Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn are the Ross and Rachel of history

To love is to risk heartbreak.

And while for some, breakups result in renewal, maybe some therapy (or a few months’ spent wallowing), for the historical figures of this episode… a relationship’s end has broken many more things than hearts.

In this episode, Dan and Elizabeth discover the lessons of history’s epic failed romances through three world-changing unions: Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn; Mark Antony and Cleopatra; and Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson.

Each couple burned bright and fast, and with their downfall came the end to the worlds from which they came: Catholic England, the Roman Republic, and (in the case of Edward) a grand near-miss.

So what can epic historical breakups teach us about our world today? And why are we compelled to come back to grand romantic epics?

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As always, Dan’s royal favourites can chime in anytime on the royal court on Patreon at patreon.com/thisishistory. And don’t forget to listen to this season’s accompanying bonus episodes for this miniseries, where Dan and Producer Al are dissecting the biggest historical failures as submitted by the royal favourites. In this episode, they discuss the failures of royals over various centuries to deliver the one thing they need - heirs.

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Presented by Dan Jones and Elizabeth Day

Producer - Alan Weedon

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Researcher - Phoebe Joyce

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Executive Producer - Dan Jones

Executive Producer for Daylight Productions - Elizabeth Day

Production Manager - Jen Mistri

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan

Head of content - Chris Skinner

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