Channel 4 confirms return of hit Royal show – but with an unexpected twist

CHANNEL 4 is bringing back the hit documentary series The Royals: A History of Scandals. 

The upcoming series sees historian Suzannah Lipscomb return as host and she’ll be digging into the saucy and salacious secrets from royal households of yesteryear.

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Hello Mary

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The debut series of The Royals: A History of Scandals premiered in 2023 and is comprised of four episodes.

It covered everything from George IV’s insatiable appetite for spending, to the Cleveland Street gay brothel rumours that engulfed Prince Albert Victor, to the question of whether or not Queen Victoria’s uncle really did murder his valet.

But Suzannah will take things further in this upcoming six-part series as she explores 1200 years of history and dissects countless royal scandals.

“Suzannah is returning to remind us that intrigue and fascination about what goes on behind palace gates is certainly no modern phenomenon,” the official synopsis reveals.

Some of the stories explored in the upcoming series include the sex chair that was specially designed for Prince Bertie by an exclusive Paris brothel; the mysterious disappearance of two child princes in the Tower of London; and the relationship between Prince George, Duke of Kent and the controversial American socialite whose drug addiction earned her the nickname “the girl with the silver syringe.”

The series promises to be a deep dive into regal history with Suzannah uncovering much more famous scandals we think we already know — while also unveiling some shocking new ones along the way.

 To do this, historian and presenter Suzannah will travel the country visiting some of the UK’s most extraordinary palaces and historic houses to talk to experts about the role the press, parliament and public have played in generating outrage and spreading gossip across the centuries.

Speaking about the upcoming series, Suzannah said: “It’s a joy to be working with a brilliant team on series two. The stories are even more deliciously scandalous and our locations are just spectacular. Above all, it’s just so much fun and my hope is that sense of fun will make it equally enjoyable for our audience.”

 A History of Scandals is produced by STV Studio’s Hello Mary for Channel 4 and will air later this year on More4.

Channel 4’s Jayne Stanger, Commissioning Editor for Lifestyle, said: “We’re looking forward to bringing More4 viewers even more revelations from the history of the nation’s monarchy with Suzannah once again uncovering centuries of scandals at the heart of the British royalty.”

While Steve Regan, Executive Producer and CEO of Hello Mary, noted that recent Royal fascination makes it the perfect time for this historical documentary. 

“As has been made starkly clear this year, social media is awash with some truly wild royal rumours and conspiracy theories. But as Suzannah expertly showed in series one, this kind of gossip is nothing new, and we’re delighted that Channel 4 has commissioned us to uncover even more historic regal scandals that are sure to make viewers clutch their pearls – or crown jewels – in surprise,” he said.

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Bake Off: The Professionals

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Series one of The Royals: A History of Scandals is available to stream on 4.