Tagged Results

Tudor food and eating

Royal food and table manners at the Tudor court

Mehmet von Königstreu

An Ottoman gentleman at George I’s Court

The masque

A fabulously extravagant early 17th century court entertainment

Henry VIII’s 'wives': six queens, six women

These six queens consort all had one man in common. But is it possible to understand them as individuals, even after 500 years?

Robert Dudley

Prisoner, favourite and Earl of Leicester

Sir Walter Raleigh

This wild spirit found himself caged at the Tower of London

The royal court in the Tudor period

The Tudor royal court was the place to see, and be seen

The Field of Cloth of Gold

Henry VIII's historic meeting with his great rival François I in 1520 was a defining point in his reign

Eleanor of Provence

A powerful and political Queen

• Things to see

Medieval Palace

Newly refurbished in May 2025, discover the colour, splendour, and people of the medieval Tower of London.

• Open
  
  The Medieval Palace will be closed between 03 - 07 November 2025 for essential maintenance work.

• Tower of London
• Included in palace admission (Members go free)

• Things to see

William III's apartments

Enjoy the beautiful State Apartments and private rooms of William III at Hampton Court Palace as part of your visit.

• Open

• In line with palace opening hours
• Hampton Court Palace
• Included in palace admission (Members go free)

• Things to see

Henry VIII's Kitchens

Transport yourself back to the heyday of Tudor feasting and entertainment in Henry VIII's Kitchens at Hampton Court Palace.

• Open

• In line with palace opening hours
• Hampton Court Palace
• Included in palace admission (Members go free)

• Things to see

The Chapel Royal

Walk in the footsteps of kings and queens and see Anne Boleyn's Book of Hours, in the Chapel Royal.

• Open Wednesday - Saturday

• 10:00 - 16:00
• Hampton Court Palace
• Included in palace admission (Members go free)

• Things to see

Fountain Court

Designed by Christopher Wren, explore the elegant baroque architecture of Fountain Court.

• Open
• In line with palace hours
• Hampton Court Palace
• Included in palace admission (Members go free)

• Things to see

Great Watching Chamber

Discover Henry VIII’s State Apartments and the battle for power at the Tudor court in the Great Watching Chamber.

• Open
• In line with palace opening hours
• Hampton Court Palace
• Included in palace admission (Members go free)

• Things to see

The King's Staircase

Discover the intriguing and unexpected characters depicted on the grand entrance to the King's State Apartments.

• Open
• In line with palace opening hours
• Kensington Palace
• Included in palace admission (Members go free)

Sideron and Cupido: Two untold lives at Hampton Court Palace

In 1795, two remarkable men arrived at Hampton Court Palace in the entourage of the Prince of Orange. Enslaved as children and given to the Prince as 'gifts', Sideron and Cupido now accompanied the Dutch Prince as he fled invasion.

HRP Handover: Michael Ohajuru on the Black Presence at the Tudor Court

We’re handing over to historian Michael Ohajuru to discuss the presence of Black people at the Tudor court, including a figure you may have already heard of: John Blanke.

Princess Mary, Henry VIII and Tudor history's greatest battle of wills

Chief Historian Tracy Borman explores the dramatic battle of wills between Mary and her tyrannical father.

Catherine Howard's proclamation as Queen, Hampton Court, 1540

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.

Researching and redecorating Queen Victoria's childhood home

On 24th May 1819 at Kensington Palace, Queen Victoria was born. On 24th May 2019, her 200th birthday, the home of her youth will be re-opened to visitors after a major makeover in the form of a new exhibition called ‘Victoria: A Royal Childhood.’

The rise and fall of Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset

Historian Gareth Russell picks up the tale of a scandal that no one had foreseen when the inoffensive Robert Carr arrived at James VI's court.

George Villiers, First Duke of Buckingham

In the ruthless world of the Stuart court, royal favour was everything. No one knew this better than George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, whose rise to power was built on the love and patronage of James I.

Elizabeth I: History's Healthiest Monarch?

Elizabeth I was top of the Tudor tree when it came to health and fitness. Always a resourceful woman, she chased away ‘melancholy’ with a whole host of entertaining pursuits.

Why we need to stop looking for sex: letters and LGBT+ royal history

'How do you know?' I've been asked this a lot recently when I've been talking about LGBT+ royal history. I'm glad to be asked it, because it gets to the heart of studying LGBT+ identities in the past. In this post, I'd like to talk about the evidence and assumptions, which tell us a lot about sexuality in the past, and today.