Jan Morris is a highly respected British historian, author, and travel writer. She was educated at Lancing College in West Sussex and Christ Church in Oxford, but has Welsh heritage and adoption. Prior to 1970, Morris published under her given name "James," and is best known for her Pax Britannica trilogy, a comprehensive history of the British Empire. She has also gained recognition for her portraits of various cities, including Oxford, Venice, Trieste, Hong Kong, and New York City. In addition, Morris has written extensively about Welsh culture, Spanish history, and her own personal experiences.
Morris' personal life has also been a subject of interest and discussion. In 1949, she married Elizabeth Tuckniss, the daughter of a tea planter. Together, they had five children, including the poet and musician Twm Morys. One of their children died in infancy. In 1964, Morris began taking hormones to feminize her body and in 1972, she had sex reassignment surgery in Morocco. Despite facing discrimination and challenges, Morris has been open and honest about her experiences and has been a trailblazer for transgender rights and visibility. She and Tuckniss remained together, even after their divorce, and later entered into a civil union. In 2008, they remarried each other. Morris has lived mostly in Wales, the home of her parents, and has continued to write and publish books on a wide range of topics.