Category Archives: Queen Victoria

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

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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.  

New Reader’s Digest Article: The 10 Most Controversial Royal Memoirs Ever Published

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Prince Harry won’t be the first royal family member to rock the boat with a tell-all autobiography. Here are 10 royal memoirs that changed the way we think about these famous families—and history itself.

Click here to read The 10 Most Controversial Royal Memoirs Ever Published in Reader’s Digest

CBC News Interview: What’s in a royal baby name?

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I discussed the arrival of Lilibet Diana, daughter of Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the history of royal baby names with Janet Davison at CBC News.

Click here to read “What’s in a royal baby name?” at CBC News

For more about the history of royal parenting, see my book, Raising Royalty: 1000 Years of Royal Parenting

New BBC History Magazine Article: From balls to Bridgerton: a brief history of debutantes and the social season

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My new feature article in History Extra, the online BBC History Magazine is about the history of debutantes and social season from the first Queen Charlotte’s Ball in 1780 to the last presentation of debutantes to the royal family in 1958. In addition to the fashions, parties and traditions of the social season in the United Kingdom, I also discuss debutante traditions in Canada, the United States and Australia.

Click here to read “From balls to Bridgerton: a brief history of debutantes and the social season” at History Extra

New BBC History Magazine Article: Princess Feodora: the little-known sister of Queen Victoria

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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.

Click here to read Princess Feodora: the little-known sister of Queen Victoria in the BBC History Magazine

CBC News Interview: Why the Queen herself has twice delivered Canada’s speech from the throne

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In an interview with Janet Davison in this week’s CBC News The Royal Fascinator newsletter, I discussed the two times that Queen Elizabeth II delivered the throne speech in Canada as well as the friendships and rivalries between royal brothers from Queen Victoria’s reign to today.

Click here to read “Why the Queen herself has twice delivered Canada’s speech from the throne” and “Royal brothers don’t always get along” at CBC News.

New Canadian Encyclopedia Article: Royal Tours of Canada

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My new article in the Historica Canada Canadian Encyclopedia is about Royal Tours of Canada from the late eighteenth century to the present day, including early visits by King George III’s sons, the travels of Queen Victoria’s children, the 1939 royal tour by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother), and official visits and working visits during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

Click here to read my article about Royal Tours of Canada in the Canadian Encyclopedia

New Canadian Encyclopedia Article: Viscount Monck

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Happy Canada Day! My latest article in the Historica Canada Canadian Encyclopedia is about Charles Stanley Monck, 4th Viscount Monck of Ballytrammon, governor general of British North America, captain general and governor of British North America from 1861 to 1867 and governor general of Canada from 1867 to 1868 (born 10 October 1819 in Templemore, County Tipperary, Ireland; died 29 November 1894 in Charleville, Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland). Monck supported Confederation and became the first governor general of the Dominion of Canada.

Click here to read my article about Viscount Monck in the Canadian Encyclopedia

CBC News Interview: The pandemic puts the royals online — and ‘at their best’

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I discussed virtual royal engagements during the COVID-19 pandemic with Janet Davison at CBC News. As traditional royal walkabouts are not possible during the pandemic, members of the royal family are connecting with the public virtually, finding innovative methods to engage with people while maintaining a physical distance.

Click here to read The pandemic puts the royals online — and ‘at their best’ in the Royal Fascinator newsletter at CBC News.