Life Changing on Radio 4 *contains spoilers*

[Tootingbec]

Did anyone listen to the episode this morning? The one titled “The Baroness”? Woman who grew up thinking she was part of German aristocracy - only to find out when she was 50 that her parents had made the whole thing up?

What I found frustrating was Sian Williams not exploring the impact of the abject neglect the woman suffered at the hands of her parents. Lots of exploration about identity and “not knowing who you are” but nothing about what it was like to grow up with no clean clothes, smelling of urine and living in a semi derelict mansion with no heating.

Frustrating episode!

I agree, this episode didn't really fit in with the others. The story was more about abusive parents with many issues that treated their children appallingly over many years (for whatever reason) rather than the deathbed confession and the final denouement that they weren't connected to the Hapsburgs. By the time we got to that bit it felt almost irrelevant. Fascinating and tragic all the same, but the premise was different as should have been the line of questioning.

I heard this and wondered why she completely ignored the huge impact on her mum of her first husband modelling himself on her when he turned into a woman! No wonder she had such massive mental health issues

Yes completely agree! The whole family set up and dynamic was so complex and disturbing to cram into 30 mins - and I too was a bit 🫤 about the big reveal. It was like a minor point amongst the whole messed up horror of that poor woman’s childhood.

Yes, that was mentioned and then never really touched on again - as if it wasn’t a huge thing. Those poor children. They were horrendously neglected and social services should have been involved. Awful that no outside adult raised any red flags.

I thought the bug reveal was going to be to do with the first dad being trans. Also where was he in caring for his own children?? Surely any adult would have been able to smell them and know this was neglect?

Today's was sweet

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