AsHamptonCourtPalacecelebratesits500thanniversaryin2015,BBCTwobringsakeyeventfromtheiconicbuilding’shistoryvividlytolife-thechristeningofHenry’ssonandheirPrinceEdward,thefutureEdwardVI.
WithsofewsurvivingbuildingsleftassociatedwitheventsfromthisperiodofBritishhistoryandthereignofHenryVIII,LucyWorsleyandDavidStarkeyofferaudiencesanunprecedentedinsightintoHenryVIII’sworld.Focusingontheeventsof15October1537,ANightAtHamptonCourtPalacewillrecreatetheoccasionthatwasaculminationofnearlythreedecadesofHenry’srule-thebirthofamaleheir.AsLucyandDavideavesdropacrosstime,theyrevealhowHenry’shouseholdcametogethertocreateaneventthatwouldhavebeenperceivedasalmostmagicalbythosewhowitnessedit.
Theywillrecreatethe90-persongrandprocessionthatwouldhavetransportedbabyEdwardtohistorch-litchristeningservice.ThiswasthebestrecordedoccasionstagedatHamptonCourtduringHenry'sVIII'sreign,andthedetailedrecordsallowLucyandDavidtoshowhowthisgreatcelebrationusedeverypartofthepalace,fromtheroyalapartmentstothekitchenstotheChapelRoyal.
Offeringauniqueopportunitytorevealhowthemanyelementsofcourtlifewouldhavebeenbroughttogether,fromarttoarchitecture,religionandmusic,ANightAtHamptonCourtPalacewillcaptureapageantthatwasdeeplypoliticalbutalsocarefullystage-managedpieceofperformanceart.
