Your exclusive members magazine
Welcome
Welcome to your digital edition of Inside Story magazine from Angie Faires, Head of Marketing and Membership.
Welcome to our autumn/winter issue. As a new series of BBC One’s ‘Celebrity Traitors’ hits our small screens, we couldn’t resist sharing some dark histories of our own palace-related villains – or were some of them actually faithful? You decide.
We’re celebrating the spooky season with Halloween howls, hauntings and lots of family fun at all the palaces. Ghouls are gathering at Hampton Court – are you brave enough to meet them? I got goosebumps just reading about the Georgian ‘true ghost’ sighting, unearthed from newspaper archives.
It’s going to be a magical Christmas at the palaces! Join us at the Winter Beast Ball as Hampton Court is transformed into a gorgeous 'Winter Palace'. Discover how Victorian visitors and residents had surprisingly festive fun at the Tower and why a trip to the ballet left Princess Victoria star-struck.
In ‘On the spot’ Chief Executive John Barnes describes how your support is crucial to the work of our charity. Make your membership donation go 25% further by opting in to Gift Aid.
Enjoy the season!
In this issue
Making the most of your membership
Tips to help you enjoy your membership, at our palaces and gardens, and at home.
News
Every issue, we bring you the latest developments from across the palaces.
Image: Mary II when Princess of Orange by Willem Wissing, c1685. (© Royal Collection Enterprises Ltd 2026 | Royal Collection Trust).
Feature highlights
Horaay for Halloween!
It’s all howls and hauntings at Hampton Court Palace this year, as Halloween fun begins! We’re telling spooky stories, summoning up spectres and the palace itself is dressed to kill. Join us – if you dare!
Curators pick traitors!
With the new series of BBC’s ‘Celebrity Traitors’ gracing our screens this autumn, what better time to expose some of our own? Chief Historian Tracy Borman presents a dark history of treason, while our faithful curators nominate their favourite palace-connected villain.
Winter Palace
As the nights draw in and winter settles over Hampton Court Palace, we are weaving a very special Christmas spell to awaken our mythical beasts for the party season.
More in this issue
Scroll across to read more of the latest features.
Support us with Gift Aid
Preserve every detail
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Thank you
As a member, you help us care for six extraordinary palaces and share the stories that shape us all.
Contact and credits
Published by Historic Royal Palaces, Hampton Court Palace, Surrey, KT8 9AU.
In-house editor Clare Murphy
External editor Sarah Kilby
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Unless otherwise stated, all images are © Historic Royal Palaces.
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