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Uneasy Lies the Crown

Uneasy Lies the Crown

By Riley Bannon

Two sisters combine their expertise in history and neuroscience to examine famous royals from historical and biological perspectives. They hope to understand how mental and neurological illness shaped some of the world’s most important leaders, and the course of history in turn.
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Diana: Rebel With a Cause

Uneasy Lies the CrownAug 27, 2021

00:00
01:30:21
Scandalnavia: Christian of Denmark

Scandalnavia: Christian of Denmark

Christian of Denmark's reign began with a lot of promise, but eventually crumbled in the wake of a scandalous love triangle. Christian's physician believed that his increasing signs of insanity were a result of his incessant urge to masturbate, but modern neuroscience suggests that was a side effect of bipolar disorder, and his story reveals the gaps in modern healthcare's ability to treat those struggling with sexual addiction.

Plus: Welcome to ULTC After Dark. Every Girl Scout cookie take you never wanted. Dogs wreak havoc on our recording studio. Is our mom reading smutty books? Goodbye for now but not forever ahead of Riley's maternity leave.

Mar 01, 202401:01:20
The Swede Life: Nobel Prize Week

The Swede Life: Nobel Prize Week

For one week every year, the world's most influential scientists are whisked away to Sweden where they rub elbows with literal royalty. Get to know this year's winners and the Swedish royal family!

Plus: Is Lily Pulitzer a nepo baby? Riley is scared of physics. Everything you've heard about Sweden is true. Princess Sofia's controversial beginnings.

Dec 15, 202341:07
The Big Short: Napoleon Bonaparte

The Big Short: Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte is the most famous military figure in history, a man who started from nothing and gained an empire. On this episode, we break down Napoleon's reign and the science surrounding his eponymous "Napoleon Complex" to understand how a personality could be pathological but lead to heights of achievement never to be seen again.

Plus: A brief history of Napoleon's globetrotting genitalia. Stefanie approves of George Santos' illegal expenditures. We are thankful for you!

Dec 02, 202301:15:57
Mercury in Retrograde: Ivan the Terrible

Mercury in Retrograde: Ivan the Terrible

Kings have killed throughout history for the chance at an heir, but Ivan the Terrible took another route; he killed his own son, forever changing the trajectory of Russia. We explore whether his behavior can be traced back to a mysterious childhood illness and his favorite skincare products.


Plus: Riley shares some exciting personal news. Fall is a state of mind. What is your Roman Empire? If you are a German speaker with $10 to spare, hit us up. Taylor and Travis are a sign of the end times. How did Stefanie really get mono?

Oct 30, 202354:28
Livin' on a Prayer: Maria of Portugal

Livin' on a Prayer: Maria of Portugal

How do you solve a problem like Maria of Portugal (a series of losses, a mental decline, an escape to the New World)? With modern science of the neurobiology of religion and obsessive compulsive disorder.


Plus: An exciting announcement (get ready to see a lot more of us)! Does Riley look like Jenna Lyons? Riley thinks the Barbie movie was actually pro-man and Stefanie thought the costumes were pretty!!! Why do you guys love incest so much?


Aug 10, 202301:14:37
Heir Jordan: Talal bin Abdullah

Heir Jordan: Talal bin Abdullah

Hundreds of years of politics and family tension preceded Talal bin Abdullah’s ascent to the Jordanian throne in 1951. After only a year, he was forced to abdicate. Was it because he was sick or were there ulterior motives at play? Our search for answers takes us from post-Word War Britain to 1950s Switzerland to the modern coronavirus pandemic.


Plus: Prince Harry is a Maxinista. Is Camilla here for the right reasons? Riley's review of the song Stefanie's high school boyfriend wrote about her. Why was Matt Lauer ALWAYS at Easter Island?



May 01, 202301:05:19
Tangled: Prince Henrik of Denmark

Tangled: Prince Henrik of Denmark

This month, we chat about the strained marriage between Denmark's Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik and how the royal family tried to blame it on a dementia diagnosis. Then Riley teaches us about the neurobiology of Alzheimer's disease and gives us the scoop on the newest FDA-approved drug and a recent scandal in the Alzheimer's research world.

Plus: Stefanie talks about Spare while Riley vehemently shakes her head. Uneasy lie the follicles on Prince Harry's crown. Why did Disney disrespect John Rolfe so hard? Google thinks Chris Hemsworth is a royal. We take you to Tau Town.

Jan 27, 202301:09:35
Charlotte's Web: Carlota of Mexico

Charlotte's Web: Carlota of Mexico

How did a European aristocrat end up on the throne in Mexico and why did the reign end with the Pope spoon feeding her in the Vatican? And most importantly, why have you never heard the incredible story of Carlota of Mexico?

Plus: Revisiting the soup discourse. Our thoughts on "Harry & Meghan". Riley gives us a taste of Les Mis. Leave inbreeding in 2022.

Dec 31, 202201:03:43
The X Files: Katherine and Nerissa Bowes-Lyon

The X Files: Katherine and Nerissa Bowes-Lyon

As far as anyone knew, Queen Elizabeth's cousins Katherine and Nerissa Bowes-Lyon were dead. So when a tabloid reported that they were very much alive and institutionalized, it launched a mystery of what the royal family was hiding and why. This month, we try to dig up answers.

Plus: It's soup season. The latest NFL concussion protocol controversy. What's your favorite kind of soup? Stefanie's royal encounter in Europe. EVEN MORE SOUP STUFF!

Nov 01, 202253:13
God Save the Queen: Elizabeth II

God Save the Queen: Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth led the monarchy and the nation through 70 years of unprecedented change. Her reign was not without controversy, but she never neglected her role as sovereign up to the very day she died. In this emergency ULTC episode, we remember her life and legacy, especially how she modernized the monarchy and embraced modern medicine (and how Riley almost met her in 2007).

Sep 09, 202243:52
The King's Speech: George VI

The King's Speech: George VI

We join forces with Vanessa Grass of Neuroscience Theater to talk about the science behind the Oscar-winning film "The King's Speech". We discuss King George's reign, Colin Firth's performance, what you probably don't know about the neurobiology of stuttering and why a king with a speech impediment was so groundbreaking.

Plus: It's time for Prince William to get on TikTok. Are left handers serial killers? We do not need an "Avatar" sequel. Our first f bomb.

Aug 30, 202258:45
Lover Boy: Henry VIII

Lover Boy: Henry VIII

How did Henry's lifelong quest for love alter the course of history and what did a brain injury have to do with it? 

Plus: Riley forgot she got married. You can put anything on Broadway. Carolyn Keene is not a real person. Stefanie finds out Riley broke her Christmas ornament.

Jul 15, 202201:35:57
Diagnosis of Independence: George III

Diagnosis of Independence: George III

The theory that King George III's madness led to the American Revolution is tempting, but unsupported by history. This month, we are cleaning up George's reputation with a little help from modern science and Lin Manuel Miranda. 

Plus: Encanto is a good movie. Victoria Justice and Ariana Grande have a contentious relationship. Is Zac Efron's face okay?

Apr 30, 202201:11:01
All in the Family: The Habsburgs

All in the Family: The Habsburgs

Strategic marriages between family members helped the Habsburgs build an empire, but eventually brought it down. On this episode, we explore the genetics of inbreeding and how it affected one of Europe's most powerful dynasty. 

Plus: The return of Mr. Lynch. An excess of Formula 1 Talk. Jen Shah's trial was postponed. Is Jay Leno a Hapsburg?

Mar 27, 202242:22
Livin' La Juana Loca: Juana of Castile

Livin' La Juana Loca: Juana of Castile

On the precipice of reigning over a united Spain, Juana of Castile was instead locked up by a series of men for her supposed "madness". Her tragic tale leads us through the history of research into depression, the neurobiological effects of social isolation, and the misconceptions about the impact of mental illness on one's ability to lead.

Plus: Stefanie sings again. We misgender Fox. Disney needs to answer for "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen". You all won't let the Richard discourse die. And how crazy do men like their women, really?

Feb 26, 202201:12:06
Holiday Special: Nebuchadnezzar

Holiday Special: Nebuchadnezzar

Nebuchadnezzar might be the world's first mentally ill king, and his madness sounds like something our of Greek mythology. What makes a person think they've turned into an animal and why is it still happening at a high rate in Babylon? Neuroscience might have the answers.

Plus: We know Stefanie's audio sucks. Riley's fiancé doesn't listen. Is left brain/right brain a myth? And most importantly, is Toto Wolff hot?

Dec 31, 202149:23
Drama King: Ludwig II of Bavaria

Drama King: Ludwig II of Bavaria

A famous neuroscientist diagnosed Ludwig with schizophrenia. Days later, both of them were found dead. We dig into the autopsy reports to find the truth.

Plus: A terrible Adele impersonation. Riley lost her phone in the worst place imaginable. Stefanie quite literally spills the tea. What if this was an episode of Dateline?

Nov 26, 202101:20:15
When Life Gives You Lenins: Alexandra Romanov

When Life Gives You Lenins: Alexandra Romanov

Alexandra Romanov was a complicated woman with a complicated legacy. How did her relationship with pain contribute to the downfall of the Russian empire, and how can the brain-body connection give rise to a false pregnancy?

Plus: We welcome our first guest: our brother, Casey Bannon, who does not want you to support him. Riley was sad when she learned Joe Jonas had premarital sex. We dare a man to deal with period cramps. Is the IB program anti-God, anti-America, and anti-family?

Oct 29, 202101:25:32
Caligula: The Emperor's New Groove

Caligula: The Emperor's New Groove

The story of Roman Emperor Caligula is a complicated one. Was the "little boot" scarred from a traumatic childhood, suffering from mental illness, or was he just a bad dude. Our hypothesis? Yes to all three. 

Plus: Did our brother call someone a prostitute in his high school world history class? We clarify if Stefanie was a cat girl. Mark Antony vs Marc Anthony vs Marc Antoine. And 3-5 pop culture references that will go over your head. 

Sep 24, 202101:08:35
Diana: Rebel With a Cause

Diana: Rebel With a Cause

You know Princess Diana's story, the clothes she wore, and her tragic fate. You might even know about her struggles with mental illness. But you've never heard about Diana like this: through the lens of neuroscience. This month, we get vulnerable and discuss how Princess Di changed the way the world thinks and talks about mental health.

Aug 27, 202101:30:21
Charles VI: Dark Side of the Prune

Charles VI: Dark Side of the Prune

Charles VI's devolution from the beloved to the mad almost tore France apart. Using modern neuroscience, we discuss how Charles' brain nearly led to a British king on the French throne and how things might have turned out differently if his doctors knew what we know now.

Plus: Roman numerals are difficult, Timothee Chalamet is a national treasure, Dick is not short for Charles, and Stefanie took a younger guy to senior prom.

Jul 30, 202101:14:03
Trailer: Of Monarchs and Madness

Trailer: Of Monarchs and Madness

Welcome to Uneasy Lies the Crown, where history meets neuroscience (meets pop culture). Stefanie and Riley are two sisters with degrees in history and neuroscience and shared love of royals. They use their expertise to investigate the brains of the world's most notorious rulers, from ancient Rome to modern Great Britain. How has mental and neurological illness shaped royals, influencing the course of history in turn? Subscribe and return on July 30th to find out. 

Jul 23, 202101:08