Churchill Meets Churchill
Men of the House of Churchill had the opportunity to attend the International Churchill conference and meet Randolph Churchill.
Last week, the House of Winston Churchill encountered Churchill.
Twenty members of the House went to an event here in NYC, where Randolph Churchill, the great grandson of Winston Churchill, spoke about Winston and his Brooklyn-born mother, Jenny Jerome. Afterwards, Mr. Churchill walked through the foyer outside of the auditorium and caught sight of the King’s men, all clad in Churchill bow ties. His face lit up and he immediately cut through the crowd to meet them.
A couple days later, I found myself in D.C. with some of these same men. We attended the International Churchill Conference, sponsored by The Churchill Centre, which boasted a lineup of the world’s leading Churchill historians. We learned much about the man and his legacy. As Sean Spurlock, president of the House, put it, “Our love and respect for Churchill greatly increased throughout the weekend.”
The men of Churchill stood out among the crowd of 350, thanks in part to their youth and bow ties. Many conferees approached them and asked who they were and what school they attended. The men represented the House and the College with distinction. They even sought out many of the speakers, inviting a number to speak at King’s.
On the final day of the conference, Randolph Churchill asked if he could join the men for lunch. We had a rich conversation about Churchill’s legacy and how to strengthen ties with the Churchill Centre. A bond of friendship was forged.
When I thought it couldn’t get any better, it did. After lunch, Paul Reid, Churchill’s biographer, spoke. During the Q&A, Sean Spurlock went to the microphone to ask a question. Sean introduced himself as a student at The King’s College, and prefaced his question with the observation that Churchill’s classical, liberal arts education shaped him as a statesman and informed his response to the crises of his day. At one point, Professor Joe Loconte introduced himself to Randolph Churchill. When Mr. Churchill heard that Loconte was from King’s, he commented on the students he had met: “You have an impressive team.”
We do have an impressive team—a testament to the caliber of our students and the quality education they receive. It gives me confidence that more great statesmen will arise from our ranks.