AsHamptonCourtPalacecelebratesits500thanniversaryin2015,BBCTwobringsakeyeventfromtheiconicbuilding’shistoryvividlytolife-thechristeningofHenry’ssonandheirPrinceEdward,thefutureEdwardVI. WithsofewsurvivingbuildingsleftassociatedwitheventsfromthisperiodofBritishhistoryandthereignofHenryVIII,LucyWorsleyandDavidStarkeyofferaudiencesanunprecedentedinsightintoHenryVIII’sworld.Focusingontheeventsof15October1537,ANightAtHamptonCourtPalacewillrecreatetheoccasionthatwasaculminationofnearlythreedecadesofHenry’srule-thebirthofamaleheir.AsLucyandDavideavesdropacrosstime,theyrevealhowHenry’shouseholdcametogethertocreateaneventthatwouldhavebeenperceivedasalmostmagicalbythosewhowitnessedit. Theywillrecreatethe90-persongrandprocessionthatwouldhavetransportedbabyEdwardtohistorch-litchristeningservice.ThiswasthebestrecordedoccasionstagedatHamptonCourtduringHenry'sVIII'sreign,andthedetailedrecordsallowLucyandDavidtoshowhowthisgreatcelebrationusedeverypartofthepalace,fromtheroyalapartmentstothekitchenstotheChapelRoyal. Offeringauniqueopportunitytorevealhowthemanyelementsofcourtlifewouldhavebeenbroughttogether,fromarttoarchitecture,religionandmusic,ANightAtHamptonCourtPalacewillcaptureapageantthatwasdeeplypoliticalbutalsocarefullystage-managedpieceofperformanceart.
