Thomas Wolsey - Henry VIII's Powerful Chief Minister
Historic Royal Palaces Podcast
Thomas Wolsey was born the son of a butcher from Ipswich, yet he rose to become one of the most powerful men in Tudor England as Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor. He was even known as ‘The Other King’, and built a palace that rivalled Henry VIII’s. This spectacular rise was only matched by the drama of his fall. In this first episode of our new series on Henry VIII’s ministers, Tracy Borman is joined by historian Elizabeth Norton to explore Wolsey’s time in Henry’s court. How powerful was he? Why did he fall from Henry VIII’s favour? And what legacy did he leave...
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The Last Princesses of Punjab
Historic Royal Palaces Podcast
The Last Princesses of Punjab left behind legacies that continue to resonate today, but what impact did these women have and how should we remember them? In this final episode in our series, we join Curators Dr Mishka Sinha and Polly Putnam, as they chat to researcher and collector Peter Bance, and Dr Nadhra Shahbaz, Associate Professor of the Art and Architecture of Punjab. What were the sisters' legacies and how can we find meaning in them today? Read...
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The Duleep Singh Sisters - From Debutantes to Defiance
Historic Royal Palaces Podcast
The Duleep Singh sisters went from Victorian Debutantes in high society, to defiant changemakers in the 20th century, but how did this change happen? Join Curators Dr Mishka Sinha and Polly Putnam, alongside Dr Sumita Mukherjee and Dr Siobhan Lambert-Hurley, to explore how the sister's heritage and individual indefinites led them to explore defiance in their lives. Find out more about and book tickets to our exhibition at Kensington Palace.
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The Duleep Singh Family – Queen Victoria & Empire
Historic Royal Palaces Podcast
The lives of the Duleep Singh sisters were deeply impacted by Queen Victoria’s Empire in India, and their father's displacement as the last Maharaja of the Punjab, yet they lived a life of privilege as aristocrats in Victorian Britain. Join Curators Dr Mishka Sinha and Polly Putnam, alongside Dr Priya Atwal, to explore the early lives of Princesses Sophia, Catherine and Bamba. How did Empire impact their childhoods, and who were the women who shaped them, from Queen...
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Hampton Court Palace - Tudor vs Baroque
Historic Royal Palaces Podcast
Hampton Court is a palace of two halves and countless stories. But which side is best? The Tudor half displays all the court intrigue of the dynasty it's named for, and yet the Baroque side is no less dramatic, holding the stories of the Restoration, Glorious Revolution, and Georgians within its decorative walls. Join Tracy Borman and Gareth Russell on a private tour of this palace of two halves, as they each make their case for which side is best. The Tudor, or the Baroque? Find out more about .
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Women of the 'Glorious Revolution' - Mary of Modena & Mary II
Historic Royal Palaces Podcast
Mary of Modena and Mary II are two Queens whose lives have been lost in the story of the ‘Glorious Revolution’. Yet they were fundamental to the machinations of the turbulent late 1600s, where heightened religious tension made for dangerous politics at the Stuart court. So for today’s episode, we’re bringing them back into the centre of the story. Chief Historian Tracy Borman is joined by Assistant Research Curator Holly Marsden and Dr Breeze Barrington to reveal the women behind the ‘Glorious...
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Margaret Beaufort – Matriarch of the Tudors
Historic Royal Palaces Podcast
Margaret Beaufort was a leading figure in the tumultuous Wars of the Roses and would go on to become the matriarch of the Tudor Dynasty. Mother to Henry VII and a key player in bringing the Tudors to the throne, was Margaret a manipulative schemer as she has sometimes been portrayed, or instead a resilient survivor of trauma and decades of civil conflict? To better understand Margaret in the context of her time, Curator Charles Farris is joined by historians Dr...
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William Shakespeare - Playwright to The King
Historic Royal Palaces Podcast
On the 1st of Janurary, 1604, Hampton Court Palace hosted a performance by William Shakespeare's acting troupe, The King's Men. They were booked to perform for the new King of England, James VI of Scotland, and one of the plays that they chose was 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. What did it mean to be part of 'The King's Men'? How did Shakespeare's relationship with James VI and I shape his life and his plays? In this episode, Curator Brett Dolman welcomes Dr Will Tosh to the Great Hall at Hampton Court, one of few surviving places where we can tread in Shakespeare's footsteps, to...
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Empress Matilda - The Anarchy, Queenship & Power
Historic Royal Palaces Podcast
Empress Matilda wielded an extraordinary amount of power during the period known as the Anarchy in the 12th century, yet she just missed out on being crowned the first queen regnant in England. Originally chosen as heir for her abilities as a ruler, Matilda was determined to fight her cause when her throne was usurped by her cousin Stephen. But how was she viewed by contemporaries, and what is the legacy she left behind? Join Curator Charles Farris,...
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The Tower’s Medieval Past through Archaeology
Historic Royal Palaces Podcast
Archaeology can offer us new discoveries into the Tower of London’s medieval past, as well as insights into the lives of the community that lived and worked there. In 2019, and in the summer of 2025, we undertook one of the most important excavations at the Tower for a generation, just outside the Chapel of St Peter Ad Vincula. Now for the first time ever, we have detailed information about the ordinary people who lived, worshipped, and died at the Tower, but what more can we learn from these excavations? To find out more, we join...
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