Kate Williams (historian)
Kate Williams (born 1974) is a British historian, author, and television presenter. She is a professor of public engagement with history at the University of Reading. Early life and education. Williams grew up in Stourbridge. Her father Gwyn was a solicitor and her mother Margaret was a teacher. Her paternal grandparents were from the Conwy Valley. She was educated at Edgbaston High School for Girls, Birmingham. She studied for her BA and DPhil at Somerville College, Oxford, where she started as a College Scholar and received the Violet Vaughan Morgan University Scholarship. She has MAs from Queen  Mary, University of London and Royal Holloway, University of London. She began researching Emma Hamilton while studying for her doctorate. Career. Williams has lectured MA degree studies in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway, University of London. In the summer of 2015, Williams took up a role as Professor of Public Engagement with History at the University of Reading. Journalism and other work. Williams writes articles on history for British newspapers including "The Daily Telegraph", and reviews for "BBC History", "History Today" and the "Financial Times". In 2010 she was a judge for the Biographer's Club Tony Lothian First Biography  Prize, the Book Drum Tournament 2010, and the Litro/IGGY International Young Person's Short Story Award. A short story, "The Weakness of Hearts", was published in issue 104 of "Litro" literary magazine. Television and radio. Williams appears frequently on radio and TV as a presenter and expert, specialising in social, constitutional and royal history. She commented extensively on the 2011 Royal Wedding and appears often on "BBC Breakfast", "Newsnight", "The Review Show", Sky News, BBC News 24, the "Today programme", "Broadcasting House", "Night Waves", "Woman's Hour", Channel Five and various American channels, discussing history and culture and reviewing  the news. She covered the Queen's Address to Parliament on BBC One in 2012 and the Queen's Speech for BBC Parliament. Williams was the social historian on the BBC Two series "Restoration Home", which aired from 2011 to 2013. She presented "Timewatch: Young Victoria" for BBC Two, acclaimed by "The Guardian" as "telly history at its best" and "The Secret History of Edward VII" for Channel Five. She appears often on documentaries, discussing history, literature and culture, including "Faulks on Fiction" and all three series of "The Great British Bake Off", as well as documentaries on subjects including  Queen Victoria, Balmoral, Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper, Nelson's Trafalgar, Elizabeth II and "Hidden Killers of the Victorian Home". She wrote and presented the documentary "The Grandfather of Self-Help", about Samuel Smiles, for Radio 4. She is also the presenter of a Radio 4 documentary on the history of the smile, broadcast in June 2012. Williams was the Historian in Residence in Frank Skinner's 2014 radio show "The Rest Is History". Williams was a regular panellist on "The Quizeum", which began airing on BBC4 in spring 2015. Williams was the winner of "Celebrity Mastermind" screened on 2  January 2016. She also featured on episodes of "Insert Name Here" broadcast on 4 and 25 of January 2016 on BBC Two, and again in four episodes of the second series of "Insert Name Here" commencing with the Christmas Special on 21 December 2016. Williams appeared in the online mini-series "Inside Versailles" based on the BBC Television series "Versailles". She also appeared in an episode of BBC One comedy panel show "Would I Lie To You?" in 2016. She was in Dictionary Corner on "Countdown" for five shows starting 6 October 2016. On 13 December 2016 she appeared as  a contestant on "Celebrity Antiques Road Trip", partnered with Catherine Southon, against Suzannah Lipscomb and David Harper. Williams and team member Robin Ince were winners of "Pointless Celebrities" broadcast on 13 January 2018. In 2020 Williams appeared on "Richard Osman's House of Games", broadcast on BBC Two, alongside Chizzy Akudolu, Charlie Higson, and Tom Allen. Personal life. Williams and her partner, publisher Marcus Gipps, have a daughter. Bibliography. Williams has had academic essays published in various journals and books: