Click above to watch Rafe's video show reel


Historian and media commentator Rafe Heydel-Mankoo, is a leading pundit on British and world royalty, protocol, etiquette, honours and, more generally, British heritage, traditions and institutions, such as the House of Lords. He is also a social commentator on the class system, high society and the new elite.

Rafe appears regularly on television, radio and in the print media, in the United States (Fox, ABC, NPR, etc.), Britain (BBC, Sky, Channel 4, etc.), Canada (CBC, CTV, Global, etc.) and further afield, including Australia, Poland and China. Click here to listen to an interview with Rafe on BBC Radio 4's PM programme.

Rafe is a recipient of HM The Queen's Golden (2002) and Diamond (2012) Jubilee Medals (Canada), having been nominated for his "contribution to monarchical studies ... and [his] outstanding media commentary enhancing Canadians' understanding of the Crown over many years."

Rafe is particularly well known for participating in debates on the relevance and future of the British monarchy. Indeed, Rafe’s first TV appearance, at the age of 19, was to debate anti-monarchist Canadian Member of Parliament Alex Shepherd for one hour on a live national prime time political show.

In 2002, Rafe co-presented on Canada's Global TV for the lying-in-state and funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, providing over four hours’ live commentary. His funeral commentary for Global TV was widely praised as the finest in North America. Later in 2002, Rafe was one of CTV Canada’s three expert commentators for the 8 hour live coverage of The Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Since moving back home to London in 2002, Rafe has become a leading international commentator, providing expert analysis and historical insights for hundreds of royal events and news stories, including royal tours and births, the Concert for Diana, the 10th Anniversary Memorial Service for Diana, Princess of Wales, and the wedding of The Prince of Wales & The Duchess of Cornwall. For the engagement & wedding of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Rafe appeared on ABC, FOX, CBC, CTV, NPR and BBC news, and was quoted extensively in international print media.

Click here to hear Rafe on BBC Radio 5 Live discussing The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee address to Parliament.

Click here to listen to Rafe's biography, read by legendary Australian broadcaster Allan Jones.