a peasant? What was it that changed Henry VIII from an active and pleasant young man into a vastly overweight tyrant? What did a gong farmer do? And what was the purpose of a whipping boy? In this excellent audiobook, narrator Jason Zenobia answers all these questions and more as he talks us through over 100 amazing facts about the Tudors.

Are you a fan of the modern generation of royals? How much do you know about the lives of Prince William; his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; and the rest of the royal family? In this fascinating audiobook, narrator Jason Zenobia talks us through over 100 facts about royals both past and present, covering areas such as traditions of the monarchy, kings and queens from history, the royal family today and much more. So no matter how much or how little you currently know, this is the perfect book for you.

A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history’s most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' British Legends series, listeners can get caught up to speed on the lives of Great Britain’s most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

Princess. Public Figure. Philanthropist. Parent. Diana, Princess of Wales emerged in the early 1980s as a fresh face to the stoic British monarchy with a storybook wedding, which was unfortunately later a tabloid breakup. She emerged as a modern British woman and admirable icon to not only England but the world.

Over 450 years after his reign, Henry VIII is still the most famous and recognizable king of England, but it's for all the wrong reasons. He is best remembered today for his gluttony and multiple marriages, particularly for beheading some of his wives. It is somewhat fitting that his most decisive act came as a result of a marital mishap. Sharply at odds with the Catholic Church, Henry VIII ultimately broke with the Church and established the Church of England, which forever altered the religious history of England, the social hierarchy of the nation, and its empire.

The bar was high after the glorious reign of the Sun King. Louis XV, his successor, had a difficult time driving the country through religious disputes, intellectual shifts and economical hardness. This eventually led to a steep economic decline, which played an important role in the reaction of the French people against the monarchy, and eventually gave way to the French Revolution.

Louis Philippe (1773-1850) is France's first "constitutional monarch", having being properly elected by the National Assembly. He lived through the French Revolution, during which he saw his brother and sister-in-law, Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, guillotined by extreme revolutionaries. Then, Napoleon Bonaparte seized the throne, declared himself emperor, and began the conquest of Europe; after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, France welcomed Louis Philippe back as an elected King.

Louis-Charles Bourbon, or the Dauphin, never actually reigned, but became either a symbol of martyrdom or the object of one of the most successful acts of substitution ever performed. He enjoyed a charmed early childhood in the palace of Versailles, as the heir of the most powerful throne in Europe; when the French Revolution unfolded in all its horror, his family was incarcerated, and the orphaned boy-King had to endure the hostility and abuse of a nation.

More than two centuries after her death, Marie-Antoinette continues to fascinate historians, writers, and filmmakers. She was born into royalty, and a world of immense privilege and power. At age 14, she married the one who would become Louis XVI, King of France; when he made her a queen, she was universally adored. But afterwards, her extravagant lifestyle turned public opinion against her, eventually participating in the crumbling of the already discredited monarchy into a maelstrom of revolution, disaster and tragedy.

Throughout history, a countless number of historical figures have had their lives overshadowed by the myths and legends that surround them to the extent that their legacy comes to define them. In French history, this is truer of Marie Antoinette than just about everyone else. Nearly 220 years after she was put to the guillotine, Marie Antoinette is more famous than ever, fairly or unfairly coming to epitomize royalty and everything that was wrong with it.

Louis VI was a warrior king, but at the end of his reign, his weight had become so great that it had become difficult for him to lead in the field - hence his nickname "The Fat". He was a strong and competent ruler, who managed to considerably reinforce his power in the kingdom, and largely contributed to the subsequent centralization of authority in France. Learn about his soar to power, his struggles with the "robber barons", and his successes in alliances and coalitions.

Henry IV of France, also known as the "Good King Henry", was King of France from 1589 to 1610. Born a Catholic but raised a Protestant, he barely escaped assassination in the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, and later led Protestant forces against the royal army, before being called to the French succession upon the death of his cousin Henry III.

This isn’t a biography. It’s a deep-dive into the man who fused warlord power with priestly authority and accidentally programmed Western civilization. Through brutal conquest and divine branding, he became more than king—he became the template. Popes would crown in his shadow. Emperors would copy his crown. Napoleon would steal his vibe. And every modern system of power would inherit his logic. This is the story of how one man merged Church and State into a single executable file—and why we’re still running his code.