Historic Royal Palaces Podcast

Elizabeth I was profoundly shaped by the women around her, and this series will explore these pivotal relationships throughout her life.  Joint Chief Curator Tracy Borman opens our series with Dr Nicola Tallis, and together they explore the young Elizabeth, before she came to the throne. The formative relationships she experienced during this time shaped the queen she would become; her mother Anne...

This new three-part series on the Historic Royal Palaces Podcast will explore Elizabeth I, and the women who shaped a queen. Joint Chief Curator Tracy Borman will take us on a journey from Elizabeth's early life, right the way through to the challenging final years of her reign. We'll learn which pivotal female relationships made her the queen we know today, and how these nurturing and often chall...

When James VI of Scotland ascended the English throne as James I, he sparked the English witch hunts into a fire. They would become one of the largest miscarriages of justice against women in the 17th century, but what prompted them, and why did James become such a ruthless champion of this war on women?  For this Halloween Episode, we join Joint Chief Curator Tracy Borman and historian Gareth Rus...

In this final episode of our A Space I Love Series, we join Deputy Chief Curator Sebastian Edwards in the Queen's staircase at Hampton Court Palace. The stairs are the hub of the palace, and they represent a surprisingly unique space with a lot to say.  Once the main thoroughfare to the queen's private apartments, but largely unused after Henry VIII's time, the grand staircase has remained unchang...

This week is the third part of our mini-series on spaces we love. We'll be joining Assistant Curator Alfred Hawkins, who has chosen to take us into the Chapel of St John the Evangelist, at the Tower of London.   As the most important space in the White Tower, the Chapel Royal holds huge historic significance in representing the Norman Conquest's power, control and religious dominance. Alfred explo...

This week we're continuing our mini-series on treasured spaces with a trip to Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in Northern Ireland.  We'll follow Research and Interpretation Producer Emma Lawthers, into the magnificent state dining room – a space that represents the political history of Northern Ireland, with a curious and unexpected connection to the birth of the United States of America.     Find...

In this four part mini-series, we're back exploring a selection of treasured spaces in our palaces with the people who know them best, our curators.  Each space has been personally chosen by our resident experts, revealing how immersing ourselves in a place can connect us to the past, and make us reflect on the present.   In this first episode we'll follow Assistant Curator Minette Butler into a d...

The Tudor world ushered in an age of wealth, magnificence, challenge and opportunity in the early 16th century. Hampton Court Palace stood at the heart of this period, as the home of Thomas Wolsey, Henry VIII's chief minister. But the Tudor story extends beyond the palace walls into the wider world, encompassing a time of exploration and exploitation.  In this episode, Curator Brett Dolman walks u...

Does the mystery of the Princes in the Tower remain of such interest today because it is unsolved?    In this final episode of our Wars of the Roses series, Curator Charles Farris is joined by Joint Chief Curator Tracy Borman and Research Lead Dr Laura Tompkins, to discuss the complex and divisive 'end' to the Wars of the Roses with the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower, and the reputation...

Women played vital roles in the power struggles of the Wars of the Roses, but history hasn't always been portrayed this way.  In this episode we're putting women back in the narrative, from Margaret of Anjou right the way through to Elizabeth of York and the start of the Tudor Dynasty. Curator Charles Farris and Dr Joanna Laynesmith talk us through the key women of the Wars of the Roses.    Furthe...

The middle and end of the Wars of the Roses is arguably the most complicated period of this history, with big personalities and power players fighting for the top spot in the game of thrones.   In episode three of this series, we hope to unpack the reigns of Edward IV through to the Battle of Bosworth, asking along the way when the real end to the Wars of the Roses was?  Curator Charles Farris is...

In this second episode of our five-part series on the Wars of the Roses, we investigate the reign of Henry VI and the start of the dynastic struggle that was the Wars of the Roses.   Henry has often been blamed for the start of the conflict because of his methods of kingship. His experience with mental health challenges was little understood by his contemporaries, and arguably by historians today....

The Wars of the Roses was a turbulent period of conflict in the 15th century that ultimately ushered in a new dynasty with the Tudors.  In this first episode of our new five-part series, Historic Royal Palaces Curator Charles Farris leads us into the stormy dynastic struggle by laying out the context and origins behind the Wars. Who were the major power players, and what initiated such a period of...

In this new five-part series, Historic Royal Palaces Curator Charles Farris leads us into the stormy world of the Wars of the Roses.   We aim to reveal how and why such a turbulent period of conflict occurred in the 15th century, and ultimately how it ushered in a new dynasty with the Tudors.  Charles will be joined by expert historians and Curators from Historic Royal Palaces, to help unpack what...

The Tower of London holds an incredible collection of historic graffiti, from the prisoners of the Tudor dynasty, right through to the 20th century. But there is still so much that we don't know about who made the graffiti and why.  In this episode, we follow Postdoctoral Research Associate Jamie Inghram into the Salt Tower, a legendary prisoner tower in the precinct of the Tower of London. The Sa...

Caroline Herschel stares at the stars. Recognition as an astronomer and scientist seems further away than even the most distant constellations. But her discovery of comets and her love for her work is contagious. It's not long before Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, takes notice.   Outliers – Stories from the edge of history is an historic fiction podcast that explores how big events are...

Catalina served Katherine of Aragon for years, proudly, passionately, and loyally following her from Spain all the way to the side of King Henry VIII. But Henry's interest has turned. He is intent on divorce, and his henchmen are digging up the secrets of Katherine's first marriage to Arthur Tudor. They think Catalina is the weakest link and their method is intimidation. But have they underestimat...

Leech is a man who knows about fire, how it burns and how it feels. But when Whitehall Palace, the largest palace in Europe, becomes the greatest kindling pile for a seemingly unquenchabl e blaze, even he is left dazzled. Everything burns, even the home of kings.    Outliers – Stories from the edge of history is an historic fiction podcast that explores how big events are viewed and shaped by the...

As lady-in-waiting to an ageing queen and wife to a failed adventurer, Bess Raleigh has learnt to fight her corner against all adversity. Her life is spent in the shadow of the Tower of London with her husband Sir Walter Raleigh. But will she manage to keep her head whilst others around her lose theirs ?     Outliers – Stories from the edge of history is an historic fiction podcast that explores h...

Outliers – Stories from the edge of history is an historic fiction podcast that explores how big events are viewed and shaped by the people in the shadows.   It's late spring in 1726 at Kensington Palace, and the lavish court of King George I is in residence. Meanwhile, Mehmet, the Turkish valet to the King, is having some problems with Peter from Hanover , 'the wild boy' who is kept for the King'...

The practice of journeying around the country on r oyal progress is one that monarchs used to strengthen their rule . But they can reveal a lot more t han y ou'd think about kingship and queenship , even for tried and tested subjects such as Henry VIII and his six Queens.       We follow Post-Doctoral Research Assistant Kirsty Wright , as she guides us through the importance of new research into w...

The Yeoman Warder s have guarded  the Tower of London for 500 yea rs, and is perhaps the oldest of jobs that still exists in our palaces today.  I n this final episode of a Day in the Life, we meet the Chief Yeoman Warder himself, Rob Fuller, and Curator Charles Farris fills us in on the storied history of this role.  To find out more about the forgotten stories of those who worked at the royal pa...

Hampton Court Palace was built and maintained by craftspeople , and this is a practice that endures to this day at the palaces. We follow  Master Bricklayer   Emma Simpson in to her workshop where she describes the joy of her work and how it connects her to history. We then hear from Assistant Curator   Alexandra Stevenson as she tells us about her research into female craftspeople who had a hand...

In this episode we meet Senior Gardener Jane, who works at Hampton Court Palace. Jane takes us behind the scenes into the Nursery as we contemplate the hard work that goes into creating beautiful g ardens. To help contextualise the work of an historic gardener, Curator Lee Prosser takes us on an informative stroll around the gardens that have been worked for hundreds of years.    For the next few...

For the next few episodes, we're going to be following some of the people who work in our palaces today. We'll be exploring how these jobs have a historic context to them, and how surprisingly, there are similarities in the work they do now, from the work that was done in the past.   Today we meet Erin, Historic Royal Palaces ' Wardrobe Manager . We step into the treasure trove that is the costume...