A Day at Court

Our adventure to the Hampton Court Palace started off much quicker than we had anticipated. We arrived at the Waterloo train station, purchased our tickets and then quickly asked which platform was ours. The rail station assistant looked at our tickets and then at his watch and said "platform 2 leaves in two minutes, you're going to miss it". These trains wait for no one and leave on the dot. The three of us broke into a dead sprint to the opposite end of the station headed for platform 2. The second we approached the doors the train started to whistle, we jumped in, the doors closed and we were off! After we caught our breath and stopped laughing, we found our seats and ventured out of the city and into Hampton Court.

The Hampton Court Palace was home to the legendary King Henry VIII. Besides his six marriages, he is known for his role in the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church. A Palace known for famous scandals, fascinating royalty and preserved history... we had to see it for ourselves!  

King Henry VIII's numerous attempts of producing a male heir 

Anne Boleyn- ended the marriage between the King and  the well loved Queen Catherine 

Enjoyably lost in the famous Maze 

The Palace is absolutely GIGANTIC! There is so much to look at, read about and admire. The outdoor gardens were equally as stunning as the detailed interiors. We were lucky enough to have clear weather to walk around and enjoy the beautiful gardens, 60 acres to be exact! As we passed through King Henry's royal kitchens, we stopped for our first 'afternoon tea' it was simply scrumptious! We then tested our sense of memory and direction in the magnificent Maze which originated in the late 17th century. 

The Hampton Court Palace housed a number of celebrated royal families along with centuries of history and memorable events of England. Spending a 'day at court' was a lovely learning experience for all!