Insights and behind the scenes from our palaces
Embracing two worlds: Conserving Bi-cultural heritage with a rare Japanese court suit
14 March 2025
Textile Conservator Kaori Motaung shares her experience conserving a rare Japanese court suit from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection.
Frances Stuart and Barbara Villiers
10 February 2023
Learn about the relationship between Frances Stuart and Barbara Villiers, two of the most influential women at the court of King Charles II.
The Weird and Wonderful Medicines of Henry VIII
12 January 2023
Henry VIII is one of England’s most famous monarchs, but lesser known are his numerous medical problems and the often-extraordinary remedies which he used to treat them.
A Turkish Bath for Horses at Hampton Court
16 June 2022
With eyes on Royal Ascot in June, we wanted to share a lesser-known aspect of Hampton Court’s Equine Past. In the 1860s a Turkish bath was installed at Hampton Court Palace…for the horses! Buildings Curator Alexandra Stevenson explores this curious history.
Catherine Howard: History and the Use of Adjectives
11 February 2022
On the anniversary of the execution of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife and Queen, Collections Curator Brett Dolman investigates how difficult it is to reconstruct and understand her life. Bringing the past alive is part of what historians are expected to do, but how far should we go to tell a good story?
New Year's Day and the Tudors: A Lesson in Celebrations
17 December 2021
Chief Curator Tracy Borman explains that for the Tudors the party was only just getting started...and she's got a personal reason for agreeing with them.
A Queer Walk through Hampton Court Palace
11 February 2021
When you next visit Hampton Court, bring a queer eye to the palace. Shift your perception. Actively look around you. I promise there is a rich history to find.
Creating your own wildflower garden
27 April 2020
You don't need large expanses of land to make your own wildflower meadow providing cover and food for wildlife. Following the success of our wildflowers at Kensington Palace, this year we planted a new wildflower meadow at Hampton Court. You too can do the same with any old patch of lawn in an open, sunny position.
A discovery on the lining: Secrets of A State Bed
08 January 2020
Queen Caroline's state bed has three upper inner valances. These decorative drapes are attached to the inside the wooden bed frame, to hide the bed frame and give a decorative border to the tester or canopy. They are made from silk damask decorated with silk braid and lined with plain silk. Linings are not usually the most exciting or important part of a textile, but these ones turned out to be far more interesting than we thought.
Mistletoe in the Hampton Court Palace Gardens
20 December 2019
One of the most popular questions posed to our gardeners during winter concerns strange lumps of weed growing in trees in the East Front garden. These random and odd-looking growths are in fact clumps of mistletoe.