The Tudor Chest – The Podcast

Dr. Charlotte Bolland is Senior Curator of Research and 16th Century Collections at the National Portrait Gallery. Today, she joins me for a discussion all about the remarkable new exhibition at the national portrait gallery which Charlotte organised and curated. Featuring an incredible array of portraits and artefacts, Charlotte has brought together a cohesive and fascinating tale which tells the story of the six queens of Henry VIII, both in literal terms, and in the way society has shaped their individual iconography.

Dr James Taffe is a Tudor historian, who specialises in exploring the activities of those above and below stairs at this time in history, and so in this episode I chat to James all about the different aspects of service in the 16th century, from helping the monarch dress, to gatekeeping unwanted guests, and of course, exploring what was actually involved in that oh so glamorous sounding job of groom of the stool!

Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I, mother and daughter, both viewed as traitors for a time, Anne Boleyn lost her life, but Elizabeth got her liberty and went on to become perhaps England’s most iconic queen. Their relationship is one seldom explored, and yet both Anne and Elizabeth showed quiet signs of support for each other, even though mother and daughter were ripped apart following Anne’s execution. Today, Dr Sarah Morris joins me for an informal chat all about the relationship between mother and daughter, and we share some of our own feelings and opinions on these two mega stars of British history!

For many the greatest depiction of Anne Boleyn on screen came at the end of 1969, when Anne of the Thousand Days was released in cinemas across the world. An epic historical drama based on the life of Queen Anne Boleyn starring Genevieve Bujold in the titular role alongside Richard Burton, as King Henry VIII. In this weeks bonus episode I will be taking a look back on Anne of the Thousand Days, looking at how it was made, behind the scenes dramas and why, I believe, it retains such a beloved place in the hearts of Anne Boleyn devotees.

With Wolf Hall Series 2 having completed filming and hopefully on our screens soon, I thought the time would be right to explore the lives of two of the men who owed much of their success to Cromwell, but would eventually go on to turn against him, these men being Thomas Wriothesley and Richard Rich. Both would become infamous for their unscrupulous and frankly cruel behaviour, using whatever means possible to reach their goals, both famously turned the wheel of the rack when Anne Askew was subjected to torture, but who were these two men, what were their early lifes like, how did they come to Cromwells service and why are they viewed as such major Tudor villains?

There are two sketches by Hans Holbein which are said to depict Anne Boleyn. One is in the British Museum, while the other is in the royal collection. The latter sketch is the more controversial, as the sitter is in a state of undress, has what appears to be blonde hair and a decidedly full double chin, and yet, the inscription labelling the sketch as her, is believed to have been added by Sir John Cheke, a man who personally knew Anne Boleyn, or did he? In todays episode of the Tudor Chest podcast, I am chatting to Emma Demerath who recently graduated from John Cabot University in Massachusetts, with a degree in Art History. Emma has discovered holes in many of the conclusions historians have made in relation to this sketch, but moreover, has examined the imagery on its reverse, which may very well hold the key to identifying the actual sitter of the piece.

Dr Nikki Clark is a historian and lecturer at Chichester University. Sher joins me today for a fascinating discussion about Anne Boleyn’s household, from who made up Anne’s retinue, what roles they played, how these came about, and how things changed as Anne ascended through the court of King Henry VIII, before her momentous fall in May 1536. We discuss specific members of the court who served Anne, some of which are well known to us, like Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, while others are all but forgotten by history, but all played a role in serving the woman who the late Eric Ives described as the most influential queen consort in English history.

Dr Estelle Paranque is a historian and Associate Professor at Northeastern University London. She joins me today for a discussion all about her latest book, Thorns, Lust and Glory - The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn. In this book, we see that Anne’s destruction was not so entirely determined by the machinations of Thomas Cromwell, but in part owing to the huge shifts in European power politics at the time. It is this, which Estelle discusses, that tells us how much greater the storm around Anne Boleyn actually was, and that in the end, she was betrayed not only by her husband, but by people from across Europe who had once been firm and trusted allies.

Jacquetta of Luxembourg, known more commonly as Jacquetta Woodville was a prominent, though often overlooked, figure in the Wars of the Roses as the mother of the first Yorkist queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Jacquetta’s story is fascinating in its own right, and she would become a central player in the period we now call the wars of the roses. Soon however, Jacquetta would be fighting for her life, when accusations of witchcraft were levied against her by those who wished to oust her from a position of influence, but how did it come to this in the first place? What was Jacquetta’s early life like, and why is her story one all but overlooked by history?

Perhaps the most significant and infamous period from Anne Boleyn’s life is of course her execution. When people think Anne Boleyn, they invariably go straight to the fact that she had her head cut off on her husbands orders. As such, it is natural that Anne’s execution is a staple part of any on screen depiction of the queen. Be it in film or television, Anne Boleyn's final moments on the scaffold have been portrayed many times, but do any of these depictions actually show the execution in an accurate light? Do any get it completely right, and which are way off the mark? As we are in May and just days after the anniversary of Anne’s execution, in this weeks episode of the Tudor Chest podcast, I will look at the many depictions of the most famous moment from Anne Boleyn's life, and ascertain whether any actually portray it as it happened on the faithful day, the 19th May 1536.

On the 15th May 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn stood before a crowd of 2,000 spectators at the Tower of London, on trial for her life. Accused of adultery with five men, including her own brother, and plotting the death of the king, the charges could hardly have been more grave. To discuss what happened on this remarkable day in history, I am pleased to welcome historian, author and all round Anne Boleyn expert, Claire Ridgway onto the show. She joins me today to unpick what must surely be the most explosive court case ever held at the Tower of London, a case which would end with the queen of England suffering the ultimate punishment.

Alex Walsh is the author behind the hit historical fiction book series, the Marquess House Saga. In Alex’s books, she has built what I consider to be the historians dream, with a compelling and fascinating story in which a pair of sisters find their lives overturned and directly tied to significant periods of history. Consisting of dual timelines, Alex’s series has reimagined the stories of some of histories most infamous women, telling alternative tales of the lives of Catherine Howard, Elizabeth I, Arbella Stuart and Jane Seymour, all of which, whilst fictitious, are plausible and so rich in detail that you can’t help but think, I wish this was all true! She joins me today for a fascinating discussion about her work, her inspiration, how she came up with the series and much much more!

When we think of the Tudors, one of the first things that springs to mind is the fashion! From Henry VIII’s codpieces to Anne Boleyn's French hoods and Elizabeth i’s voluminous gowns, Tudor fashion is a huge part of the wider Tudor story and was incredibly important to the Tudors themselves, so much so that king henry viii famously introduced laws which mandated who could wear what and where! To discuss all things Tudor fashion with me today, I am thrilled to welcome Eleri Lynn onto the podcast. Eleri is a fashion historian and expert in Tudor attire. She was responsible for the discovery of the bacton alter cloth, a piece of fabric which may very well have once formed part of a dress that queen Elizabeth I wore. Eleri is a genuine expert in Tudor dress, and is here to bust some myths about the French hood, to unpick all of the different aspects that went into Henry VIII’s iconic outfits, plus much more!

David Smith is King Henry VIII reborn! He is now a full time impersonator of a young King Henry VIII. With a perfect replica of one of King Henry VIII’s most iconic outfits from hat to codpiece, David certainly looks the part, but goes a level deeper and looks to recreate how the king himself would have behaved. David is committed to educating people on the young king henry, before the bloated tyrant of memory, a young king famed for his affable nature and good looks, David, as Sir Loyal Heart, seeks to bring this part of Henry’s story back to life, and remind us all that at one time, Henry VIII was every bit the king the 16th century looked for.

One of the most powerful and influential women at the court of Henry VIII is someone you’ve probably never heard of, or perhaps only heard of fleetingly - Gertrude Courtenay, Marchioness of Exeter. As the wife of Henry VIII’s cousin, Henry Courtenay, Gertrude was a central figure at King Henry’s court, and would find herself on the wrong side of the law a couple of times, but most prominently when she became embroiled in a period known as the Exeter conspiracy, which would eventually lead to her husband's execution and her and her sons imprisonment. To discuss this fascinating figure with me today, I am pleased to welcome historian and author Sylvia Barbara Soberton onto the podcast. Sylvia Barbara’s book “The forgotten Tudor women - Gertrude Courtenay, wife and mother of the last Plantagenets” is the basis for our discussion today.

Elizabeth Woodville and her second husband, King Edward IV were incredibly fortunate when it came to the production of healthy heirs. Elizabeth would give her husband a total of ten children - three boys and seven girls, with the most well known being Elizabeth of York, the wife of King Henry VII and mother to king Henry VIII. However, three of these seven daughters, Cecily, Anne and Catherine would lead lives just as fascinating and dramatic as their eldest sister, and would eventually discover life under the rule of the Tudor’s had its challenges, so who were these forgotten York princesses? What were their lives like and why are they all but forgotten by history?

Sarah Morris is a historian, author and also my colleague as co-director of our historic tour company, Simply Tudor Tours. She joins me today for a fascinating discussion based around the book she wrote alongside Natalie Grueninger, In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn. This book charts the many locations both in England but across Europe which are closely associated with Anne Boleyn, and thanks to Sarah’s encyclopaedic knowledge of what happened and where, she is able to recreate and reimagine spaces that no longer exist or look very different and place us in the 16th century. Whether it’s the room at Windsor Castle in which Anne Boleyn was made Marquess of Pembroke to the sadly lost parts of the Tower of London that Anne Boleyn knew well, Sarah knows it all, and can help us all imagine what is now lost.

Dr Joanne Paul is a historian, author, broadcaster and former lecturer at Sussex University. She joins me today for a fascinating and at times amusing discussion all about the house of Dudley, the famous family for whom the tower of London and execution would loom large, from the hated Edmund Dudley, to John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, to the charismatic great love of Queen Elizabeth I’s life, Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester. This was a family who came from very humble stock, but who would rise to the very top of the Tudor nobility, witnessing up close all of the drama associated to this most infamous of royal dynasties.

In September 1588 Sir Thomas Cavendish, an English explorer and pirate arrived back into London following a lengthy trip around the world, but Thomas did not arrive back in England alone, for within his party were two men, Christopher and Cosmos, from Japan. To tell this amazing story, I am pleased to welcome Tom Lockley onto the podcast. Tom is based in Japan and has spent the past eight years researching the story of Christopher, with his book, A Gentleman from Japan, the Untold Story of an Incredible Journey from Asia to Queen Elizabeth’s Court, acting as the basis for our discussion. Join me as we uncover the fascinating and surprising story of the moment when the last Tudor monarch was introduced to the very first person from Japan to ever set foot on British soil.

They are Britain's most famous royal dynasty, and yet the House of Tudor was one which should never have sat on the throne of England in the first place. Their lineage was noble, but by no means as grand as many other families in England, and yet they managed to eventually succeed in displacing the house of Plantagenet, who had ruled England for over 300 years. So what actually was their lineage? How did they descend from King Edward III, did this give them the right to wear the crown? How did the name of "Tudor" actually make it's way into English history?

Margaret of Anjou was queen of England via her marriage to perhaps England's most inept king, Henry VI. She has become famous as the "she wolf" of France, a spiteful aggressive woman who cut down her enemies and revelled in causing pain, but how accurate is this assessment? Has Shakespeare done the dirty on this fascinating medieval queen, or was she truly the evil shrew we've all been taught?

Dr Heather Darsie is an American attorney and historian who specialises in German medieival and Tudor history. She has written extensively on the subject and has released two books, Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The Kings Beloved Sister and Children of the House of Cleves, Anna and her Siblings. She joins me today for a fascinating discussion about the Cleves family, including of course, it’s most famous member, Anna, the fourth wife of Henry VIII known to history as the ugly flanders mare, or was she? Heather’s incredible research has led her to many significant conclusions which entirely re-write the accepted reasons for the breakdown in the marriage between Henry VIII and Anna of Cleves, she is even firmly of the belief that their marriage was fully consummated and that ultimately the one person who is to blame for the breakdown of the couples relationship was neither party, but Anna’s brother, Duke Wilhelm of Julich-Cleves-Berge. Prepare to re-think everything you thought you knew about this fascinating family!

He's the most famous king in all of British history and has been a staple of Hollywood since the dawn of film, being played by some of the greatest actors to ever walk the earth, including Richard Burton, Keith Michell and Damien Lewis, but which of the many interpretations of Henry VIII are the closest to the real man? Which leave much to be desired? Well I cover it all, with unapologetic frankness in my opinions! Happy listening!

She's one the lesser known Tudor's, but has a story as dramatic and shocking as many of her more famous relatives. The direct descendant of Henry VII, Lady Arbella Stuart was a one time candidate to succeed Queen Elizabeth I, and yet her story is one seldom explored or discussed at any length. To help me unpack the story of this lost Tudor Princess I am thrilled to welcome Historian, Author and Broadcaster Sarah Gristwood onto The Tudor Chest Podcast. Sarah's book, "Abrella, England's Lost Queen" is the sole in depth examination of this fascinating figure, and so she was the ideal guest to come onto the show. Enjoy! 

She is known to history as the most beautiful Queen in English history and immortalised for modern audiences as "The White Queen", but who was the real Elizabeth Woodville? How did she rise from being the widow of a mere Lancastrian knight, to becoming the wife and queen of the first Yorkist King in English History?

She's been played by everyone from Bette Davis to Glenda Jackson, Cate Blanchett to Helen Mirren. Elizabeth I is a staple for both the big and small screen, but which of the many depictions of her is the best? Which comes closest to telling the truth of this most iconic of queens and which fail to capture the essence of the last Tudor sovereign?

Anne Boleyn had six fingers and was a witch, Henry VIII had syphilis, Anne of Cleves was ugly - lies, lies lies, so where did they start and why? In this weeks episode of the Tudor Chest podcast I examine some of the common myths and legends from Tudor England and where possible, refute them!

Born to the captivating Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, Elizabeth of York was the greatest heiress in England and sister to the "Prince's in the Tower". Her marriage to Henry Tudor brought the Wars of the Roses to its close and established the new Tudor dynasty, but who was the real woman and why is her story seldom explored at any length?

Becca Segovia is a graphic designer who has taken the history world by storm thanks to her truly magnificent digital recreations of some of histories most iconic characters, from Anne Boleyn to Julius Caesar, Joan of Arc to Edward IV, Becca's work is a stunning example of using technology to bring to life faces from our past!

It's the most magical time of the year for millions around the world, but how did the Tudors spend Christmas? What food did they eat? How did they exchange gifts? Well to answer these questions plus much more, I am thrilled to welcome Dr James Taffe, historian and author of his brand new book "Christmas with the Tudors". 

He is one of the most controversial and often villainised figures from Tudor England, but irrelevant of what people may think, Thomas Cromwell was a staggeringly effective statesman's who totally transformed the landscape of English politics and governance. He oversaw the downfall of Queen Anne Boleyn and the dissolution of the monasteries, only to suffer his own fall from grace in 1540, but who was the real man, and why was he one of the very few people who King Henry VIII freely admitted regret at destroying?

She was the sole daughter of a royal countess, Margaret Pole, and thus a great-niece of two of England's kings, Edward IV and Richard III, and yet Ursula Pole, Baroness Stafford's life is seldom explored at length. She would manage to avoid involvement in the scandal that tore her family apart, living twelve years into the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, but who was she, this long forgotten daughter of the house of Plantagenet?

He is the man to whom all historians and fans of Tudor England owe an enormous debt. Without the work of Hans Holbein, we wouldn't know what practically all the key players of King Henry VIII's court looked like. As a fabulous new exhibition is launched at the Queens Gallery, Buckingham Palace, featuring many of Holbeins original sketches, portraits and creations, there is no more apposite time than to look back at the life of this most iconic Tudor artist, the man who gave us a front row seat to the court of King Henry VIII.

She was the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. Plucked from relative obscurity, Katheryn Howard would reign for just eighteen months before a scandalous affair engulfed the court and ended with the teenage queen becoming the second of Henry VIII's queens to lose her head on the executioners scaffold, but is Katheryn really the airhead history has led us to believe, or was she a victim, brought down by power politics and salacious gossip?

She was the daughter of a king, the sister of a king and the wife of a king. Princess Mary Tudor, Queen of France and later Duchess of Suffolk was the younger, famously stunning, sister of King Henry VIII. Her scandalous marriage to the king's best friend almost spelt disaster, but she overcame it and twenty years after her death, her granddaughter became the shortest reigning sovereign in English history. In this weeks episode I explore the life of this elusive Tudor princess!

He was the brother of Henry VIII, the boy born to be king, and yet how much do we actually know about this oft forgotten Tudor prince? In this weeks episode I am thrilled to welcome my first guest, Gareth Streeter to discuss his book "Arthur, Prince of Wales: Henry VIII's Lost Brother". Expert some serious conversation intermingled with a more light-hearted discussion about the virtues of Max Iron.......... 

She was one of England's highest members of the nobility. The niece of two king's of England, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth of York, Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury was one of only two peeresses in her own right. She was the royal governess to Princess Mary, she was the wealthiest woman in England, with sons who were popular and beloved members of Henry VIII's inner court, and yet, in the end, all of this went against her, for Margaret could not escape the blood that ran in her veins, which eventually put her, and her family, on an explosive collision course with the most volatile man to ever sit on the throne of England.

Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. The six wives of Henry VIII are amongst the most famous women in English history, but a question we seldom ask is who was the true love of King Henry VIII's life? Was it the pious and loyal Catherine of Aragon, the tempestuous and exciting Anne Boleyn, or the dutiful but dull Jane Seymour? In this episode, historian and author Adam Pennington attempts to answer this question.

Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford served the first five queens of King Henry VIII and counted Anne Boleyn as her sister-in-law. Unfortunately, she has been perpetually vilified as the chief source of her husband and sister-in-laws demise, and yet what is the evidence to support this theory? And how did Jane become so embroiled in the scandal of Katheryn Howard's love affairs that she also lost her head to the axeman in 1542? 

Game of Thrones aired between 2011 and 2019, becoming the biggest and most successful television series of all time. What is not so well known however, is that many of the most iconic characters, storylines and locations from Game of Thrones took direct inspiration from real history. In this weeks episode of The Tudor Chest - The Podcast, I explore these inspirations, examining the Game of Thrones characters inspired by Henry VIII, Margaret of Anjou, Richard III and Anne Boleyn, plus many more! Listen in, to discover the history behind the hit!

Known to history as the "nine days queen", Lady Jane Grey is one of the most tragic figures from British history. Executed at the age of just sixteen on the orders of her cousin, Queen Mary I, just had briefly ruled as queen herself, but how did this come to be, and why was a distant cousin of King Edward VI given the throne in place of the Tudor Princesses, Mary and Elizabeth?

In this weeks episode of The Tudor Chest - The Podcast, Historian and Author Adam Pennington steps away from the 16th century, and into the modern day machinations of the royal family to explore what it means to be a working royal, how and why titles work within the royal family, and why, he believes, that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are the most misunderstood members of the entire royal family..

In episode four of The Tudor Chest - The Podcast, Historian and Author Adam Pennington examines the many depictions of Anne Boleyn seen on screen, and reviews their accuracy and overall quality, as well as sharing his own personal takes, highs and lows. He also examines why Anne Boleyn remains such a fascinating figure for historical drama.

In episode 2 of The Tudor Chest - The Podcast, Historian and Author Adam Pennington examines the cultural depictions of Queen Mary I seen on screen in film and television, and attempts to break down why Mary is so perpetually viewed as a villain.