Well, here we are- at the end of another year. It seems crazy to think that another year has passed, but time marches on. 2022 has been a difficult year for me; however, I’m grateful it has not been as difficult as some people have had. We are all stretched past thin at this point, and I hope that 2023 is a better year for us. I would like to take a few moments, though, and thank you for a year of accomplishments and friendship!
A Difficult Choice
I want to end on a positive note, so I will get the not-so-great bit out of the way. Unfortunately, I’ve decided not to pursue a PhD at this time. With the economy in the UK crumbling at an insane rate, I could not come up with a way to feasibly move to the UK and afford basic necessities for myself and Agnes. (I know that people say, “she is just a dog, you could give her to someone else” but she is my family, and I absolutely will not give her up.) Watching those I know in the UK, it seems like the cost of living is ever skyrocketing and it just did not make financial sense. I don’t know if I will be able to pursue it ever, but I will still be researching.
A Published Historian
Now onto the positive! This was actually a strong year for me research-wise, despite my difficult decision. In June I presented at my first academic conference in nearly a decade on the Queens of Canada. While it was a difficult day because I presented virtually at 3:00am (woof), I was happy with my paper and how it went. Listening to other papers again, I’ve got some solid ideas for lines of inquiry for my own research.
Secondly, I have now published a piece in a peer-reviewed journal! The peer-review process in academic writing is crucial, as publishing means it has gone through multiple stages of review to get to that point. My piece on Prince Philip’s relationship with Canada was a difficult piece to write (thanks, Covid…) but I am proud of how it turned out.
Media Work
While The Queen’s death was an immensely sad and difficult event for many, it did give me the opportunity to speak with several different news outlets about The Queen, the monarchy, and more. And of course, I still write for Royal Central! I’ve gathered some of my favourite podcasts and articles from the past year below!
If you or someone you know would like to discuss media commentary on either current or historical monarchies, please email me at AnHistorianAboutTown@gmail.com with the subject line MEDIA INQUIRY: or send me a DM on Instagram or Twitter.
Podcasts
Royal Christmas Speeches (Podcast)- https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/podcast/royal-christmas-speech/
The Platinum Jubilee (Podcast)- https://royalcentral.podbean.com/e/the-platinum-jubilee-special/
Interviews
Royal Mourning Fashion: https://pagesix.com/2022/11/29/the-one-outfit-kate-middleton-always-has-to-pack-on-a-royal-tour/
Royal Veils: https://pagesix.com/2022/09/14/why-kate-middleton-meghan-markle-will-wear-veils-to-queens-funeral/
Posts Spread False Claims about Queen Elizabeth II’s Corgis- https://today.rtl.lu/news/fact-check/a/1966554.html
How Queen Elizabeth will be remembered as an anti-fashion icon- https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3193567/how-queen-elizabeth-will-be-remembered-anti-fashion-icon
The Queen’s Funeral: Demystifying the dress code- https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/the-queens-funeral-demystifying-the-dress-code/
A Busier Blog Year Than Ever
I was not sure if the blog’s traffic would continue to rise with people out and about and not stuck inside with lockdowns. However, I am exceptionally grateful that not only did I maintain my traffic, but it also increased by over 30%. I am more than aware that this blog that focuses on royal history, ballet history, fashion history, and books is an incredibly niche site and won’t appeal to the wider public. In spite of this, I am thrilled to have many more new readers joining me and hope you enjoy the blog.
I published 220 blog posts over the year and had over 180,000 site visits with over 135,000 visitors from over 140 different countries. Given that I run this blog for free in my spare time, I am more than proud of these accomplishments.
Thank You For Your Support
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all of your support. Thank you for reading the blog, sharing posts with your friends and family, and for following me on social media. Thank you to those who have “bought me a cup of Ko-fi” or purchased one of my products. Thank you to my newsletter subscribers for opening and reading it each month. Thank you to the people who reached out to let me know that they enjoyed a book or show I recommended. And of course, thank you for spending each day in December with me for Blogmas.
Thank you for 2022 and I look forward to spending 2023 with you!
Cheers,
The Historian
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