The Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace is the historic chapel of Hampton Court Palace, located in East Molesey, Surrey, England. It forms part of the complex of royal chapels known collectively as the Chapels Royal, which serve the spiritual needs of the sovereign and the royal household. The chapel has been in continuous use for over 480 years and is noted for its rich blue and gold Tudor roof and association with Henry VIII and subsequent monarchs.[1]
The chapel was established by order of Henry VIII around 1528 as part of his expansion of Hampton Court Palace. It replaced an earlier chapel associated with Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the palace's original owner.[2]
Following the break with Rome, the chapel became a royal place of worship for the newly formed Church of England. It played a key role in the Tudor court: in 1540, it was here that Henry VIII received news of the execution of Thomas Cromwell. Later, in 1540, it was in the Chapel Royal that Archbishop Thomas Cranmer handed Henry VIII a letter outlining the accusations of adultery against the King’s new wife, Catherine Howard, Henry's fifth wife, whose downfall followed soon afterwards.[1]
Stuart kings
During the reigns of the Stuart monarchs, the chapel continued in royal use and underwent refurbishment, notably under Christopher Wren, who was commissioned in 1710 by Queen Anne to restore and modernise the interior, while preserving its Tudor hammerbeam roof.[3][1]
Architecture
The chapel’s most famous feature is its magnificent blue and gold Tudor ceiling, completed in 1535 and considered one of the finest examples of its type. The hammerbeam structure, richly decorated with gilded pendants and royal emblems, symbolises both religious devotion and royal authority.[1]
The interior also contains a Renaissance-style screen and 18th-century woodwork added during the reign of William and Mary. The east end features stained glass and memorials to former chaplains and courtiers.[4]
Chapel Royal today
The Chapel Royal remains an active place of Anglican worship and holds regular services, including choral evensong sung by the Choir of the Chapel Royal, which continues a musical tradition dating back to Tudor times. It is under the jurisdiction of the Dean of the Chapels Royal and part of the Royal Household.[5]
Visitors to Hampton Court Palace can view the chapel as part of the public tour, though it remains a consecrated space used for regular services, concerts, and special royal events.[1] An accurate replica of the original crown worn by King Henry VIII is on display in the Royal Pew of the Chapel Royal, where Henry himself would have sat wearing it.[1]
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