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Dana Schwartz
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
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Dana Schwartz
Welcome to Noble Blood, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and Mild from Aaron Menke. Listener discretion advised. Welcome to a very special episode of Noble Blood. I'm Dana Schwartz and I'm joined by Caroline Halliman, who's the digital director of Town and Country and the author of the new book the Kennedys and the Windsors, which is out next week. Available for pre order now. It is a fascinating book, super readable, super fun, like the best sort of historical gossip about these two families that are a global obsession. Caroline, thank you so much for coming on the podcast.
Caroline Halliman
Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to talk to you today.
Dana Schwartz
My first question is, what drew you to a book focused on these two families in particular?
Caroline Halliman
Sure So I, as the digital director at Town and Country, I have covered both of these families for just about 10 years now. So I came into writing this book with kind of a deep background on both of them. But what really kind of sparked the idea to write a book was when Prince William announced that he was bringing his Earthshot Prize, which is his big environmental initiative, to Boston. And that was in the second year of the prize. And he talked a lot about how President Kennedy's moonshot and his kind of ambition to go to the moon and his declaration that we would do that within 10 years was really an inspiration and a driving force for Williams big project. And I just started thinking about that, and I was like, that's so interesting, because it was really Prince William kind of leaning on the Kennedy iconography and the Kennedy mythology and kind of like the language of the Kennedys to launch his big project on a global scale, to bring that to America. And I was like, that is just. It just felt like a reversal of the whole, like, the Kennedys are the closest thing that America has to the royal family. And so I actually covered that visit to Boston for Town and Country. And I just kept thinking about that, and I kept thinking about the different connections between the two families. And the following week, Prince Harry had another event with another branch of the Kennedy family. He received the Ripple of Hope Award. And so I just kept thinking about it, and I kept thinking about Joe Kennedy in the UK prior to World War II. And I kept thinking about, like, you know, the 1961 meeting at Buckingham palace, which has been fictionalized in the Crown and all of these things. And I was like, ah, there must be a book about this. And so I was, you know, I was looking it up. I was trying to find something, and there. There wasn't one. And so then I was like, well, maybe. Maybe I should try and write something. And I pitched it to my agent. I had been kind of working on a separate idea, and she was like, that's it. Like, that's the book. You should start on that. And so that's kind of the origin story.
Dana Schwartz
I love that infamous visit that you mentioned that was depicted in the crown when Jackie Kennedy and JFK visited Queen Elizabeth and her husband Philip. As you mentioned, it was depicted in the crown. But you also write about it very beautifully in the book. Can you explain the context of that visit and what happened?
Caroline Halliman
Sure. So the 1961 visit, it came after President Kennedy was in Vienna, which was kind of like a key meeting with Khrushchev about the Cold War. And they talked about the state of Germany, they talked about the state of Laos. They. It was a big meeting for him. And they. They knew that he wanted to debrief with the UK Prime Minister afterwards, but he didn't want to make kind of other allies in NATO mad about essentially the. The US UK special relationship. So they wanted to get to the UK and actually his goddaughter was being baptized. So Jackie Kennedy's sister Lee Radzell's daughter Tina had been premature. It had been a difficult pregnancy. And this was a good enough reason for them to get over to the UK After Vienna that President Kennedy's goddaughter was gonna be baptized. And so that's a whole lot of context for why they were there. But while they were there, Queen Elizabeth was like, of course, please invite them to dinner. You know, like, let's make this happen. And so there was a little bit of back and forth about whether the Radziwells would be invited because they had been divorced, and there was just all of this back and forth.
Dana Schwartz
But as we know, divorce in the royal family at this time. Big. No, no, exactly.
Caroline Halliman
Exactly. But eventually, President Kennedy and Jackie, they get to Buckingham palace for this dinner, and what the Crown gets, right, is that Jackie was not exactly impressed with Buckingham Palace. She thought that, you know, she thought that Prince Philip and she thought that the Queen were nice enough. But we have several accounts of her saying, you know, that she was a little bit disappointed. She was disappointed with the food, she was disappointed with. With the state of Buckingham palace, and she was disappointed with what the Queen chose to. We. And I think that that little kernel has just, like, expanded and expanded, expanded beyond in the kind of telephone of history and has led to this kind of idea that the two women had this intense rivalry or something like that. And that's not true. And when you think about it, I mean, they had a lot in common. They were very different, but at the same time, they were both young mothers. They were both two women, you know, under enormous scrutiny in the public eye. And what I like to point to is that they were both passionate equestrians. Like, if you know anything about these two women and their hobbies, you know that they love horses. So even though that first meeting together was kind of, you know, as I say, Jackie was less than impressed, she returned the following year and had lunch at Buckingham Palace. Again, that is depicted in the Crown and is fictionalized. Certainly what we know happened is that they talked about horses in that second meeting, and that's what they really connected on. And you know, I just love. I just love that bit of history. I think of them both as kind of family matriarchs, but also horse girls.
Dana Schwartz
They are both horse girls. And both of them. I often think about how lonely and isolating it is to be famous. Feels almost like a diminishing word for what the Queen or what Jackie is like. So constantly scrutinized. And there are so few people who are understand what that's like. And even if these two women weren't quite friends, there was probably an understanding between them.
Caroline Halliman
Absolutely. I think that hits the nail right on the head. They have singular experiences that very few other people can understand. And you know, they occupied different roles, but I think there was commonality there for sure.
Dana Schwartz
Do we know how the Queen felt about Jackie? The crown depicted her as a little envious that Jackie was more beautiful, more glamorous, this French speaking woman. Was that a fictional invention?
Caroline Halliman
I think yes, it was fictionalized. That is true. You know, but I. But I would say that certainly the royal family, they looked to the Kennedys for kind of like an injection of vitality. They saw how successful that was and the royal family definitely took inspiration from that in the years to come. And frankly, I think they could do that again, honestly, kind of in present day.
Dana Schwartz
Yes, I think you're absolutely right. What I also find interesting that you mentioned before is this symbiotic relationship between the two of them. How did the Kennedys benefit from their royal associations, both with the idea of Camelot and by associating themselves with the Windsors?
Caroline Halliman
Sure. I think to answer that question, you have to go back to Joe Kennedy, who was President Kennedy's father. He was the ambassador to the UK prior to World War II. When he started in that position, when he brought his family over to the uk, he saw it as a real opportunity to kind of push them up the social ladder. And to that effect, you know, Rose Kennedy, his wife, JFK's mother, really saw kind of their time in the UK as kind of the first step toward JFK's presidency. So while they were there, they took every opportunity to socialize with royals and with aristocrats and for their children too as well. And I know you did an episode, I can't remember if it was earlier this year or at the end of last year, about Kik, who is fascinating,
Dana Schwartz
I was about to bring up, for audience members who don't remember, Kick Kennedy was the sister of JFK who married into British nobility. And she died very tragically young.
Caroline Halliman
Yes. But during Their time in the uk, you know, that was seen as a real benefit of this position, is that Joe could have his children make these connections with people. And, you know, those were some of JFK's very close associations during his presidency as well. I feel like that's a great example. And then you kind of look toward the myth making of Jackie after President Kennedy's death and the idea of Camelot. For listeners who are unfamiliar, in the handful of days after President Kennedy's assassination, Jackie gave an interview for Life magazine in which she kind of crafted the myth of Camelot. She spoke about how she and JFK had listened to records, the famous Broadway musical Camelot, how that was one of his favorites. And she kind of made a comparison linking the Kennedy administration and their family to the myth of King Arthur and his knights in Camelot, and that it was a time of, you know, prosperity and goodness and, you know, celebration of the arts and all of those things. And so it is a link that she crafted between royalty and the Kennedy family. And the Kennedys had been called kind of the closest thing that America has to the royal family during the Kennedy administration. That didn't start with this, but it certainly has had a long lasting impact on how this family is viewed in American popular culture. And so it's that idea of the Kennedys as royalty, as the closest thing America has to royalty. It has really perpetuated. And I think that stems from Jackie. And she didn't really give interviews after that, which makes that interview all the more important. It really solidified what she wanted JFK's legacy to be. And then she kind of left it at that, and she kind of disappeared, which I find. I mean, she didn't disappear, but from giving interviews and sharing her perspective. She never wrote a memoir or anything like that. And I think that link was important to her.
Dana Schwartz
One thing I find really compelling about your book is the parallels you draw between generations. I think that the comparison between Jackie O. And Queen Elizabeth makes sense. I think people also sometimes associate her with Princess Diana, just as this young figure who, as you said, injected some vitality into the family she married into. But you, in the book, draw a link between JFK Jr. And Diana, which makes a lot of sense as two very glamorous figures who died young. Can you talk a little bit about that? That comparison?
Caroline Halliman
Yeah, sure. I mean, Diana is someone who I think you could compare to many people in the Kennedy family. I think she's. She's a fascinating figure. But during the 1990s, there were, you know, few People as famous as Princess Diana and JFK Jr. And I think two people who were courted by the media intensely and I. How they handled it is interesting. I think a lot of people make a comparison between Princess Diana and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and absolutely, there's one to make there.
Dana Schwartz
Yeah.
Caroline Halliman
But I think Carolyn was not as adept at kind of handling the media. She just kind of. She didn't have a sense of how she could work with them or make it work for her in any way, which Diana was kind of.
Dana Schwartz
She's masterful, really.
Caroline Halliman
Exactly, exactly. And I would say John F. Kennedy, Jr. Was the same way. He didn't let it bother him as much because, well, first of all, it's all he'd known his whole life. That that is a differentiator between these two people. But he certainly knew how to use it to his advantage. I don't think he was upset to be on the COVID of People magazine, you know, sexiest man Alive. Like that did not bother him.
Dana Schwartz
I don't know who it would bother.
Caroline Halliman
But so I do think that that. I think that that is the interesting comparison between them is kind of is in the sense of the media, certainly
Dana Schwartz
in terms of the tragedy of these two families. How do you think each family handled their respective tragedies individually? Obviously these are different systems in place, but the Royal Family was sort of stymied in their ability to respond to the death of Diana.
Caroline Halliman
Yeah, I mean, I think certainly. I mean, that also was a comparison between these two people is the way they were grieved by the public and the kind of almost cathartic outpouring of grief by people who didn't know them. The parasocial relationship that people had between themselves and Princess Diana and themselves and John F. Kennedy Jr. In both cases, people kind of created memorials to them outside. There was weeping in the streets in both cases, which is just. It's difficult to kind of imagine that, but that's what happened. And the parallel of public grief for both of them was one of the first things that came to mind. And obviously with Princess Diana and her sons kind of walking behind her coffin. And then for every time there is a death in the Kennedy family, it is public, even for a death like Tatiana Schlossberg. Recently, you know, there were photographs of the family leaving the funeral that were published in a variety of publications. There is. And she was not a very public facing person. That is one of the parallels between these two families that illustrates how challenging it is to be in the public eye. There are so many benefits to being as famous as these two families are. That is undeniable. But there are, because so much is expected of them. There's an expectation for them to grieve in public, and that's just not something that is expected of very many people.
Dana Schwartz
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Malcolm Glebel
hello. Hello, this is Malcolm Glebel from Smart Talks with IBM. Today we're diving into a fascinating conversation with Stefano Pallard, head of fan development for Scuderia Ferrari hp.
Caroline Halliman
Your pronunciation is strongly American.
Dana Schwartz
It's more Scuderia Ferrari.
Malcolm Glebel
I'm still working on rolling my R's, but what I was able to learn from Stefano was the importance of engaging the Tifosi, the Ferrari superfans in the digital age.
Caroline Halliman
Ferrari fans and super fans want to
Dana Schwartz
be part of something, want to belong to something. So they want to be part of a community. And ultimately they want to be part
Caroline Halliman
of a winning team.
Malcolm Glebel
You've got Ferrari, which has a long history, design history, and now you're interacting in a kind of digital space. I'm curious how you balance those two traditions.
Caroline Halliman
When it comes to fan engagement, it's really digital technology.
Dana Schwartz
And digital channels are being able to
Caroline Halliman
create a deeper connection with our fans.
Malcolm Glebel
To learn more about how Ferrari and IBM are using technology to build deeper connections with fans, visit IBM.com Ferrari
Dana Schwartz
how did celebrity culture and sort of the paparazzi culture affect both families in the 90s and early 2000s?
Caroline Halliman
Sure. I think we think about paparazzi and we think about celebrity culture today, and we think, wow, it's really obtrusive. These people are being photographed all the time. All of that. Take it back to the 90s and amplify it to the end degree. It was different back then. And Diana is the perfect example. Yes, she manipulated and had a relationship with the press. She was able to get what she wanted from them in some cases, but certainly they also pursued her. That is absolutely true. And the same was the case for Carolyn in the 90s. They would not leave them alone. There was no way for them to kind of escape interest in the modern day. I think there is. It's not a parallel, but it's interesting to think about the fact that everyone has a cell phone. That is a way that you cannot escape that in the modern day. But, you know, I think of recently about Tom Holland and Zendaya. They got married. Nobody's seen pictures. Nobody knows about it. That is possible now. That wasn't really possible in the same way. So, yeah, it's just different.
Dana Schwartz
We'll find out how Possible. It is if we get secret pictures of Taylor Swift sweating.
Caroline Halliman
Yes, exactly. Exact.
Dana Schwartz
That's gonna be the real test. So the meeting between the Kennedys and the Windsors in 1961 is very famous, but are there any other times that these families have come together that you find notable?
Caroline Halliman
Sure. It's not exactly a meeting, necessarily, but one of my favorite parts of the book is Jackie covering Queen Elizabeth's coronation as a journalist. Prior to Jackie marrying jfk, she worked as a journalist at the Washington Times Herald in D.C. and she, you know, was sent to cover the coronation for her inquiring Camera Girl column, which was kind of a man on the street column. And so she covered the ship over, which was what she dubbed kind of the coronation crossing. And then she. And she spoke with numerous people on the ground. She reported, you know, from the ground about all of the festivities leading up to the coronation. She went to several kind of legendary parties after the coronation. And this is kind of is my favorite chapter, because I feel like it offers rare insight into what Jackie was like before she was famous, which I think is really interesting. It's a great parallel between her and Queen Elizabeth because it's kind of these two young women on the brink of exceptional lives, kind of right on the edge of something. And, you know, Jackie is funny, and she has these doodles that she drew, and she's just. You know, I just. I love it because, like I said, you know, she was so public and polished during the Kennedy administration. And then she gave these kind of final interviews, and then you don't hear from her again. And so it's just a really insightful look at who she was at her core as a young woman.
Dana Schwartz
I love that. What would you say are the things that each family has learned from each other? What lessons have they taken from the other side?
Caroline Halliman
That's a great question. The kind of youth and vitality piece of it, I think, is what the royals had learned from the Kennedys. And they looked to them, and that was a piece of kind of what they saw as helpful and the PR of it all. I think they saw that, and they were like, okay, that is the way to go. I think both of these families, their histories and their perceptions have been so shaped by television. And I think that. That the Kennedy presidency and the Kennedy administration, you know, he won the debate because of tv. Jackie gave her kind of television tour of the White House. And you kind of see television as starting to have importance with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth and kind of with other events. So I think that is so interesting. Their perception of how they are seen, I think is so key. And I think that's, you know, the royals always knew that, but I think think that was like, one lesson they learned from the Kennedys, what the Kennedys took from the Royal family. That's interesting. I think, again, not to keep talking about this, but the kind of, you know, never complain, never explain attitude of, you know, not speaking to the press unless it's, like, absolutely necessary. You saw that with Jackie, you saw that with Caroline Kennedy, and I think you see that today. You know, the reason why her speaking out against her cousin, R.F. kennedy Jr. Prior to him being appointed to the Trump Cabinet, why that had so much impact is because she doesn't speak to the press. I think it had much more impact because of the rarity of it all.
Dana Schwartz
Yes, I think that that's completely correct. I think people understand the power of withholding now, especially in an era when, as you said, everyone has a cell phone. It feels like there's so much information. Given time, there is power in saying less.
Caroline Halliman
Absolutely.
Dana Schwartz
What future? I mean, obviously these families are in very different positions. Given that the Windsors are literally monarchs, what future do you sort of predict for each family now?
Caroline Halliman
Gosh, that's a good question. If you had asked me even two years about. About the Kennedys, I would have had a very different answer.
Dana Schwartz
Yeah. Has. Has something happened? Is something in the news or something.
Caroline Halliman
I mean, I. I think that R.F. ken, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Being in the Trump administration has set them on an interesting path. He's been in the public eye. People ask me, why do people care about the Kennedys still? And I'm like, well, I think there's all this history, and I think that they are so tied to the core of American history, given kind of the violent death of jfk. That's one reason. But now it's like, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Is in the news constantly right now. He is having an impact that people should be aware of. People should be paying attention to that. Also, you know, Jack Schlossberg is running for Congress. He is kind of the next generation of the Kennedys, and I don't see him going away, regardless of what the outcome of that race is. And so they. They are back in the cultural narrative. So I think watching those two people in particular, I think will be interesting to see the future of what that family means to American culture. There's also going to be a whole new about them on Netflix, starring Michael Fassbender. And I think popular culture has Kept them in the forefront of the public mind, both families, certainly. But I think that will continue to keep them kind of in the conversation, regardless of whether they continue to stay in politics. But I think they probably will.
Dana Schwartz
I mean, this podcast is called Noble Blood. I think, if nothing else, something that people are fascinated by is the juxtaposition of extreme wealth and power and privilege and tragedy. And who embodies that better than the Kennedys?
Caroline Halliman
Sure, sure. I think. Yeah, absolutely. I think, for lack of a better phrase, the drama of it all. You know, it's kind of the COVID of People magazine type stories. Whether that is the glamorous wedding or the tragedy, I think that continues to fascinate. Or the family feud. Again, I think that. Both relatable and intriguing.
Dana Schwartz
What about the Windsors? What is going to happen with them? I mean, obviously, King Charles is getting older. William and Kate are next in line. But how do you think they are going to continue to navigate a pretty archaic institution in the 21st century?
Caroline Halliman
Sure. You know, there are rumors from people who know more than me that Prince William would like to make changes when he becomes king. I think he did not have a formal investiture as the Prince of Wales. I think that is kind of an indicator of maybe his coronation will look quite different.
Dana Schwartz
And when you say that he didn't have a formal investiture, what does that mean?
Caroline Halliman
Sure. So, again, not to refer to the crown, but I feel like it's a good kind of reference point for the average person. So you see in that King Charles, when he became Prince of Wales, had basically like a little coronation in Wales.
Dana Schwartz
He learned, if you remember the episode of Crowns, he learned a little Welsh. It was very cute.
Caroline Halliman
Yes, exactly. And you don't need that to become the Prince of Wales, but it is tradition and ceremonial and all of those sort of things. So when Prince William became Prince of Wales, he decided, we're not doing that. And I think that's interesting, and I think it's a good thing to look at as perhaps an indicator of how things will be moving forward. Maybe a little bit less pump and more kind of focus on the work. But at the same time, a line that I particularly like from my book is that is a royal still a royal if she wears Zara jeans? Sometimes royalty people want the kind of escapism. People who are invested in royalty and are monarchists kind of at their core, they're. They like all of that. They like the jewels, they like the traditions, they like all of that. And I think it's kind of like, if you start to do away with those things, then what even is it? A little bit, Yes.
Dana Schwartz
I mean, I will go on the record as saying I do not think a full authoritarian monarchy is the best form of government. And yet I do want to say, I think in a society where we don't believe in the most people, don't believe in the divine right of kings, that this is God himself anointing this one person to rule us. Without that sort of supernatural buy in, what is it that bestows this person power. Why? I think people sometimes then can blink and be like, I'm an adult. You know, I'm an adult woman kneeling to another adult who's drinking from a gold cup. And when you strip away the context, what's left can look a little silly.
Caroline Halliman
Yeah. Yeah. I think where the British royal family can do a lot of good is by spotlighting causes that are important to them, charities that are doing amazing work. I think the idea of public duty is a really great thing, and I think that's something that can be found in the Kennedy family as well. The issue that the British royals are facing right now is that they don't have a lot of young people kind of to take over after this next generation. And I think, you know, there's a lot to be said about Harry and Meghan and everything kind of, with. Kind of that. That family feud to speak of family feuds. But I think they could have used them. I guess that's what I'll say.
Dana Schwartz
That's. That's, I think, spot on. And then just before I let you go, what advice would you give to the Windsors now, if you could, if you were in charge of their pr?
Caroline Halliman
Oh, if I was in charge of the Windsor's pr, Give me that job. No, I think, you know, I think what Charles and Camilla did in the United States, like, what we're talking. We're talking about kind of that just as their trip is coming to an end. I liked the way that they had a variety. They did a variety of things. Some that felt very traditional, some that felt very modern. And I think that that's important. I think they were speaking about things that they're passionate about, whether that's the environment or Camilla meeting with kind of advocates for, you know, those who support people who have experienced domestic abuse, things like that. I think that's amazing. I think they should do more of that. I think that, you know, as often as William and Kate can be front and center as young people and talking about kind of the future of the monarchy. I think that's what they should be doing. I think they have to think about that from a PR perspective. Absolutely. It's the challenges that the Windsors are facing were only amplified when Kate had a health crisis recently. Of course she couldn't work, she was kind of out of commission in that capacity and Prince William was having to step up with his kind of nuclear family and things like that. Absolutely understandable. But I think it illustrates that they don't have as deep of a bench as they used to for young people doing the work. I don't know. Edward and Sophie also have, you know, whether that's maybe Lady Louise kind of doing some engagements, I'm not sure. It's kind of a. They're kind of in a tricky position.
Dana Schwartz
Especially when I'm sure, as you recall with Kate's health crisis, we saw sort of the social media conversation spiral out of control in a way that I think revealed the ways in which the current Royal family maybe doesn't have. Have quite as firm of a grasp on the speed and ferocity of social media as they might have hoped.
Caroline Halliman
Yeah, absolutely. I think that it's been interesting to see William and Kate and their shift toward kind of making pre planned videos and things like that to stay a part of the conversation in a way that they can control where they might not have to be physically, you know, visible or something like that, but they can still be putting out content, so to speak, at a, at a more rapid clip. It's been, I mean, I just think that's, that's interesting kind of that they're tapping into that psychology.
Dana Schwartz
Is there any, anything you learned researching this book that surprised you?
Caroline Halliman
I was less familiar with Joe Kennedy and his kind of time in the uk. Honestly, the kick story is one that I wish I could have spent more time on because it was so interesting to me. It was. Again, for those listeners, go back and listen to Dana's episode. It's so good. It's about, you know, kind of forbidden love and tragedy and you know, her parents did not want her to marry someone from the British aristocracy because of religious reasons and all sorts of things. It's fascinating. So I learned a lot there certainly. And I also learned a good bit. We haven't touched on this yet, but that, that JFK Jr. And Diana actually met in New York in a secret meeting that was not reported on at the time. And that again is so interesting that they were able to keep that out of the tabloids because again, they were two of the very most famous people in the world. And, you know, he had asked her to be on the COVID of his magazine. She very kindly said no, but they had a very lovely tea at the Carlisle Hotel.
Dana Schwartz
That's lovely. I wish I could have seen that meeting. I wish, you know, we'll have to settle for fiction, but that's fascinating to imagine. Caroline, thank you so much for your time and for this fascinating book. The book is the Kennedys and the Windsors. It's available for pre order. It comes out next Tuesday. If you're interested in both of these families, you absolutely should pick it up. Caroline, is there anywhere on social media that you want to direct the listeners to?
Caroline Halliman
Sure, maybe just Carolinehelliman.com then it gets all, all the links and all the socials are there.
Dana Schwartz
Fantastic. Thank you so much for joining us. Noble Blood is a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and Mild from Erin Manke. Nobleblood is hosted by me, Dana Schwartz. Writers for Noble Blood are Hannah Johnston, Hannah Zweig, Paul Jaffe, Natasha Lasky and me, Dana Schwartz. The show is edited and produced by Jesse Funk and Gnomes Griffin with supervising producer Rima Il Kayali and executive producers Erin Menke, Trevor Young and Matt Frederick. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Malcolm Glebel
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Caroline Halliman
She was the sister who went unnoticed. A daffodil might look plain next to
Dana Schwartz
a lily, but on its own there is much to be admired.
Caroline Halliman
Now her greatest chapter is yet to come. The most important thing is to be yourself. From the world of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice comes a new Britbox original
Dana Schwartz
drama, Mary you will flourish.
Caroline Halliman
Based on the best selling novel the Other Bennett Sister. Now streaming only on Britbox. Watch with a free trial@britbox.com it never
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Dana Schwartz
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Noble Blood Podcast Summary
Episode: "When the Kennedys Met the Windsors" (with Caroline Hallemann)
Host: Dana Schwartz
Guest: Caroline Hallemann, Digital Director at Town & Country, author of The Kennedys and the Windsors
Release Date: May 26, 2026
In this special episode, host Dana Schwartz sits down with Caroline Hallemann to explore her new book The Kennedys and the Windsors, a deep dive into the complex, parallel, and sometimes intersecting histories of America's premier political dynasty and Britain's royal family. The conversation unpacks infamous events, enduring myths, resonant parallels, and the ever-evolving public perceptions of these two iconic families.
This episode offers fresh insights and sparkling historical anecdotes, highlighting the lasting fascination with the Kennedys and Windsors. Hallemann’s nuanced perspective—bridging pop culture myth and on-the-ground historical context—illuminates how these families have shaped, and been shaped by, media, image-making, fame, tragedy, and public expectation. The conversation invites listeners to look beyond tabloid spectacle, considering what true legacy and modern relevance mean for those who inherit dynastic expectation.
Recommended for anyone intrigued by dynastic history, modern celebrity, or the enduring power of myth in public life.
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