Windsors & Losers

A Very Public Servant: Meet Diana’s Butler Paul Dec 19, 2024

Princess Diana’s longtime butler Paul Burrell was there for the big royal moments of the ‘80s and ‘90s, from Diana and Charles’s wedding to the births of William and Harry, the breakdown of the Wales marriage, and Diana’s transformation into a global celebrity. He became known as “Diana's rock" (a moniker he may, actually, have given himself) and claimed to know many of her darkest secrets. He was also, tragically, the man who selected her outfit and accompanied her back from Paris on her final journey home. But the story of Paul Burrell took on a life of its own after his boss’s death. He was arrested for stealing hundreds of Diana's private belongings. And although he was later exonerated by Queen Elizabeth II herself, his legacy is far from the platonic ideal of a butler who sees all — and never tells. In episode one of our series on Paul Burrell, we explore his rags-to-riches tale, starting with his early years as servant-in-training and time as QEII’s personal butler.

Weekly: Andrew and Fergie In the Doghouse (Again) Dec 17, 2024

Windsors & Losers Weekly is up-to-date on the latest antics from the house of Windsor, starting with a staff party at Buckingham Palace which saw one housemaid end the night in a holding cell. Plus, the latest from Prince Andrew and Fergie's long string of questionable decisions, Princess's Anne's connection to the Milan runways, and Princess Diana's baby brother reflects happily and unhappily on their childhood holidays. Merry-ish Christmas to all!

WEEKLY! Kate & Will's Drafty Cathedral Duty Dec 10, 2024

We’re back from our one-week mini-break with your regular punishment of Windsors & Losers WEEKLY, the show that brings you all the latest news from BuckyPa (aka Buckingham Palace). This week, our fearless hosts confront Kate & William's forays at Westminster Abbey and Notre Dame. Meanwhile the Parker Bowles clan (specifically Tom, Camilla, and Andrew) go hard on resting, evenings-only drinking, and launching a new podcast.

WEEKLY! Harry & Meghan's "Hilarious" Show & More Royal News Nov 26, 2024

A Robbery by Will & Kate's, and RIP to a Royal Pup Nov 19, 2024

Oh, what a week it was! In this edition of Windsors & Losers: Weekly! we delve into the history of royal break-ins after a robbery near William and Kate's Adelaide Cottage. Plus, King Charles and Queen Camilla mourn their Jack Russell, and royal nephew Peter Phillips (son of Anne) has a new romance with someone unusually sensible.

WEEKLY! William & Heidi Klum, and Charles's Big Birthday Nov 12, 2024

King Charles celebrates his birthday the only way he knows how. Another young royal also has a birthday — and a new boyfriend with the right number of surplus last names. Meanwhile, Prince William debuts a new sustainable wardrobe and Prince Andrew's “Game of Homes” saga takes a new, thrilling turn.

Weekly: Kate & Religion, "Statesman" William, Camilla at the Spa Nov 05, 2024

There's never a dull moment across the pond with the Windsors. You'd almost think it's by design! This week, excerpts from a newly-extended royal biography are generating headlines about Princess Kate, "evolving global stateman" Prince William, and the latest in the saga of Prince Andrew's would-be eviction. Plus, Camilla and Charles make a pit stop at their favorite holistic health retreat! All this — and more — in today's Windsors & Losers Weekly.

WEEKLY! Prince William Says the H Word: Harry Oct 29, 2024

Prince William mentions his brother, Prince Harry, by name for the first time since 2018. Meanwhile, he and Kate Middleton plan a revamp of the stodgy usual royal Christmas. King Charles plans his 2025 travel, and our favorite of the royal-adjacent bunch, Tom Parker Bowles, tells all about his mother Queen Camilla's spare and dusty old spice cabinet. All this and more in today's Windsors & Losers WEEKLY!

WEEKLY! Harry's New House, William's New Shoes Oct 22, 2024

It's Windsors & Losers WEEKLY!, the weekly look at new news from Windsors & Losers, the podcast that usually tells you old news about the British royal family in every episode. This week, we recap the goings on of a bakers dozen of miscellaneous royals who happened to do vaguely interesting things, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new Portuguese bolthole, William's dazzlingly white shoes, and King Charles's voyage Down Under.

Weekly! Edward & Sophie, Another Edward & "One Pint Willy" Oct 15, 2024

In today's Windsors & Losers Weekly, the once-a-week look at new royal news with a dash of history, our hosts travel along as Edward and Sophie head to Malta, home of Queen Elizabeth II's most treasured royal memories from back before she was saddled with four kids and a country. Plus, another royal Edward marks a big milestone, Prince William gets a catchy nickname from his cousin Zara's husband, and we finally find out what, exactly, was in the Queen Mother's handbag.

WEEKLY! Harry & Meghan Apart, Charles Eats Lunch Oct 08, 2024

WINDSORS & LOSERS WEEKLY: King Charles eats lunch for the first time in 30 years — and you'll never guess what he eats! (Or maybe you will.) Spend a Saturday with James Middleton and Tom Parker Bowles. (And why we think Tom should be King.) What does Prince Harry's solo tour really mean for the future of his life with Meghan Markle? Your fearless hosts Eva and Allie are back, in a new format, ready to tackle the week's most non-pressing royal news.

Finding Fergie: The Great Re-Duchessing Apr 02, 2024

As far as rock bottoms go, Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson has hit a few. In this final episode of the Fergie season, hosts Allie and Eva revisit the aftermath of two of Fergie's biggest scandals and her subsequent efforts at redemption (or, should we say re-branding) with the assistance of none other than Oprah and Dr. Phil. Fergie's road from "second-tier Sloane" to Duchess, to exiled royal and back again, has been a winding one. And yet, with steady and cheerful determination, she's reemerged once more as a palace player at the highest levels. Our story ends with Fergie's soft relaunch as a royal, and an examination of the ways in which the Fergie of today can be called a survivor — even as her legacy remains tainted.

Finding Fergie: Fergie and the Queen, Forever Mar 19, 2024

Can one ever truly be friends with a reigning monarch? According to Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, she and the late Queen were the best of pals.

At the end of her reign, Elizabeth granted Fergie a royal funeral at St. George's Chapel, Windsor and a place in the family plot. The Queen also invited Fergie to what would be her final family Christmas. Was this evidence of a deep and enduring friendship?

Perhaps. After all, Fergie and QE2 had so much in common: horses, dogs, and also, horses. It was Fergie who inherited the Queen's beloved corgis, Sandy and Muick. And, surely, that tells us something about their relationship? In this penultimate episode of the "Finding Fergie" season, hosts Allie and Eva go looking for what that "something" is.

Finding Fergie: The Scandal Years Pt. 2 Mar 12, 2024

Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson divorced "her prince" in 1996, a decade after she (metaphorically) stumbled down the aisle at Westminster Abbey and (metaphorically) fell into Andrew's (literal) giant pile of teddy bears. Her life as an official working royal was marred by money troubles, tabloid scandals, and oh-so-brief moments of rebirth. The same can be said for her life as a single working mom. In episode five of "Finding Fergie," hosts Allie and Eva pick up where they left off: on Fergie's journey for self-discovery, redemption, and... cash. Adrift from the royals after a duo of photo scandals involving Texan men, Fergie set off to find herself in America. There she found a more forgiving public — and Oprah. But just as Fergie seemed to be rising from the ashes as a self-actualized working gal with brand partnerships, another scandal was lurking just 'round the corner.

Finding Fergie: The Scandal Years, Pt. 1 Mar 05, 2024

Finding Fergie: The Diana Years Feb 27, 2024

Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson and Princess Diana were cousins, sisters-in-law, and co-conspirators against the royal family. Their relationship, and their centrality in the royal family during the late twentieth-century, was the stuff of legends — and tabloid headlines. Friends since adolescence, they fell out sometime in the mid '90s... and never spoke again. In the latest episode of Windsors & Losers's Fergie season — dubbed "Finding Fergie" — our hosts Eva and Allie look back at Fergie’s unique and tumultuous friendship with Princess Diana.

Finding Fergie: The (Almost) Royal Years Feb 20, 2024

After there was young Fergie, there was... teen Fergie and young adult Fergie. And then, finally, Sarah Ferguson metamorphosed into her fully-realized self: royal Fergie. In this episode of the "Finding Fergie" season, Allie and Eva revisit the Duchess of York's late teens and early twenties. These were crucial, vital years in Fergie's life, where she lived with a girlfriend South of the river in London, went traveling without a credit card, borrowed her stepmother's clothes, and dated an older man with a massive Swiss chalet and a wine collection bought at Sotheby's.

But Fergie's life path took a hard left when her friend (and cousin) Princess Diana reintroduced her to the the Queen's second son. From there, Fergie's path to duchess-hood was set.

Finding Fergie: The Young Years Feb 13, 2024

Windsors & Losers is back! This season is about Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, who is perhaps the most maligned modern royal. But in 1986 when Fergie married into the Windsor clan, she was hailed as the future of the monarchy: a confident, smiling, and up-for-anything country lass. She was just the sort to endear herself to the Queen — and the tabloids! But of course, the party didn't last long...

In episode one of this season — which we are calling "Finding Fergie" — Eva and Allie go back to Fergie's formative years and dive into her seemingly cookie-cutter country upbringing (complete with ponies), her cad-ish and clueless polo playing dad, and her beautiful mother, who bolted from their home, and England, to marry an Argentine hunk.

Editors' note: This episode was recorded before recent breaking royal news, including King Charles's cancer diagnosis.

Windsors & Losers Season 3 Trailer: Reassessing Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson Dec 19, 2023

When Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson joined the British royal family in 1986 she was hailed as the future of the monarchy and "a breath of fresh air." A decade later she was divorced, broke, and exiled to the land of misfit (and embarrassing) royals, leaving a trail of scandal in her wake. Poking fun at her clothes and weight became a national bloodsport. Prince Philip apparently couldn't even stand to be in the same room as her. And let’s be honest: it’s never been easy to be a Windsor Wife, as Diana and Meghan both have shown. But now, Fergie is somewhat back in the royal fold. She did, after all, inherit the late queen's corgis. Is Sarah, the Duchess of York, proof that by sticking around long enough, the disruptor becomes the establishment? In a new season of Windsors & Losers, coming early 2024, we're reassessing the life and times of the one-named royal wonder, Fergie.

Camilla and Her Spin Doctor Jun 27, 2023

Mark Bolland pulled off many coups during his seven-year tenure as Charles and Camilla's palace spin doctor... but he wasn't there to make friends. “There was an awful man there," one senior figure said 20 years later. "Absolutely destructive beyond belief." So who is this Rasputin-like magician who turned Camilla from most reviled woman in Britain into future queen? In the final episode of "The Camilla Season," Eva and Allie follow the mighty rise and unceremonious end of Camilla's most ruthless and dogged courtier.

Queen Camilla, the Original Conscious Uncoupler Jun 20, 2023

Can queens be friends with their exes? Camilla is the first divorced queen in British history with a living husband. And — oh, is he ever living! The charming and roguish Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles is still a key member of Camilla’s inner circle, beloved by all, including Camilla, despite his cad antics. He regularly attends ceremonial occasions as Camilla’s guest and has on at least one occasion acted as her official representative. In fact, it could be argued (by us) that Andrew and Camilla, not Gwyneth and Chris, are the true originators of “conscious uncoupling.” In the penultimate episode of The Camilla Season, Eva and Allie take a look back at the surprisingly civil divorce of Camilla and Andrew in 1995. But... maybe that's what happens when your marriage is one of "electric indifference", as Tina Brown once put it.

Queen Camilla Would Like to Be Your Friend Jun 13, 2023

As any royal biography will tell you, people really like Queen Camilla — they really, really like her. This week, hosts Eva and Allie are deep-diving into the former Camilla Parker-Bowles’s wide world of friendships. Camilla’s inner circle is a big one, from throwback childhood horse and pony pals to the six grown-up female friends she’s hooked up with (unpaid) jobs at the Palace. We meet this motley crew of royal BFFs, including the one who’s Charles’s cousin and the one whose husband proposes to strangers. And we can't forget to mention Camilla's long history of befriending reporters. Camilla just has a way of making royal journos feel less “reptilian,” and in return, they cover her glowingly.

Camilla, Queen of Wellness Jun 06, 2023

Central to Queen Camilla’s public image is the idea that she’s an unfussy, no-nonsense, ruddy British everywoman. But those with a nose for useless royal miscellany (ahem, your dedicated hosts) have picked up on Camilla’s frequent under-the-radar visits to an idyllic holistic health spa in southern India run by the charismatic healer to the (British) stars, Dr. Issac Mathai. The Soukya International Holistic Health Centre is frequented by the likes of Emma Thompson, Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson, and yes, Queen Camilla, who we can't say for certain DOESN'T get the "reverse childbirth" colonic irrigation. When she’s not in India, Dr. Mathai is flying to the UK to treat Camilla and Charles at home (something Mathai claims to do frequently). So who is this shadowy healer? Well, for one thing, he’s not shadowy at all. He’s surprisingly loose-lipped about his royal connections, for which we are eternally thankful.

The Romance (and Enduring Cringe) of Camillagate May 30, 2023

In episode six of "The Camilla Season," Eva and Allie bravely go where no one ever wanted to go again... back to 1993, year of "Tampongate." This was the iconic conversation in which, as you will reluctantly recall, Charles talked about becoming Camilla's tampon. It wasn’t the future king's finest hour, nor was it the finest hour of the “amateur radio enthusiast” who taped someone else’s private phone call and sold it to the tabloids. But there’s more to Tampongate than just that tampon moment. The conversation reveals much about Charles and Camilla’s private world, the people willing to keep their affair secret, and even — dare we say — a modicum of tenderness. Here Eva and Allie reenact and annotate Tampongate. Please forgive them.

Has Queen Camilla Ever... Worked? May 23, 2023

An unnamed relative of Queen Camilla’s once described her as “the laziest woman to have been born in England in the 20th century.” This was an assessment often (and rudely!) repeated by staffers, former staffers, biographers, and tabloid journalists to describe Camilla’s pre-royal work ethic. As far as Eva and Allie can tell, Camilla’s only paid gig was as gofer for a prestigious interior design firm in the 1960s… from which she was unceremoniously fired. But is it fair to call a woman who raised two children, ran a large household, had numerous hobbies, and who would go on to become Queen of England lazy? In this episode of Windsors & Losers, Eva and Allie run through Camilla’s professional CV and break down what "work" means for a woman of her class and position.

Queen Camilla, Who Loved to Hunt (and All That Implies) May 16, 2023

In Roman times, Diana was known as the goddess of the hunt — but nowadays, Queen Camilla is the British aristocrat most associated with the countryside past-time. In episode four of Windsors & Losers's "The Camilla Season," hosts Eva and Allie revisit Camilla's long association with the world of ponies and, eventually, hunting. It's a passion she shared with husband King Charles III — that is, until it was ruled illegal and the royals had to stop terrorizing foxes on horseback. We take a look back at Camilla's inherited love of all things horse, and — for better or worse — try to unpack the psychological connection between hunting and... yes... sex.

Why Camilla Still Owns Her Own Private Home May 09, 2023

Keen (but formally untrained) royal anthropologists Eva and Allie have noticed that Queen Camilla seems to spend an awful lot of time at a mystery house called “Ray Mill” in Wiltshire, England. It turns out that Ray Mill is Camilla’s private home, one she’s hung onto from her pre-royal days. It’s where she flees on weekends, holidays, and pretty much anytime she fancies a big ol’ G&T in front of Coronation Street, her favorite soap, and a show which Charles reportedly loathes. In episode 4 of Windsors & Losers's “The Camilla Season,” Eva and Allie attempt to untangle Charles and Camilla’s $25 billion dollar property empire and answer the simple question: “Why does the very married Queen hold onto her own house?”

Queen Camilla, Mum of Two May 02, 2023

Camilla Parker Bowles, soon-to-be Queen, is many things. And one of those things is: a mom. This week's episode of Windsors & Losers — part of our "Camilla Season" — is all about Camilla's two "royally adjacent" children, Tom and Laura. Learn about how the now King Charles was a regular visitor at their childhood home, why Tom calls himself “a camp old raver,” how Laura married an underwear model, and why both Eva and Allie are always and forever #TeamTom.

Queen Camilla, the "Town Hall" Bride Apr 25, 2023

On February 18th of 2005, The Guardian published the decidedly unglamorous headline “Charles and Camilla Forced to Wed in Local Register Office.” The tabloids, meanwhile, crowned future queen Camilla Parker Bowles the "Town Hall Bride.” So how did King Charles's second wife come to have her own second wedding in such an understated location when royal nuptials are usually held in more august venues? In episode one of Windsors & Losers's “The Camilla Season,” hosts Eva and Allie revisit Camilla’s low-key (second) wedding day — and how she could barely get out of bed that morning.

Windsors & Losers Season 2 Trailer: The Camilla Season Apr 11, 2023

Windsors & Losers, the podcast that tells you a lesser-known story about the British royal family in every episode, will be back with a new season just in time for the coronation on May 6! And this time it’s all about the new queen, Camilla. Let’s really get to know the woman formerly known as “Mrs. PB” (for Parker Bowles) by palace staff, and “the other woman” by Fleet Street — independent of the Charles and Diana love triangle. What makes this new queen tick? Who are her kids, Tom and Laura? Why did she and Charles get married at town hall? Why doesn’t the palace want us to know about her regular trips to a homeopathic wellness spa in India? And lastly, do we regret exploring the connection between fox hunting and Charles and Camilla's physical relationship? Yes, yes we do. Be sure to subscribe!

Princess Margaret's Hedonistic Party Paradise, Mustique Feb 21, 2023

The year was 1960, and Princess Margaret, along with her new husband Anthony Armstrong-Jones, made a fateful trip ashore to the tiny Caribbean island of Mustique during their six week (checks notes — yes, six week) honeymoon aboard the royal yacht. Margaret's party pal from back in London, Colin Tennant (later, Glenconner), had just purchased the island and he cannily offered the princess a plot of land as a wedding gift. It would be another few years before "Margo" cashed in the I.O.U, but when she did, she also asked for a house — naturally. Thus began Margaret's long love affair with the hedonistic party paradise that Colin developed on Mustique. It's where Margaret escaped the glare of public life in London, enjoyed getaways with her boyfriend, and later suffered a series of serious health episodes. In this final episode Windsors & Losers season one, Eva and Allie mentally head to Mustique to revisit what Margaret and the rest of the 1970s glitterati got up to down there. Hint: it once involved spray-painting palm trees gold, outfitting waiters in just gold coconut shells, and polluting the sand with gold glitter.

The 'Curious Collection' of Prince Philip's Surrogate Dad Feb 14, 2023

Prince Philip was born, er, a prince — and then, of course, went on to marry a queen — but he had a challenging childhood. A central figure in his adolescence was his mother's brother, an aristocrat named George Mountbatten, who provided Philip with a stable family life (for a time). But George sadly died young, when Philip was only 17, and as a result the uncle's story is a mere footnote in royal biographies. But even those tiny mentions usually include a unique detail about Unky G. He was a collector. He collected model trains. And — oh yeah! — he spent millions in today’s money amassing one of the world’s largest collections of erotic imagery. And this is where we pick up today, retracing Philip's footsteps to his uncle's family home, and establishing why one of the 20th century's biggest British political scandals forced the Mountbattens to divest themselves of the 'curious collection.'

Overlooked Details in Prince Harry's 'Spare' That Delighted Us Feb 07, 2023

Join us for an extremely niche Windsors & Losers analysis of "Spare," Prince Harry's monumental biography released last month. Many readers and reporters quite naturally focused on the biggest and most sensational sections, whether it was physical aggression from "Willy" — also known as Prince William — or the claim that Queen Consort Camilla (FKA Camilla Parker Bowles) planted stories about Harry in order to curry favor with the public for herself. And, sure, we were interested in those details. But what we really enjoyed were those between-the-lines nuggets that, we think, revealed a bit more about royal operations than Harry may have intended. Without further ado, let's dive in, like King Charles into his nightly bubble bath (a tradition we now know about, thanks to Spare).

Prince Edward, the Original Hollywood Royal Jan 31, 2023

Harry and Meghan who? Long before Netflix came a callin' — there was one royal who wanted to make it in Hollywood, and his name is Edward. Who the heck is Prince Edward, you so rightly ask? He's the Queen's fifty-eight-year-old son (the third male child — the spare's spare, so to speak). He spent most of the nineties and noughties running a production company that made... nothing most of us have heard of.... until today! Join us for a deep dive on Edward's producorial misadventures, and why he created one show so bad the royals turned their backs on television for good.

Before Prince Harry's Spare, There Was King Charles's 'Memoir' Jan 24, 2023

Queen Consort Camilla's Wild First Marriage, Before Charles Jan 17, 2023

Before there was Camilla and Charles, there was Camilla and Andrew. She was Camilla Shand, country girl and horse fan, who was a social star in the classroom, finishing school, and the debutante balls of London. He was Andrew Parker Bowles, a young cavalry officer and the most lusted-after gentleman of her deb season. In episode three of Windsors & Losers, hosts Allie & Eva revisit Camilla and Andrew's unconventional and somewhat racy first marriage — and how she ultimately found her way back into the arms of the future King Charles.

The Town Charles Built. Meet: Poundbury. Jan 10, 2023

Windsors & Losers is created and produced by Eva Wolchover and Allie Merriam. Our episode was mixed by Kristin Mueller. Special thanks to Jesse Baker, Eric Nuzum, Ian Chillag, Sabrina Farhi, Lee Lawrence, Tom Merriam, and Debbie Merriam.

Give us your feedback at WindsorsLosers.com. And please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Charles's Happy Place Is a Romanian Meadow Jan 10, 2023

Windsors & Losers is created and produced by Eva Wolchover and Allie Merriam. Our episode was mixed by Kristin Mueller.

Give us your feedback at WindsorsLosers.com. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

Windsors & Losers Season One Trailer Dec 20, 2022

Who among us can... build their own town? King Charles created an opportunity to flex his untrained architect muscles and create a village, Poundbury, from the ground up. It's taken him more than 30 years, but the results are actually pretty good. Hosts Eva Wolchover and Allie Merriam tee up episode one — out in January! — and introduce themselves and their uniquely American POV on royal commentary.

Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected