In the run-up to the Second World War, Winston Churchill's Kent home, Chartwell, was transformed from a cosy country pile to an informal Home Office, as the politician invited influential guests to come for dinner, drinks.... and off-the-record discussions. From 'Lawrence of Arabia' to Albert Einstein, Katherine Carter tells Ellie Cawthorne how these visitors shaped Churchill's views about the looming prospect of war.

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Katherine Carter is the author Churchill's Citadel: Chartwell and the Gatherings Before the Storm (Yale University Press, 2024)

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Authors

Ellie CawthornePodcast editor, HistoryExtra

Ellie Cawthorne is HistoryExtra’s podcast editor. She also contributes to BBC History Magazine, runs the podcast newsletter and hosts several live and virtual BBC History Magazine events.

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