Valances are almost always a component of state beds which are complex objects relying on an interconnected series of parts. Queen Caroline's state bed is made up of 62 parts! These three valances ...

Discover never-before-seen royal and court fashion treasures in Dress Codes, a new exhibition at Kensington Palace. Explore the codes and conventions of royal clothing, and the powerful impact fashion ...

Jane Boleyn (née Parker) was the daughter of Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley, a gentleman usher to Henry VIII, and his wife Alice. No record of Jane’s birth survives but she began her court service in ...

At 7am on 27 May 1541, Lady Margaret Pole – another victim of Henry VIII’s increasingly bloody regime – was led to her execution inside the Tower of London. But Margaret was no scheming minister like ...

Make your way down through Kew Gardens and along the riverside to find Queen Charlotte’s Cottage – a secluded retreat used by Queen Charlotte, her husband George III and their family for resting and ...

The grand staircase (King's staircase) leads to William III's State Apartments. On the wall is 'Victory of Alexander over the Caesars', by Italian artist Antonio Verrio (c.1636-1707). The 12 Caesars ...

Discover a food lover's winter wonderland at this year's Hampton Court Palace Festive Fayre. By popular demand, this much-loved event is back for two glittering weekends. There is no better way to ...

Learn about the favourite game of Henry VIII at the Royal Tennis Court, where kings and their courtiers once enjoyed this fast-paced, exciting sport. The display in the viewing gallery includes ...

Meals were not just about eating. They were a display of the monarch’s power. Exotic foods demonstrated wealth, while seating arrangements reflected the court’s hierarchy. By Henry VIII’s reign, the ...