© Historic Royal Palaces / Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection Trust
Historic Royal Palaces has opened a new exhibition, The Tudor World, in the Wolsey Rooms at Hampton Court Palace.
The Wolsey Rooms at Hampton Court Palace, the oldest surviving rooms in the palace, were once the setting for the opulent court of a young and ambitious King Henry VIII. In these historic spaces, Henry VIII and his key advisor, Thomas Wolsey, made crucial decisions that would shape the future of England. Today, the newly opened exhibition, The Tudor World, invites visitors to explore this fascinating period of history. Located within the Wolsey Rooms, the exhibition delves into the early years of Henry VIII’s reign. It offers insights into the lives of the ‘ordinary’ men and women who influenced the Tudor dynasty.
The exhibition at Hampton Court Palace explores the dramatic history of the Tudor dynasty and the significant impact of their reign during the transformative 16th century. This period is marked by major scientific advancements, religious upheaval, and the broader effects of European exploration and exploitation.
The display features rare Tudor artefacts from the collection of Historic Royal Palaces, the charity responsible for the palace’s care. Highlights include a gold ring believed to belong to the Boleyn family and a vividly coloured silk hat associated with Henry VIII. The exhibition also showcases notable loans from other institutions: Wolsey’s portable sundial, borrowed from the History of Science Museum at the University of Oxford, and a wooden chest on loan from Stonyhurst College. The chest reveals a poignant story from the reign of Elizabeth I, Henry VIII’s daughter, when priests, disguised as travelling salesmen, hid religious items to conduct secret Masses for Catholic families during a time of religious persecution.
The exhibition at Hampton Court Palace features three rare surviving Tudor history paintings lent by His Majesty The King from the Royal Collection. Among these are The Embarkation of Dover and The Field of Cloth of Gold. These artworks capture the Tudors’ powerful navy and ambitions for expansion while depicting Henry VIII’s extravagant summit with Francis I, King of France, in 1520. Through these paintings, Henry VIII reflects on his achievements with pride, yet the country remains threatened by European rivals and divided by wealth and faith.
The exhibition also explores Tudor connections with the wider world through other portraits from the Royal Collection. This includes Marcus Gheeraerts’ enigmatic painting of a woman in Ottoman dress and a portrait of Hürrem, an enslaved European woman who defies the odds by marrying Suleiman I, the Ottoman Emperor, and becoming a significant power behind the throne.
The Tudor World brings the 16th century to life in innovative ways, including hands-on interactives, replica artefacts, and digital projections that reveal the secrets of Tudor paintings. Themes explored include material culture, science and faith, the construction of the Field of Cloth of Gold, and the roles of palace servants. A highlight among the historic objects on display from Historic Royal Palaces’ own collections is an original Tudor chain pump, which illustrates the messy process of emptying the Hampton Court cesspool. Visitors also learn about the experiences of women in Tudor England and the restrictions on their opportunities, from miniature painters like Levina Teerlinc to Elizabeth I’s ladies-in-waiting and the relationships between Tudor queens and their daughters.
Brett Dolman, Collections Curator at Historic Royal Palaces said, “The Tudors have long been a dynasty that has both fascinated and repelled, presiding over an age that saw great change. In this new display, we’ll be exploring the impact this period had on everyday life in Tudor society, including the upheaval and uncertainty they often experienced. It will look not just at the monarchs and courtiers we are familiar with, but the ‘ordinary’ people who were vital in keeping the royal court running, and we look forward to sharing some of their stories with our visitors for the first time.”
The Tudor World in the Wolsey Rooms is open during palace opening hours and is included in palace admission.
Click here to discover more about this exhibition.
