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Exclusive for MoS readers: Let the history star guide you from Windsor Castle to Hampton Court
FROM Henry VIII to our own Queen Elizabeth, the story of the monarchy features some of history’s most captivating figures – and some of its most grisly tales. This fascinating tour follows the grand arc of the Royals in and around London – the lives, loves, marriages and betrayals – from the time of William the Conqueror.
You will take superb, expertly guided tours of the great palaces by the Thames, including Windsor Castle, where you will enjoy a private behindthe-scenes tour of the State Apartments and a champagne reception; the state rooms of Buckingham Palace; the Tower of London; Banqueting Hall; and Westminster Abbey.
You will be joined on this exclusive trip by historian, broadcaster and Tudor expert Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, who will give a talk with Q&A and accompany readers on a private tour of Hampton Court Palace.
‘I am a great believer in telling historical tales where they happened,’ Prof Lipscomb says. ‘The veil between the past and the present feels very thin when you are following in the very footsteps of Henry VIII at Hampton Court, or standing on the spot where Anne Boleyn met her end at the Tower.’
Readers who joined Prof Lipscomb on our first Royal palaces tour earlier this year were delighted by the experience. ‘This was the best tour my husband and I have ever been on,’ one wrote. ‘Suzannah was amazing – I learnt more in her talk than all the reading I’ve done before.’
REASONS TO BOOK Meet Suzannah Lipscomb
A brilliant, thought-provoking speaker who specialises in Tudor history, Prof Lipscomb will give insights into the forces that shaped the most dramatic stories of the Royals. Prof Lipscomb will give an exclusive private talk with a Q&A on the eve of your visit to the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace.
Great castles and palaces
The walls may not be able to talk, but you will hear some of the astonishing true tales of the monarchy in the most important Royal houses across the city: Westminster Abbey, which has witnessed the coronation of every monarch since William the Conqueror; Banqueting Hall, the last remaining part of the Whitehall Palace; the Tower of London, the mighty fortress that is now the permanent home of the Crown Jewels; and Buckingham Palace, the official Royal residence in London since Queen Victoria’s accession in 1837.
Discover Hampton Court Palace
Prof Lipscomb will also join you for a fascinating private guided tour of Hampton Court, which dates back to 1515 and was commissioned by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who later gifted it to Henry VIII.
Prof Lipscomb will reveal some of the stories and secrets behind this fascinating palace.
Champagne reception at Windsor Castle
Another highlight will be Windsor Castle, a Royal stronghold since just after the Norman Conquest, where you will journey through 1,000 years of Royal history on a private tour of the State Apartments at a time when the castle is otherwise closed to the public. You will also enjoy a champagne reception.
Atmospheric hotel
Stay at The Talbot, a charming former coaching inn in the historic Surrey village of Ripley. It has many period features from its 500-year history and was also reputedly used as a hitching post by Lord Nelson. It is said his love affair with Lady Hamilton blossomed here.