When it comes to Hampton Court Palace, I was not expecting much. I had heard of Westminster Abbey before and while that was neat, it was not at all what I thought it was. I had never even heard of Hampton Court Palace, so I had no idea what to expect. Little did I know, I would be stepping into the world of Bridgerton with fancy old rooms and a gorgeous courtyard that I imagine Beatrice and Benedick overheard their conversations of love in.
Upon arrival, I was immediately blown away by the little field of flowers spanning all of the bright colors of the rainbow. The building itself looked like an old castle with all kinds of different chimneys and varying architecture. Inside, there were rooms filled with historically accurate replicas of food and drinks as well as restored artifacts like Queen Anne Boleyn’s bed and King Henry VIII’s crown. I wanted to take the crown home, but unfortunately it wouldn’t fit in my checked bag.
The coolest part of the whole palace was its yard. Behind the house there is a massive courtyard with a lot of neatly trimmed trees and a large garden vineyard. There is also a massive pond that resembles a slightly smaller version of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington D.C. They must have been constructed by the same architect. As we wandered through the yard, we noticed a whole gated off field even further behind the palace containing a huge herd of deer with various color patterns. It felt like I had been transported back in time when tophats were in fashion and rich people had velvet drapes over their beds.
I did not expect to love Hampton Court Palace as much as I did, but it was definitely a welcome surprise. I feel like there is a chance that one day I too will be dressed in period accurate clothing and in character as I pretend to be Anne Boleyn, just like the actors at Hampton Court Palace. I just hope I will make enough shillings to purchase McNuggets!
Cheers!
P.S. We also had some fantastic charcuterie at a place across the street!
Theatre in London U of A 