21 July 2007: The final Harry Potter book hits the shelves

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final instalment in the Harry Potter series, was released on this day in 2007, becoming Britain's fastest-selling book.

.K. Rowling holds a copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" SHAUN CURRY/AFP via Getty Images
(Image credit: © Getty Images)

For ten years, Harry Potter fans had been spellbound by the adventures of the boy wizard, whose mission it was to defeat the dastardly Voldemort with the help of school chums Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. But 21 July 2007 marked a bitter-sweet day in their diaries. For it was on that day that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final novel in the series, hit the shelves.

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Chris Carter
Wealth Editor, MoneyWeek

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.

Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.

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