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Historic Royal Palaces blog

Insights and behind the scenes from our palaces

Triumph and tragedy: Thomas Cromwell's legacy at the Tower of London

06 December 2024

For Thomas Cromwell, hero of Wolf Hall, the Tower of London would be the scene of the start of his career and the end of his life. Here, Chief Historian Tracy Borman explores the Tower through the lens of Thomas Cromwell's rise and fall.

Elizabeth I: History's Healthiest Monarch?

15 January 2024

Elizabeth I was top of the Tudor tree when it came to health and fitness. Always a resourceful woman, she chased away ‘melancholy’ with a whole host of entertaining pursuits.

Secrets of Henry VIII's Whitehall: The Archaeology of a Lost Palace

17 August 2023

More than 300 years after the destruction of Whitehall Palace by fire, archaeological excavation and scientific analysis continue to uncover the lost stories and secrets of Henry VIII's once elaborate home.

The Weird and Wonderful Medicines of Henry VIII

12 January 2023

Henry VIII is one of England’s most famous monarchs, but lesser known are his numerous medical problems and the often-extraordinary remedies which he used to treat them.

Elizabeth I’s coronation procession from the Tower of London

17 November 2022

Curator Charles Farris recalls Elizabeth’s dramatic procession from the Tower of London to Westminster the day before her coronation.

The Tragic Story of Lady Katherine Grey

08 November 2022

Chief Curator Tracy Borman takes a look at the life of Katherine Grey, who like her sister, Lady Jane Grey, was imprisoned at the Tower of London.

New Year's Day and the Tudors: A Lesson in Celebrations

17 December 2021

Chief Curator Tracy Borman explains that for the Tudors the party was only just getting started...and she's got a personal reason for agreeing with them.

HRP Handover: Michael Ohajuru on the Black Presence at the Tudor Court

16 October 2020

We’re handing over to historian Michael Ohajuru to discuss the presence of Black people at the Tudor court, including a figure you may have already heard of: John Blanke.

500 years of the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula

19 September 2020

Assistant Curator of Historic Buildings Alfred Hawkins introduces some of the extraordinary stories surrounding the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula, the little Tudor church at the heart of the Tower of London.

Long Live the King: St George's Day and the Accession of Henry VIII

22 April 2020

On 23 April 1509, 17 year old Henry VIII was told that his father Henry VII had died, and that he was to be crowned the new King of England. In fact, his father had died over 48 hours before, on April 21! Chief Curator Tracy Borman recounts this dramatic episode in British royal history...