
Was Elizabeth II's reign a golden age?
From HistoryExtra podcast by Immediate
April 28, 2026 · 38 min · Episode 2529
About this episode
The episode explores the changes in Britain and the monarchy during Elizabeth II's reign from 1952 to 2022.
When the late Queen acceded to the throne in 1952, Britain, though left bankrupt and reeling from the Second World War, was still a major global power. By the end of Elizabeth II’s reign in 2022 – the longest in Britain’s history – the nation and its place in the world was markedly different. Sir David Cannadine guides Danny Bird through the contours of the Second Elizabethan Age – from 'de-Victorianisation' to deindustrialisation – and the ways in which the monarchy responded to such dizzying change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Danny Bird
Guest: Sir David Cannadine
Topics covered
- Elizabeth II
- British monarchy
- post-war Britain
- deindustrialisation
- historical change
- global power
Keywords
- Elizabeth II
- British history
- monarchy
- de-Victorianisation
- global power
- historical analysis
- Sir David Cannadine
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Second Elizabethan Age
Places: Britain
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