Explore the stories of some personalities who have been pivotal in the history of Banqueting House.
Cardinal Wolsey and Henry VIII
Banqueting House stands on a site that was originally the property of the Archbishops of York, until Henry VIII stripped the Archbishop (Thomas Wolsey) of his assets in the late 1520s.
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Charles I (r 1625-1649)
Charles I commissioned the stupendous paintings by Peter Paul Rubens that still decorate the ceiling of Banqueting House. Banqueting House was also the place of Charles I's execution.
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Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones was a revolutionary architect and designer. Jones designed the Banqueting House at Whitehall Palace, and also created costumes and stages for the masques that took place there.
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Peter Paul Rubens
One of the most gifted and sought after artists of his day, Rubens was commissioned by King James I to paint the ceiling of the Banqueting House in Whitehall Palace.
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