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you wherever you get your podcasts. A.

1:09

Note: before we start this up so

1:11

deals with the topic of suicide. Please.

1:14

Listen with caution. The

1:22

Western Balkan Mountains. April

1:25

Nineteen Twenty Five. And

1:28

the Royal Car navigates the

1:31

narrow winding road that snakes

1:33

through the family. Rabbits

1:37

and rock fool litter the root

1:39

on one side of the cause

1:42

there's a sheer drop of a

1:44

hundred feet. The show needs his

1:47

wits about him to keep the

1:49

tires from flirting with the edge.

1:53

On the back seat of the car

1:55

or two men King Boris the Third

1:57

of Bulgaria and his friend. Fellow

2:00

insect insist. Each

2:03

time the costs was the

2:05

king roles and to him

2:07

tagged giddy with excitement. They've

2:09

been out walking and have

2:12

found some rare flowers and

2:14

an exquisite new species of

2:16

butterfly. Save. Hi suits

2:18

for today's hike. The

2:21

Kings gamekeeper is. He

2:23

swapped. Places with the. Country

2:26

with his friend. Labor.

2:32

You say how to speak com

2:34

forces the show such as slow

2:36

his speed. The King

2:38

He glances out the window. Squinting

2:41

into the early morning. so. He

2:44

ceases to clinton in the and.

2:48

Then. And

2:55

he instinctively. It's

2:57

an ambush. For

3:02

the same since. He

3:06

tells the in. The

3:09

next is the kings first. Decisive.

3:13

Blinded by insisted. Windscreen

3:15

loses control of the

3:17

com it. Starts very

3:20

towards the. Cliff Edge as

3:22

the bullets humming. Aura

3:25

is the searing. Will and

3:28

yeah apart fast for not

3:30

just for them cause under

3:32

a sour of gunfire or

3:34

thing Boris leap from the

3:37

com. And races towards the

3:39

past. He jumps and pushes

3:41

the driver aside and screen

3:43

says off than the direction

3:45

of a military garrison. A

3:49

few. Minutes later the and the

3:51

king is around with the birth

3:53

know full of on soldiers. Of

3:58

the soldiers. The

4:00

into the mountains it's

4:02

clear these aren't ordinary.

4:04

Robbers thus far too

4:07

scales. These men are

4:09

organized terrorists with. One

4:12

sorry specific and very.

4:14

Royals Target. Tomorrow's

4:18

newspaper headlines will raise about

4:20

the king's cool head about

4:22

his gallon treats his lucky

4:25

escape from the murderous plots

4:27

of Communists revolutionaries. He'll be

4:29

hailed across the world as

4:32

a hero. But

4:35

kneeling beside his friends that

4:37

forties King Boris doesn't sales.

4:39

Heroic. The attempt

4:41

on his life might have failed.

4:43

Destroy the king knows. Though if

4:45

some in the end because this

4:47

this is only the. Very beginning

4:50

of the plot. To

4:52

kill him. He's

5:00

excuse me. Fifteen

5:05

minutes. To

5:46

say. And can see

5:48

she. Was

5:57

I like to the M The Really?

6:00

The Gramophone. Gramophone. Yes, receives of

6:02

wine. Tough one isn't as or.

6:05

I'm back at Ron A Palace.

6:07

Not. In the plus drawing room

6:10

where I usually meeting Simeon

6:12

and Princess Maria Luisa, I'm

6:14

in the building next door

6:16

where one of Semi and

6:18

Aids is proudly showing me

6:20

around what was once the

6:22

palace powerhouse. King. Forests

6:24

his office complete with gramophone and me

6:27

tell ya it's obvious as tears were

6:29

the only the Bulgarian Royal National anthem

6:31

our thought it was a bit of

6:33

time I read certain you know what?

6:35

assess. Oh. Second,

6:39

Says and will now. You

6:50

can imagine boy sitting at the

6:52

Fixes good, his office listening to

6:55

the same sit. In. The

6:57

way to the rules on his

6:59

shoulders it wasn't an easy to

7:01

see Bulgaria's king beautiful best business

7:03

and of he saw his you.

7:05

To for your health services

7:08

military uniforms on a cell

7:10

phones with his declaration since

7:12

medals here you can see

7:14

the The White Cross. The

7:16

Bravery for Bravery cross yes

7:19

he was awarded by King

7:21

Ferdinand during the First World

7:24

War vs with this meadow

7:26

and was maybe the most

7:28

precious in some way. Through.

7:34

His courage was legit and tree,

7:36

but it. Was also sorry

7:38

necessary. In

7:40

the interwar period when forests was on

7:42

the thrown. Of carry

7:45

out was a brutal

7:47

place, political assassinations and

7:49

targeted killings. What commonplace?

7:52

Rival factions Force and Mad at

7:55

each other in the race for

7:57

power. Reading A

7:59

The Success. No was

8:01

more pics. The

8:03

king's governments were more or

8:06

less democratically elected for a

8:08

few politicians really respect the

8:10

wishes of the pilot folks.

8:12

Rival part is often try their

8:14

luck. By fools they weren't trying

8:17

to else Horace, they just

8:19

wanted to unseat his cabinet

8:21

Potpourri had only been in

8:23

the job five years before

8:25

the fast food that has

8:27

happened. That

8:30

one fact by the military. Hochhuth

8:33

his nest this government and

8:35

brought a block of bourgeois

8:37

right wingers to power and

8:39

to make it absolutely clear

8:41

that say meant business say

8:43

top the fingers of the

8:45

X Prime minister then allegedly

8:47

sent his head in a

8:49

biscuit tin to the palace.

8:52

I did tell you those

8:54

Bulgarians for through school. So.

8:58

Boris knew all too well that

9:00

there was a biscuit tin somewhere

9:02

out there with his name on

9:04

it to. it was just a

9:07

matter of time. Don't. Forget

9:09

things. Always be modest. Boris.

9:12

Didn't care for his new right

9:14

wing government but he just had

9:16

to suck his help. His job

9:18

was to try to keep everyone

9:20

sweet. Historian Tessa

9:22

Dunlop. He has

9:25

a man who begins feeling

9:27

anxious. The game for any

9:29

scope. Partisans, Madrid, discontent, Army

9:31

be to communists, a soup

9:33

kitchen off. In. The which is cool

9:36

room that is the boom. Couldn't

9:38

bulgaria the bad? Boy of

9:40

the Balkans have club our boys. To be honest with

9:42

you, in the Balkans. A

9:45

few months after, the right wing

9:47

to the Bulgarian so civics, the

9:49

communists had a go at seizing

9:52

power themselves. That

9:54

they're attempt at a power grab

9:56

failed dismally. It was

9:58

brutally reprieve. This is right

10:01

wing government. Pushed

10:03

Underground. The Bolsheviks and

10:06

communists became sister. If

10:08

a Red revolution was to succeed in

10:11

Bulgaria, they realize they needed a major

10:13

change of. Strategy. So

10:15

they came up with a new

10:17

plan of action. a targeted campaign

10:19

of terror. And that

10:22

bulls. I was King Boris.

10:25

Or is would have known the Communists

10:27

has marked him out and he must

10:29

have felt so alone in that knowledge.

10:32

In the early years of his

10:34

room he was still unmarried Process

10:36

brother and his sisters were an

10:38

exile in Germany with their father

10:41

Foxy Ferdinand depicting say his life

10:43

was unraveling before. His had really begun.

10:46

She's. Pretty says though, his hands

10:48

trembled quite a lot begin with, but

10:50

c. C. Crucifix a

10:52

second skin. Tessa.

10:55

Means he had to toughen

10:58

up and that would prove

11:00

invaluable. But what he really

11:02

needed was nine lies because

11:05

the next assassination attempt. Mobile.

11:07

Mobile? Who? Have

11:12

such as. Well as

11:14

a couple. Of

11:19

forgive. My. Producer Eat

11:21

and I have come to Sophia

11:23

to see Anna Bligh other. You

11:26

remember she closes to the

11:28

Bulgarian podcast, The Urban Detective.

11:31

We were talking to her in

11:33

the last episode about how the

11:35

Soviets on the Communists a raised

11:37

large parts of Bulgaria's history when

11:39

they invaded Sophia. That. Was

11:42

in nineteen Forty four. just a

11:44

year off, the King Boris was

11:46

poisoned. And it's that which makes

11:49

the Royal family, particularly Maria Luisa,

11:51

deeply suspicious that the Soviets were

11:53

behind her father's murder. But

11:56

right now we won't talk to Anna. About

11:58

her dad. My.

12:00

Father was an investigative journalists and

12:03

in fact he wrote a book

12:05

about famous could it, that's and

12:08

political assassinations in Bulgarian history. He

12:11

attempted to. Rank

12:13

to political assassinations

12:15

based on their

12:17

insolence. Now. I'm

12:19

his. Dad was particularly interested in

12:22

all the murders and acts of

12:24

terrorism that took place during Seen

12:26

Boris's Rain primarily because there was

12:29

so many of them, but also

12:31

because King Boris was so often

12:33

the target. Or one of

12:35

the greatest terrorist acts and I said the one

12:37

that my father ranked number one was the Saints

12:40

and Adela Certs are very close to where we

12:42

are in the center of Sophia. Let's

12:45

look at the number one assassination

12:47

own on his dad's list. Bear

12:49

with me because at first glance

12:51

it sounds rather obscure. And

12:54

nineteen twenty five just ourselves to for

12:56

his had been ambushed on that mountain.

12:58

Pass. A

13:01

record high ranking Rb to

13:03

the something dumb down in

13:05

Sofia. Quite. Why

13:08

no one really knew that

13:10

this general was also a

13:12

member of parliament and a

13:15

political big. Shots. So.

13:20

As befits a signatory, his

13:22

funeral was an old Bells

13:24

and Whistles affairs. It was

13:26

held that The Sentinel daily

13:28

a cathedral and it was

13:30

attended by Bulgaria's great and

13:32

good. The

13:36

priest opened the gospel and

13:38

began reading some since June.

13:40

he that here as my

13:42

word has everlasting life. And

13:46

at that exact moment. The

13:55

film was so powerful it blew

13:58

the roofs of the name. Dismembered

14:02

forties and corpses litter

14:04

the church. Two.

14:07

Hundred and thirteen men, women,

14:09

and children were murdered in

14:11

that attack. Over four hundred

14:13

others were wounded, but none

14:16

of them were the intended

14:18

target. They were just terrible

14:20

collateral damage. The real

14:22

target to that bombing escaped

14:24

without a scratch. I

14:27

imagine you think I see the real felt it

14:29

was. Was. King

14:31

Boris but. He survived

14:34

unharmed. Because. He

14:36

wasn't that. He'd

14:39

been attending the funeral of his friends

14:41

who died in that hampers in the

14:43

mountains. And as many. mood. And

14:46

who with a bonus. The.

14:50

Edges. But. Companies said

14:52

the time my wing of the

14:54

communist A T bombed the church

14:56

in the hopes to kill Borys.

14:58

it was one of the bloodiest

15:01

terrorist acts in our. History and

15:03

it actually precipitated a. Response

15:06

of persecution of those communists.

15:08

it was what? but after.

15:12

That the communists was foiled again.

15:15

And again they were brutally punished

15:17

by Boris his government. But

15:20

the communists were determined. they

15:22

kept trying. I'm trying. A

15:29

couple of years later a communist

15:31

to this brutes into the pan

15:33

fast moink with a pissed. Ready

15:36

to kill the king as he slept in

15:38

his bed. Same. Up.

15:43

Soiled again, the king was already up

15:45

and about up for it was an

15:47

early riser. He was probably out. Catching

15:50

buses, And

15:54

these assasination attempts to keep

15:57

coming. In the winter. Nineteen

15:59

Thirty, Fool. The king was on

16:01

a train to the Bulgarian cause. When.

16:07

A bomb went off in

16:09

the engine forests was again

16:11

answer. In fact, he

16:13

even press the engine drivers firms

16:15

before leaping into his seat and

16:18

driving the burning train to safety.

16:23

Nothing's pleased that such nation

16:26

attempt had all the markings

16:28

of a communist attack. He

16:32

survived. Amber says he he was the original

16:34

James Bond of Bulgaria in many respects, but

16:36

he just didn't have the dancing, good looks

16:38

and the charisma to go with it. I.

16:41

Think he was quite? Does she actually. So.

16:46

Bulgaria's own communists have been

16:48

trying see years to get

16:51

Borisov to the pictures. They

16:53

were seriously persistent, but in

16:55

the end some one succeeded.

16:57

As we know. After

17:00

all those attempts on his life,

17:02

the King finally delight on the

17:04

twenty eighth of August nineteen. Forty

17:07

Three. Was it a

17:09

communists? Did they finally pull

17:11

a toss? Her

17:13

communists. Sustained they had a

17:16

motive, they were politically weeks and

17:18

and brutally repressed on the King

17:20

Boris. And most about

17:23

the means. The Soviet Union

17:25

would surely have been happy to help

17:27

out that Bulgarian com raids. On

17:30

handing over file of

17:32

that very best poison

17:34

anything for another read.

17:36

Revolution and the Communists

17:38

had for to they

17:40

bombed trains, cathedrals and

17:42

mountain passes. They. Made

17:44

sure they were never sort of

17:47

opportunity. But let's not

17:49

jump to. Conclusions: Because

17:52

there is another possibility

17:54

I want to take

17:56

you somewhere quite different.

17:58

I want to try and take. Inside.

18:01

King. Boris's head. Forests

18:07

often so solace in the mountains.

18:09

Looking for rap song species or

18:12

just fighting? It was a person

18:14

he said with his uncle came

18:16

out as his. Belgium. But

18:19

in nineteen, Thirty four tail but

18:21

died in a mountaineering accidents who

18:23

lent against a boulder which had

18:26

given way under his ways that

18:28

was the official. Story. Anyway,

18:31

it's. In his excellent

18:33

book, Crown of Thorns, the

18:35

offseason grew s tells us

18:37

that forests wasn't convinced. By

18:39

that story, For.

18:42

Is believed his uncle. Had

18:44

remember to next to his death

18:46

and what's more according to grew

18:49

as the. King told many friends

18:51

that his uncle had the right

18:53

idea. That. He somehow ends

18:55

it. him. That a buddhist

18:57

was released on a big precious. Really

19:00

big fish. Displeasure desert

19:02

for Boris. Was.

19:04

Not easy. Are

19:06

Bulgarian historians flatter me a

19:09

slut husky and George Both

19:11

To gonna put it delicately

19:13

because this is a very

19:16

sensitive subject. As

19:18

I do think we have to

19:20

examine where the King Boris may

19:22

have wanted to take his. The.

19:26

Pressure he was homes or during

19:28

the system World war was phenomenal

19:30

and on a number of occasions

19:32

the king mention to his stuff

19:34

the see wish someone would just

19:36

suits him dead. Oh.

19:39

That he felt like shooting himself.

19:42

Would. You imagine what kind of

19:44

prices during a war with

19:46

everything. And you're out

19:48

along. From the top

19:50

of the of the power

19:52

pyramids. In fact, on

19:54

the way back from that dreadful meeting

19:57

with Hitler at the Wolf's Lair in

19:59

nineteen forties, He

20:01

reportedly told his aid he was

20:03

the plane would cross. He was

20:06

constantly saying he'd had enough of

20:08

being king that it would be

20:10

better if he were dead. After

20:15

he flew back to Bulgaria

20:17

from the wolf's lair forests,

20:19

went hiking in the mountains

20:21

with his brother. cool and

20:23

simpli safe and at a

20:25

certain point he broke away

20:27

from the rest of the

20:29

policy and disappeared. He was

20:31

of centuries of it by

20:33

his secretary. He was standing

20:35

very still on the precipice.

20:37

As a huge growth just

20:40

staring. Into the

20:42

Abyss. Are

20:44

your stats were present Reboot: who

20:47

said that you saw him years

20:49

said a broom of was the

20:51

rumor from does was he had

20:54

suicidal. Thoughts

20:56

because of the. This last

20:58

meeting which was so dramatic and with

21:01

no way out. But

21:03

Semyon doesn't believe his father was planning

21:05

to jump. Off about not

21:07

such a poison himself with pills

21:09

and toxins for one theory. Simple

21:11

reason. King. Boris those

21:13

an extremely religious man.

21:16

I father was thought to be leaving. A

21:19

thing to have considered suicide To

21:22

thing said i'm not donor think

21:24

I'm so to say this is

21:26

nonsense I things of this is.

21:29

Both. Of those moments moves and

21:31

people see things like that. But

21:33

to me, it's really. Part

21:36

of is not the easiest

21:38

for sinking friendly, it's ridiculous.

21:42

Miss. Okay, so Boris.

21:44

Was indeed a man piss test

21:46

his limits as his children are

21:49

absolutely certain he wasn't serious about

21:51

taking his own life. He

21:56

was very serious about his face

21:58

says. Believed in

22:00

the power of prayer who. Prayed.

22:03

Constantly going to censor

22:05

protection. Which is probably

22:07

why he became so interested in

22:09

a christian. Group called So

22:11

White Brotherhood. Now,

22:14

despite the name, this is not a

22:16

white supremacist. Group far from it.

22:20

The White Brotherhood was

22:22

all about finding universal

22:24

tinseth in a fracturing

22:26

world's think meditation music.

22:29

And the whites in their name refers

22:31

only to the ceremonial robes. They will.

22:34

they do phones, had a better future

22:36

for everyone and four and they say

22:38

it was a seat to cells in

22:40

store for. Him. And

22:42

that's ultimately what drew him to

22:45

the White Brotherhood. They

22:47

claim they knew. The on. The

22:52

White Benefit is still going strong

22:54

today. In fact eight members of the

22:56

group of putting on a can

22:58

sit for a in Sofia. They believe

23:01

that respect for music. And for

23:03

nature, bring peace and harmony to the

23:05

world. You can't blame a stress thought

23:07

King for liking the sound of that.

23:12

Matters to be clear: I'm not

23:14

lining up the White Brotherhood as

23:16

a suspect in Boris his murder.

23:18

I think they genuinely wanted to

23:20

help him, But I want to

23:22

tell you about them because, well,

23:24

they kind of guest what was

23:26

coming to. Boris. And they

23:28

want to try to stop it. It's

23:30

all a bit freaky actually.

23:33

The White Brotherhood was founded at the

23:35

turn of the last century by a

23:38

Bulgarian man. Cold pizza do. Know. Better

23:41

known as the Master, he

23:43

was a masterful musician. The

23:46

pieces you're listening. To were actually

23:48

written by him. As

23:51

I said, it's a Christian

23:53

movement that members often dressed

23:55

like druids and white flowing

23:57

robes they don't spare foot.

24:00

In the mountains. Rumors.

24:03

Circulated around Bulgaria that the

24:05

King had joined the White

24:07

Brotherhood that he'd become a

24:09

disciple. Which is not

24:11

the case. That's part of

24:13

one of the very sweet

24:15

mythologies. Okay, so King

24:17

Virus may not have been a

24:20

fully signed up member of the

24:22

White Brotherhood that Simeon does. It

24:24

meant that his father was a

24:26

big fan of fat ecological ideas

24:28

and ideals, as is Sydney and

24:31

him says. It's true,

24:34

To the nineteen twenties. It.

24:41

Was a mixture of his sanity

24:43

of east since floats above everything.

24:45

very mode same. Peace.

24:47

Loving nature loving mood God

24:50

seeing what have you actually

24:52

very advanced on the time?

24:55

There. Are very press a group. Of.

24:58

Conciseness cause into someones

25:00

assessing. The

25:02

human voice. That.

25:05

Those. That it wasn't just the

25:07

masters prayers. Which attracted Boris.

25:11

It was the most as. Predict Sense.

25:14

Because it was claimed set Pizza

25:16

denounce. Was a profit.

25:18

He was like a man

25:20

who can seen the future.

25:22

He was knowing what is

25:24

gonna happen. That's mom. Silk

25:26

are amateurs. She's a

25:28

Bulgarian so mater and a member

25:30

of the White Brotherhood. Not

25:33

about fatherhood does love the

25:35

processes. Remember when the

25:38

Ten was ambushed on that road high up

25:40

in the mountains? And Nineteen Twenty families. Well,

25:43

a couple of days before,

25:45

a disciple who worked in

25:47

the palace predicted that the

25:49

king's life was in danger

25:51

somewhere in the highest peaks.

25:55

The White Brotherhood calls it. But

25:58

the processes didn't end there. Fast

26:00

forward to World War Two. The

26:03

monster warned King Boris to stay

26:05

safe. He'd need to stay out

26:07

of the war. He would need

26:09

Bulgaria to stay neutral. The.

26:12

Master. Set. To

26:14

King Boris Don't go to

26:16

Germany because he was invited

26:18

by settlers to go there

26:20

and she didn't the follow

26:22

this advice and he made

26:24

his then and very soon

26:26

after his return in Bulgaria

26:28

he was dead. But

26:31

the King did change the date of his

26:33

last meeting with Hitler. Because

26:35

the original date set to had

26:38

summoned him to the wolf. Last

26:40

hit with all this The thirteenth

26:42

went to Nineteen Forty three happened

26:44

to fall on a Friday and

26:46

for his had a very bad

26:48

feeling about the whole Friday the

26:50

Thirteenth thing. Do said

26:53

to abuse some and on the

26:55

third teams are bogus and by

26:57

Hitler is he deleted by day

27:00

which have said the other men

27:02

obviously it's because of seeing the

27:04

third these she was a superstitious

27:07

man. There was something is s

27:09

news in my father's behavior. The

27:12

White Brotherhood police a king said,

27:14

have paid more attention to the

27:16

masters processes. S. King

27:18

Boris had followed. The

27:21

advice say stories told

27:24

him he would have

27:26

survived. He wouldn't have

27:28

been killed. I say

27:30

maybe. I think this. Is

27:33

everyone sort of agree with that? I mean that

27:36

soon as he just pretend that advice if he'd

27:38

just listened. To the person

27:40

you call the master. He

27:43

would have survived. Prose.

27:48

Make a. More. You will. But.

27:52

That's not all. Here's

27:54

the really speak keep. He.

27:57

May not have taken their advice about Hitler,

27:59

but a cool. For the historian

28:01

Stephen drew us in his book

28:03

Crown of Thorns it sounds like

28:05

for his had also been warned

28:07

had the exact date of his

28:09

own demise. Remember

28:13

how the King lay dying

28:15

and his chamber in the

28:17

late summer of Nineteen Forty

28:20

three? covered in those strange

28:22

sports with all his organs

28:24

failing he was barely conscious.

28:27

Get very suddenly. The day

28:29

before his death, he opens his

28:31

eyes and demanded to know the

28:33

time. When he was

28:36

told it was twenty past fall,

28:38

he shook his head. Tomorrow

28:41

at the same time. He

28:43

said. Tomorrow of

28:46

the same time. The

28:49

next day in the twenty. Eighth. Of

28:52

August. At precisely twenty

28:54

two minutes, post for

28:56

the King was pronounced.

29:07

Now as this podcast is

29:09

about the murder of King

29:11

Boris, inevitably, we focus. Our. Lives

29:13

in the system in the times.

29:15

When things that there is the

29:17

street and difficult. When he

29:20

was stressed and scared and felt

29:22

torn in every direction that that

29:24

was happier times to set the

29:26

White Brotherhood predict the lonely king

29:29

would one day find a soul

29:31

mate. We don't. Know that We

29:33

do know he did form

29:35

and. Hey

29:44

it's eric lot of a pipeline ready to go to

29:46

your happy. Place a happy life. To

29:49

sell mother Five fine ass right now

29:51

and say that the sixty percent on

29:53

hotels whether it's hasn't have enough conceal

29:55

concert and city still tenants are. Simple

29:59

me that in. In a contract. Have

30:01

to download enough. sitting in

30:03

the. Studio.

30:10

Happy Prize or. We.

30:16

Haven't really touched on the romantic

30:18

side of forces personal story yet,

30:20

and I think we need to.

30:22

Because. Some people think that's

30:25

where we'll find Boris's kinda.

30:29

What he did take a while to get married and she

30:31

was like properly old. Boys.

30:33

Didn't stay a lonely bachelor

30:36

forever. In October. Nineteen thirty

30:38

aged thirty six. Boris

30:40

the Delete button teeth so

30:42

to speak. He married

30:45

princess to a foreigner the daughter

30:47

of King Victor Emmanuel the third

30:49

and Queen Eleanor of Italy. I'll

30:51

historian consider nope I think Boris

30:53

he know to had his interests

30:55

and pulling leave us and and

30:58

pinning was. Split into boards not

31:00

I'm in look for lots and

31:02

lots of see the back then.

31:05

Morris's marriage had huge political significance.

31:08

It certainly did, and by the

31:10

time for his died in Nineteen

31:12

forty three, when the war was

31:15

raging, a marriage was a political

31:17

hot potato. Which is

31:19

why quite a few rumors circulated that

31:21

his murder. Was. An

31:24

Italian job. By

31:27

all this nineteen forty three Mussolini's

31:30

have been to Pins and Sicily

31:32

was just about to switch sides

31:34

to join the allies. The British

31:36

and Americans now that would have

31:38

put a silly on the opposite

31:40

side to Bulgaria made them enemies.

31:43

And it was Gf on his

31:46

father the king of a silly

31:48

he been doing all the negotiating

31:50

with the Americans because he knew

31:52

his Germany invaded is silly that

31:54

would mean by by to the

31:57

Italian royal family. So.

31:59

Today. How the in royals of frame for.

32:01

Some the the best to try to

32:04

secure their own dynasty. I mean, they

32:06

certainly had a motive that son in

32:08

law Boris was an ally as Hitler.

32:11

And there's another thing that really got up

32:13

the nose of the Italian Royal family. For.

32:16

His his baptism. Ten

32:23

Boris was born to Catholic

32:25

parents said his father folksy

32:28

certain and didn't hesitate. To

32:30

practise Boris a Roman Catholic

32:32

to. Ontario

32:35

isn't Eastern Orthodox country and

32:37

as a Bulgarian you'd kind

32:39

of expect the at the

32:41

throne to say the national

32:43

safe. Side

32:46

to themselves. His mistake pretty

32:48

quickly. He married and Italian.

32:50

Dollars five and Catholic. You've.

32:52

Signed up and change. The constitution says

32:54

your firstborn will be a Catholic and

32:56

then you think own. I better of us

32:59

that decision. Folksy. Ferdinand

33:01

booked Porous. Another baptism

33:03

ceremony, From son. Said

33:06

porous. Having been christened

33:08

a custom it is

33:10

then rechristened or baptized

33:13

into the Orthodox church.

33:15

Hallelujah! A sense of

33:17

his his side not

33:19

covered by stumped. As Boris.

33:22

Covered by Stumps is one of those

33:24

quaint witness says it refers to cook

33:26

it but translated into those who and

33:28

it would be like saying he was

33:31

covering all the princes. And

33:33

will. Have his defensive play

33:35

was enough to satisfy the Bulgarian

33:37

people as it didn't go down

33:39

quite so well in Rome. The

33:42

Pope excommunicated him. Poor.

33:45

Old folksy. Enemy

33:50

fast forward again and

33:52

has now orthodox. Forests.

33:54

On his wedding day. Marrying an

33:56

Italian consulate princess in the

33:59

com. Cathedral in a cc.

34:01

They also had a blessing and

34:03

an Orthodox. Church. Not

34:06

by all accounts. Boys really love to

34:08

have ana but he also had a

34:10

royal to t to marry to provide

34:13

an heir to the throne. Any

34:15

progeny first of he had to acquire

34:17

a womb the he considered suitable. The

34:20

problem was the royal womb for

34:22

his had found belong to a

34:24

Catholic and across the lake is

34:26

supposed to bring up her children

34:29

as Catholics. Now.

34:32

That put Boris the King of

34:34

an Orthodox country in a tricky

34:36

situation but he didn't want to

34:38

know he his new angles oh

34:40

the Pope. So he promised his

34:42

first born child would be baptized

34:44

the Catholic but when his daughter

34:47

was born. Forests.

34:49

Renamed on his promise. Maria.

34:52

Luisa was baptized into the

34:54

Orthodox faith and the church

34:56

was so relieved it even

34:58

bend the rules. Were appalled

35:00

by the a result of that says. A

35:03

in in the also says his own

35:05

have more than one name except she

35:07

does of course. Because. It's

35:10

a double barreled name that have to have

35:12

a special permission with the church and the

35:14

make it like one name but his money

35:16

on reason as the my paternal grandmother. But

35:19

when Simeon was born four

35:21

years later, he was also

35:23

baptized. Into. The Orthodox faith queens

35:26

have on our accepted this.

35:28

But. What about her family? Were.

35:31

The Italian king and Queen Horrified.

35:33

That said, Grandchildren were Not

35:35

Catholics. I mean. They quite

35:37

like their son in law. Boris that

35:39

he'd basically just foot

35:41

wingspan. Is this what

35:44

they wanted for their daughter? And

35:47

here's another thing. Remember.

35:49

Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda

35:51

minister, had kept a diary.

35:54

He wrote that King Boris had

35:56

been poisoned with snake venom. but

35:58

when we the. That very

36:01

poster snake expert Marco

36:03

say he pretty much

36:05

rubbish. It turns. Out, it's

36:07

pretty impossible to get a snake

36:09

to buy some month. If it

36:11

doesn't feel like it does, the

36:13

snake has to bite. In

36:15

the right place with the right amount.

36:18

Of venom. So. Admittedly,

36:20

Gobbles was a bit off the

36:22

mark with the whole snake venom

36:24

idea. But.

36:26

A few days after he penned

36:28

that. Doubles. Wrote one

36:31

more entry about the murder. And

36:34

this time. He pointed

36:36

the finger of blame sally

36:38

and squarely at some one

36:41

specific in the Italian royal

36:43

family. Doubles.

36:47

Claims that it was my.

36:51

Mother's sister Princess my father

36:53

did see had poisoned him.

36:56

Now Princess Bissau that was married

36:58

to the German Prince Philip assess

37:00

who was disillusioned to the Nazi

37:03

party and everything set the suitable

37:05

or muscles. I was absolutely on

37:07

the same page as her husband

37:10

and her parents see wouldn't have

37:12

been impressed that her brother in

37:14

know Boris was in league with

37:17

Sephora. So

37:19

according to doubles muscles are paid

37:21

a little visit to Bulgaria. To.

37:24

The Palace with a bottle of

37:26

poison in her bag. For

37:28

weeks after her departure the

37:30

king was dead could list

37:33

so us be the royal

37:35

assists in. This

37:37

is nonsense because I was but

37:39

the station to receive my odds.

37:42

Of. The my father was good because

37:44

the game to the funeral. Let's.

37:47

Not forget that Simeon was

37:49

an eye witness and neither

37:52

he nor Maria Luisa can

37:54

recoup. Aren't muscles are paying

37:56

a visit before for his

37:58

his death. Mack

38:00

no one could remember. Muscles are coming

38:02

to visit her sister and brother in

38:05

law the for the funeral. For.

38:07

One simple reason.

38:10

She. Didn't come. So.

38:12

There was no way that you could

38:14

have poisoned him. So you know that

38:16

for a fact my dear well have

38:18

witnessed us citizen is not eat salads

38:21

because why. And. On. It's

38:23

others had no advances. What's her

38:26

job was blaming the Italian codes

38:28

because the Nazis were very upset

38:30

when it to be changed sides

38:33

before my father's death. But that's

38:35

why I say that sometimes documents

38:37

which are supposed to be over

38:40

to college officials can also be

38:42

misleading. Point. Taken.

38:44

It's all propaganda. That's the very

38:47

last time I cite the diary

38:49

of Joseph. Goebbels promise.

38:53

A space As something else I may

38:55

have overlooked. Sanders.

38:57

And particularly sisters tend to

38:59

talk muscles or would have

39:01

known to Boris was unhappy

39:03

with hit. And

39:05

that he was in talks

39:07

about switching. Sides seat

39:10

of respects him. He

39:12

wouldn't have wanted him dead. says.

39:17

A postscript to muscles a story.

39:19

It's not a happy ending. The.

39:22

Nazis found out that she and

39:24

her husband had been helping choose

39:26

get to safety. And

39:29

while my father was in

39:31

Bulgaria supporting her sister Boris

39:33

his funeral, her husband was

39:35

arrested and sent to a

39:37

concentration. Camp. When.

39:39

Muscles a return to Italy, the

39:42

nazis tricked her into visiting the

39:44

German embassy in Rome, claiming they

39:46

had a message for her from

39:48

her husband. But.

39:50

When she arrived. She. Was

39:53

immediately arrested. For. Subversive

39:55

activities and sent

39:57

to a concentration.

40:01

Oh. My

40:05

how the agree very thick and thin

40:07

that the current. And

40:10

then the Allies started to bomb

40:13

you. See that was a munitions

40:15

factory right next door, a prime

40:17

target. And during. One

40:20

raise princess muscles are was

40:22

badly wounded. The Ss doctors

40:24

made a half hearted attempt

40:27

to operate. But she

40:29

died of her injuries. In

40:31

the summer of Nineteen Forty Four.

40:34

Exactly a year after her brother.

40:36

In Law Boris. So.

40:41

Where does that leave us? Suicide.

40:43

Is off the list semi and

40:46

adamant about that. And

40:48

despite their differences in face

40:50

and in politics, it can't

40:52

have been the Italians they

40:54

were too fond of Boris.

40:57

But. I cannot dismiss the

40:59

communists. They tried to kill

41:01

the king again and again.

41:04

But. I still don't have concrete

41:07

proof. I don't even

41:09

have a name for the poison that

41:11

was used to kill the king's. You

41:16

know as a certain point

41:18

than every investigation has ever

41:20

done. Something unexpected always turns

41:22

her and in my experience

41:24

it most often comes at

41:26

that exact moment. I think

41:28

some done. Just

41:31

as I'm about to take stock of

41:33

what I know and tore up my

41:35

final conclusions. And. Received

41:38

an intriguing voice mail.

41:41

It's very cryptic. It suggests we

41:43

meet up in Celsius to talk

41:45

about the death of King Boris

41:48

the Third, and who's the message

41:50

from. Know. When. He

41:53

says his name. I'm

41:55

honestly speechless. Because.

41:57

This voice mails from someone who.

42:00

The microscopic knowledge of

42:02

King Boris. A

42:04

man who claims he knows

42:06

exactly how the King died.

42:08

he almost never gives interviews,

42:10

but now is offering to

42:13

tell us all. He knows.

42:16

He says it's time. The

42:19

world knows the whole

42:21

truth about what kills

42:23

the butterfly. True. That's.

42:26

Next time. Coming.

42:30

On. The Butterfly King. Or.

42:33

Are. Simply regrets and mouser to

42:36

bring it up a cigarette.

42:38

The game is disturbing. And

42:41

on foreigners to make sense peace with

42:43

with this is. Painful

42:45

revelations for the royal children.

42:48

And my dance had brand new

42:50

line of inquiry. Cocaine can cause

42:53

the Aussies to or have to

42:55

spasm to close down. Or

42:58

yeah you think or say have been on to case.

43:08

Is a production a Clamshell says

43:10

and he they need you to

43:12

sit. By me that he had written.

43:15

It's written and produced by Anything

43:18

Kirby. Original music

43:20

is by Daniel Noises and

43:23

Louis. Nine Hundred and Two,

43:25

The Maximum Sound Design and

43:27

Engineering. Etti Maximum and

43:30

Daniel Noise isn't artwork

43:32

by the Nes alignment.

43:35

The. Managing producer is a neat are so

43:37

keen owner. Is

43:42

lazy Point Six that producer

43:44

and set of contents of

43:46

Blood Cells House is Lauren

43:49

Squeezing for exactly right Media

43:51

the executive producers. Are

43:53

Karen tell Douglas Georgia has

43:55

stalled? And Danielle Kramer

43:58

with consulting producer. Hi

44:00

I'm Ryan. The

44:02

Butterfly King is inspired by

44:05

the book Hitler and the

44:07

King by John. Paul's and.

44:24

Follow. The Butterfly King on

44:27

Apple podcasts, Spotify or wherever

44:29

you. Like to listen to you don't

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she's here leave us a rating and

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