In this week’s CBC News Royal Fascinator newsletter, I discussed royal vaccinations and the public profile of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall during the pandemic with Janet Davison. I compared Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s decision to have their vaccinations announced to the wider public in 2021 with 18th century monarchs who publicized their smallpox inoculations in their own time.
North Americana Podcast Interview: The 1939 Royal Tour of Canada and the USA
I discussed King George VI’s and Queen Elizabeth’s 1939 tour of Canada and the United States with Liz Beatty for latest episode of the North Americana podcast: “How a King, a President, a Railway Empire and a Hotdog Helped Save the Free World.”
Click here to listen to “How a King, a President, a Railway Empire and a Hotdog Helped Save the Free World” on the North Americana website. (My quotes are in the last third of the program).
New BBC History Magazine Article: Princess Feodora: the little-known sister of Queen Victoria
My new article in the BBC History Magazine (History Extra) is about Princess Feodora, the little known half sister of Queen Victoria. The two sisters had a warm relationship and corresponded with one another for decades. Princess Feodora was a valuable source of advice and support for Queen Victoria and they discussed a wide variety of topics in their letters including European politics, their favourite books, marriage and motherhood.
Hot Docs Cinema Curious Minds Lecture Series: The Secrets of Scandinavia
My online lecture series “The Secrets of Scandinavia” about the history and culture of the Nordic Nations for the Curious Minds program at Hot Docs Cinema begins streaming on January 28, 2021.
Toronto Star Interview: When it comes to the British royal family, Canadians prefer the Netflix version
I discussed The Crown series on Netflix with Susan Delacourt at the Toronto Star, focusing on the uneven coverage of Commonwealth history and the complete absence of Canadian royal tours from the series.
CBC News Interview: Will the Queen meet any of her family outside at Christmas? How royal festive traditions change with the times
I discussed royal Christmas traditions with Janet Davison at CBC News as well as the recent Tier 4 lockdown in southeast England, and how the latest restrictions will shape the Queen’s Christmas at Windsor Castle in 2020.
New Book Review in the Royal Studies Journal: Richard Meyer Forsting, Raising Heirs to the Throne in Nineteenth Century Spain
The December 2020 issue of the Royal Studies Journal includes my review of Richard Meyer Forsting’s book, Raising Heirs to the Throne in Nineteenth Century Spain: The Education of a Constitutional Monarch. I was also one of the proofreaders for this special issue on Gender and Monarchy around the world.
Click here to read the Gender and Monarchy issue of The Royal Studies Journal, Volume 7, Issue 2.
New Reader’s Digest Canada Article: 10 of the Most Memorable Royal Tours of Canada
My new online article for Readers Digest Canada is about 10 Memorable Royal Tours of Canada from the past 100 Years. Although there have not been any Canadian royal tours portrayed in the Netflix series The Crown, the royal family has spent a lot of time in Canada over the past century.
Click here to read 10 of the Most Memorable Royal Tours of Canada at Reader’s Digest Canada
Winter 2021 Online Course : Imperial Spain
I will be teaching my popular course about the history of Imperial Spain online at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies from January to March 2021. Click here for more information and to register.
ABOUT THIS COURSE
Ferdinand and Isabella transformed Spain into a world power. They sponsored Columbus’s voyages to the Americas and formed alliances with other European kingdoms. This new imperial Spain had a dark side in the rise of the Inquisition, the expulsion of Spain’s Jews and the exploitation of the colonies’ native peoples. Gold and silver from the Americas made Spain’s rulers the richest in Europe until the Golden Age came to an end with the wars of the 18th century. Join Carolyn Harris for illustrated lectures and lively discussion about the rise, fall and enduring influence of imperial Spain.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
- Discern the lessons of the rise and fall of Imperial Spain for modern politics and international relations.
- Appreciate the art and culture of Golden Age Spain and their lasting impact on painting, literature and architecture.
- Trace the influence of Imperial Spain on the politics and culture of Latin America today.
AM640 Toronto Interview: ‘The Crown’ should be marked as fiction by Netflix, says Britain’s culture minister
I was interviewed about the controversies surrounding Season 4 of The Crown on Netflix on the radio by Greg Brady at Global News AM640 Toronto. We also discussed about royal use of social media, royal finances and attitudes toward the monarchy in Canada.