REVIEW BY DANIEL JACKSON
Hampton Court Palace, nestled within a bend of the Thames 13 miles from the centre of London, has a fascinating history, during which it grew from a medieval agricultural estate to one of the greatest palaces in the world.
Hampton Court was a favoured royal palace for many of the most famous of England’s monarchs, from Henry VIII (r. 1509- 1547) to George II (r. 1727-1760), and it has some tales to tell. Gareth Russell’s book is like sitting down for lunch with one of the most famous buildings in the country and hearing all its best stories. The palace itself is not the star here – there is little time spent on the architectural or archaeological riches of the site – instead, the book focuses on the people who were inhabiting the palace, and what they got up to within its walls.
The stories are a pleasant mix of high stakes, world-changing historical events and juicy court gossip. On occasion the author takes time to dive deeper into specific events or characters, but this only adds to the ‘lunch with a friend’ feeling of the writing.
