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Historic Royal Palaces blog

Insights and behind the scenes from our palaces

The thrill of the Joust

29 June 2026

Jousting started as a way for medieval knights to prove their skill on the battlefield. Harriet Baker, Palace Host and volunteer, explains how it developed into an elaborate spectacle.

Project update: Conserving the Circumcision of Isaac tapestry

23 April 2026

Textile Conservator Alice Young reports on progress and upcoming research to reveal more about this magnificent tapestry.

Catherine Howard: History and the Use of Adjectives

11 February 2022

On the anniversary of the execution of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife and Queen, Collections Curator Brett Dolman investigates how difficult it is to reconstruct and understand her life. Bringing the past alive is part of what historians are expected to do, but how far should we go to tell a good story?