Fit to Rule: How Royal Illness Changed History

[Brother Kevfael]

I was looking forward to this documentary, but was disappointed. There wasn’t much on the illnesses of the Royals and how they shaped history, it was more of an examination of how their upbringing shaped history. However, it was interesting and seeing the boots Charles I wore as a child to correct his rickets was fascinating.

[SteveC]

We were a bit disappointed too. It was a bit 'less silly' than some of Lucy Worsley's other recent series, but I didn't learn a vast amount.
The shoes and the shirt were nice, though, and Mary got a rather better press than sometimes.

We will watch the rest, which I suspect may be a bit better.

[Grania]

I was expecting something similar to 'Royal Deaths and Diseases' that was on discovery a long while ago, but this was a little disappointing - but those boots certainly were fascinating, although one wonders how on earth a prince ended up with a vitamin D deficiency and ricketts?

[Brother Kevfael]

While rare, some forms of rickets are genetic. His daughter, Elizabeth, also suffered from rickets, so this may be the case.

[John Waller]

I was expecting something similar to 'Royal Deaths and Diseases' that was on discovery a long while ago, but this was a little disappointing - but those boots certainly were fascinating, although one wonders how on earth a prince ended up with a vitamin D deficiency and ricketts?

Probably due to a diet of porridge and lack of sunshine. He was a Jock after all. I have always wondered how the shorty Charles 1 sired, with his dwarfish wife, a strapping dark-skinned 6+footer.

[Grania]

Interesting, thanks - been a while since I did any history-of-medicine reading...book hunting time!