Sir Nicholas Soames MP, a grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, will be a featured speaker at the 2018 International Churchill Conference to be held in Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg next November 9–11. This year’s theme will be “Churchill: Walking with Destiny.” Please click here to register for your place at the conference.
Sir Nicholas is the eldest child of Mary Soames, who was the youngest child of Sir Winston and Clementine Churchill and Patron of the International Churchill Society. He served with the Royal Hussars and as an equerry to HRH The Prince of Wales before being elected to the House of Commons in 1983.
When he was about five, Nicholas Winston Soames first learned of his grandfather’s importance. Trying to wrap his mind around this, he went up to his grandfather’s bedroom and asked, “Is it true, grandpapa, that you are the greatest man in the world?” “Yes I am,” said Churchill. “Now bugger off.”
This will be the first conference held in Williamsburg in twenty years. The Williamsburg Lodge will be conference headquarters for panel sessions while other events will take place in and around the historic community. The final day will mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War and will feature a memorial ceremony.
One of the central features of the conference will be the launch of Andrew Roberts’s major new biography Churchill: Walking with Destiny. Based on original research in the Royal Archives, this is certain to be the new standard biography for our generation. Andrew will also serve as honorary conference co-chair along with Churchill granddaughter Emma Soames.
First-time conference speakers will include Felix Klos, author of Churchill’s Last Stand: The Struggle to Unite Europe; Giles Milton, author of Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, an account of “black ops” during the Second World War; Daniel Todman; and Edward Lengel. We are also pleased that Sir David Cannadine has agreed once again to bring his erudite observations to our conference. Further details will be released in the coming months.
Friday, November 9: Opening Reception (starting at 6:00 p.m.) followed by a “Capitol by Candlelight” tour. Both events are included in the Blenheim registration package.
Saturday, November 10: Panel sessions and gala dinner. Sir Nicholas Soames to speak at lunch.
Sunday, November 11: panel sessions continue followed by ceremony marking the centenary of the Armistice. An optional “Walking with Winston” tour rounds out the conference (this ticket is included in the Blenheim Package).
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