Henry VIII - Hampton Court

Summary

Spend a relaxing day visiting Henry VIII’s palace of pleasure – the extraordinary Hampton Court. Originally built for Cardinal Wolsey, the palace passed to Henry VIII in 1529 and he embarked on an ambitious building programme to create a stunning palace - one that would go on to rival Versailles when it was built over 100 years later. We’ll examine the architecture, and visit the kitchens, State Apartments, and Young Henry VIII exhibition, to look at the nature of his court and how the palace functioned.

We’ll trace the stories of Henry’s last four wives through their associations with the palace: where Jane Seymour gave birth to the long-awaited heir, the Council Chamber where the marriage treaty to Anne of Cleves was signed, the Chapel where Henry learnt of Katherine Howard’s infidelity, and the place where Henry married his last queen, Kateryn Parr.

About Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is an award-winning historian, author, and broadcaster. She is Professor Emerita of History at the University of Roehampton, and a Fellow of both the Royal Historical Society and the Society of Antiquaries. She has written and edited seven books, presented numerous history documentaries, and hosts the Not Just the Tudors podcast.

She was previously Research Curator at Hampton Court Palace.

Please note: We are not allowed to use our whisper headset devices at the Palace

Tour highlights:

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• Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb, a former curator at Hampton Court Palace, leads a full day’s tour of “the English Versailles”
• Visit the key parts of the Palace associated with Henry VIII
• Entry and lunch at Hampton Court included