Royals & Dastardly Thieves (1)

Welcome to the ultimate rogues gallery - those thieves who’ve grabbed the crown jewels! Listen to find out more. In the first of two episodes, Royal historians Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams explore the story of Colonel Blood who hammered down a royal crown so that he could slip it into his trousers.  And discover royal secrets: how Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation crown had to be enlarged to fit the head of King Charles III, and how George VI wore his crown while gardening! Hosts also explore the early jewel heists, like that of King John in 1216, which remains shrouded in mystery, with suspicions that the King staged the loss of his crown to cover financial misdeeds. And then there's the more definitive case of Richard of Pudlicott in 1303 who pilfered royal treasures from Westminster Abbey, leading to a medieval black market for royal gems. Hosts: Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams Series Producer: Ben Devlin Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini  Executive Producer: Bella Soames Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices