John julius norwich biography of christopher

British historian (1929–2018)

John Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich, CVO (15 September 1929 – 1 June 2018),^[1] known as John Julius Norwich, was an English popular historian,^[2] travel writer, and television personality.^[3]

Biography

Youth

Norwich was born at the Alfred House Nursing Home on Portland Place in Marylebone, London, on 15 September 1929.^[4] He was the son of the Conservative politician and diplomat Duff Cooper, later Viscount Norwich, and of Lady Diana Manners, a celebrated beauty and society figure.^[5] He was given the name "Julius" in part because he was born by caesarean section.^[6] Such was his mother's fame as an actress and beauty that the birth attracted a crowd outside the nursing home and hundreds of letters of congratulations.^[4] Through his father, he was descended from King William IV and his mistress Dorothea Jordan.^[7]

He was educated at E