Historic Royal Palaces Podcast

This week we’re continuing our mini-series on treasured spaces with a trip through a place full of historic clothing, the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection.   We’ll follow Curator Matthew Storey into this hidden store, to find out how we can learn from the stories that are carried in the historic clothing we look after, and how they really do hold relevance for today.  If you would like to find out more or visit the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, go to:    www.hrp.org.uk/about-us/conservation-and-collections/royal-ceremonial-dress-collection  

Welcome back to series two of A Space I Love. In this six-part mini-series, we’re back exploring a selection of treasured spaces in our palaces with the people who know them best, our curators.   In this first episode we’ll follow Alden Gregory behind-the-scenes into the King’s House at the Tower of London, a place that is intimately connected with the Gunpowder Plot, and the interrogation of Guy Fawkes. Please be aware that this episode contains themes of torture, death and execution, which some listeners may find upsetting.  For more on the Gunpowder plot you can listen to our previous episodes on the plot from November 2022, or visit:  https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/guy-fawkes-and-the-gunpowder-plot  

This week we’re talking about  Queen number three, Jane Seymour. Once again Tracy Borman is joined by a fantastic guest, Dr Nicola Tallis will bring Jane to life for us.  Always thought of as the favourite wife, Jane Seymour is best known for giving birth to the male heir that her husband so desired, and for being the one in the rhyme who sadly died. But we don’t know very much about her as a woman and as an individual. In this episode Tracy and Nicola will shed light on this, revealing that Jane may have had more to her than history has allowed.  This six-part series aims to do The Six Tudor Queens justice by stripping away unhelpful narratives and myths, to better understand them as women in their own time.   

The one you’ve been waiting for! Tracy Borman is joined by Dr Owen Emmerson and Palace Host James Peacock, to take on the mammoth task of disrupting the reputation of the second and most famous of the six Tudor Queens, Anne Boleyn. They’ll explore this in the Great Hall of Hampton Court Palace, which remains a symbol of Anne’s triumph and her downfall.   Please be aware that this episode contains references to miscarriages, still births and infant mortality.  This six-part series will aim to do The Six Tudor Queens justice by stripping away unhelpful narratives and myths, to better understand them as women in their own time.  Watch Tracy's mini documentary on the Downfall of Anne Boleyn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ_fPZsgSD0 See the palace come to life while you listen and explore inside the Great Hall, with this virtual tour of Henry VIII's Tudor Palace: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/oAVRshA9gG0J9w 

Tracy Borman opens our new series on the Queens Consort of Henry VIII with renowned historian Dr Elizabeth Norton. To better understand the six Queens, they first explore the context of the turbulent times in which these women lived.   As the first Queen of Henry VIII, Katherine of Aragon’s reputation as the dowdy wronged wife has endured for 500 years, but Tracy and Elizabeth call this into question. They reveal that Katherine’s iron-will was both her strength and arguably her undoing.   Please be aware that this episode contains references to miscarriages, still births and infant mortality.   This six-part series will aim to do The Six Tudor Queens justice by stripping away unhelpful narratives and myths, to better understand them as women in their own time.  

In this six-part mini-series, we’ll be exploring a selection of treasured spaces in our palaces with the people who know them best, our curators.   Some spaces will be grand and some modest, some aren’t even open to the public. But each space has been personally chosen by our resident experts to reveal how immersing ourselves in the past can connect us to the present.     The first epsidoe will be released on Thursday November 17th. Episodes will be released every two weeks. 

Leech is a man who knows about fire, how it burns and how it feels. But when Whitehall Palace, the largest palace in Europe, becomes the greatest kindling pile for a seemingly unquenchable blaze, even he is left dazzled. Everything burns, even the home of kings.   Outliers – Stories from the edge of history is an historic fiction podcast that explores how big events are viewed and shaped by the people in the shadows. Listen to Outliers - Stories from the edge of history wherever you get your podcasts or go to: https://sites.libsyn.com/109217/site  Please note, these episodes are released in a different order than on the original podcast.  To read more about the lost palace of Whitehall go to:   https://www.hrp.org.uk/banqueting-house/   https://artsandculture.google.com/project/banqueting-house      

As lady-in-waiting to an ageing queen and wife to a failed adventurer, Bess Raleigh has learnt to fight her corner against all adversity. Her life is spent in the shadow of the Tower of London with her husband Sir Walter Raleigh. But will she manage to keep her head whilst others around her lose theirs?     Outliers – Stories from the edge of history is an historic fiction podcast that explores how big events are viewed and shaped by the people in the shadows. Listen to Outliers - Stories from the edge of history wherever you get your podcasts or go to: https://sites.libsyn.com/109217/site  Please note, these episodes are released in a different order than on the original podcast. 

Outliers – Stories from the edge of history is an historic fiction podcast that explores how big events are viewed and shaped by the people in the shadows.  It’s late spring in 1726 at Kensington Palace, and the lavish court of King George I is in residence. Meanwhile, Mehmet, the Turkish valet to the King, is having some problems with Peter from Hanover, 'the wild boy' who is kept for the King’s amusement. A comical cat-and-mouse chase ensues, but perhaps it is Peter who has some unexpected lessons to teach Mehmet.  Listen to Outliers - Stories from the edge of history wherever you get your podcasts or go to: https://sites.libsyn.com/109217/site  To find out more about Peter’s life go to:  https://www.hrp.org.uk/blog/peter-the-wild-boy-from-hanover/   Untold Lives is an exhibition that explores the forgotten stories of those who worked at the royal palaces over 300 years ago.    https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/whats-on/untold-lives   Please note, these episodes are released in a different order than on the original podcast. 

The practice of journeying around the country on royal progress is one that monarchs used to strengthen their rule. But they can reveal a lot more than you’d think about kingship and queenship, even for tried and tested subjects such as Henry VIII and his six Queens.     We follow Post-Doctoral Research Assistant Kirsty Wright, as she guides us through the importance of new research into where and why Henry VIII went on royal progress. Kirsty also reveals how the progresses of Henry’s Queens are contributing to highlighting their individual roles and personalities, helping to answer bigger questions about 16th century queenship and monarchy.   In this series, we'll be exploring fresh research that is taking place in our Palaces. We won't be releasing this series sequentially, so these episodes will appear throughout the year.  To find out more about the Henry VIII on Tour research project go to:   www.hrp.org.uk/about-us/research/henry-viii-on-tour-tudor-palaces-and-royal-progresses/

The Yeoman Warders have guarded the Tower of London for 500 years, and is perhaps the oldest of jobs that still exists in our palaces today. In this final episode of a Day in the Life, we meet the Chief Yeoman Warder himself, Rob Fuller, and Curator Charles Farris fills us in on the storied history of this role.  To find out more about the forgotten stories of those who worked at the royal palaces over 300 years ago, a new exhibition is opening at Kensington Palace.  https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/whats-on/untold-lives/     

Hampton Court Palace was built and maintained by craftspeople, and this is a practice that endures to this day at the palaces. We follow Master Bricklayer Emma Simpson into her workshop where she describes the joy of her work and how it connects her to history. We then hear from Assistant Curator Alexandra Stevenson as she tells us about her research into female craftspeople who had a hand in building the palaces.       To find out more about the forgotten stories of those who worked at the royal palaces over 300 years ago, a new exhibition is opening at Kensington Palace.  https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/whats-on/untold-lives/ 

In this episode we meet Senior Gardener Jane, who works at Hampton Court Palace. Jane takes us behind the scenes into the Nursery as we contemplate the hard work that goes into creating beautiful gardens. To help contextualise the work of an historic gardener, Curator Lee Prosser takes us on an informative stroll around the gardens that have been worked for hundreds of years.   For the next few episodes, we’re going to be following some of the people who work in our Palaces today. We’ll be exploring how these jobs have a historic context to them, and how surprisingly, there are similarities in the work they do now, from the work that was done in the past.  To find out more about the forgotten stories of those who worked at the royal palaces over 300 years ago, a new exhibition is opening at Kensington Palace.  https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/whats-on/untold-lives/ 

For the next few episodes, we’re going to be following some of the people who work in our palaces today. We’ll be exploring how these jobs have a historic context to them, and how surprisingly, there are similarities in the work they do now, from the work that was done in the past.  Today we meet Erin, Historic Royal Palaces’ Wardrobe Manager. We step into the treasure trove that is the costume store and contemplate how Erin’s job may have existed in the past. To help contextualise this, Curator Charles Farris will then explore the Medieval world of wardrobe management.  To find out more about the forgotten stories of those who worked at the royal palaces over 300 years ago, a new exhibition is opening at Kensington Palace.  https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/whats-on/untold-lives/  

Hampton Court Palace has an unexpected connection to the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, the wedding of famous explorer Captain Scott and sculptor Kathleen Bruce took place in the Chapel Royal. We follow Assistant Curator Minette Butler as she explores a shut-off part of the Palace, highlighting how new research into Grace and Favour residents is revealing such curious connections, as well as opening up the lives of the Palace’s most recent residents.    In this new series, we’ll be exploring fresh research that is taking place in our Palaces. We won’t be releasing this series sequentially, so these episodes will appear throughout the year.  To read more about the wedding of Captain Scott and Kathleen Bruce go to:   www.hrp.org.uk/blog/captain-scott-and-kathleen-bruces-wedding-at-hampton-court-palace 

Katherine Parr is the final Tudor Queen in our series. Was she the nursemaid who looked after and survived her husband, or was she much more than that? In this final episode of our Six Queens Series, Tracy Borman and historian Sarah Gristwood acquaint us with the woman behind the myths, an intelligent, strong and resourceful champion of her own agenda.   This episode also concludes the series with a reflection on the legacy of the Six Tudor Queens.   To view the painting of the Family of Henry VIII, and the Haunted Gallery where it is kept go to:   www.google.com/maps/@51.4036169,-0.337082,2a,75y,93.52h,94.19t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZaJgI28yRfgAAAQsEn4lPA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu  www.rct.uk/collection/themes/exhibitions/painting-paradise/the-queens-gallery-buckingham-palace/the-family-of-henry-viii 

Catherine Howard has been judged by generations as promiscuous, a silly girl, a victim. But of course, there is more to her story than these assumptions allow for.   In the fifth episode of our Six Tudor Queens series, Tracy Borman is joined by historian and author Gareth Russell, to bring Catherine to life. They paint a picture of a vivacious young woman whose life deserves to be revealed without the layers that centuries have placed upon her.   See inside the Haunted Gallery with this virtual tour of Henry VIII’s Tudor Palace:  https://artsandculture.google.com/story/oAVRshA9gG0J9w   This six-part series aims to do The Six Tudor Queens justice by stripping away unhelpful narratives and myths, to better understand them as women in their own time.   To read about Catherine Howard go to: www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/catherine-howard/  

Dive into the history of Royal Christmas celebrations in our palaces with this bonus seasonal episode. Chief mischief-maker Curator Charles Farris is joined by fellow Curator Lee Prosser, and Historic Kitchens Manager Richard Fitch, to kick off the season of revelry with some Christmas tomfoolery.  We'll be back next week to continue The Six Tudor Queens series.  For the Victorian Christmas pudding recipe go to:  www.hrp.org.uk/blog/a-christmas-pudding-recipe-with-a-victorian-twist/   And to find out what’s on in our Palaces this Christmas go to:  www.hrp.org.uk/whats-on-all-the-palaces  

Tracy Borman talks about her favourite of the Six Tudor Queens, Anne of Cleves. Divorced, so the rhyme goes, for being the ‘ugly’ Queen.   Anne’s looks were the least interesting thing about her, but her story has been dominated by them for centuries. Tracy is joined by fellow Curator Brett Dolman to unpack this fixation on appearance and reveal the woman beneath the myths.      This six-part series aims to do The Six Tudor Queens justice by stripping away unhelpful narratives and myths, to better understand them as women in their own time.    Read about Anne of Cleves here: www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/anne-of-cleves  

In this new series Chief Curator Tracy Borman will guide us through the well-known lives of the six Tudor queens who all had one man common.   This six-part series will aim to do the Queens justice whilst discussing some of the interpretations that history has offered of them. We’ll talk about what they might have been like as women in their own time, and reflect on the language we use when we talk about them now. To get a sense of the context in which they lived, we’ll be stepping into the parts of our palaces where they would have walked, in a court that was both exciting and toxic in its temperament.     Tracy will explore all this with a stellar cast of historians, all experts on the Queens. So join us next Thursday, and every two weeks after that, as we dive into the world of The Six Tudor Queens.