Royal Favourites: Queen Anne & Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough

Royal Favourites: Queen Anne & Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough

Author: History Hit May 18, 2026 Duration: 47:38

How did Sarah Churchill become the most powerful woman in Queen Anne’s court? What happens when a royal friendship turns into a political battlefield? How did one absent set of jewels signal the beginning of the end?

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb continues her series on royal favourites with the extraordinary story of Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough — the intimate friend, political operator and fierce chronicler whose influence shaped Queen Anne’s reign and who refused to go quietly.


MORE:

Queen Anne: The Last Stuart Monarch

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify


Sister Queens: Mary II and Anne

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify


Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. 


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Step beyond the well-trodden path of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I with historian Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. While the Tudor dynasty remains a central touchstone, the conversations in Not Just the Tudors roam a much wider, richer historical landscape. You might find an episode delving into the court of Mughal India or examining the artistry of Velázquez, followed by a deep dive into the world of Shakespeare or the haunting history of witch trials. This approach reveals how the 16th and 17th centuries were a time of global connection and dramatic change far beyond the English court. Each week, Suzannah is joined by fellow historians and specialists, turning each session into a compelling dialogue that uncovers incredible, often overlooked stories. The result is a layered portrait of an era, built through detailed discussions and fresh perspectives. Produced by History Hit, this podcast releases new episodes every Wednesday and Sunday, offering regular escapes into a past that is both complex and surprisingly familiar. It’s a series for anyone who loves history but craves a broader view, proving that context is everything.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Not Just the Tudors
Podcast Episodes
Rise & Fall of James IV of Scotland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:38
How did a teenage rebel become Scotland’s king, and rule a realm riven by feuds and shifting loyalties? James IV balanced chivalry, diplomacy, and danger, yet led his country to catastrophe.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb an…
True Crime: Medici Murder at the Louvre [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:34
**Warning: Contains graphic description of the mutilation of corpses**In April 1617, Concino Concini, Marshal of France, was shot dead as he entered the Louvre. But his murder was only the beginning of a terrifying chain…
The Tudors Abroad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:23
What did it mean to be English when merchants, sailors, captives, diplomats, and migrants were constantly crossing borders?Pirates, a Kentish man becoming a Samurai and a king on the warpath; Professor Suzannah Lipscomb…
Royal Favourites: Hatton, Elizabeth I's Favourite [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:05
How did Sir Christopher Hatton became one of Elizabeth I’s favourites? How true were the rumours that they were lovers?After catching the Queen's eye in 1561, Hatton was quickly promoted to the Privy Council, making a si…
Battle of the Eras: Medieval v. Early Modern [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:55
What if the medieval world did not end with a bang, but with a messy argument over who gets to define history itself? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb spars with Gone Medieval's host Matt Lewis over Gutenberg, the Reformation…
Louis XIV: Sun King and Propagandist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:22
How did Louis XIV use his day-to-day life, especially his marriage, to help create the mythology of the Sun King as semi-divine, radiant and unrivalled?In 17th-century France, monarchy was performed, witnessed, and widel…
Royal Favourites: James I and George Villiers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:24
How did a relatively humble gentleman become the most powerful man in Stuart England?Few figures embodied the glamour and instability of the Jacobean court more completely than George Villiers, who rose to become one of…
Hoaxes and Lies in the Enlightenment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:23
How did a ghost story bring London to a standstill? Was it a haunting, a fraud, or something even more revealing about Georgian society? Why did rational, educated people fall for elaborate hoaxes?Professor Suzannah Lips…
Royal Favourites: Robert Dudley, Elizabeth I's Forbidden Love [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:04
Passion, scandal, and power collided in the tumultuous relationship between Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley. Rumours of secret trysts between them set the court ablaze, but their love was doomed from the start.In the first…
Anne of Cleves: New Discoveries [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:16
What if Henry VIII’s “discarded bride” actually showed real promise as queen?Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr James Taffe to discuss new discoveries about Anne of Cleves’ surviving account book, a rare 200-pag…