Wednesday 17th October

18.30 - 20.00

£12/£10 HRP members

Historically women and power have had an uneasy relationship, to which the Tower bares vivid testament, yet still today, women are a minority in the boardroom. This stimulating and unique panel discussion invites you to question why are there still so few female leaders, what can be learnt from history’s most influential women and whether anything has really changed.  Chaired by Jane Garvey, presenter of BBC Radio 4 ‘Woman’s Hour’, panellists Dr Catherine Hakim (Senior Research Fellow at Centre for Policy Studies), Ceri Goddard (CEO of Fawcett) and historian Tracy Borman will discuss what it takes for a women to become a leader among men.

Throughout history women have proved to be some of the country’s most dynamic and influential monarchs. Historian and author, Tracy Borman, will explore the lives of England’s most powerful women and unlock their secrets of survival, resilience and success within a male dominated world. In particular she will re-assess Elizabeth I’s portrayal as a 'man's woman' who loved to flirt. Traditionally Elizabeth has been assessed through her relationships with men, yet it is the women in her life who provide the most fascinating insight into the character of this remarkable monarch.

Four centuries on from Queen Elizabeth I, why are men still seen as natural leaders? Women are outnumbered 4 to 1 by men in Parliament and only 11% of directors of the FTSE 100 are female. Fawcett Society is the UK’s leading campaign group for gender equality, whose roots stretch back to 1866 and the campaign for women’s votes. Ceri Goddard, CEO of Fawcett, will join the discussion highlighting the work of the society in combating current issues relating to gender equality in the workplace and suggesting possible solutions to inequalities.

Finally Dr Catherine Hakim, a pioneering social scientist and an expert on the sociology of the labour market, will put forward her theories of women’s employment and women’s position in society as showcased in her recent publication ‘Honey Money’. Hakim suggests attractiveness is the unacknowledged but powerful asset that counts just as much as educational qualifications for success in jobs, politics, media, sport and the arts. She will explain why men are more successful in making money from their good looks, and how women must abandon their anxieties about exploiting their looks, charm and style in order to achieve equal, or greater, success in the workplace, as well as more power in the politics of private life.

This event includes a drinks reception and will be followed by book signings with Tracy Borman and Catherine Hakim.

Bookings: please call Historic Royal Palaces booking line on 0844 482 7799 a £2 booking fee will apply. Alternatively you can book online via our website for free at http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon  

For press information, please contact the Historic Royal Palaces press office on 020 3166 6340 or email eloise.maxwell@hrp.org.uk