Congratulations to Lady Stewart!

On July 3, Mary Stewart was awarded an honorary degree (a Doctor of Letters) by her alma mater, Durham University. This news release states that she is one of six to be honored this summer, though the article is sadly almost entirely about some British newscaster who I don't care about. However, I was able to find a copy of the speech that was to be read at Mary Stewart's ceremony, which includes a nice biographical sketch. Stewart attended Durham University as a student from 1935 to 1938, and then returned in 1941 as a Lecturer of English, during which time she also received her MA. She taught at Durham until 1945, when she married.

Durham Cathedral, where the ceremony took place

The speech doesn't really provide any new info that I haven't found previously in other sources (and I think my biography is a little better!). But it does mention that Stewart currently still resides in her home on the shores of Loch Awe in Scotland. I love the idea of Mary Stewart enjoying her retirement in a picturesque Scottish house on the shores of a beautiful lake.

Loch Awe

I'll keep an eye out for any photos or info that surface on the Internet about the ceremony.