Secrets of Henry VIII's Palace (2013)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secrets of Henry VIII’s Palace is a documentary film which premiered on US television (PBS) in 2013. 

 

This film is about one of King Henry's many palaces: Hampton Court Palace which is located by the River Thames only ten miles (16 km) from London.

 

Here is some basic information about this film:

 

** Director: Sam Taplin

** Narrator: Samuel West

** Produced for PBS by Pioneer Productions

** Available on DVD (2013)

** Language: English

** Subtitles: English (turn on – turn off)

** Run time: 54 minutes

 

THE CAST

Several persons are interviewed in the film. Here are the names of the participants (listed in alphabetical order):

 

** Dr Tracy Borman - historian

** Sioban Clarke – costumed tour guide and lecturer

** Linda Collins – art historian

** Dr Jonathan Foyle – historian of architecture

** Marc Griffin – historical consultant

** Annabel King – state apartment warder

** Roman Krznaric – cultural historian

** Dr Suzannah Lipscomb - historian

** Marc Meltonville – food historian

** Dave Packer – state apartment warder

** Laura Purcell - author

** Dr Lucy Worsley – chief curator, Historic Royal Palaces

 

Archive footage is used between the talking heads. Archive footage is used to support and supplement the statements made by the talking heads. Archive footage is used when the narrator is talking.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The film is divided into ten chapters.

 

Here are the headlines:

 

# 01. A unique royal residence

# 02. The birth of the palace

# 03. The indulgences of a young king

# 04. Henry VIII searches for satisfaction

# 05. Anne Boleyn – a new dawn for the palace

# 06. Henry VIII – the bloody tyrant

# 07. The one good wife

# 08. No longer the ladies’ man

# 09. Life after Henry VIII – William and Mary’s Grand Baroque (1689-1702)

# 10. The drama of the Georgians – the palace’s last royals (1714-1837)

 

THE ROYAL PALACE AND THE PEOPLE:

THE KINGS AND THE QUEENS WHO LIVED THERE

The first version of the palace was built by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Construction began in 1514. The first version was completed in 1521. Wolsey lived there and often invited the young King Henry to visit him. Henry loved the place and often stayed there for several days.

 

Henry was born in 1491. As King Henry VIII of England he ruled for almost four decades (1509-1547).

 

Thomas Wolsey was born in 1473. He was chancellor for King Henry VIII from 1515. For many years, things were going well for Wolsey. He was Cardinal and Chancellor. He was rich and powerful. He was a friend of the king.

 

As Cardinal and Chancellor, Wolsey made sure the king got what he wanted. As long as he could do this, everything was fine. But there was one thing he could not do for Henry.

 

Wolsey could not get the Pope to annul Henry’s marriage to his first wife Catherine of Aragon. And this was fatal. It was very dangerous to disappoint the king. It could get you killed.

 

In 1529, Wolsey was fired from his post as chancellor. Soon after this, he was arrested and he was told that he was accused of high treason. However, he fell ill and died in 1530 before he could be found guilty and be executed.

 

Hampton Court became one of Henry’s numerous palaces. How did this happen?

 

** Some sources say that Wolsey donated the palace to the king in 1529 when he realized that he was falling out of favour. It was a desperate attempt to prevent his downfall. Wolsey hoped it might please the king and save him. It did not.

 

** Other sources say that Wolsey was stripped of his titles and his assets in 1529. Wolsey did not give the palace to the king. The king took it from Wolsey. This is why the palace was transferred from Wolsey to Henry.

 

Whether the first or the second explanation is true, the result was the same. From 1529, Hampton Court was one of Henry’s numerous palaces. He liked this palace. He spent much time in this palace and the surrounding area.

 

As the new owner of Hampton Court, Henry made many additions to the palace. He changed the way it looked from the outside. He changed the inside as well. He made something new every time he had a new wife. Which happened quite often!

 

This film covers the history of the palace as well as the history of the kings and queens who lived there. Some royal families liked it and stayed there, while other royal families preferred another location.

 

** William and Mary stayed there 1689-1702

** The Georgians stayed there 1714-1837

 

In 1838, the palace was opened to the public. Since then, it has been a museum with public access to many parts of the palace and the surrounding park.

 

REVIEWS AND RATINGS

What do reviewers say about this film?

 

On IMDb it has a rating of 74 percent which corresponds to 3.7 stars on Amazon.

 

On Amazon there are at the moment 78 global ratings and 40 global reviews. The average rating is 4.6 stars which corresponds to a rating of 92 percent.

 

CONCLUSION

As you can see, the ratings are quite good. I understand the numerous positive reviews. 

 

If you ask me, the former rating (IMDb) is too low, while the latter rating (Amazon) is much more appropriate.

 

Why do I say this? Here is my answer:

 

(1) This film covers the history of the palace as well as the history of the people who lived there. We get to see the place, inside and outside. We get to see what each king did to the place. We get to see different traces of different people.

 

(2) We hear about the architecture, the furniture and the paintings on the walls. We hear about the costumes which the kings and queens used to wear. It is well done.

 

(3) The talking heads are well-chosen. They know what they are talking about and they present their knowledge is a way which is easy to understand.

 

(4) The combination of the talking heads and the narrator makes a good variation. The film has a good flow.

 

I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).

 

PS # 1. The title of the film is awkward. Why use the genitive? And why talk about secrets? A better title would be Henry VIII and Hampton Court Palace.

 

PS # 2. This film is an episode in a series whose title is Secrets of the Manor House. There are five episodes:

** Secrets of the Manor House 

22 January 2012 - IMDb 73

** Secrets of Highclere Castle

06 January 2013 - IMDb 75

** Secrets of Henry VIII's Palace

30 June 2013 - IMDb 72

** Secrets of Althorp: The Spencers

06 July 2013 - IMDb 73

** Secrets of Chatsworth

14 July 2013 - IMDb 76

 

PS # 3. Henry VIII and the King's Men is a documentary series in three parts which premiered in 2020. 

 

This series presented by Tracy Borman is based on her book Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him.

 

PS # 4. I visited Hampton Court Palace a few years ago (2004). I still have good memories of this visit. It was an interesting and pleasant experience.

 

Having watched this film about the palace, I have to say that the film-makers did a good job. I see and hear some things I already knew. But I also see and hear some things I did not know before. It is always good to learn something new!

 

REFERENCES

 

** A Journey through Tudor England: Hampton Court Palace and the Tower of London to Stratford-upon-Avon and Thornbury Castle by Suzannah Lipscomb (2013) (2014)

 

** The Story of Hampton Court Palace by Lucy Worsley and David Souden (2015)

 

** Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him: The Secret History Behind the Tudor Throne by Tracy Borman (2019)

 

*****

 

 

Henry (1491-1547)

King Henry VIII of England 1509-1547

 

*****

 

Thomas Wolsey (1473-1530)

Chancellor 1515-1529

Cardinal 1515-1530

 

*****