The Butterfly King

Exactly Right
The Butterfly King

When King Boris III of Bulgaria dies amid mysterious circumstances during World War II, there's no shortage of suspects. But eighty years later, his death remains unsolved. Award-winning journalist Becky Milligan follows a trail of dissidents, poisoners, soldiers and spies to unravel eighty years of lies and cover-ups. This tragic family saga of a doomed royal dynasty is a story of treachery, deceit and a quest for the truth. Who killed the Butterfly King? The Butterfly King is a podcast from Exactly Right, produced by Blanchard House.

  1. 1: The Mender of Broken Dishes

    EPISODE 1

    1: The Mender of Broken Dishes

    It’s 1943 during a crucial turning point in the Second World War. Caught in the crossfire, King Boris III of Bulgaria has a make-or-break meeting with a key ally. Boris is a reluctant politician and a family man, sucked into the bloodiest conflict in history. Someone resents his influence and wants him out of the way for good. Could Boris’s fate be linked to the company he keeps?    The Butterfly King is a production of Blanchard House and Exactly Right Media.   From Blanchard House Host: Becky Milligan Writer and Producer: Emma Jane Kirby Original Music: Daniel Lloyd Evans, Louis Nanke-Mannell and Toby Matimong Sound Design and Engineering: Toby Matimong and Daniel Lloyd-Evans Managing Producer: Amica Sciortino Nowlan Creative Director: Rosie Pye Executive Producer and Head of Content: Laurence Grissell   From Exactly Right Consulting Producer: Kyle Ryan Artwork: Vanessa Lilak Executive Producers: Karen Kilgariff, Georgia Hardstark and Danielle Kramer   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    47 min
  2. 2: Lies, Lies, Lies

    EPISODE 2

    2: Lies, Lies, Lies

    Host Becky Milligan meets King Boris III’s children at Vrana Palace, a royal residence on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital city. The children share the details of their father’s strange and painful death. Officially he dies of a heart attack, but the symptoms don’t add up. What—or who—is responsible? Becky speaks to witnesses who explain how Boris duped Hitler. But the discovery of a dusty document, thousands of miles from Bulgaria, makes Becky wonder if she’s way off course.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    55 min
  3. 3: Snake in the Grass

    EPISODE 3

    3: Snake in the Grass

    Can you trust anyone in wartime? Host Becky Milligan meets a man in Sofia, Bulgaria, who shows her a side of King Boris III that makes her question whether he’s really the hero of this story. As Becky picks her way through the viper’s nest of conflicted history, she must confront the royal children with some uncomfortable truths.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    51 min
  4. 4: A Snake is Still a Snake

    EPISODE 4

    4: A Snake is Still a Snake

    We’re back at the Vrana Palace in Sofia, Bulgaria, where King Simeon II and Princess Maria Luisa tell host Becky Milligan about their narrow escape from targeted Allied bombings after their father’s death. As more secrets emerge from the pages of a British diplomat’s private diary, Becky is forced to consider an ugly possibility. But as she follows the trail of poison, a brand new suspect slithers into the frame.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    45 min
  5. 5: Caught Red Handed

    EPISODE 5

    5: Caught Red Handed

    It’s 1946, three years after King Boris III’s death and a heavy Iron Curtain has fallen over Bulgaria. What dark secrets does it conceal? Host Becky Milligan learns some disturbing facts about the Soviet secret services and why they couldn’t let sleeping kings lie. And we hear a haunting tale from the royal children as they meet their father again – three years after they buried him…   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  6. 6: An Inside Job

    EPISODE 6

    6: An Inside Job

    Accusations fly like bullets as host Becky Milligan discovers that King Boris III has been a hunted man for most of his life and has dodged more assassination attempts than James Bond. Did he ignore the one crucial message that could have saved his life? Becky feels the net closing in on the identity of the Butterfly King’s killer.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    43 min
  7. 7: The Heart of the Matter

    EPISODE 7

    7: The Heart of the Matter

    When host Becky Milligan receives a surprise call from a crucial witness, she realizes she must revisit King Boris III’s autopsy. Shocking new evidence about his death comes tantalizingly close to solving the mystery, but time is not on anyone’s side. When an old friend turns up with a killer suggestion, it leaves a bad taste in Becky’s mouth.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    41 min
  8. 8: The Rest is History

    EPISODE 8

    8: The Rest is History

    Host Becky Milligan hears about the king’s last supper and wonders if revenge really is a dish best served cold. She learns what happened to the royal children when they returned from exile and realizes nothing is ever quite what it seems. It’s time to reveal the whole truth. Can she finally lay King Boris III’s mystery to rest?     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    46 min
See All Season 1 (8)

Trailer

Hosts & Guests

4.8
out of 5
1,534 Ratings

About

When King Boris III of Bulgaria dies amid mysterious circumstances during World War II, there's no shortage of suspects. But eighty years later, his death remains unsolved. Award-winning journalist Becky Milligan follows a trail of dissidents, poisoners, soldiers and spies to unravel eighty years of lies and cover-ups. This tragic family saga of a doomed royal dynasty is a story of treachery, deceit and a quest for the truth. Who killed the Butterfly King? The Butterfly King is a podcast from Exactly Right, produced by Blanchard House.

Information

  • Channel
    Exactly Right
  • Creator
    Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts
  • Episodes
    9
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    2025 2024 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
  • Show Website
    The Butterfly King

More From Exactly Right

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada