Divorce cases can be messy. But the epic court battle between Caroline and George Norton in 1836 took things to the next level, with salacious accusations of adultery with none other than the prime minister. In this first series of History’s Greatest Scandals, Professor Rosalind Crone and Ellie Cawthorne uncover some of the most infamous episodes of the Victorian age. This opening episode delves into the story of one of British history’s most bitter divorce cases, exploring what it can reveal about attitudes to child custody and women’s rights within marriage.

History’s Greatest Scandals is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. There you can find other feeds including History’s Greatest Cities, History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories, History’s Greatest Battles and HistoryExtra LongReads. Find out more at historyextra.com/podcast.

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This episode was hosted by Ellie Cawthorne and produced by Jack Bateman.

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The mother of all sex scandals

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