Insights and behind the scenes from our palaces
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 Gloriana: underrepresented claimants to Elizabeth I’s 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!
Triumph and tragedy: Thomas Cromwell's legacy at the Tower of London
06 December 2024
For Thomas Cromwell, hero of Wolf Hall, the Tower of London would be the scene of the start of his career and the end of his life.
The History of the Abraham Tapestries at Hampton Court
15 November 2024
Tudor tapestries were the epitome of cultural sophistication and a symbol of the lucky owner’s accomplishments and values: highly coloured, glittering expositions of magnificence and success.
Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford: The Most Hated Woman in Tudor England?
01 November 2024
Tracy Borman investigates whether Jane Boleyn, widow of George Boleyn, deserves her notorious reputation, or whether the hostile accounts of her a product of Elizabeth I's later attempts to rehabilitate her mother.
The Extraordinary Life and Death of Lady Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury
25 October 2024
Lady Margaret Pole spent her life serving the Tudors. But in 1541, she was led to her execution at the Tower of London on the orders of Henry VIII.