Fit to Rule: How Royal Illness Changed History

Historian Lucy Worsley explores the impact the mental and physical health of English kings and queens has had on the history of England. She looks at all the evidence, including their private letters, their doctor's reports and even their clothes, to understand the problems they faced. Beginning with Henry VIII, Lucy discovers how closely the king's health was monitored by his doctors. Then turning to Henry's children, Lucy looks at the problems his son Edward VI faced when he became king at just nine years old. Lucy also reveals the challenges faced by Henry's daughter Mary I and tells the tragic story of Mary's phantom pregnancy. She then tells the story of Charles I who had trouble walking, an affliction which affected the future king's personality. Next Lucy investigates the 'madness' of George III. It has long been thought that this was due to porphyria, a rare blood disorder, but clinical neurologist Dr Garrard's research suggests that the king may actually have been suffering from manic depression instead. Finally Lucy explores how childbirth has always been the monarchy's greatest biological challenge. (Viasat)