Lord Macaulay's claim that
"Favourites have always been odious in this country" was not just a British sentiment. Across Europe from the 16th century onwards commentators have repeatedly voiced their concern at the influence of favourites who appear to usurp the powers of the monarch. In The World of the Favourite, an international team of scholars has delved into the world of court intrigue and rumour to consider the emergence of this much-derided figure. Alice Rawsthorne discusses ; their findings and asks whether fear of the favourite has left its mark on public life today.
Producer Lawrence Pollard