10 Downing Street, the residence of the prime minister of the United Kingdom. (Photo by Getty Images)

Politics

Prime Minister Keir Starmer stands at a lectern outside the black front door of 10 Downing Street, addressing assembled journalists and television cameras after announcing his resignation in June 2026.

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Prime ministersFive of the greatest downfalls of the past 100 years. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A photograph shows two national flags against a bright blue sky. In the foreground, the United States flag waves on a tall pole, its stars and stripes clearly visible. Behind it, the United Kingdom flag hangs from a red‑brick building with white‑framed windows. The scene highlights the two flags side by side in a calm, sunlit setting

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From acrimonious split to the ‘special relationship’: how the Fourth of July has been marked in Britain. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A dramatic historical painting shows a wounded officer in a pale uniform being held upright by several soldiers in red and green coats. The officer looks gravely injured as the men around him support his weight and lean in with concern. Smoke and dark clouds fill the background, suggesting an active battle. A fallen soldier lies near a cannon in the foreground, and snow covers the ground, adding to the bleak, chaotic atmosphere.

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The Founding Fathers wanted to acquire Canada for the United States. But they made one huge mistake. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A historical painting shows a crowded assembly room where men in 18th‑century clothing gather around a long green‑covered table. At the centre, one man stands with an arm raised and his other hand on his chest, appearing to deliver a forceful speech. The men around him react with raised hands, leaning forward or turning toward him, creating a sense of lively debate. Papers and books lie on the table, and the room feels formal and energetic, capturing a moment of political decision‑making.

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George III vs America: was the British king to blame for the loss of the 13 colonies?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A stylised, coloured illustration showing a large group of people gathered outdoors under a cloudy sky. In the foreground, tightly packed figures in period-style clothing stand shoulder to shoulder; most look downward or toward one another with subdued or thoughtful expressions. Above them, four older men stand elevated on a ridge. Each wears distinctive clothing and gestures upward toward the sky. One man holds a red heart in one hand and a yellow feather in the other. Overhead, several bright yellow birds fly among the clouds. The contrast between the quiet, inward-looking crowd below and the animated, sky‑focused figures above creates a sense of differing perspectives or states of mind.

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Are we now witnessing the end of the American empire?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A group of formally dressed people walk through an ornate arched doorway into a grand, warmly lit room, while a worker in overalls on the right uses a paint roller to cover cracks on a damaged wall

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Why has it been so hard to reform the House of Lords?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A black‑and‑white photograph of early LGBTQ+ activists standing on a city street in front of a large banner reading “GAY PRIDE” with a white triangle symbol beneath it. Several people face the camera, some holding newspapers or pamphlets. One person holds a sign that says “MARY WHITEHOUSE? HANDS OFF GAY NEWS BUY ONE TODAY.” Tall buildings line the street behind them.

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This sex poem sparked outrage in 1970s Britain – but who triumphed in the courtroom?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A surreal illustration of robed figures collapsing in a dark alley lit by a glowing tower, with several bodies lying behind them and a rat in the foreground.

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Think the Black Death was bad in Europe? Incredibly, in these countries it was even worse. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A teal background with two overlapping circular frames, each containing a portrait. The left circle shows a sepia-toned historical photograph of a man with a moustache wearing a suit and tie. The right circle shows a contemporary colour portrait of a bald man in a patterned shirt and dark jacket. The overlap visually links the two figures across eras.

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"He clearly had a lot of bottle": Irvine Welsh chooses his history hero. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Three people are positioned in front of a large American flag. The central figure, shown in colour, wears a suit, glasses, and a patterned tie, resting a hand near the chin. Two grayscale figures stand behind on either side, both dressed formally.

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From Churchill’s great rival to Peter Mandelson: a history of British ambassadors to the US. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A stylised disco ball made of colourful square panels, each showing a portrait of a different musician. Radiating beams in bold patterns surround the ball.

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These 27 songs changed the world – how many have you listened to?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A high‑ranking military officer in a dark uniform and cap stands outdoors, with a blurred field and trees behind them.

Second World War

Who was the real Dwight D Eisenhower of Pressure?

Bright, stylised illustration of a gold trophy with a smiling face, a crown on top, and colourful ribbons on its handles, set against a black background.

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Who was the greatest monarch in history? 9 experts have their say. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Black‑and‑white portrait of Frederick Douglass, an older Black man with grey hair and a full beard, wearing formal 19th‑century clothing and looking slightly to the side against a plain backdrop.

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Frederick Douglass changed America forever. Here's how. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A black‑and‑white photograph of a man in a suit and glasses standing above a dense crowd outdoors, raising one arm as people look up toward him. Stone columns and a metal fence frame the background, giving the scene a formal, public setting.

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Want to understand Iran today? A historian tells you what you need to know. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A group of miners pose outside a brick building, many in work clothes and holding lamps, standing beneath posters reading “Distress Fund – Help the Miners,” suggesting a historical appeal for support during industrial hardship.

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What did 1.7 million Britons stop doing 100 years ago?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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The peacemakers of WW2. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A collage combining a suited person holding a briefcase and hat with a painted scene of a large hall filled with seated figures in white garments, and a smaller black‑and‑white photograph of two people inside a car layered below.

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The ultimate Cold War sex scandal – and 11 other political outrages from British history. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

ABBA perform on stage during the 1970s, with the four band members singing and playing instruments beneath a curved white backdrop. The group wear brightly coloured glam-rock outfits, including satin jumpsuits, platform boots and sequinned jackets, while performing with microphones, guitar and piano.

20th Century

When was the first Eurovision and who won? Plus 9 facts on the history of the song contest

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Olaf Tryggvason: life of the week. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A mixed group of men and women in early‑20th‑century clothing gather around a table set with dishes, with a bearded man seated at the centre of the group.

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Did Rasputin really bring down the Tsars? The truth behind the dark legend of the Russian mystic. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Niccolò Machiavelli: life of the week. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A pyramid with several tiers displays figures in historical clothing arranged by level, topped by a golden palace and a robed figure seated before it, symbolising a social hierarchy.

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"Today, the defenders of the Enlightenment are in retreat". This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Several passengers ride a train, each focused on their own activity: one wearing large headphones, another listening to earphones, one reading a book, and others looking at their phones. The muted colours and soft lighting create a calm, quiet atmosphere.

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From ancient China to modern America: an astonishing history of censorship. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A collage-style image shows King Charles III and Donald Trump in formal evening dress on the left, set against a blended backdrop of the US and UK flags and a 19th-century painting. To the right, Queen Elizabeth II, wearing a tiara and turquoise gown, raises a glass in a toast with President Gerald Ford, while smaller historical figures appear in the background.

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Pageantry and politics: a history of British royal visits to the US. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A gold funerary mask shaped into a human face, with almond‑shaped eyes, a prominent nose, and a closed mouth. The surface is worn and cracked, with some sections missing.

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Blood and plunder: the looted African gold – and the fight to get it back. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A collage of six images shows Queen Elizabeth II in military uniform, in later life wearing a light outfit and hat, in coronation regalia beside Prince Philip, speaking at a BBC microphone, on her wedding day, and as a young woman hugging a dog.

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Long to reign over us: how did Queen Elizabeth II survive seven decades of dizzying change?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A detailed painting depicts a ruler seated on a golden throne beneath a decorated canopy, surrounded by attendants and courtiers in elaborate garments and turbans. Musicians sit in the foreground, and greenery fills the background.

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Power, pomp and the Peacock Throne: the Mughal empire at 500. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A detailed marble relief shows several robed figures standing in a tight group around a cylindrical structure. Each figure has carefully carved drapery and expressive faces, with some holding scrolls or objects that suggest scholarly or religious roles.

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Friends, Romans, citizens: why Rome opened its doors to people across the empire. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A bald man in a dark suit and tie sits at a dinner table, looking slightly to his right. Behind him, another person stands holding a bottle with a visible label, as if serving or presenting it. The setting appears to be a formal meal or official gathering.

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This secret speech gave people heart attacks: when Khrushchev denounced Stalin. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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