Royal DNA Test - What is the Genetic Heritage of the Monarchs of Europe? 2/2

Royal DNA Test - What is the Genetic Heritage of the Monarchs of Europe? 2/2

Author: Lindsay Holiday August 11, 2026 Duration: 31:19
What’s more British than the British royal family? More Spanish than the Spanish Monarchs? More Norse than the King of Norway? Well, a lot of things actually. In fact, nearly all of the 10 remaining hereditary monarchs of Europe have more German DNA than they do local. For centuries, royals almost exclusively married other, foreign royals. They rarely mixed their blue blood with people native to the Kingdoms they ruled over. What’s more, when dynasties died out (often from excessive inbreeding) foreign royal houses put their own seconds sons on the throne, establishing new, entirely alien dynasties. Modern royal families try to brand themselves as throughly native and in touch with the common people. And if they ever spit into a test tube and sent it off for a DNA test, they would probably never publish the results. But, by looking back at their family trees, we can get a pretty good idea of their heritage. Last week we explore the heritage of the reigning families of Belgium, Denmark Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco and Norway. Today we’ll analyze the DNA of the Dutch, Spanish, Swedish and British royal families. Plus we’ll compare them all to see which modern monarchy has the most local DNA; and find out why the royals of Europe are all so German. Royal family of The Netherlands - Dutch royal family Royal family of Spain - Spanish Royal family Royal family of Sweden - Swedish royal family Royal family of The United Kingdom - British Royal family Why are the royals so German? Which royal families are the most German? Which royal families are the most local? Music: Brandenburg Concerto No4-1 BWV1049 - Classical Whimsical by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100303 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Tuesday, Lindsay Holiday pours a fresh cup and settles in to share the fascinating, often overlooked tales from our past. History Tea Time is built on the idea that history is best served with a generous helping of personality and a focus on the compelling narratives that textbooks tend to skip. Lindsay’s approach feels like a conversation with a knowledgeable friend who has a real knack for digging up the juiciest details. While you’ll often find episodes delving into the lives of queens and royalty from across the globe, there’s a consistent spotlight on women’s history, bringing forward the stories of figures who shaped the world from behind the throne or beyond the traditional spotlight. Listening to this podcast feels like uncovering a secret side of the past, one where the human drama, ambitions, and scandals are given center stage. Each episode is a deep dive into a specific story, told with clarity and a genuine enthusiasm that makes even the most complex historical moments accessible and utterly engaging. If you’ve ever wanted the real, unvarnished, and truly interesting stories behind the names and dates, this is your weekly invitation to listen in.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

History Tea Time
Podcast Episodes
Coronation Fashion: Past & Present [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:58
One of the most anticipated, and ceremonially significant parts of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla was what the royals would wear. And everyone wanted to know if Catherine, Princess of Wales…
6 Mothers-in-Law of Henry VIII [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:46
They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. And in the case of the six most famous wives in history, it’s true. Catherine, Anne, Jane, Anne, Catherine and Catherine again all had mothers who greatly influenced the…
Charlemagne’s Many Wives & Concubines [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:23
Charlemagne is a central figure in European history. In the 700s he conquered a vast empire. He is considered the progenitor of the French monarchy, several Germany dynasties and more. He even forced the Pope to crown hi…
The Windsor Beauties - 10 Women of the Restoration Court [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:03
I'm at Hampton Court Palace in the Communication Gallery to look at a very special collection of paintings, the Windsor Beauties. These portraits immortalize 10 woman said to be the most stunning members of the restorati…
Historic Royals with Tattoos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:51
Tattoos have a long and colorful history across the world, and are an important part of many cultures. While 1 in 3 Americans have at least 1 tattoo today, western culture still sees the art form as counter culture, risq…
Who was Queen Mary & Why did Queen Camilla wear her Crown? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:22
Originally published on Youtube in 2023. Buckingham Palace recently announced that Queen Consort Camilla as selected from the crown jewels the Crown of Queen Mary to wear at her own coronation on May 6th, 2023. Mary of T…
Queens of the Bible [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:48
From Bathsheba to the Queen of Sheba, from Jezebel to Esther, the Queens of the bible have been referenced in art, music and pop culture for thousands of years. But who were these ancient women? What were their stories a…
A History of Scottish Clans, Tartan & Kilts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:20
While getting swept away in the latest season of Outlander, or researching your own highland heritage, you might wonder about these key elements of Scottish culture and history. What was a clan and how did they work? Doe…
Guinness Family - Ireland's Dark Beer Dynasty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:01
When the Guinness family saw the turmoil and scandals of other great historic dynasties, they literally said, hold our beer, and proceeded to top them all. The new series, The House of Guinness dramatizes just one genera…
Madame Jeanne du Barry - The Last Great Royal Mistress of France [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:34
Jeanne Bécu, Jeanne du Barry, Madame du Barry, clawed her way up from the illegitimate daughter of a single mother, to one of the most celebrated courtesans in Paris, to the final royal mistress of King Louis XV. Her cap…