Podcast Summary:

Hell in Heaven: A Mysterious Death in Paradise
The Butterfly King - 8: The Rest is History
Host: Becky Milligan
Date: May 2, 2024
Podcast Network: Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts

Overview

In the final episode of The Butterfly King, award-winning journalist Becky Milligan delves into the unresolved death of King Boris III of Bulgaria in 1943—a case shrouded in theories of poisoning, Soviet intrigue, and family trauma. The episode weaves the decades-long search for answers by Boris's children Simeon and Maria Luisa with historical context, scientific insight, and personal reflection. Milligan leads listeners through the forensics of mushroom poisoning, Cold War political machinations, and the emotional aftermath for Bulgaria's royal family.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Night King Boris Died – Was It Poison?

• Setting the Scene:
  • King Boris's final dinner in August 1943 was a private affair with his close friend and advisor, the architect Yordan Sevof. (04:00)
  • Maria Luisa, Boris’s daughter, voices her conviction that something was put in her father’s food that night:

    “I’m convinced that something was put into his soup. You know, he had dinner with somebody alone and felt ill after dinner suddenly.” – Maria Luisa (02:31)

  • The king fell ill after the meal and died soon after, displaying skin blotches consistent with poisoning.

2. Could It Have Been Mushroom Poisoning?

• Scientific Input:

  • Milligan visits the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens to consult mycologist Irina Drozhenina.
  • Irina details that “really deadly poisonous fungi that can kill ... maybe less than 100” (06:41), focusing on Amanita phalloides (the “Death Cap”) and the Webcap. (07:00)
  • These mushrooms are “pretty commonplace” and found in any forest, including those around Vrana Palace, as Boris’s son, Simeon, recalls:

    “It’s full of mushrooms in the garden now.” – Simeon (08:05)

• Accidental vs. Deliberate Poisoning:

  • Simeon affirms Boris was knowledgeable about mushrooms:

    “My father knew a lot about mushrooms.” – Simeon (09:02)

  • Irina is skeptical about accidental self-poisoning, given Boris's expertise:

    “If the person has an even superficial knowledge . . . this mistake is very unlikely.” – Irina Drozhenina (09:34)

3. Yordan Sevof: Suspect or Scapegoat?

• Background:

  • Sevof, the king’s architect and confidant, enjoyed major influence over Boris in his final years.
  • He was dubbed the “Bulgarian Rasputin” and was viewed with suspicion by other palace aides for his admiration of Nazi Germany. (11:00)

• Murder Opportunity and Motive:

  • Rumors proliferated that Sevof poisoned Boris on Hitler’s or the Nazis’ behalf, possibly to ease the accession of Boris’s more pliable brother, Kirill.
  • However, practical questions about how Sevof could ensure only Boris consumed the poison remain unresolved:

    “The problem is Sevoff would need to have eaten exactly the same dish as the King. Or the king would have become suspicious.” – Becky Milligan (17:05)

• Propaganda and Frame-up:

  • Simeon dismisses the Nazi plot rumors as Communist-era propaganda:

    “They tried to ... blame him for all sorts of things and said that there were ingots of Nazi gold...with the swastika. As though the Nazis, if they had poisoned my father, would be that idiotic as to give ingot with their signature on it.” – Simeon (19:12)

4. The Soviet Connection: Poison Labs and Political Motive

• State-Sanctioned Murder?

  • Milligan links Boris’s death to Soviet poison labs, established by Stalin to murder political enemies without leaving a trace. (35:00+)
  • Irina, the mushroom expert with Russian roots, confirms the existence and focus of these “laboratories with very bad intentions,” specifically working with mushroom toxins for undetectable killings.

    “They were laboratories so with very bad intentions.” – Irina Drozhenina (35:48)

• Historical Parallels:

  • The suspicious mushroom poisoning death of Russian scientist Vitaly Melnikov in 2023 is cited as evidence of a continuing tradition of covert poisoning. (33:30)
  • The Soviets would have had both the motive (to destabilize Bulgaria and remove a Western-leaning monarch) and the opportunity (their embassy was next to the palace).

• Conclusion:

  • Milligan concludes that Boris was probably murdered by the Soviets or Bulgarian Communist operatives using a synthetic mushroom-based toxin.

    “After months of investigation, I believe King Boris was murdered by the Soviets ... using synthetic mushroom based poisons from those dreadful chemical weapons labs.” – Becky Milligan (37:11)

• Maria Luisa echoes the theory:

  “Who had the greatest advantage to get rid of him? The Soviet Union.” – Maria Luisa (38:51)

5. Repercussions for the Royal Family

• Exile and Return

  • After Boris’s death, the Red Army invaded, the monarchy was abolished, and the family was sent into exile in Egypt and then Spain. (22:34–24:17)

  • Maria Luisa’s emotional return to Bulgaria post-1989 was met with crowds and moving scenes:

    “It was an unbelievable, you know, dream that came true.” – Maria Luisa (26:35)

  • Simeon’s homecoming in 1996 sparked national euphoria:

    “After all, 50 years in exile, finally to set foot back on the country when I was born in.” – Simeon (28:16)

• Simeon Becomes Prime Minister

  • In 2001, Simeon, the former boy king, became Bulgaria’s Prime Minister—a unique historical twist:

    “I no way want to sound derogatory, but I demoted myself by becoming prime minister.” – Simeon (30:45)

  • His tenure brought initial hope but ended amid disappointment over the slow pace of progress.

• Family Land and Legal Battles

  • Simeon and Maria Luisa sought to reclaim family properties lost during Communism, succeeding only in regaining Vrana Palace.

6. Personal Reflections and Legacy

• The Children’s Perspective

  • Maria Luisa asserts that the mechanics of her father’s death are less important than his legacy:

    “If it’s the mushrooms who killed him, that’s it. And, you know, that’s part of history, I guess.” – Maria Luisa (43:10)

  • Both siblings express profound love and loss for their father. Simeon, though convinced of “foul play,” resists singling out a culprit without definitive proof:

    “I’ve never let myself into thinking, aha ... because then where does objectivity go?” – Simeon (39:32) “Still, I think there must have been foul play...he died in a strange...pathology.” – Simeon (40:06)

• Historical Reputation

  • Historians remain divided on Boris’s character and decisions, especially regarding Bulgaria’s Jews during WWII.
  • Tessa Dunlop comments:

    “He is your model man in an era of intolerant nationalism.” (45:00)

  • Maria Luisa, on the King’s controversial reputation:

    “A saint is maybe too much, but a hero for sure.” – Maria Luisa (44:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Maria Luisa on returning to Bulgaria:
  “It was an unbelievable, you know, dream that came true.” (26:35)
• On King Boris’s historical role:
  “He kept Bulgaria out of the war. Saved the population, saved the Jewish population. What more do you want? ... A hero for sure.” – Maria Luisa (44:01)
• Simeon on 'foul play':
  “Still, I think that there must have been foul play in as much as it...he died in a strange...the pathology itself is a bit strange.” (40:06)
• Irina on Soviet poison expertise:
  “I believe crime related to mushrooms are connected.” (36:11)
• Becky Milligan's Final Analysis:
  "After months of investigation, I believe King Boris was murdered by the Soviets ... using synthetic mushroom based poisons..." (37:11)
• Maria Luisa, reflective:
  "But all that other stuff, you know, about who and when, you know, it doesn't change anything. You know, we lost him. So to dwell for eight years over that subject, I really don't. I pray for his soul. I feel him very close many times." (46:44)

Segment Timestamps

• 01:40 – Opening recreation of Boris’s last dinner; suspicions about meal.
• 04:52–07:45 – Expert discussion of mushroom poisoning at Kew Gardens.
• 09:49–12:10 – Deep dive into Sevof’s rise and potential motives.
• 16:25–19:37 – Why mushroom poisoning would have gone undetected; propaganda against Sevof.
• 22:34–24:33 – The royal family's exile and journey abroad.
• 25:47–29:35 – Emotional returns to Bulgaria for Maria Luisa and then Simeon.
• 30:45 – Simeon’s tenure as prime minister.
• 35:09–37:11 – Emergence of Soviet poison lab theory and its modern echoes.
• 39:27–40:18 – Simeon’s personal feelings about the investigation.
• 43:02–44:14 – Maria Luisa and Becky discuss Boris’s historical legacy.

Tone & Presentation

Milligan maintains a tone of investigative curiosity, alternating between analytical, humane, and reflective. The personal testimonies of Boris’s children add emotional weight, while expert interviews lend scientific credibility. The episode is respectful, nuanced, and consciously aware of the complexities of history and memory.

Conclusion

The Butterfly King closes with the probable answer to an 80-year-old question: King Boris III was likely poisoned—by agents of the Soviet state—using a mushroom-derived toxin. While the full truth may remain elusive, the episode balances detective work with empathy, offering listeners a satisfying—if sobering—resolution and a powerful meditation on history, loss, and national memory.