Edward VII, the secret Frenchman
I have co-written a play for French radio station France Inter. They have a really good history show, in which the host, Stéphanie Duncan (a Franco-Scot) presents a 30-minute play about a historical subject, then discusses the theme with an author.
On January 8 at 9pm French time, I'll be on the show listening to, and then talking about, a play I've co-written about the largely-ignored role that King Edward VII played in the negotiations leading up to the Entente Cordiale, which was signed in 1904.
I went along to the recording of the play the other day, and heard a French Bertie talking to his dead mother, Victoria, who returns as his conscience to berate him about wasting his time with actresses. He quite rightly says that that's not all he's doing – he's conducting a diplomatic campaign to control the Kaiser (his nephew) and preserve European peace.
The play was inspired by the central idea of my book, "Dirty Bertie, an English King Made in France", that Edward's fun and frolics in 19th century France were put to very worthwhile use when he became king in 1901.
Anyway, judging by the recording, the play should be fun. So, if you understand French: France Inter, "Autant en Emporte l'Histoire", January 8, 9pm French time.
