Historic Royal Palaces Podcast
Historic Royal Palaces
211 episodes
Historic Royal Palaces are a team of people who love and look after six of the most wonderful palaces in the world. This fortnightly podcast brings you the history and stories of those palaces.
More about the show
You'll hear from our experts and the people who bring our palaces to life, as we create space to explore how history moves us, telling stories about the monarchs you know, and uncovering the lives and histories of the people you don't.
Just like our palaces, this podcast is a mix of old and new. Each episode will have a different feel, from previously recorded live talks, to exciting new discussions and discoveries. You'll have every opportunity to share in the history we love.
Explore more history and stories from our six palaces hrp.org.uk
Episodes page 1 of 5
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Jane Seymour – The Underestimated Tudor Queen
Jane Seymour is often remembered as 'Plain Jane', distinguished only by her death in the famous rhyme, 'Divorced, beheaded, died...' But Jane was more than a puppet of powerful men; during her short time as Queen, she…
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How to Siege the Tower of London – The Peasants' Revolt of 1381
The Tower of London loomed large over the medieval city, casting a formidable shadow with its rings of high walls and towers, wide moat and fearsome gateways. There have been several attempts to siege the Tower and…
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The Beginnings of the Tower of London – William I's Norman Castle
William the Conqueror may have invaded England in 1066, but he needed castles to truly conquer England. Castles became the physical embodiment of the Norman Conquest. These were described by many post-Conquest sources…
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Women of the Bayeux Tapestry – Medieval Power and Queenship
The Bayeux Tapestry features just three women among 600 male figures. But you can't tell its story without the powerful medieval women who shaped the Norman Conquest. In this second episode of our series, Janina…
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How Did William the Conqueror Hang On To Power After 1066?
William the Conqueror is one of the most famous figures in English history. But his coronation in 1066 was a disaster. Even as he was crowned as King of England, his future looked uncertain. So, how did William go…
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The Royal Menagerie - Animals at The Tower of London
For hundreds of years, the Tower of London was home to animals from all over the world. Animals were given as diplomatic gifts, brought by hunters, or captured in the process of colonisation. What were conditions like…
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Queen Victoria's Education at Kensington Palace
We might think of Queen Victoria as an elderly woman in black mourning dress, but she was only 18 when she came to the throne. Victoria spent much of her childhood at Kensington Palace. Here, a rigorous programme of…
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Oliver Cromwell's Palace - Hampton Court During the Interregnum
A regicide might be the last person you'd think would save a king's palace – but in Oliver Cromwell, Hampton Court found an unlikely admirer. During his time as Head of State, Cromwell's family filled Hampton Court…
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Charles I - The Execution of a 'Traitor' King at the Banqueting House
Charles I's execution was unprecedented and shocking. He staked everything on his divine right to rule – the same concept that inspired his spectacular Rubens ceiling at the Banqueting House, Whitehall Palace.…
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Tudor Prisoners at the Tower of London - Stories in Graffiti
The walls of the Tower of London are covered with carvings - graffiti left behind by the prisoners who were locked inside. The Tudor monarchs imprisoned hundreds of people, for treason, sedition, or simply their…
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Queen Anne - A Woman of Contradictions with Gareth Russell
Queen Anne was the first Queen of Great Britain, but wasn't supposed to rule. She could be pious and shy, but was also scandelous and scheming. Today, she is perhaps best known from the award winning film, 'The…
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Benjamin Franklin's Curious Visit to Hillsborough Castle (From The Archive)
Benjamin Franklin – Founding Father, writer, inventor – remains one of the most famous visitors to Hillsborough Castle in its history. His visit to his political foe, Wills Hill, 1st Earl of Hillsborough, in 1771…
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George III – 'Tyrant' King of the American Colonies?
In the Declaration of Independence, signed on 4th July 1776, King George III is cast as a 'tyrant'. How fair is this representation? In this episode, Kew Palace curator Polly Putnam is joined by Dr Rachel Herrmann,…
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LGBTQ+ Histories at Our Palaces (From The Archive)
LGBTQ+ people have always existed in the history of our palaces, but stories of this community are often obscured or misunderstood. We've delved into the archive to bring you this special episode for Pride Month,…
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What Happened to Anne Boleyn's Family After Her Fall?
In 1533, the Boleyns seemed to have it all. Anne Boleyn was Queen, and her family were reaping the rewards of Henry VIII's favour. But it was not to last. Within three years, each member of the faction was fighting…
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Growing Up in the House of Boleyn
The Boleyn family captivated Henry VIII – but who were they before their meteoric rise to fame? Who were the little-known women operating from Hever Castle? And was Anne's father the schemer he's made out to be? In…
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Thomas Cromwell - Architect of the Reformation?
Thomas Cromwell might have pulled off the most meteoric social climb of the 16th century. From the rough shores of Putney to the illustrious court of Henry VIII, his journey to power reveals so much about the…
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Thomas More – The Man Who Defied Henry VIII?
Thomas More lived by the mantra, 'I am the King's good servant, but God's first'. He would also die by it. His defiance at Henry VIII's break with Rome would be his salvation, and his destruction. In this episode of…
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Thomas Wolsey - Henry VIII's Powerful Chief Minister
Thomas Wolsey was born the son of a butcher from Ipswich, yet he rose to become one of the most powerful men in Tudor England as Henry VIII's Lord Chancellor. He was even known as 'The Other King', and built a palace…
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The Last Princesses of Punjab
The Last Princesses of Punjab left behind legacies that continue to resonate today, but what impact did these women have and how should we remember them? In this final episode in our series, we join Curators Dr Mishka…
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The Duleep Singh Sisters - From Debutantes to Defiance
The Duleep Singh sisters went from Victorian Debutantes in high society, to defiant changemakers in the 20th century, but how did this change happen? Join Curators Dr Mishka Sinha and Polly Putnam, alongside Dr Sumita…
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The Duleep Singh Family – Queen Victoria & Empire
The lives of the Duleep Singh sisters were deeply impacted by Queen Victoria's Empire in India, and their father's displacement as the last Maharaja of the Punjab, yet they lived a life of privilege as aristocrats in…
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Hampton Court Palace - Tudor vs Baroque
Hampton Court is a palace of two halves and countless stories. But which side is best? The Tudor half displays all the court intrigue of the dynasty it's named for, and yet the Baroque side is no less dramatic, holding…
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Women of the 'Glorious Revolution' - Mary of Modena & Mary II
Mary of Modena and Mary II are two Queens whose lives have been lost in the story of the 'Glorious Revolution'. Yet they were fundamental to the machinations of the turbulent late 1600s, where heightened religious…
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Margaret Beaufort – Matriarch of the Tudors
Margaret Beaufort was a leading figure in the tumultuous Wars of the Roses and would go on to become the matriarch of the Tudor Dynasty. Mother to Henry VII and a key player in bringing the Tudors to the throne, was…
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William Shakespeare - Playwright to The King
On the 1st of Janurary, 1604, Hampton Court Palace hosted a performance by William Shakespeare's acting troupe, The King's Men. They were booked to perform for the new King of England, James VI of Scotland, and one of…
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Empress Matilda - The Anarchy, Queenship & Power
Empress Matilda wielded an extraordinary amount of power during the period known as the Anarchy in the 12th century, yet she just missed out on being crowned the first queen regnant in England. Originally chosen as…
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The Tower's Medieval Past through Archaeology
Archaeology can offer us new discoveries into the Tower of London's medieval past, as well as insights into the lives of the community that lived and worked there. In 2019, and in the summer of 2025, we undertook one…
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What Did the Tudors Eat for Christmas?
What was on the table for a Tudor Christmas dinner? From the lavish feasts of Henry VIII to the sugar delicacies gifted to Elizabeth I, Christmas at court was a spectacle to behold and to taste! But for ordinary…
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The Lie that Started the Stuarts
The lie that started the Stuart Dynasty in England, also shaped the end of the Tudor era. But how can we better understand how this fiction was created, and ultimately who it benefitted? In this final episode of our…
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Arbella Stuart - Elizabeth I's Forgotten Heir
Today Arbella Stuart is Elizabeth I's forgotten heir, yet during her lifetime she was raised in the belief that she might one day be Queen. Her life can be viewed as tragically romantic, but is there much more to her…
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Guy Fawkes - Legacy of the Gunpowder Plot
Guy Fawkes, the man behind the iconic rhyme has just failed to light the fuse of the Gunpowder Plot, one of the most notable plots in British history. In this second episode of our two-part series, Curators Charles…
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Why Did The Gunpowder Plot Happen?
In November 1605, a group of religious radicals attempted to assassinate King James I, the man they deemed responsible for their oppression. Guy Fawkes was meant to light the fuse, bringing the Houses of Parliament…
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Elizabeth I's Uncrowned Heirs
Who were the many uncrowned heirs to Elizabeth I, and how did their role as unnamed successors shape their lives? In this second episode of the series, we're back with Chief Curator Tracy Borman, as she follows the…
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The Stolen Tudor Crown with Tracy Borman
What is the story we think we know about the Elizabethan succession? Was it a smooth transition to the Stuarts, or was it a stolen Tudor crown? In this first episode of our four-part series, Chief Historian Tracy…
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Introducing The Stolen Tudor Crown – NEW SERIES
The story of the end of the Tudor dynasty is well known. With the death of Elizabeth I, the accension of James VI & I saw the Stuarts take the English throne. But the truth behind the succession is much darker than a…
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Behind The Scenes of The Tudor Chapel Royal
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,…
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Medieval Secrets of the Byward Tower
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…
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George III's Great Pagoda in Kew Gardens
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…
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The Royal Drawing Room at Hillsborough Castle
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…
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Elizabeth I's Lost Private Gardens
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…
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Holbein's The Ambassadors - A Tudor Masterpiece
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…
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A Walk in the Gardens of Hillsborough Castle
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…
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LGBTQ+ History – Queer Possibilities at Our Palaces
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…
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Queens of the Medieval Tower of London
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…
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The Medieval Jewish community at the Tower of London
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 bonus…
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The Tower of London's Medieval Palace
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…
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The Medieval Tower of London - NEW SERIES
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…
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Tudor Treasures of the Mary Rose
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…
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Henry VIII's Warship – The Mary Rose
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…
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