What happened to William Dalrymple?

At first impression, William Dalrymple is flying high. This patrician historian of British-Indian relations, who celebrates his sixtieth birthday this year, presides over his own literary festival in Jaipur and has amassed more than a million followers on X (many of them hailing from the subcontinent). In recent years, he has grown to become a totem of centrist dads everywhere. This month, he announced that his Empire Podcast – produced by Gary Lineker’s production company – had surpassed 55 million downloads.

Increasingly, however, questions are being asked both about the Scottish historian’s judgment and his professionalism. Before October 7, his social media timeline tended to be a gentle affair, a blend of historical factoids, exotic art and wry observations. He rarely troubled himself unduly with international conflicts, whether the Syrian civil war or Ukraine.