Inside the Tower of London

It’s June 2024, and Tower Deputy Governor Debbie Whittingham is preparing a remembrance service as the nation commemorates a landmark anniversary - 80 years since the D-Day landings of 1944. Alongside Canon Roger Hall and the Yeoman Warders, she will lead a poignant tribute to those who risked everything on the beaches of Normandy.

Under the emotional weight of the occasion, the team must ensure every detail is perfect. But this isn’t just any event for Debbie. After seven years as Deputy Governor and a distinguished Naval career before that, this will be one of her final duties at the Tower.

As she prepares to retire, these last moments offer a chance to reflect on her remarkable journey and the legacy she leaves behind.

Meanwhile, Chief Historian Tracy Borman turns her attention to one of the fortress’s most famous former prisoners, adventurer and courtier, Sir Walter Raleigh.

Despite his exploits across the globe and favour with Queen Elizabeth I, Raleigh spent 13 years locked in the Bloody Tower under her successor King James I. Tracy delves into the mystery surrounding his grisly end.

It's March 2025 and the Tower is buzzing with excitement. Tower staff are preparing to launch an ambitious display to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE day, marking the end of the Second World War in Europe. They will be bringing back nearly 30,000 ceramic poppies from 2014’s Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation. These will be planted across the South Lawn, with a cascade planned from the roof of the White Tower. Careful planning is required to make this a reality.

Meanwhile, Buildings Curator Alfred Hawkins is beginning an excavation to install a new lift at the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula. As layers of the ground are pushed back, will any secrets be revealed?

And there’s a new addition to the team at the Tower! Brigadier Anna Kimber has stepped into the role of Deputy Governor. Not only is she adjusting to the quirks of living in a nearly 1000 year old fortress, but she will also be leading on her first event at this year’s Easter State Parade.

The first structures for the Poppy display have started to arrive at the Tower. Project Manager Ali Richardson is responsible for getting these structures safely delivered into the Tower in a very tight time window. Will they get into the Tower before the gates open to the public?

Meanwhile, life at the Tower welcomes two new arrivals — a pair of baby ravens! Ravenmaster YW Barney Chandler takes on the special responsibility of caring for them in his home until they’re ready to join their new feathered family within the fortress walls. How will these young birds adapt to their historic surroundings?

Finally, Chief Historian Tracy Borman uncovers a Tudor secret hidden for over 400 years. Her fascinating investigation could challenge long-held beliefs and reshape our understanding of how the Tudor dynasty truly came to an end.