Dr David Starkey has been called the "rudest man in Britain" for winding people up on BBC Radio 4's The Moral Maze.
An academic historian specialising in constitutional history and the monarchy, he controversially criticised the public role of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Unafraid of offending what he calls the "Diana True Believers", he described her as "the republicans' secret weapon, a woman who would do anything to destroy the House of Windsor."
Last year a television series was made for Channel Four to accompany Doctor Starkey's book, Elizabeth. He also appeared in The Road to Riches for the BBC. He's now filming a new series about the wives of Henry VIII.
Born in Kendal, Cumbria he was educated at Kendal Grammar School and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.
He was a Research Fellow at Cambridge, then moved to the London School of Economics as lecturer in history, and in 1998 returned to Fitzwilliam College to pursue research.
Dr Starkey has rightwing political views but is a libertarian and "glad to be gay".
He is on the editorial board of the magazine History Today and on the English Heritage group responsible for the famous blue plaques on London buildings.
