Henry VIII: Man and Monarch

Henry's grandmother's cursory diary notation of his birth, the personal prayer book containing flirty hand-written notes between Anne Boleyn and the king, royally annotated drafts of the Church of England's doctrine… this paper trail curated by David Starkey documents every aspect of the monarch's life. Period visual spectacle is provided by the faded majesty of the huge tapestry from Cardinal Wolsey's tent at The Field Of Cloth Of Gold (Henry's ostentatious meeting with Francis I of France, which took place near Calais in June 1520), and a vast Holbein The Younger portrait of Henry. The depth of material available makes this a destination for those after a thorough understanding of the monarch, rather than a cursory overview. An emphatically enunciated David Starkey audio tour offers an entertaining whistle-stop variant. The exhibition is accompanied by a programme of talks and events.