Hop on the train from London's Waterloo station and travel to Hampton Court Palace. After a short 32-minute ride to Hampton Court station, use your ticket for entrance to a place that is actually 2 palaces. It is a magnificent Tudor palace, developed by Cardinal Wolsey and later Henry VIII, standing next to a Baroque palace that was built by William III and Mary II.  By the time of his death in 1547 Henry VIII had over 60 houses, but in the latter part of his reign none were more important to him than Hampton Court Palace. Visit the king’s apartments as one of his courtiers, wearing a Tudor cloak and sneaking down to the vast kitchens where banquets were prepared for as many as 1,000 guests. The splendid apartments of William and Mary in the Baroque Palace date from the late 17th century when they ruled jointly. From the apartments there are spectacular views of the gardens. You can explore the 60 acres of beautiful palace gardens that run down to the River Thames. You’ll see sparkling fountains and glorious seasonal displays of hundreds of thousands of flowering bulbs. From 19 May to 5 September 2021, explore an exhibition commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Field of Cloth of Gold. The exhibition, Gold and Glory: Henry VIII and the French King, will reveal the characters and stories behind the festivities. See surviving objects and paintings including a never-seen-before 16th century tapestry representing people of color at the European royal courts, providing a window into the largely unknown world of black Tudors.