The Peace Agreement
The Gold and Glory Exhibition presents the history of the peace agreement between the King of England and the King of France, Francis I. It also displays wardrobes worn by the kings at the time, and many different historical artifacts from this era. The agreement was revolutionary at the time, as England and France were at war. However, the peace between the two countries lasted only two years, as both kings were driven by jealousy and ambition.The Royal Tour
Along this route, there are rooms used for public gatherings as well as chambers of the royal family. The throne room, where the monarch once sat, adorned with paintings and chandeliers, deserves special attention. Here, you can also find the King's Gallery, which has a comprehensive collection of paintings purchased by the monarchs. In this section, there is also the legendary Haunted Gallery, that is rumored to still be haunted today. Of course, there are many other rooms to visit, such as the chamber where The King’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard, the bodyguards of the British monarch, were located, or The King's Dining Room, where artistically draped cloth napkins adorn the former banquet table. In 1986, the state rooms were destroyed in a fire and were subsequently reopened by Queen Elizabeth II. in 1992.
The Haunted Gallery | Photo: Flickr, Michael Gaylard - CC-BY-SA 2.0There is a ghost in the palace
Whilst Henry VIII was still married to his fourth wife Anne, he fell in love with the significantly younger Catherine Howard, who was prettier than his current queen. He showered Catherine with expensive gifts. Just three weeks after the annulment of his marriage to Anne, he married his beloved. In 1541, Catherine was accused of adultery with two lovers and knew what would become of her. She hoped that the king would believe her and ran screaming in today's Haunted Gallery to reach the door that led to the king. Today, both visitors and staff report that they hear Catherine knocking at the door, and that they see ghosts. When the queen signed her confession, she was executed in the Tower of London on February 13, 1542, less than two years after marrying Henry VIII.
The Great Hall | Photo: Flickr, bvi4092 - CC-BY-SA 2.0The Great Hall
Under the huge wooden roof, the splendor of the Tudor court is displayed in the Great Hall on magnificent wall tapestries. When construction began in 1533, Henry VIII was married to his second wife, Anne Boleyn, since then Anne's coat of arms and her and Henry's initials have been carved into the wood. The Great Hall once served as a dining hall for the lower-ranked members of the royal household and the servants, on special occasions it was even used for theatrical performances, dances, and masquerades. Today, you can learn more about the king's six wives and the table manners as well as the associated hierarchy rules.
The Tudor Kitchens | Flickr: Michael Gaylard - CC BY 2.0Henry VIII's Kitchens
At the time when the House of Tudor ruled, the kitchens of Hampton Court Palace were the biggest in England. Every day, over 800 meals were prepared in the Tudor Kitchens by 200 workers per day for the palace. Unlike today, the preparation of food was a sweaty and dirty affair, as the pots were operated with fire. So 1.3 million logs were needed each year to satisfy the hunger at court. Visitors can visit the authentic cooking shows on weekends, from May 27th to June 4th and from July 22nd to September 1st these take place daily.
The Chocolate Kitchen | Flickr: Katie Heil - CC BY 2.0Hot chocolate
The special feature of the site is the Chocolate Kitchen, which remained undiscovered until 2013 and is the only preserved kitchen of its kind in Great Britain. Until the 1800s, chocolate was mainly served as a drink, either mixed with water, milk or wine, and sometimes even refined with chili. The Hampton Court Palace had a specially designed kitchen for this purpose, where the chocolate from bean to cup was made by chocolatiers like Solomon de le Faya or Thomas Tosier who were employed specifically for each monarch.