There are plenty of great offers on at Historic Royal Palaces throughout September and October.  Get a final glimpse of Charles II’s mistresses in The Wild, the Beautiful and the Damned at Hampton Court, get locked in the Tower of London for the Big Draw or enjoy an evening tour at Kew Palace. 

LAST CHANCE!!
The Wild, the Beautiful and the Damned
Hampton Court Palace
until 30 September
An exhibition about beauty, mistresses and debauchery at the Stuart Court.  At the heart of the exhibition will be portraits of Charles II’s principal mistresses, including Nell Gwyn and Barbara Villiers, brought together at the palace for the first time. Also on display are the resident ‘beautiful women’ of the Royal Court.  The exhibition explores the story of how kings, queens and courtesans swept away the Puritanical solemnity of the mid-17th century, and attempted to rewrite the moral code of social behaviour.

Salacious Gossip Tours
Hampton Court Palace
Until 30 September
Every Friday and Sunday evening.  See the Baroque palace in a more intimate light and hear the scandalous stories of life in the Baroque court.  From Charles II to George II, explore the tales of mistresses and gossip we dare not tell you during the day. Our guides tell the risqué stories that are just too naughty for younger and more delicate ears, dealing with darker and more delicious themes. This is a chance to experience the palace out of hours and those areas of history that have been overlooked by more traditional historians.

Jubilee: A view from the crowd
Kensington Palace
until 4 November
A new temporary exhibition, will explore Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee of 1897 from the point of view of those who celebrated it.
 
Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 was a momentous occasion, celebrated the length and breadth of the British Empire.  This exuberant, intriguing exhibition will capture the festive mood of the celebrations and offer an engaging, immersive experience. It will allow visitors to explore this great event in Victoria's life, as well as making connections with the London celebrations in 2012 both for the Jubilee and the Olympics. 

Historic Cookery
Hampton Court Palace
1-2 September, 6-7 October
Our Tudor cooks are toiling in the kitchens of King Henry VIII, preparing the exotic dishes for His Majesty as well as the plainer yet still lavish food for the court. They will be testing new techniques and deciphering ancient manuscripts in their quest for the perfect Tudor meal.

Sunday evening tours
Kew Palace
September 9 and 23
Step back in time on an exclusive behind the scenes evening tour, led by one of our palace experts!

Included are wine and an expert to guide you around the Palace and into areas not normally open to the public. Finish your evening in the Tudor undercroft. Tickets are £20.

Bishop’s Move. Ranulf Flambard’s Great Escape
Tower of London
29 Sept – 7 Oct
When King Henry I succeeds his brother William II, his first act is to imprison his brother’s hated tax collector in their father’s impregnable new fortress, the Tower of London. But the wily official, Ranulf Flambard, Bishop of Durham, is soon scheming to get out. In partnership with Durham Cathedral and University of Durham.

The great London drawing lock-in!
Tower of London
Friday 5 October 18.30-21.00
Find yourself locked in the Tower and its grounds in this exclusive after-hours drawing event! Inspired by ancient stones and colourful characters in the eerie atmosphere of the Tower at night, this workshop will use performances, sound, lighting, and props to create an unforgettable visual drawing experience in dramatic spaces where prisoners wept and famous heads rolled.

Tickets £25 / £22 HRP members.  This event includes light refreshments.

Beat the Block – The English Civil War
Tower of London
20- 28 October
The interactive event where you make the choices! With unpopular ministers, religious crises and a desperate need for money, King Charles I is in peril from his enemies in Parliament.  Help him, denounce him or shift sides as events unfold. Above, try to keep your head!

Trayned Bandes
Tower of London
20-21 October
The soldiers of Parliament encamp at the Tower. See how they garrisoned the mighty fortress and how the prepared to give battle to the King and his Cavaliers

The Architectural Drawings Collection
Tower of London
Tuesday 23 October 14.00 – 16.00
The Architectural Drawings Collection at Historic Royal Palaces holds over 20,000 drawings relating to our five sites, dating from the 18th century to present day. Curator Christopher Warleigh-Lack will take you on a journey exploring not only a history of the collection but also how to read and understand the designs.

Tickets £25 / £22 HRP members and includes light refreshments and entry to the Tower of London.

King Edward’s Living History
Tower of London
24-26 October
What was it like to be a child in the middle ages? Learn the games, the skills of war and peace and the rigorous but exciting life of the inhabitants of the Tower.

Great War Society
Tower of London
27- 28 October
1914 and the Tower is the recruiting ground for the British Army. From all over London eager recruits flock to take up Uniform for King and Country. See the weapons, the tactics, the troops and their allies who will ensure this will be the war to end all wars.