Exploring the truth and lies behind the French Revolution

It was good to see ever-popular historian Lucy Worsley’s brand new series, Royal History’s Biggest Fibs, enjoying an enthusiastic following on BBC 2 on Friday.
Lucy - a regular contributor to Clive Conway Productions - kicked off by exploring the ‘fibs’ of the French Revolution. Did it really start because Marie Antoinette said 'Let them eat cake!? Lucy checked out the myths and rumour, probing what is true about the great revolution of 1789 and what is mere spin or speculation.
The revolution was of course a momentous event in French history, a political and social struggle that brought down the country’s royal family no less. But it seems that the actual facts have been subject to many different interpretations, often distorted by the nationality and political leanings of those telling the tale.
Lucy showed for instance that the anger and hunger of French peasants was not the root cause of the uprising. That was down to a group of lawyers and property owners.
She also revealed that the fearsome guillotine was brought in, not as an instrument of brutal execution but one that was considered efficient and more humane.
This Friday (13th November) finds her looking at George IV and the Regency - an era of absolutely stupendous fibs. Don’t miss it.