January-March 2024 Online Course for Seniors: Royal Parenting from Medieval Times to Modern Times

I will be offering an online course for seniors about Royal Parenting from Medieval Times to Modern Times for Etobicoke Learning Unlimited in January-March 2024.

Click here for more information and to register.

For more about the history of Royal Parenting, read my book, Raising Royalty: 1000 Years of Royal Parenting (Dundurn Press: 2017)

Friday October 13 Toronto Public Library Lecture: A History of Royal Weddings from Victoria and Albert to Harry and Meghan

I will be delivering an evening lecture (7pm) at North York Central Library in Toronto on Friday October 13 about the history of royal weddings from Victoria and Albert to Harry and Meghan! All are welcome.

Click here for more information!

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

Metro UK Interview: Historian reveals the most popular British monarchs – and where Elizabeth II ranks

In an extended interview with Katie Boyden at Metro UK, I discussed Queen Elizabeth II’s popularity and how past monarchs were viewed – favourably and unfavourably – by the public, both during their reigns and afterward. Kings and Queens discussed in the interview include Queen Victoria and Richard III.

Click here to read “Historian reveals the most popular British monarchs – and where Elizabeth II ranks” in Metro UK

Toronto Star Interview: A spoon, a stone and a graffiti-covered chair will play key roles in King Charles’s coronation. Here’s why they’re so special

I discussed the fascinating and eventful history of royal regalia, the Stone of Scone and the coronation chair with Alessia Passafiume at the Toronto Star.

Click here to read “A spoon, a stone and a graffiti-covered chair will play key roles in King Charles’s coronation. Here’s why they’re so special” in The Toronto Star

New Book: Hanoverian to Windsor Consorts: Power, Influence and Dynasty

Hanoverian to Windsor Consorts: Power, Influence and Dynasty, edited by Aidan Norrie, J.L. Laynesmith, Danna R. Messer, Elena Woodacre and myself is now available in hardcover and e-book from Palgrave Macmillan. The book includes new research and perspectives on all the consorts to the Hanoverian, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Windsor monarchs in Britain and the Commonwealth, examining three hundred years of royal history. I wrote the introduction to the volume and introductions to the sections on Hanoverian and Windsor Consorts as well as the final chapter about Camilla, Catherine and the future of the role of the royal consort.

Hanoverian to Windsor Consorts: Power, Influence and Dynasty at Palgrave Macmillan

Hanoverian to Windsor Consorts: Power, Influence and Dynasty on Amazon

Rabble Radio Podcast Interview: Keep Calm and Carry On: Reviewing the Royals in Canada

I discussed the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II and popular perceptions of the royal family in Canada with Rabble Radio.

Click here to listen to Keep Calm and Carry On: Reviewing the Royals in Canada

Fall 2022 Course at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies: Women in Power

My course about the history of Women in Power from the Classical World to the 21st Century will be offered in class at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies on Tuesday afternoons in Fall 2022 from October 11 to November 29.

Click here for more information and to register

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Powerful women have presented themselves as warrior queens, rulers by divine right, wives and mothers and, most recently, as elected officials. We’ll examine the most significant female political figures in history, including Boadicea, Queen Isabella, Queen Elizabeth I, Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher and Hillary Clinton. Through lively lectures and discussions, you’ll learn the story of women in political life. Why are women still underrepresented in political life? Join Carolyn Harris for a fascinating look at the often-neglected place of women in power from Cleopatra to Angela Merkel.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

  • Survey changing attitudes toward women and political power throughout history.
  • Explore how female leaders have presented themselves to the public.
  • Understand how powerful women are portrayed in popular culture and the media.
  • Compare the experiences of female leaders around the world.
  • See how the history of women in power influences female political leadership today.

Click here for more information and to register