Hampton Court Palace Henry VIII Experience

Henry VIII was a man of excess and he certainly did not do things by halves! On this tour with me (Sandy) you will wander through the enormous kitchens where feasts of nine courses were prepared for him and his noble guests to enjoy; you will be amazed at the exquisiteness of his tapestries which cost double the price of his favourite war ship to make. You might also be horrified by the story of Henry's expanding collection of wives and how, as desperation set in to find a son and heir, Henry took drastic measures! This tour will fill you in on Henry's life of excess: the size of his kitchens, the glamour of his furnishings, why he became so large, who his wives were and what happened to them all. But most of all, this is a chance to enjoy imagining the unimaginable: wealth and excess that knew no bounds resulting in one of the most magnificent courts in Europe!

Meeting Point

Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Ct Way, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU, UK

Please meet me at the end of the driveway in front of the West Front gatehouse.
Please buy your entry tickets to Hampton Court, which are in addition to the cost of this tour, in advance online. Go to www.hrp.org.uk and click on Hampton Court to make payment.

What to expect:

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Hampton Court Palace

A308, , East Molesey, KT8 9AU

Henry VIII's palace is the Tudor equivalent of a 5* hotel. We start the tour in Base Court, where Henry welcomed his noble guests, and move from there to the kitchens. These were a vast complex of rooms and employed an incredible 200 staff. Imagining the type of dinners created in these kitchens is fun as is the first sight of Henry's Great Hall, richly decorated with tapestries which cost the same as his favorite warship. Having marveled at the stained glass windows and the beautiful hammer beam ceiling we wander through an arch into the Great Watching Chamber. Here the nobles, closely guarded by the Yeomen, waited to chat with Henry. The ceiling of this room celebrates Henry's marriage to Jane Seymour, the woman who gave him the longed for son. We move on to the Haunted Gallery, where I tell the story of Henry's tragic fifth queen, before taking a peek at his replica crown in the Chapel Royal. The final stop is to admire the colorful work of art, the astronomical clock in Clock Court

1 hour, 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

What's included:

• Sandy is a fun and professional local guide, accredited by the I.T.Guides and Hampton Court Palace

Not included:

• Food and drinks
• Cost of entry tickets to Hampton Court Palace