London’s Royal palaces with TVstar Suzannah
FOR lovers of TV series The Crown, which returns to our screens this week, here’s a fascinating tour that will give you a glimpse behind the scenes of the hit show about the Royal Family. From Henry VIII to our own Queen Elizabeth, the story of the monarchy features some of history’s most captivating figures – as well as its most grisly tales. You’ll hear about the Royals’ extraordinary lives and see how they live now – and did then – on visits to the great palaces by the Thames, including The State Rooms of Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Banqueting Hall, Westminster Abbey and the State Apartments at Windsor Castle, where you will enjoy a private tour.
You will be joined on this two-night break by historian, broadcaster and Tudor expert Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, who will give an exclusive talk with a question-and-answer session and accompany readers on a private tour of Hampton Court Palace.
‘I am a great believer in telling historical tales where they happened,’ says Prof Lipscomb. ‘The veil between the past and the present ent 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 commented on how expertly she brings history alive. ‘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 from all the reading I’ve done before.’
So don’t miss your chance to join her and celebrate 1,000 years of f regal history on the ultimate Royal tour of the capital.
REASONS TO BOOK
Meet Suzannah Lipscomb: Prof Lipscomb will give insights into the forces that shaped the most dramatic stories of the Royals. She will give an exclusive talk with a Q&A session and join you for a tour of 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 Palace of Whitehall; the Tower of London, permanent home of the Crown Jewels; and Buckingham Palace, the official Royal residence in London since Queen Victoria’s accession in 1837. Visit Hampton Court with Prof Lipscomb: Prof Lipscomb will also join you for a fascinating private guided tour of Hampton Court, which dates from 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 enchanting palace.
Discover 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 history on a private tour of the State Apartments at a time when the castle is otherwise closed to the public.
You’ll also enjoy a glass of champagne at the tour’s close.
Historic hotel stay: You will be based at The Talbot, a charming 500-year-old former coaching inn in the historic Surrey village of Ripley. It was reputedly used as a hitching post by Lord Nelson and it is said that his love affair with Lady Hamilton blossomed here.