Way to go Your Majesty/Royal Highness/foxy aristocrat
Princess Michael of Kent
Well, I might as well come clean straightaway. I only attended this event because it involved royalty - Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent to be exact. And I might as well come clean again: I wasn't expecting much (well, anything to be exact). But there's nothing quite as sobering - and refreshing - as being proved wrong. And on this occasion, you might as well serve me a large slice of crow pie. That's how good she was. HRH was talking about the third and final volume of her Anjou trilogy, which frankly I've never heard of but might actually pick up later today, so vibrant was her talk. In short, this story centres on merchant Jacques Couer, a man of humble origins who rises to become a trusted confidante of the Anjou royal family and one of the most powerful figures in 15th century France. What could have been an astonishingly dry talk was actually invigorating, refreshing and hugely entertaining. There was a bit of a kerfuffle when it turned out that the 'Royal' pointer, vital for pointing out the borders of France, appeared to have gone missing from the lecturn, but apart from that, it was all rather smooth. I sat next to HRH's Lady-in-Waiting which was a bit of a thrill for me but clearly a source of huge tension for her. Still, great 60 minutes. Thanks Ma'am.
Festival media partner
Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK
Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme
Festival cultural partner
Festival ideas partner
The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture
The Cervantes Institute, London
Festival on-site and online bookseller
Wines of the Douro Valley
Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival
Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection
Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection
Oxford International Centre for Publishing
Accountants to the festival
Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024
Partner of Oxford Literary Festival
Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture
New College founded 1379
Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314
Worcester College founded 1714
Lincoln College founded 1427
Trinity College founded 1555
Magdalen College founded 1458
Reuben College founded in 2019
Founded 1884
Brasenose College founded in 1512
Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design
Olive oil from Sicily
Alumni Office
Oxford University Images
Local radio partner
-
Dinomania for those aged 7 to 99 - April 3 - 3.46pm - 2022
-
Heard the one about the blood donor scheme for bats…? - April 2 - 11.44am - 2022
-
As dazzling as the HAL 9000, as entertaining as Woody Allen - April 1 - 3.37pm - 2022
-
‘Round like a circle in a spiral…’ - March 31 - 6.15pm - 2022
-
Food for thought - March 31 - 3.32pm - 2022
-
Fit for Royalty - March 30 - 3.56pm - 2022
-
‘A dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind…’ - March 30 - 11.24am - 2022