Insights and behind the scenes from our palaces
Princess Mary, Henry VIII and Tudor history's greatest battle of wills
22 August 2025
Chief Historian Tracy Borman explores the dramatic battle of wills between Mary and her tyrannical father.
Life, death and worship in the Tower of London, Part I
21 July 2025
Curator of Historic Buildings Alfred Hawkins explains the results of continued analysis of a 2019 excavation at the Tower of London, and what they can tell us about the Tower community.
Catherine Howard's proclamation as Queen, Hampton Court, 1540
11 July 2025
Hampton Court is linked to every phase of Catherine Howard's career. But less well known is how Hampton Court birthed Catherine’s tenure as Queen of England.
Inside the Tudor queens' baggage train
30 May 2025
What did the Tudor queens take on their travels, and what can it tell us about the real women behind the titles? Post-Doctoral Researcher Kirsty Wright investigates.
St George and the Tudors
23 April 2025
St George’s Day was already well established by the Tudor period, but the Tudor monarchs saw something more in this patron saint – the perfect symbol to bolster their shaky claim to the throne.
The death of Henry VII and the delayed accession of Henry VIII
21 April 2025
On 21 April 1509, Henry VII died aged 52 in his private apartments at Richmond Palace. But officials waited two days to tell the strapping young man that he was now King. Why?
The death and succession of Elizabeth I: claimants to the Tudor crown
11 April 2025
Elizabeth I's death marked the accession of James VI/I to her throne and the emergence of the Stuart dynasty within England. But this was certainly not a foregone conclusion at the time.
Hampton Court before Henry VIII
17 February 2025
It’s easy to forget that parts of Henry VIII's Hampton Court date back to when the Tudors were a small, fledgling dynasty. But look closer and you’ll find hints at the palace's early floorplan.
Bringing the Circumcision of Isaac tapestry back to life
17 January 2025
It's been nearly five months since conservation work started on Henry VIII's 'Abraham' tapestries, starting with the Circumcision of Isaac. And what a few months it's been!