On this day in 1812, one of the greatest authors in English history was born in Portsmouth, England.  His classic tales of class strife, with their realism and their comedic elements, lead him to become one of the most popular authors of his day and one of the most popular authors of all time.  He has even gotten his very own Google Doodle, as you can see above.  That man is Charles Dickens, who is celebrating his 200th birthday today.

Or rather, he would be celebrating his 200th birthday if he was still alive.  In his stead, others will be celebrating for him.  Namely, royalty and famous people.  Today, Prince Charles will be laying a wreath on Dickens’s grave at Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey, while Ralph Fiennes will be doing a reading of selections from Dickens’s classic works, like Oliver Twist and Great Expectations.  Portsmouth will also be having Dickens-themed events; I’m pretty sure Dickens World theme park will be joining in on the fun.

Why not pop in your monocle and join them?

Tags: charles dickens, dickens, charles dickens’s 200th birthday, 200th birthday of charles dickens, 200th anniversary of dickens birth, charles dickens 200th birth anniversary, portsmouth, england, authors, google, google doodle, charles dickens google doodle, doodle for dickens, prince charles, westminster abbey, poet’s corner, ralph fiennes

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