OK, so as a huge anglophile that is particularly Tudor obsessed, going to Hampton Court has always been a bucket list item for me. Now that I have passed this obsession down to the kiddo, it is a big deal to her as well.
Hampton Court lies outside of London and was a pricey cab ride (I know we could have taken a train, but we didn’t want to, so there!). The pricey cab ride gifted us with the sweetest most delightful man driving us to the court grounds. I gladly paid and tipped him for the journey. He was just lovely.
It was so cold for us valley girls, but in a word, the court and grounds were amazing!
Once we entered the buildings, we got to tour Henry VIII’s apartments, throne room, private chapel, privvy and the waiting room for nobles.
The Scout in her natural state…
Henry and Anne, true love always! Or not…
The throne room with actual throne for trying out.
Different kind of throne…
View from one of Henry’s room as he plotted, planned and wished oh-so-hard for that boy child!
Family portrait that his last wife, Katherine Parr, planned and had everyone sit for months as a gift to her husband. He snuck behind her back and replaced her face with that of his third wife (and only wife to bear him a healthy son), Jane Seymour. She didn’t know this until the portrait was unveiled in front of the whole family and court in attendance. Nice guy.
Probably the most famous portrait of Henry VIII. It is life-sized and in the hallway that he stomped up and down basically terrorizing everyone at court with his changing desires and general craziness. I’m pretty sure I would have just kept my head down and hoped for the best like everyone else did! Also, this hallway is rumored to have the terrified ghost of his fifth wife, Katherine Howard, running screaming begging her husband for mercy before she was taken to the Tower and beheaded. She did actually cheat on her husband, unlike Anne Boleyn, who did nothing wrong except give birth to a girl. Sorry, I can do this Tudor history stuff all day…
We had an amazing time touring the grounds at Hampton Court. Next time, Happy New Year from London!
Love, Kim and Scout
