Dr. Carolyn Harris is a historian, author and royal commentator based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is an instructor in history at the University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies, and received the Arts and Science Excellence in Teaching Award in 2016 and 2022. She is the author of Magna Carta and Its Gifts to Canada: Democracy, Law, and Human Rights (Dundurn Press 2015) and Queenship and Revolution in Early Modern Europe: Henrietta Maria and Marie Antoinette (Palgrave Macmillan 2015). Her 3rd book, Raising Royalty: 1000 Years of Royal Parenting was published by Dundurn Press in 2017.

She is a co-editor of the English Consorts, Power, Influence, Dynasty series, which was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2022-2023 and the production lead for the The Royal Studies Journal. In 2025, Carolyn was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Her Honour Edith Dumont. 

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Carolyn completed her PhD in history at Queen’s University at Kingston, Canada in 2012, spending six months at Birkbeck College, University of London in 2009 as a visiting overseas research student. She was a SSHRC master’s and doctoral fellow and a recipient of the SSHRC foreign study supplement.

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Carolyn is an expert in the history of European monarchies and has been interviewed by numerous media outlets including the CTV News Channel, Global News, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, BBC Radio 5, CBC News Network, CBC Radio, Radio Canada International, TVO, The Toronto Star, the National Post and the Globe and Mail. Her writing concerning the historical context for issues facing the monarchy today has appeared in numerous publications including Reader’s Digest, Zoomer Magazine, Canada’s History Magazine, BBC News Magazine, BBC History Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, Quartz Magazine, Military History Monthly, the Globe and Mail, and the Ottawa Citizen.

 

Carolyn is a frequent contributor to the Historica Canada Canadian Encyclopedia. Read all 100+ of Carolyn Harris's Canadian Encyclopedia articles here.

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Carolyn is a prolific guest lecturer on land, at sea and online. She has delivered talks on royal history for numerous museums, libraries, universities, retirement residences, and educational organizations. Carolyn also contributes to cruise ship enrichment programs and has lectured onboard cruise ships sailing to Canada and the United States, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, South America, South Africa, Australia, Scandinavia and St. Petersburg and the UK and Western Europe.

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Carolyn is available to give talks and interviews about all aspects of royal history. She is also available as a historical consultant, researcher, presenter or contributor to television, radio, print and online media.

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For all inquiries contact: carolyn.suzanne.harris@gmail.com​

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