Hell in Heaven: The Butterfly King – Episode 6: "An Inside Job"

Podcast: Hell in Heaven: A Mysterious Death in Paradise – The Butterfly King
Episode Title: 6: An Inside Job
Date: April 18, 2024
Host: Becky Milligan
Key Contributors: Tessa Dunlop (Historian), Simeon (King Boris’s son), Anna Blagova, Momchil Karamatev

Overview

In this gripping sixth episode, Becky Milligan investigates the labyrinthine circumstances surrounding the death of King Boris III of Bulgaria in 1943. The episode plunges into decades of political violence, botched assassination attempts, royal intrigue, secret societies, and conspiracy theories involving Communists, Italians, and even spiritual prophecy. Ultimately, the swirling mystery of Boris’s death grows only deeper, as a tantalizing new clue emerges in the episode’s final moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Early Attempt: An Ambush on the Mountain Pass

• Setting the Scene: The episode opens in the Balkan Mountains, 1925, with a dramatic account of an assassination attempt on King Boris.
  • “It’s an ambush. The first bullet is aimed at the front seat, the King’s usual seat. It kills the gamekeeper instantly. The next one kills the King’s friend… Boris seizes the steering wheel and yanks the car back from the edge just in time.” (05:51)
• Aftermath: The King survives and is heralded as a hero, but feels increasingly hunted and vulnerable.
  • “The attempt on his life might have failed this time, but the King knows they’ll get him in the end. Because this, this is only the very beginning of the plot to kill him.” (06:16)

2. Bulgaria in Turmoil: Coups, Chaos, and Political Terror

• Atmosphere of Violence: The interwar period is described as a brutal, unstable era where political terror is the norm.
  • “Political assassinations and targeted killings were commonplace. Rival factions fought and murdered each other in the race for power.” (08:14)
• Biscuit Tin Infamy: After a military coup, the ex-prime minister is murdered and “allegedly sent his head in a biscuit tin to the palace.” (09:20)
• Boris’s Dread: Boris is anxious and physically shaken by persistent threats.
  • “He’s pretty fearful. His hands tremble quite a lot to begin with, but he grows a bit of a second skin.” – Tessa Dunlop (11:13)

3. The St. Nedelia Church Bombing & Communist Plots

• The Church Massacre: Anna Blagova recounts the 1925 bombing at St. Nedelia Cathedral – the deadliest assassination attempt.
  • “The bomb was so powerful, it blew off the roof of the nave. Dismembered bodies and corpses littered the church. Two hundred and thirteen men, women and children were murdered… The real target of that bombing escaped without a scratch. Yes, King Boris.” (13:27)
• Pattern of Attempts: Multiple failed attempts on Boris’s life follow – shootings, bombs, and even a palace break-in, largely believed orchestrated by the Communists.

4. Was It Suicide?

• Personal Pressures: The immense psychological toll on Boris is discussed, especially during WWII.
  • “On a number of occasions, the King mentioned to his staff that he wished someone would just shoot him dead or that he felt like shooting himself.” (19:34)
  • “Could you imagine what kind of pressure during a war with everything and you are alone on top of the power pyramid?” – Simeon (20:09)
• Simeon's Rebuttal: Boris’s son, Simeon, adamantly rejects the suicide theory, citing his father’s deep religiosity.
  • “My father was far too believing, I think, to have considered suicide.” – Simeon (21:44)
  • “Not only. I think. I’m sorry to say it’s nonsense … to me, it’s really part of not very serious thinking.” – Simeon (21:50)

5. The White Brotherhood: Mysticism, Prophecy, and Politics

• Mystic Influence: The White Brotherhood, a spiritual group led by Peter Denov (“the Master”), fascinates the King.
  • “The White Brotherhood was all about finding universal kinship in a fracturing world. Think meditation, music.” (22:23)
• Prophecies: Members claim the Master prophesied both assassination attempts and major dangers for Boris, including a warning to avoid meeting Hitler in WWII.
  • “The Master said to King Boris, don’t go to Germany, because he was invited by Hitler to go there. And he didn’t follow this advice … And very soon after his return in Bulgaria, he was dead.” – Simeon (26:39)
• Ominous Prediction: Details emerge that Boris sensed or predicted the very timing of his own death.
  • “When he was told it was 20 past four, he shook his head. Tomorrow at the same time, he said … The next day, at precisely 22 minutes past 4, the King was pronounced dead.” (28:40)

6. Could It Have Been the Italians?

• The Marriage & Religious Tensions: The episode reviews Boris’s marriage to Italian Princess Giovanna, amidst Catholic-Orthodox friction and diplomatic maneuvering tied to WWII alliances.
• Goebbels and the Poison Theory: Nazi diarist Joseph Goebbels infamously speculated that Boris’s sister-in-law, Princess Mafalda of Italy, poisoned him.
  • “Goebbels claims it was my mother’s sister, Princess Mafalda, that she had poisoned him.” – Simeon (38:44)
• Family Testimony Refutes It: Simeon debunks the notion:
  • “This is nonsense. Because I was at the station to receive my aunt after my father was dead. Because she came to the funeral.” – Simeon (39:35)
  • “[T]he Italians had no advantage whatsoever. Goebbels was blaming the Italian court because the Nazis were very upset when Italy changed sides before my father’s death … sometimes documents which are supposed to be official can also be misleading.” – Simeon (40:17)

7. Where Does the Evidence Point Now?

• Communists Remain Suspects: Host Milligan does not dismiss the Communist role: “They tried to kill the King again and again, but I still don’t have concrete proof. I don’t even have a name for the poison that was used to kill the King.” (41:14)
• Mystery Deepens: A surprise voicemail hints at a startling new lead. Someone claiming “microscopic knowledge” of the case is ready to talk.
  • “It suggests we meet up in Sofia to talk about the death of King Boris III … he claims he knows exactly how the King died.” (42:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There was a biscuit tin somewhere out there with his name on it too. It was just a matter of time.” – Becky Milligan (09:24)

• “He survived ambushes. He was the original James Bond of Bulgaria … But he just didn’t have the dashing good looks and the charisma to go with it.” – Tessa Dunlop (16:59)

• “Do you think King Boris may have been on cocaine?”
  – Becky Milligan teases the next line of inquiry, closing the episode with an unexpected and provocative question. (44:56)

• “This is nonsense. Because I was at the station to receive my aunt after my father was dead. Because she came to the funeral.” – Simeon, debunking Goebbels’s theory about Princess Mafalda (39:35)

• “My father was far too believing, I think, to have considered suicide.” – Simeon (21:44)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment/Topic | |----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:51 | Dramatic retelling: Mountain-Pass ambush of King Boris | | 08:01 | Political violence and instability in interwar Bulgaria | | 13:27 | St. Nedelia Church bombing—the bloodiest assassination attempt | | 19:34 | Was it suicide? Reviewing Boris’s psychological state | | 21:44 | Simeon firmly rebuts the suicide theory | | 22:23 | The White Brotherhood’s philosophy and influence | | 26:39 | Prophecy: The Master warns Boris not to meet Hitler | | 28:40 | The King seemingly predicts the precise hour of his own death | | 32:12 | Royal marriage, religious disputes, and Italian suspicions | | 38:44 | Goebbels’s diary accuses Princess Mafalda of poisoning Boris | | 39:35 | Simeon’s eyewitness testimony debunks the Italian plot theory | | 41:14 | Host: Communist responsibility remains possible, but unproven | | 42:20 | Mysterious voicemail hints at new explosive evidence | | 44:56 | Closing teaser: “Do you think King Boris may have been on cocaine?” |

Tone and Style

The episode is delivered with characteristic British wit and a sense of intrigue, mixing dark humor (“biscuit tin somewhere out there with his name on it…”) with suspense, empathy, and skepticism. The combination of riveting narration, firsthand accounts, and expert analysis brings the tragic saga of King Boris III to vibrant life, while the relentless mystery pulls listeners deeper.

Conclusion

Episode 6, “An Inside Job,” meticulously explores and dismantles the prevailing theories behind King Boris III’s mysterious death: was it an inside job, a Communist conspiracy, a family betrayal, or suicide? Newly uncovered spiritual prophecies, political intrigue, personal pressure, and fantastical rumors swirl together, but clear answers remain elusive—even as a brand new clue promises a breakthrough next episode. Fans of true historical crime will be left on the edge of their seats.

For listeners eager for history, royal drama, and true crime intrigue—and those invested in the Butterfly King’s fate—this episode is a must.