In this special episode of Willy Willy Harry Stee, Charlie Higson takes a moment to look at the history of the English flag, the Union Jack and the Cross of St George.

Where did they come from? What do they mean? What do they represent?

With the current outbreak of flag raising around the country and furious arguments about what these flags represent, Charlie un-furls the truth to help us understand the real origins of the flags of the United Kingdom.

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In this edition of Charlie Higson's Summer Reading History Book Club, he looks at the history between England and India.

Before the East India Company and before the British Empire, England was an unimportant backwater. Seeking better fortunes, 16th and 17th century merchants ventured to the empire of the mighty Mughals, attempting to sell coarse woollen broadcloth that nobody really wanted.

It was a land ruled from the palatial towers by women – the formidable Empress Nur Jahan Begim, the enterprising Queen Mother Maryam al-Zamani, and the intrepid Princess Jahanara Begim. Their collision of worlds helped connect East and West, launching a tempestuous period of globalisation spanning from the Chinese opium trade to the slave trade in the Americas.

Joining Charlie to explain this fascinating story is Dr Lubaaba Al-Azami, whose book 'Travellers in the Golden Realm' traces the origins of a relationship between two nations – one outsider and one superpower – whose cultures remain inextricably linked to this day.

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Joining Charlie Higson on this edition of the Summer Reading History Book Club is comedian, musician and writer, Al Murray.

As well as being the man behind the Pub Landlord, Al is also able, in his own words, to 'bang on' about his love of World War II history for a long time.

Which suits us just fine.

Al is the author of Watching War Films With My Dad, Command: How the Allies Learned to Win the Second World War, Arnhem, Black Tuesday and Victory '45 - The End Of The War in Eight Surrenders, co-written with his We Have Ways podcast co-host, James Holland.

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