HUM 247 The Crown: Past, Present, and Future
On May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey, Great Britain crowned its first new monarch in over seventy years, King Charles III. English kings and queens have been crowned at Westminster since 1066, when the tradition began with William the Conqueror. But what is the future of the monarchy in our contemporary post-colonial world? In this course, we will learn about the history of the British crown, from William to the present, and we will visit key sites associated with the monarchy: Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, and Windsor Castle, among many others. The course will draw on the resources of the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the National Portrait Gallery, as well as on the knowledge of local experts, and students will interview citizens in London neighborhoods as they develop their own views of the future of the English crown. No prerequisites. Taught in London.