Queens Podcast

In the Season 9 finale of Queens, we're back in Russia with Alexandra Feodorovna, the last Tsarina of the Russian Empire.

When we last left Alexandra, she had married Tsar Nicholas II and stepped into one of the most powerful—and unforgiving—courts in Europe. Now, the pressure to produce an heir, her son Alexei's devastating hemophilia diagnosis, and the arrival of Grigori Rasputin will change the course of Russian history forever.

As Russia faces war, political unrest, and revolution, Alexandra becomes one of the most controversial women of her era. But was she truly the villain history remembers, or a devoted wife and mother caught in an impossible situation?

Join us as we explore Rasputin, the Romanovs, the Russian Revolution, and the tragic final chapter of the last Empress of Russia.

Time stamps:

00:00 Intro & Patreon shout outs!

03:37 All Daughters No Heir

05:32 Stress and Phantom Pregnancy

08:52 Faith Healer Philippe de Lyon

09:53 IT'S A BOY! Then... uh oh

13:59 Rasputin Enters

21:05 Russo Japanese War

23:43 Bloody Sunday

29:25 War Sparks Suspicion

31:15 Alexandra as Regent

36:02 Rasputin's Murdered... probably not as dramatic as you've heard

38:55 Russia Collapses Into Revolution

41:14 Pulling up to the Abdication Station

44:13 House Arrest

49:53 Execution Night

52:59 Legacy and Remains Found

55:06 Final Toast and Farewell

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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We’re back with a completely reworked and expanded 2026 version of one of our most requested redo episodes: Alexandra Feodorovna, the last empress of Russia.

Originally covered way back in 2018, we realized there was so much more to unpack about the woman who would become the tragic final tsarina of Imperial Russia. So this time, we’re slowing down, diving deeper, and fully embracing the gaudy, dramatic chaos of the Romanov court.

In part one, we explore Alexandra’s early life as Princess Alix of Hesse, Queen Victoria’s favorite granddaughter, whose happy childhood was shattered by tragedy, illness, and loss. We talk about the spread of hemophilia through Europe’s royal families, Alexandra’s intense religious beliefs, and the deeply romantic (and deeply codependent) love story between Alix and the future Tsar Nicholas II.

From doomed romance to catastrophic public relations disasters, this is the beginning of the end for the Romanovs.

Timestamps:

00:00 Return to Imperial Russia & Alexandra Feodorovna Redo02:39 The Revised “Rasputin” Cocktail Recipe03:40 Alexandra Feodorovna’s Birth, Family & Triple Gemini Chaos05:24 Queen Victoria, Royal Upbringing & Life in Hesse10:12 Hemophilia in Europe’s Royal Families Explained16:22 Alexandra’s Religion & the Divine Right of Kings21:42 Alexandra Feodorovna’s First Trip to Russia22:22 Young Nicholas II Meets Alexandra for the First Time27:14 Nicholas and Alexandra’s Romantic Letters & Courtship34:26 Nicholas II Proposes & Alexandra’s Religion Crisis38:03 Alexandra Arrives in Russia as the Tsar Dies45:40 Alexandra Feodorovna’s First Impressions at Court47:35 Nicholas II’s Coronation & the Khodynka Field Disaster53:06 “She Came to Russia Behind a Coffin” — Bad Omens Begin

Sources:

Queens of Misfortune

The History Chicks

Ambivalent Offenders

Check out our Dagmar of Denmark series

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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We’re back for part 2 in our Caroline of Brunswick series—and the drama only escalates.

After her disastrous marriage to George IV, Caroline becomes Britain’s ultimate “people’s princess” while her husband doubles down on being the worst.

In this episode, we cover the birth of Princess Charlotte, George IV’s infamous will, and how Regency-era tabloids fueled Caroline’s rise in public support. From palace spying and a toxic court to her separation and new independent life, Caroline refuses to stay quiet.

It’s messy, dramatic, and completely unfair—and somehow, the public never stops rooting for her.

Time stamps:

00:00 Cold Open Banter

01:21 Caroline of Brunswick & George IV Marriage Recap

02:11 Birth of Princess Charlotte of Wales

03:37 George IV’s Infamous Will & Treatment of Caroline

10:03 Caroline & George IV Separation Explained

11:29 Caroline’s Independent Life & Affair Rumors

14:22 Who Was William Austin? Royal Baby Scandal

14:57 Lady Douglas Feud & Royal Gossip Escalates

20:26 The Delicate Investigation Explained

23:27 Regency Era Begins: George IV Takes Power

27:18 Death of Princess Charlotte (1817 Tragedy)

28:22 Adultery Trial Fallout

31:55 George IV Coronation Drama & Caroline Snub

38:47 Caroline of Brunswick Death & Final Days

41:50 Funeral Riots Legacy

44:08 George IV Reputation

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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In this episode of Queens Podcast, we dive into the chaotic early life of Caroline of Brunswick, the future Princess of Wales and one of the most controversial royal figures of the Regency era.

Raised in isolation in the Duchy of Brunswick, Caroline’s childhood was anything but typical—marked by family dysfunction, social restriction, and a deep craving for attention that would follow her into adulthood. But everything changes when she’s chosen to marry her cousin, George IV, the scandal-prone Prince of Wales.

From a disastrous first meeting to a wedding day filled with drunken chaos, this royal marriage starts off on the worst possible foot.

If you love royal history, scandals, and messy marriages, this is just the beginning.

Time stamps:

Sources:


For this one, I'm taking stories and research from Ann Foster's book Rebel of the Regency


I also really enjoyed Even The Royals 2 episodes on Caroline

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Never miss a Queens Podcast happening! Sign up for our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://eepurl.com/gZ-nYf

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Note: This episode was previously released in our Patreon vault and is now available on the main feed for the first time. TRIGGER WARNING: EVERYTHING.

If you thought you’d heard every shocking true crime story… you haven’t.

In 2008, a case out of Austria stunned the world: a woman held captive for 24 years in a hidden basement by her own father, Josef Fritzl.

In this episode, we break down the full story of the Fritzl case — how it started, how it went undetected for decades, and how it finally came to light. We also unpack the psychological manipulation, systemic failures, and the aftermath of one of the most disturbing crimes in modern history.

Time stamps:

Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Never miss a Queens Podcast happening! Sign up for our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://eepurl.com/gZ-nYf
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