Explore the majestic wonder of Royal Hampton Court Palace

By Nikita Solanki

With its fascinating history, beautiful gardens and majestic fountains, the wonderful Royal Hampton Court Palace is a must-go attraction for all visitors to London.

It is easy to get to it by train, bus or car. Ample parking space is available at a nominal charge. I spent almost five hours exploring the palace and gardens. Although one can easily spend a whole day there.

The staff are wonderful – they provide you with an audio tour, maps and are incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the place.

The audio tour tapes that we received with our tickets gave detailed information on every chamber, staircase, kitchens, bedrooms, dining room, of the Kings, Queens and the courtiers.

I managed to see everything in the Palace and came across some actors dressed as the King and Queen. They were 'in character' even whilst wandering around the place and were very quick with humorous retorts.

It is great place for picnickers, but there are relatively good food choices once you get there.

A couple of reasonable eating places are available for refreshments, which include three cafes to pick from. Picnickers are welcome to enjoy their meals in the formal gardens. A good number of seats are available within the grounds and the palace. Horse carriage rides on the grounds are an attraction for the visitors.

What I was really looking forward to was to experience The Hampton Court Palace Maze. This is the UK's oldest surviving trapezoidal hedge maze, planted in the late 17th century, as a part of the gardens of William III and Mary II.

This 300-year-old maze covers a third of an acre and is known for confusing and intriguing visitors with its many twists, turns and dead ends. On average, it takes 20 minutes to reach the centre. Entry to the Maze is included in a normal admission ticket to Hampton Court Palace. The maze was originally part of the ‘Wilderness’- which is a term given to gardens of high hedges where courtiers could wander and enjoyably lost. It was the first puzzle maze in the UK. Before this, mazes were single paths. It was opened to the public by Queen Victoria in 1838.

One can witness one of the oldest Royal Tennis Courts which were used by the king. It has information on how the game was first started and how it evolved. The court is now open for private members and has a viewing gallery for visitors to watch the game.

The Great Vine stored in a glass house of the garden is now 250 years old and is the largest grape vine in the world. It was planted in 1768. Queen Victoria had grapes from the Great Vine sent to the Royal Household at Windsor or to Osbourne House on the Isle of Wight. It has been certified as the largest Vine in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records. It is now four metres (13') around the base and the longest rod is 36.5 metres (120')

I was lucky witness the famous Lindt Gold Bunny hunt, sponsored by Lindt that has returned to the palace this year which was fun for children. The gold bunnies were Hidden all around the palace that the children would have to find in order to compete the hunt. As families embark on their bunny hunt, they can learn about a whole host of former Hampton Court Residents and its history.

I was lucky to have an incredible weather and it was not too crowded.

History

Hampton Court Palace located at East Molesey in Surrey, also called as the Tudor palace (relating to the English royal dynasty which held the throne from the accession of Henry VII in 1485 until the death of Elizabeth I in 1603.) was first opened to the public by Queen Victoria in 1838, and immediately became a popular tourist destination.

The celebrated architect Sir Christopher Wren built this baroque palace for them which consisted of two halves, for King William III and his wife Mary II, creating a suite of spectacular King’s and Queen’s State Apartments set around an elegant Fountain Court.

However, following George III’s accession to the throne in 1760, Hampton Court stopped to serve as the home of the reigning monarch. The palace was then divided into a series of ‘grace-and-favour’ apartments – granted by the monarch to those who had rendered service to their country - with apartments being awarded until the late 1960s. Hampton Court Palace was first opened to the public by Queen Victoria in 1838, and immediately became a popular tourist destination.

Almost two centuries later, the palace remains a place of fascination and intrigue for visitors from all over the world.

Located in the Greater London borough of Richmond upon Thames, It overlooks the banks of the River Thames.

In the 1520s the palace was given by Thomas Cardinal Wolsey to Henry VIII (reigned 1509–47), who enlarged it as his favourite residence.

Trees, shrubs and fountains were added throughout its Riverside Gardens that have been immaculately restored and cover 60 acres of land.

The famous gardens were designed in Dutch style for William III (reigned 1689–1702); the architect Christopher Wren added a wing for William and his wife, Queen Mary II. The palace became known for the pageants and banquets held there for Elizabeth I and subsequent rulers. George II (ruled 1727–60) was the last reigning monarch to occupy Hampton Court, and in 1851 Queen Victoria conferred the palace on the British government. The state rooms are open to the public, and the palace and its gardens, with Bushy Park adjoining, are one of London’s major tourist attractions.

Almost two centuries later, the palace remains a place of fascination and intrigue for visitors from all over the world. One of the newest attractions for families is the Tudor-inspired Magic Garden, which was opened in 2016 by the Duchess of Cambridge. Along with its art collection, Hampton Court Palace is also home to the largest grape vine in the world, the Royal Tennis Court - which dates back to the reign of King Charles I - and the UK’s oldest surviving hedge maze.

The Hampton court is open to public for membership. A huge number of events like music festivals, flower shows, and many more are held all year round

It was over all a knowledgeable and enjoyable experience. A perfect place for children to learn the history in an enjoyable manner while their parents enjoy the beautiful palace and gardens.

Entry is free for members, £21.30 for adults and £10.70 for a child.

Some Fast facts

-In just ten years Henry VIII spent more than £62,000 rebuilding and extending Hampton Court Palace. This vast sum would be worth approximately £18 million today.

-Henry VIII’s Kitchens at Hampton Court Palace were the largest in Tudor England and were designed to cater for around 400 people twice daily.

-The palace’s maze is perhaps the most famous maze in the world, with around 350,000 people getting lost in it every year!

-The gardens of Hampton Court Palace comprise 60 acres of formal gardens and 750 acres of royal parkland, tended by a team of over 40 gardeners.

-The palace is also home to the Great Vine, which is the largest vine in the world and was planted by ‘Capability’ Brown. In 2018 it celebrated its 250th anniversary, and grapes are still harvested and sold in the palace shops during the first few weeks of September each year.