Private Tour

Hampton Court Palace Private Tour - discovering the excesses of Henry VIII

Overview

Available languages

English

1 hour 30 minutes

Mobile ticket

Henry VIII was a man of excess and he certainly did not do things by halves! On this tour with me (Sandy) you will wander through the enormous kitchens where feasts of nine courses were prepared for him and his noble guests to enjoy; you will be amazed at the exquisiteness of his tapestries which cost double the price of his favourite war ship to make. You might also be horrified by the story of Henry's expanding collection of wives and how, as desperation set in to find a son and heir, Henry took drastic measures! This tour will fill you in on Henry's life of excess: the size of his kitchens, the glamour of his furnishings, why he became so large, who his wives were and what happened to them all. But most of all, this is a chance to enjoy imagining the unimaginable: wealth and excess that knew no bounds resulting in one of the most magnificent courts in Europe!

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

When your booking is confirmed, you will receive contact details for me (Sandy), your guide for this tour. My aim is to give you the best experience you could possibly have so if you have any special requests, be sure to let me know! If you need to go at a slower pace, or stop for a break midway through the tour, that will be fine with me. There are plenty of opportunities to sit down during the tour and I will tell you where they are. I will contact you once your booking is confirmed to finalise the details of your tour.

The tour will last up to 1.5 hours and is flexible.

The tour will cover roughly 1 mile.

The tour will go ahead come rain or shine so please don't be put off by the weather. Do wear comfortable shoes and clothing and, if needs be, bring waterproofs and an umbrella.

Due to uneven surfaces, and an unreliable lift used to take wheelchair or disabled clients to the first floor, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair. Visitors must be able to cope with stairs and so this tour is not suitable for anyone with serious medical conditions and back problems.

When you turn into the palace grounds from the main road, follow the driveway with grassy stretches on either side and I will meet you at the end of the drive in front of the West Front Gatehouse.

The tour starts at 10.00 a.m. but once a firm booking has been made, the start time of the tour can be adjusted to fit with your arrival at the palace.

If you need directions to travel to Hampton Court from your hotel, do contact me on [email protected]

100% of my Trip Advisor/Viator reviews are graded as 'excellent' and as I now have over 100 reviews, I must be doing something right!

I prefer to guide small groups of up to five family or friends so everyone can hear what I am saying in the often narrow corridors of Henry's haunted palace. Also, everyone can feel relaxed enough to ask whatever questions they like!

I ALWAYS contact my customers in advance of a tour so if you have not heard from me one week before the tour date, please contact me instead.

I only accept bookings directly from customers. Any bookings made by a travel agent on behalf of a customer will be cancelled.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Sandy is a fun and professional local guide, accredited by the I.T.Guides and Hampton Court Palace

Gratuities

Food and drinks

Cost of entry tickets to Hampton Court Palace

Private transportation

What To Expect

Hampton Court Palace

Henry VIII's palace is the Tudor equivalent of a 5* hotel. We start the tour in Base Court, where Henry welcomed his noble guests, and move from there to the kitchens. These were a vast complex of rooms and employed an incredible 200 staff. Imagining the type of dinners created in these kitchens is fun as is the first sight of Henry's Great Hall, richly decorated with tapestries which cost the same as his favorite warship. Having marveled at the stained glass windows and the beautiful hammer beam ceiling we wander through an arch into the Great Watching Chamber. Here the nobles, closely guarded by the Yeomen, waited to chat with Henry. The ceiling of this room celebrates Henry's marriage to Jane Seymour, the woman who gave him the longed for son. We move on to the Haunted Gallery, where I tell the story of Henry's tragic fifth queen, before taking a peek at his replica crown in the Chapel Royal. The final stop is to admire the colorful work of art, the astronomical clock in Clock Court

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Not Included

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