Queen Caroline’s State bed is Back!... on Display

When the pandemic struck, Historic Royal Palaces, like many heritage institutions, had to temporarily pause projects, including the conservation of Queen Caroline's State bed. We instead turned our attention to exhibition work to aid our financial recovery.

We can now return our focus to the permanent collection on open display across our palaces, including the much-loved Queen Caroline State bed that we care for on behalf of the Royal Collection Trust.

The second phase of installation took place in Autumn 2023, when we installed a further nine lower parts of the bed. This included the conserved bolster (a cylindrical pillow that sits at the head of the bed), three base valances (textile hangings that surround the bottom of the bed), three base mouldings and two bed feet (intricately carved decorative elements covered in silk damask). You can see this second phase on the Historic Royal Palaces Instagram page.

It is standard practice at Historic Royal Palaces to reinstall a bed all in one go once conservation is completed. However, given the time that has passed and the fact that we are now working with a reduced team, working incrementally has allowed for a more considered approach.

It has enabled us to properly understand how complex pieces fit together and the best way to conserve and display the bed going forward. It has also provided learning opportunities for three interns and given visitors unprecedented access to parts of the bed normally hidden from view, a privilege usually only enjoyed by the conservators that work on such objects.

Visitors to Hampton Court Palace can now see the four original bedposts, normally hidden by the bed’s curtains, which are thought to be made from the centre (or heart wood) of mature, potentially Tudor, oak trees.

The eagle-eyed visitor will also notice that the two bedposts at the foot end of the bed, have been placed in custom-made case covers to protect the original silk damask from light damage and abrasion whilst on open display.

It can also be observed that the bolster similarly, once conserved, has been placed in a custom-made case cover, this time to protect against insect pests. The bolster, like the mattresses, is made up of lots of tasty proteinaceous fibres that insect pests like to nibble on. By placing these vulnerable materials in closely woven cotton bags sealed with Velcro we can protect them against insect pest damage and preserve them for future generations.