69 - The House of Dudley - with Dr Joanne Paul

Did you know there was a Duke of Northumberland two centuries before the Percy family of Alnwick Castle were given the title? And that the person who held the dukedom also spent time here at Alnwick? He was John Dudley, part of one of the most important families of the Tudor period and one of the people who features in The House of Dudley, a fascinating book by Dr Joanne Paul that explores this family and their history.

We were very lucky to get to speak to Dr Paul about John Dudley and his connections to Alnwick Castle and Northumberland, as well as many other things, from the first rise of the Dudleys around the time of the Wars of the Roses to their connection with Syon House - now another Percy family property.

You will also hear about the relationship between Robert Dudley and Queen Elizabeth I, the 7th Earl of Northumberland and his dislike of Robert, and the story of how a single "and" changed the life of Lady Jane Grey (who was a Dudley through marriage) and the course of English history.

The House of Dudley is available now from all good bookshops - highly recommended for anybody interested in the Tudors!

You can follow Joanne Paul on Instagram or Threads, or visit her website at joannepaul.com .