According to Princess Diana, Prince Charles once asked her in a towering bad temper: ‘Am I to be the only Prince of Wales not to be allowed a mistress?’

Taking their cue from the landed aristocracy, British royals have for centuries ‘married for the dynasty’ then engaged in semi-official affairs - or even long term parallel relationships - with others in their circle. Those marrying into the family were expected to ‘understand’ and not make a public fuss, and many did (unlike Diana!).

Our guest this week, Tom Sykes, has a very good reason to care about this story. He’s a writer and the royal correspondent for The Daily Beast - and he thinks that his own grandmother, Camilla Sykes (nee Russell) may have had a long term love affair with the King. In fact members of Tom’s family going back several generations have been closely involved with the British royals at their wildest and naughtiest - including Edward VII when he was a most scandalous Prince of Wales. Hearing their stories provides a unique window into the social history of Upper Class Britain.

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