Insights and behind the scenes from our palaces
Protecting wildlife and their habitat at Home Park
22 November 2024
Park Ranger Eleanor Evetts explores the importance of nature conservation efforts at Home Park at Hampton Court Palace.
The Jewel House Keeper's Ghost
31 October 2024
Curator Alden Gregory explores one of the many ghost stories associated with the palaces in our care: the Tower of London's Phantom Bear.
Mary, Marchioness of Downshire: A Life in Miniature
07 June 2024
Research and Interpretation Producer Emma Lawthers takes a brief glimpse into the lives of the Mary and the Hill family of Hillsborough Castle, as seen through the lens of a very unique object.
Queen Caroline’s State bed is Back!... on Display
09 April 2024
Go behind the scenes with the Conservation team at Hampton Court Palace, who are continuing their work on Queen Caroline's much-loved State Bed.
The King's 'Malady': George III's Mental Illness Explored
22 March 2024
George III had four prolonged periods of illness during his reign. Despite his achievements, he is perhaps most commonly referred to as ‘The Mad King’ – an unhelpful phrase that undermines the extent of his deeply traumatic ailments, and ignores his physical symptoms.
The Boy on the Staircase: Peter 'the Wild Boy' from Hanover
11 March 2024
In 1726 the arrival of a 'wild youth' in the Great Drawing Room of St James's Palace caused a London sensation. A boy in his early teens had been found in German woods 'wild, naked… and knowing nobody'. Brought to England, he was nicknamed Peter 'the wild boy'.
A Glimpse into the World of Two Royal Cooks
11 March 2024
When it came to conjuring up the smell and heat of long-abandoned royal kitchens for Untold Lives, we turned to two cooks’ books which won’t be found on today's kitchen shelves.
'Below Stairs' in Sickness, Death and Old Age
29 February 2024
What happened to those who worked in the royal palaces when they fell ill, grew old, or when they died, leaving loved ones behind?
Royal Wetnurses: the 'Foster Mothers' of the Georgian Nursery
24 March 2022
Ahead of Mother's Day, we share the lesser-known histories of the women employed as wetnurses in the Royal Nursery. Taking on the role of 'foster mother' to young princes and princesses, they often developed a close personal bond with the royal family and received mementos that were passed down in families for generations.
The Life of Edward Francis: Black history at the Tower of London
15 November 2021
Misha Ewen, Curator of Inclusive History, reflects upon her research on the life of Edward Francis - an enslaved African man who lived at the Tower of London in the late 17th century.