The People's Princess
Diana, Princess of Wales 1961–1997
A shy nursery assistant married the heir to the throne in front of 750 million people. Sixteen years later, a Prime Minister gave her the title the world remembers.
The Royals
Kings, queens and the people who loved, fought and outlived them. The first season of Short Life Stories, one life at a time.
FreeEdward the Eighth
The King Who Gave Up the Throne · 1894–1972
FreeDiana, Princess of Wales
The People's Princess · 1961–1997
In productionAnne Boleyn
The Queen Who Lost Her Head · 1501–1536
In productionQueen Victoria
The Grandmother of Europe · 1819–1901
In productionHenry the Eighth
Six Wives and a Broken Church · 1491–1547
In productionElizabeth the First
The Queen Who Would Not Marry · 1533–1603
A whole life, told properly
Each episode is a narrated audio documentary of one complete life: where it began, the moment that defined it, how it ended, and what it left behind. Fifteen to twenty minutes, so there is time to explain the history, not just recite it.
We write for listeners on both sides of the Atlantic, so the things a British audience takes for granted, like how a constitutional monarchy works, are explained along the way.
- SourcedEvery episode page lists the sources and references the script was written from.
- Complete livesOnly people who have died, so every story has its full arc, and history, not gossip.
- NarratedA classical British narration voice, created with SI, and an orchestral arrangement of the national anthem for the Royals season.
- Free to startThe first episodes are free to hear right here.
Short Life Stories for iPhone
The app is on its way: every life in one place, downloads for offline listening, and a new story regularly. Leave your email and we'll send one message the day it launches.