Queens Podcast

This week we're joined by our friend Bash from Historical Homos to tell one of the most unbelievable stories we've ever covered.

Meet the Chevalier d'Éon: an 18th-century French noble who somehow managed to be a spy, soldier, diplomat, bestselling author, blackmailer of the King of France, celebrity fencer, and one of the earliest people in history to have their gender officially recognized by the state.

Seriously. This story has everything.

From secret missions in Russia to political scandals in London, royal intrigue at Versailles, and a transition that left all of Europe gossiping, d'Éon's life feels less like history and more like something a Netflix writer would get rejected for making too unrealistic.

Join us and Bash as we dive into one of history's strangest, funniest, and most fascinating lives.

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Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with advertising@airwavemedia.com 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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This week, Katy and Nathan take a break from queens and head into the world of UFO cults.

In 1950s Chicago, housewife Dorothy Martin began receiving messages through automatic writing from beings she believed lived on the planet Clarion. With the help of a small group called the Seekers, she spread a startling prediction: a catastrophic flood would soon destroy Earth, and flying saucers would arrive to save the faithful.

The prophecy never came true, but what happened next fascinated psychologist Leon Festinger. His study of the Seekers would eventually lead to one of the most influential concepts in modern psychology: cognitive dissonance.

Join us for a story featuring alien Jesus, failed doomsday predictions, flying saucers, and the surprisingly important cult that helped explain why people cling to beliefs even when faced with evidence that they're wrong.
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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 advertising@airwavemedia.com 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 advertising@airwavemedia.com 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 advertising@airwavemedia.com 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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