Historic Royal Palaces Podcast

The Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace is a melting pot of architectural styles from across history, reflecting the era-spanning life of the palace itself.   But step away from the grandeur of the Chapel's interior, and this amazing space h olds hidden evidence of how the Tudors would have experienced it, and how the palace has been renovated into what we see today.    In this re-released episod...

The Byward Tower at the Tower of London holds some of the oldest surviving treasures of the fortress, including a unique medieval masterpiece – the wall painting known as the Byward Angel.   In this episode of A Space I Love, enter past the Tower's formidable defenses, and follow Curator Alfred Hawkins on an exclusive tour of this remarkable space , which is usually closed to visitors.   Explore t...

George III's Great Pagoda in Kew Gardens is the tallest building Historic Royal Palaces looks after. With its Chinese-inspired design and fierce dragons , it is an eye-catching example of the Georgian fascination with architecture from around the world.   Welcome back to the new series of A Space I Love, the mini-series that transports you to history where it happened.   Join curator Lee Prosser o...

Step inside the Drawing Room of the official residence of the Royal Family in Northern Ireland. Inspired by the Queen Mother, full of contemporary art, and surprisingly cozy, this is a room unlike any other across our palaces. Welcome to a new series of A Space I Love, the mini-series that transports you to history where it happened. In this first episode, Castle Host Carol McMullan takes us on an...

The Private Tudor Gardens of Hampton Court were lost when they were replaced by later additions. Yet small glimpses remain to us of these Privy Gardens, revealing an intriguing snapshot into the private lives of the Tudor monarchs and the people who worked for them.   Alexandra Stevenson is Curator of Archaeology and Historic Buildings. She shares with us her latest research exploring Elizabeth I'...

Hans Holbein's Tudor masterpiece known as the Ambassadors was painted in 1533, the year when Henry VIII changed the course of history. Religious turmoil sweeps through Europe and Anne Boleyn is Queen of England.     Two Ambassadors choose to capture this pivotal moment of religious and political upheaval, but who were they and what did they want this painting to convey?   In today's episode we joi...

The Gardens of Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are the perfect place to walk and enjoy the sounds and feelings of being in nature.  So for today's episode, we're collaborating with sound artist and musician Alice Boyd, who is going to lead us into these tranquil gardens to meet Claire Woods who is Head Gardener at Hillsborough Castle.   We want you to be immersed by this episode, so take a...

LGBTQ+ people have always existed in the history of our palaces, yet the stories of this community have often been obscured or misunderstood.   When we explore queer histories, we gain a much fuller picture of societies in the past, from when our palaces were first built, right on through to their more recent history .       In this week's episode, Curator Matthew Storey is joined by Assistant Res...

There are two Queens Consort particularly connected to the history of the Medieval Palace at the Tower of London; Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor of Castile.   Although less famous than other queens, these women are emblematic of how medieval queenship could perform and embody power in the 13th century. To find out more, Curator Charles Farris is joined by Professor Louise Wilkinson.    Today mark...

The history of the Jewish community in Medieval England is complex and fascinating, but it hasn't received as much attention as it deserves when it comes to our understanding of the Tower of London .   In this b onus episode as part of our mini-series , curator Charles Farris is joined by Dr Rory MacLellan and Professor Miri Rubin to discuss how the Jewish communit y interacted with the Crown and...

The Medieval Palace at the Tower of London formed a significant part of the Tower's large-scale expansion in the 13th Century, turning the castle into a strong defensive fortress.    In this episode, Curator Charles Farris explores the Medieval Palace that survives today, to find out what place the Tower held in medieval society. How was it used by the kings and queens who lived here, and what can...

In this new three-part series Curator Charles Farris will be exploring what the Tower of London was like in the medieval times.   We'll step into the Medieval Palace, walking in the footsteps of the kings, queens, and communities who built these walls.   In the 13th century, the Tower was expanded into the fortress we recognise today, but what can we learn from it, and how was it used by the peopl...

When the Mary Rose was raised in the 1980s, she brought to light a treasure trove of objects that can reveal so much about life in Tudor England and beyond.     In this second episode of our two-part series, Chief Historian Tracy Borman is shown the preciously conserved history of the Mary Rose by Dr Alex Hildred, Head of Research at the musuem.    Find out more about visiting and supporting the M...

The story of the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's favourite ship, is one that is closely connected to the reign of the iconic Tudor monarch, but it is the history of her demise that remains a mystery to this day.  When she sank in 1545, she lost almost her entire crew, but this tragedy would preserve for posterity a remarkable time capsule of Tudor England and beyond.   In this first episode of our mini-se...

Dress codes can tell us so much about historic court fashion and the rules and regulations of royal clothing. But they can also relate to the way we think about, and express who we are today, as much as in the past. To celebrate the opening of our new exhibition at Kensington Palace, Caterina Berni speaks to Curator Matthew Story and bespoke period tailor Zack Pinsent of Pinsent Tailoring; to expl...

Matilda of Flanders is the formidable consort of William the Conqueror, yet she is relatively unknown in the story of the 1066 conquest of England.    Chief Historian Tracy Borman makes her pitch for the pivotal role Matilda played as a champion for female sovereignty, and for her contribution to arguably the most successful dynasty in medieval Europe, the Normans.     Read more about Matilda of F...

We're all familiar with the iconic queens who have lived at the palaces, but what about the women who haven't made it into the history books? What are their stories, and what are some of the obstacles to studying women's history?  In this episode, Chief Historian Tracy Borman celebrates International Women's Day by asking four of our curators and researchers to tell us about their favourite lesser...

Understanding the love life of James VI & I can give us a better picture of the man himself in his entirety, and not simply through the lens of his kingship , or the politics of the late 16 th and e a rly 17 th centuries .   So i n this episode, Ch ie f Historian Tracy Borman is once again in the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace , joined by Gareth Russell to discuss the subject of hi s latest bo...

The Tower of London is almost synonymous with the idea of torture, especially in the 16th and 17th centuries. When we think of this iconic historic site, the history of violence is one of the first things to come to mind, yet to what extent is this a fabrication of history? In this episode, Dr Catherine Jenkinson from the University of Oxford talks us through one of the latest research projects at...

In this mini-series on new research at our palaces, PhD student Ellis Huddart joins Lucy Worsley to explore the history of the Royal Yacht. Ellis' PhD hopes to examine how Royal Yachts existed as places outside of the usual rules and conventions of both royal palaces and royalty. They can therefore reveal a lot about the material culture of British Imperialism in the Victorian era, and the changin...

In this mini-series on new research at our palaces, PhD student Gabrielle Fields joins Lucy Worsley to explore the life of Queen Victoria through the books she read.   Gabrielle's PhD introduces a new lens through which to examine Queen Victoria through her reading materials. It ultimately aims to reveal Queen Victoria's efforts to educate herself politically, her attempts at self-improvement, and...

In this mini-series on new research at our palaces, Dr Holly Marsden joins Lucy Worsley to explore the many identities of Mary II, disentangling her story from that of her husband and co-ruler William III. The product of four years of research, Holly's PhD ultimately aims to disrupt the perception that Mary did not have political agency. This episode is part of a mini-series about new research at...

From Tudor and Medieval Christmas tide celebrations, to Queen Victoria and Albert's newer traditions, we're re-releasing our Christmas episode to reveal the history of Christmas at our palaces.   Curator Charles Farris is joined by Historic Kitchens Manager Richard Fitch, and Curator Lee Prosser , as they begin the holiday season with some festive tomfoolery.   Make our Victorian Christmas pudding...

Elizabeth I's propaganda images of Gloriana and the Virgin Queen have hugely impacted her reputation as the last Tudor Monarch. Yet the twilight years of her reign were both personally and politically difficult.   In this final episode in our series, Joint Chief Curator Tracy Borman is joined by renowned historian Dr Helen Castor. Together they contemplate which female relationships shaped this ti...

Elizabeth I's relationship with Mary, Queen of Scots is perhaps the most pivotal of her entire life, and yet they never met.   In this second episode in our series, Joint Chief Curator Tracy Borman is joined by Dr Andrea Clarke, to discuss how as confidantes and rival queens, Elizabeth and Mary's relationship would shape the image that Elizabeth would adopt for herself, that of Gloriana.  Read abo...