Royal residences: secrets and scandals

Royal residences have been a hotbed of drama, violence and intrigue down the centuries. In our new Academy video series Royal Residences: Secrets and Scandals, historian Kate Williams delves deep into the histories of nine British royal residences.

Explore the childhood home of Anne Boleyn – Hever Castle. Was it here that Anne made a decision about Henry VIII that would set her on a path to tragedy?

Discover the dark history of Holyrood Palace – where James VI’s fear of the occult had fatal consequences – and journey to St James’s Palace, where a deadly mystery involving a royal duke shook the nation in 1810.

Trace the curious history Whitehall Palace, which started life as Henry VIII’s ‘party palace’ and later became the site of a bizarre quest for immortality involving corpse medicine and a secret laboratory.

Learn more about the origins of Henry VIII’s vast leisure complex, Hampton Court Palace – and venture into Conwy and Caernarfon Castle, two imposing medieval fortresses built by Edward I.

Finally, explore two of the most famous homes of the modern royal family: Windsor Castle – where princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were evacuated to during the Second World War – and Buckingham Palace, which has served as the official London residence of the UK’s sovereigns since 1837.

Part one of the series launches 17 March, with the following episodes releasing on 24 March.

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