January-February 2024 Online Course: The Romanovs and the Russian Revolution

In January-February 2024, I will be teaching my popular online course about The Romanovs and the Russian Revolution at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies.

Click here for more information and to register.

ABOUT THIS COURSE

The consequences of the Russian Revolution continue to influence Russia’s politics and society, and indeed the whole world’s. In 2017, Russia quietly marked the 100th anniversary of the turning points: the abdication of Czar Nicholas II and Lenin’s seizure of power for the Bolshevik party.  Follow the quick succession of crises: the collapse of the Romanov dynasty, the end of Russia’s participation in the First World War, the emergence of the Provisional Government, and the fateful rise of Lenin and the Soviet Union.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

  •        Explore the vanished world of the Romanov dynasty, which ruled Russia for 300 years.
  •        Learn about the swift events in Russia in 1917.
  •        Discuss the key figures and moments in the Russian Revolutions.
  •        Explore how the Russian Revolutions were perceived around the world.
  •        Analyze the impact of the Russian Revolutions on the modern world

Click here for more information and to register.

New Monocle Radio Interview:  King Charles tries to repair the Entente Cordiale on his state visit to Paris. 

Along with historians Sarah Gristwood and Coryne Hall, I discussed the history of the relationship between the United Kingdom and France, as well the significance of the Palace of Versailles, in an interview with Isabella Jewell at Monocle Radio.

Click here to listen to “King Charles tries to repair the Entente Cordiale on his state visit to Paris” in the last eight minutes of the September 20, 2023 edition of The Monocle Daily.

Fall 2023 University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies Course: Behind the Crown: The Monarchy from Victoria to Charles III

I will be teaching an eight week course on Tuesday afternoons in October-November 2023 at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies – Behind the Crown: The Monarchy from Victoria to Charles III. Click here for more information and to register.

ABOUT THIS COURSE

The personal lives of royalty are a popular subject for fiction in novels, films and TV series but the real history is more interesting. Each generation of royalty must respond to the challenges of their times to keep the monarchy relevant and engaged with public opinion. Join Carolyn Harris, historian, commentator and author of Raising Royalty: 1000 Years of Royal Parenting for a lively discussion of the history, politics and cultural significance of the monarchy in the UK and Canada.  

Click here for more information and to register for “Behind the Crown: The Monarchy from Victoria at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies

New Reader’s Digest Article: The Ultimate Guide to Royal Residences

My new article in Reader’s Digest Canada discusses royal residences in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and recent changes to where members of the royal family live in the reign of King Charles III.

Click here to read “The Ultimate Guide to Royal Residences” in Reader’s Digest Canada

Smithsonian Magazine Interview: Why 1992 Was Such a ‘Horrible Year’ for Elizabeth II and the Royal Family

I discussed Queen Elizabeth II’s annus horribilis in 1992 with Meilan Solly at Smithsonian Magazine including the breakdowns of the marriages of three of the Queen’s four children, the fire at Windsor Castle and how these events are being dramatized in Season 5 of The Crown on Netflix.

Click here to read Why 1992 Was Such a ‘Horrible Year’ for Elizabeth II and the Royal Family in Smithsonian Magazine

New Issue of The Royal Studies Journal: Beyond the Public/Private Divide: New Perspectives on Sexuality, Rituals, Hospitality, and Diplomacy within Royal Space

Volume 9, Issue 1, 2022 of The Royal Studies Journal is now available to read online. I was the proofreading editor for this issue, reviewing the final drafts of the articles and book reviews.

Click here to read Volume 9, Issue 1, 2022 of The Royal Studies Journal: Beyond the Public/Private Divide: New Perspectives on Sexuality, Rituals, Hospitality, and Diplomacy within Royal Space

New Canadian Encyclopedia Article: Royals Who Lived in Canada

In my latest articles in the Canadian Encyclopedia, I discussed members of the royal family who made their home in Canada for months or years from Queen Victoria’s father, the Duke of Kent and Strathearn in the 1790s to Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2020.

Click here to read “Royals Who Lived in Canada” in the Canadian Encyclopedia

Winter 2022 Online Course: Behind the Crown: The Monarchy from Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II

My new eight week online course at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies starts Wednesday January 12, 2022. Click here for more information and to register.

ABOUT THIS COURSE

The year 2022 marks Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne. It’s an opportunity to look back on the social, political and cultural changes during her long reign.  The personal lives of royalty are a popular subject for fiction in novels, films and TV series but the real history is more interesting. Each generation of royalty must respond to the challenges of their times to keep the monarchy relevant and engaged with public opinion. Join Carolyn Harris, historian, commentator and author of Raising Royalty: 1000 Years of Royal Parenting for a lively discussion of the history, politics and cultural significance of the monarchy in the UK and Canada.

Click here for more information and to register.  

CBC News Interview: Shadows of a difficult 2021 loom over Royal Family ahead of next year’s Platinum Jubilee

I discussed changes within the royal family in 2021 including the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and the press attention directed toward junior members of the royal family in a recent interview with Janet Davison for the CBC News Royal Fascinator Newsletter.

Click here to read “Shadows of a difficult 2021 loom over Royal Family ahead of next year’s Platinum Jubilee” at CBC News