Royal history

Writing a museum label with 'Gendering the Museum'

Elizabeth Oliver — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:16:35 +0000

Writing a museum label with 'Gendering the Museum' Elizabeth Oliver Wed, 11/05/2025 - 15:16

How long do you spend reading the label for a portrait in a museum? Five seconds? Ten? Maybe 30, if you’re really interested?

Those of us who write museum labels don’t have long to catch your eye and tell you something interesting about the object you’re looking at.

But behind the 60-100 words in a label, there are usually pages of research and hours of conversation.

Here, I want to give you a glimpse of what went into the new label for the portrait of King James VI and I (so called because he was James the sixth of Scotland and the first of England) which hangs in the Queen’s House in a new location, opposite his 'favourite' George Villiers.

Portraits of King James VI and I and George Villiers located opposite each other in the Queen's House

James I by John de Critz (BHC2796)

Gendering the Museum

In the summer of 2025, I was asked to propose new wording for a label of this portrait of James. I was asked because I’d co-written a toolkit called 'Gendering the Museum' – a guide to finding hidden stories of gender and sexuality behind museum objects – with James Daybell, Professor of History at the University of Plymouth.

James is an expert in early modern letters, while my own background is in the early modern history of sexuality and gender – a combination that was especially relevant to this portrait.

The first step in writing the label was to decide on the key things we wanted to include. Of course, we wanted to mention what the portrait actually shows (especially James’s fabulous outfit!) and why it’s in the Queen’s House in the first place.

But as we argue in our ‘Gendering the Museum’ toolkit, looking beyond a museum object itself – thinking about the encounters and power relations that shaped it – can enable us to tell new stories about familiar artefacts.

Looking beyond that fabulous outfit

This meant looking beyond that fabulous outfit to see the colonial enterprises which shaped it, and which were one of the most significant innovations of James’s reign. And it meant acknowledging that, while James gifted the Queen’s House to his queen, Anne of Denmark, she wasn’t the only person he called ‘wife’. He also gave that name to his favourite, George Villiers.

Thinking about objects in this way is important for both historical and ethical reasons.

Often, investigating an object’s history like this can bring us new knowledge about an object’s connections to marginalised people – who are less likely to have owned the objects that survive in museum collections, but more likely to have had a hand in making them, or creating the wealth that funded them.

Historically, this enriches a museum’s understanding of an object. Just as importantly, it enables more visitors to feel seen and represented in a museum – something especially important for groups like LGBTQ+ people whose history is often denied or erased, and for groups like Black and Brown people who are often told they aren't part of Britain's history.

George Villiers (1592-1628), 1st Duke of Buckingham Studio of Daniel Mytens the Elder (BHC2583)

Facts, research and evidence

Once we’d decided on the facts we wanted the label to cover, I was tasked with doing the research: developing an evidence base for the things we wanted to say.

Most of the facts were well-established, but exactly what we could say about James’s romantic and sexual relationships was much more contested. Many historians have pointed out that we can’t know for certain whether James and Villiers were in a romantic or sexual relationship – but the same is true of pretty much everyone in the past.

Sex doesn’t leave material or archival traces – sure, the fact that people in the past had children are evidence that sex happened, but without a lot of DNA tests, we can’t be certain who their birthing parents had sex with. And in the early modern period, even private letters are very rarely sexually explicit: there was too much risk of them being opened by a letter-carrier or a nosey member of the household.

But historians still tend to be perfectly happy assuming that opposite-sex couples were having sex. So why should we hold same-sex couples to a different standard of evidence – especially when some kinds of evidence (like marriage) are impossible for them to achieve?

In all my work, I believe in the importance of describing historical figures on their own terms – just as many LGBTQ+ people fight for the right to self-identification today – so I was keen to avoid using words for James that he didn’t use himself.

Luckily, many of the letters between him and Villiers survive, as do contemporary observers’ comments on their relationship. By relying on these documents, I was able to construct a label that clearly conveys James and Villiers’ physical and emotional closeness, while also paying them the respect of describing them in their own words.

The final version

My proposed label was only the beginning: the text went through many different iterations, and back and forth between many different museum staff, before we had a final version. But I’m so pleased that in the end, we developed a label that both illuminates James’s portrait and encourages visitors to look beyond it.

James I
by John de Critz, about 1610
oil on canvas (originally oil on board)
BHC2796
In this portrait, James I is shown wearing luxurious clothes covered in pearls and jewels that reflect Britain’s wealth, which expanded during his reign with the start of settler colonialism.
He gave the site for the Queen’s House to his wife Anne in 1616. James called two people ‘wife’: his queen, Anne of Denmark, and his ‘favourite’, George Villiers. He had seven children with Anne, and sometimes shared a bed with Villiers, attracting attention with his kisses, embraces and love for the man he missed like a ‘widow’ when they were apart.
Written by Dr Kit Heyam of Gendering the Museum

Look through the portrait, down to the Thames, and out to sea with the first boatloads of British colonial settlers. Or look out from the portrait, opposite, to meet the eyes of George Villiers.

History of the Queen's House

James Gill — Thu, 08 May 2025 15:07:42 +0000

History of the Queen's House James Gill Thu, 05/08/2025 - 15:07

The Queen’s House is the jewel in the crown of Greenwich's UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This bright white villa was at the cutting edge of architecture and design when it was completed in the 1630s.

During the 17th century, the Queen's House was a royal 'House of Delights': a luxurious retreat for Kings and Queens, a place of pleasure for court favourites, and a thriving studio for artists and craftsmen.

Since then, the Queen's House has shaped the Greenwich you see today. When architect Sir Christopher Wren began work on what is now the Old Royal Naval College, Queen Mary II had one instruction: the new building should not block the views of the River Thames from the Queen's House. Thanks to her intervention, the House now sits at the centre of one of London's most inspiring vistas.

Today, the Queen's House still captures that early spirit of art and creativity. Historic paintings and interiors blend gracefully with contemporary art and sculpture, while music, theatre and discussion fill the Great Hall during our regular programme of live events.

Oh, and it even has its own ghost – if legend is to be believed...

Who lived in the Queen's House, and who designed the beautiful Tulip Stairs? How did the House change over time, and what secrets do its galleries still contain?

Book your free visit now to experience the Queen's House for yourself, or read the guide below to discover the story of Greenwich's royal survivor.

Skip to

Which queen was the Queen's House built for?
Who lived at the Queen's House?
A home for art and science
The centre of maritime Greenwich
In pictures: the Queen's House and Greenwich through the ages
Ghosts of the Queen's House
A free gallery for all: the Queen's House today

History in brief

Palace, studio, school, art gallery: the Queen's House has played many parts during its long life. Tap the arrows to explore the Queen's House timeline.

Tap to begin

1400s: Greenwich's early royal connections

1426–33: Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester builds a large riverside house called 'Bella Court' in Greenwich. He encloses the area surrounding the mansion, turning it into the first royal park in London

1447–52: Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI, redevelops the mansion, which comes to be known as the Palace of Placentia

1491: Henry VIII is born at Placentia

1498–1504: Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth of York replace Placentia with a new palace: Greenwich Palace. Its location next to the royal shipyards at Deptford and Woolwich helped make it a favourite residence of the Tudors. Henry VIII further expands the palace, and it serves as his principal London residence for the first two decades of his reign

1500s: Greenwich Palace and the Tudors

1516: Mary I born at Greenwich Palace

1533: Elizabeth I born at Greenwich Palace

1536: Anne Boleyn is arrested for treason while at Greenwich on the orders of Henry VIII, before being taken up-river to the Tower of London

1553: Edward VI, the son of Henry VIII, dies at Greenwich

1587: Elizabeth I signs execution warrant for Mary, Queen of Scots at Greenwich

1600s: Queen's House takes centre stage

1613: James I gives the manor of Greenwich to his wife, Anne of Denmark

1616: Anne of Denmark commissions Inigo Jones to design and build the Queen’s House; work begins in 1617

1618: Work stops with the House partially built; Anne dies in 1619

1632: Work recommences on the Queen’s House under Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of Charles I

1635: Queen’s House exterior structure is completed, with the interior finished by about 1638. Henrietta Maria however finds herself in exile in France from 1644 following the outbreak of the Civil War

1649: Charles I is executed. The Queen’s House, along with the Palace of Greenwich and its contents, are seized by the Commonwealth

1661–62: Charles II, restored to the throne in 1660, adds the East and West Bridge Rooms to the Queen’s House. This provides separate 'King's Side' and 'Queen's Side' apartments, and gives the House the fully connected square plan seen today

1673–74: Willem van de Velde the Elder and his son Van de Velde the Younger are given a studio in the Queen’s House by Charles II

1700s: Kings, Queens and Rangers

1714: The Elector of Hanover (the future George I), lands at Greenwich and spends his first night in England at the Queen’s House

1743–80: Lady Katharine Pelham, Ranger of Greenwich Park, takes up residence at the Queen's House. Her 37-year tenancy makes her the House's longest resident

1795: The Queen's House hosts Caroline of Brunswick’s official welcome to England, ahead of her disastrous marriage to George, Prince of Wales, later George IV

1800s: a mansion for mariners' children

1807–09: The Royal Naval Asylum, an orphanage school for the children of naval seamen, moves into the Queen’s House and new adjoining wings. This institution combines with Greenwich Hospital School from 1821, and is renamed Royal Hospital School in 1892. The School eventually moves to Suffolk in 1933

1900s-today: a gallery for all

1937: After major restoration, the Queen’s House opens to the public as part of the National Maritime Museum

1986–90: A second major restoration includes remodelling the ‘Horseshoe stairs’ entrance approach. A lift inserted in 1999 allows for disabled access

2016: Queen’s House celebrates the 400th anniversary of its design with a third refurbishment. Highlights include a decoration of the Great Hall ceiling by Turner Prize winner Richard Wright, and the arrival of the 'Armada Portrait' of Elizabeth I

Who was the Queen's House built for?

Anne of Denmark, the wife of King James I, is the original 'Queen' of the Queen's House.

A portrait of Anne of Denmark painted around 1605, on display at the Queen's House (BHC4251)

King James I granted the existing manor of Greenwich to his Queen in 1613. Supposedly the manor had been a gift from the King as an apology for losing his temper, after Anne had accidentally shot one of his favourite dogs while hunting.

The architect Inigo Jones was commissioned to design a new palace in 1616. Jones had made his name as a designer and producer of court 'masques', a kind of courtly entertainment featuring dance, music, poetry and drama. The original intention may have been for the House to be a venue for this lavish entertainment.

Inigo Jones's design for the House also served another purpose however.

The main public road from London to Dover cut right through this area of Greenwich, separating the royal hunting grounds of Greenwich Park from the Palace by the river. Jones designed the Queen's House so that it would bridge over the road, creating a grand portal between park and palace.

The colonnades that stretch out either side of the Queen's House mark what was originally the main road out of London through Greenwich

This means that visitors to the Queen's House today actually enter through what was originally the 'back' of the House. The sunny side facing Greenwich Park was originally the front, with the large balcony and high windows acting as an impressive vantage point for looking out on activities in the park.

Anne of Denmark never lived to see Inigo Jones’s design realised however. The Queen died of tuberculosis in March 1619 aged 44. The ground floor shell of the Queen's House was left half-built.

It was not until after 1629, when James’s son Charles I gave Greenwich to his wife Henrietta Maria, that work resumed. The Queen's House had another Queen.

How was the Queen's House used by the royal family?

Like Anne of Denmark, Queen Henrietta Maria was a leading patron of the arts, with interests including art, sculpture and design. It was she who instructed Inigo Jones to restart work on the Queen's House.

The building was completed around 1635, and is considered remarkable for its break with the traditional, red-brick Tudor style of building that had gone before.

A portrait of Henrietta Maria by Anthony van Dyck, painted around 1638 and on display at the Queen's House (BHC2761)

Henrietta Maria changed one key element of the Queen's House's original design, instructing Jones to create a new north terrace overlooking the palace gardens. This marked the start of the north side’s role as the primary façade of the building, as it is today.

The start of the Civil War in 1642 meant that Henrietta Maria had little time to enjoy the House she had helped to complete. In 1644 she escaped to France; her husband Charles I was executed in 1649.

A half-length portrait of Charles I. The sale catalogue for the painting in 1938 claimed that the pearl earring in left ear was the one he wore on the day of his execution in 1649 (BHC2607)

During the Commonwealth the Queen's House was reserved for Government use. Late in 1653, Oliver Cromwell briefly considered occupying the Queen’s House himself, but this never came to fruition.

The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 brought renewed attention to the Queen's House. Charles II renovated the building ahead of the return of his mother Henrietta Maria, who arrived at Greenwich in July 1662. She did not stay long however, choosing to move to Somerset House in September that year.

The Queen's House would never again be a permanent royal residence. Instead it was used for royal visits or overnight stays, normally as part of important journey by sea to and from Greenwich.

A home for art and science

By the end of the 17th century the Queen’s House had become a ‘grace-and-favour’ mansion, made available to court favourites and artisans.

This included Willem van de Velde the Elder and Younger, the Dutch father and son duo whose arrival in the winter of 1672/73 transformed marine painting in Britain. The pair were granted a studio on the ground floor of the Queen's House.

In 1675–76, the first Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed, lived in and observed from the House while the Royal Observatory was being built on the hill above. Other occupants include Sir John Chardin, a French Huguenot exile and jeweller to the English court.

The Queen's House: the heart of maritime Greenwich

The Queen's House today is perfectly framed by the twin domes of the Old Royal Naval College – but it wasn't always this way.

Originally Greenwich Palace would have blocked the view from the Queen's House to the river. During the Civil War however the old Tudor palace had fallen into disrepair; Charles II's plans for a grand new palace in its place were never fully realised.

In the 1690s the site was instead earmarked as the location for the Royal Hospital for Seamen, a charitable institution for Royal Navy veterans.

Queen Mary II instructed architect Sir Christopher Wren that the new building should not block the view from the Queen's House. Wren's solution, an arrangement of domes and colonnades either side of a central open court, placed the Queen's House right at the centre of the vista from the river.

The twin domes of the buildings now known as the Old Royal Naval College perfectly frame the Queen's House, with the Royal Observatory on the hill in the distance

From 1690 until 1806 the Queen's House was the official residence for the Ranger of Greenwich Park, an honorary position appointed by the monarch.

By 1807 however the role of the Queen's House had changed again, becoming the location for the Royal Naval Asylum, an orphanage for the children of naval seamen. The Asylum later combined with the Royal Hospital school for the sons of seamen, and by 1843 the first of three full-size training ships stood in front of the House.

Entrance to Royal Hospital School with the drill ship Fame and Queen's House behind (A1727)

In 1937 the Queen's House was opened to the public as part of the new National Maritime Museum.

Greenwich Park and the Queen's House: in pictures

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Circa 1620

This important image is significant both as an early landscape painting and as one of the earliest views of Greenwich and the old Greenwich Palace. The work pre-dates the building of the Queen's House.

Greenwich Palace can be seen in the distance, right centre, with the river beyond. The building by this time called Greenwich Castle (begun in the early 15th century as a watchtower and lodge by Duke Humphrey of Gloucester) is shown high on the left, on the site of the present Royal Observatory.

The twin towers (with a tree between) are those on the west side of Henry VIII's tiltyard of 1516-18 - an area now comprising the eastern grounds of the National Maritime Museum. To their right is the Friary Chapel with its slender central spire: the Great Tower holding the king's lodgings dominates the buildings on the river.

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Caird Collection

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Circa 1670

This view of Greenwich from the south-east was painted in about 1675. The old Woolwich Road is shown passing through the Queen's House, the large building furthest to the left in the middle foreground. In the middle distance to the right, next to the river, is the new 'King's House', the east range of what is now the King Charles Court of the old Royal Naval College, formerly Greenwich Hospital.

This had just reached the end of its incomplete first stage of construction as a palace for Charles II when Pepys visited Greenwich in 1669. Pepys wrote in his diary (20 March 1669) 'thence, to Greenwich by water, and there landed at the King's house, which goes on slow, but is very pretty. I to the park, there to see the prospect of the hill to judge of Dancre's picture which he hath made thereof for me; I do like it very well-and it is a very pretty place'.

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Caird Collection

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Circa 1695

A painting showing a panoramic view of Greenwich including the Queen’s House, the Royal Observatory and the Thames, all in an artificially opened-out perspective.

It shows the view from One Tree Hill in the early days of the Royal Observatory, before London spread out as far as Greenwich. The part of the Observatory depicted is the original Flamsteed House, designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke and completed in 1676. A number of people can be seen walking up to the Observatory with, to the left, the 'Giant Steps' constructed as part of Charles II's redesign of the Park in the 1660s.

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Caird Collection

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Circa 1730

A panoramic vista with Greenwich in the foreground and London in the distance on the right. The viewpoint is from One Tree Hill in Greenwich Park, with the Royal Observatory on the left. From the hill an avenue of trees leads down to the white façade of the Queen's House. The columns of its upper-floor loggia are just visible above the trees.

There are deer grazing in the park in the foreground on the right. To the right of the Queen's House are the buildings of the still incomplete Royal Hospital for Seamen (now the Old Royal Naval College).

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

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Circa 1804

The drawing predates the building of the Queen's House colonnades, begun in 1807 as part of the additions for the Royal Naval Asylum (later the Royal Hospital School).

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

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Circa 1830-40

A dramatic evening view in summer, looking north-west from One-Tree Hill in the Park towards distant London. A Greenwich Pensioner has his telescope set up to earn small change by showing visitors the view and another with a prosthetic leg sits on a bench to the left.

The vertical scale is somewhat exaggerated and there is dramatic contrast between the light over the encroaching, industrial city, the baroque buildings of the Hospital, and the dense green woodland of the Park, in which the Queen's House is almost buried in the centre.

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

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Circa 1879-1884

Historic photograph taken looking down on Queen's House from Greenwich Park.

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

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Circa 1940

Allotments in Greenwich Park during the Second World War.

The Ministry of Agriculture launched the 'Dig for Victory' campaign soon after the outbreak of war. People were encouraged to transform private gardens, parks and scrub land into mini-allotments. By 1943, over a million tons of vegetables were being grown in gardens and allotments like the ones shown here in Greenwich Park. The Queen's House, National Maritime Museum and Royal Naval College can be seen in the distance.

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

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Probably 1971

A view down toward the Queen's House from near the General Wolfe statue beside the Royal Observatory. It captures the lively use of the park by visitors and residents in the early 70s.

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Reproduced by kind permission of Mary M. West

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2007

View of Queen's House and the Isle of Dogs from Greenwich Park. The towers of Canary Wharf have transformed this view from the park to the river. This photograph is taken 10 years after Maritime Greenwich was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

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2018

Building continues apace across the river, yet the Queen's House continues to dominate the view from Greenwich.

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

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2022

The view of the Queen's House from Greenwich Park visitors see today.

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

Ghostly sightings

It was first rumoured that the Queen’s House was haunted in the 1960s, after a photograph taken by a visitor appeared to show one or more ghosts on the Tulip Stairs.

Unexplained sightings have continued. In 2002, a gallery assistant was talking to two colleagues when he reportedly saw a figure gliding across a balcony, dressed in an old-fashioned, white-grey dress and passing through a wall...

The Queen's House today

The Queen’s House is now at the heart of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, declared by UNESCO in 1997.

But don't just admire its picture-perfect exterior: the galleries inside contain a world-class art collection, historic works from the studios of Holbein, Van Dyck and the Van de Veldes alongside contemporary pieces by Kehinde Wiley, Christy Symington and more.

From architectural trailblazer to inspiring art gallery, the Queen's House spirit of creativity still burns bright.

Discover the artists, ideas and creativity connected with Greenwich’s galleries and museums.

Niki Gorick: Behind the lens

The London-based photographer shares the stories of her images of the city’s docklands, now on display at Cutty Sark

Look inside: The Many Invincible Ones by Sharon Walters

Find out about the artworks in Sharon Walters’ display, now on show in the Queen’s House

Artist Sharon Walters on creating The Many Invincible Ones display in the Queen's House

Artist Sharon Walters’ new display, 'The Many Invincible Ones', centres the humanity of those impacted by colonial violence through artworks themed around reconnection, reflection and rest 

Artemisia Gentileschi at the Queen's House

A painting by Artemisia Gentileschi recently rediscovered in the Royal Collection is now on loan at the Queen's House. Allison Goudie reveals Artemisia's Greenwich connections – and why the Queen's House is a fitting place to see the painting

Introducing new contemporary art at the Queen's House for 2026

Victoria Lane, Senior Curator of Art and Identity, explores highlights from some of the contemporary artworks that have gone on show

Pasifika Now

Young photographers from across the Pacific reveal contemporary life, heritage and identity through their own eyes

Reaching for the Moon

Luke Jerram reveals the inspiration behind Mirror Moon, a large-scale artwork created for the Royal Observatory

Reframing the Pacific in the Queen’s House

Curators Katherine Gazzard and Hannah Cusworth highlight the steps involved in redeveloping a room in the Queen's House

Mapping uncharted histories: the 19th century woman who developed London’s map trade

Artist Remiiya Badru’s new display in the Queen’s House tells the story of maritime publisher, Penelope Steel

Power and passion: George Villiers and James I

Elizabeth Oliver — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 16:26:31 +0000

Power and passion: George Villiers and James I Elizabeth Oliver Thu, 02/13/2025 - 16:26

A story of social climbing, scandal and speculation: the rise of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham – and his relationship with King James I – has long been the subject of intrigue.

Born in Leicestershire in 1592, Villiers worked his way up into the upper echelons of Stuart society, becoming a powerful figure in matters of state and royal affairs. However, his success in winning the King’s favour raised concerns among courtiers and members of Parliament.

A full-length portrait of George Villiers by the studio of Daniel Mytens the Elder is now on display in the Queen’s House. Hung in close proximity to a portrait of James, the work shows Villiers dressed in white, wearing the Order of the Garter.

But what was behind Villiers’ ascent to fame – and what was the nature of his relationship with the King? Literary historian Dr Max Riviera gives an insight into the politics of the Stuart court.

Rising through the ranks

James I and his future favourite briefly met for the first time in 1614 during a hunt in Apethorpe – a royal residence in Northamptonshire. George Villiers’ social and political rise began on St George’s Day in 1615.

On that day, Queen Anne of Denmark (probably manoeuvred by the Archbishop of Canterbury as part of a larger plan to get rid of Robert Carr, the King’s current favourite) marched into her husband’s bedroom, asking him to name the 22-year-old Villiers a Gentleman of the Bedchamber in the Royal Household.

The plan worked all too well: Carr’s involvement in the murder of courtier and author Sir Thomas Overbury led to his banishment from court and the King’s bosom. Villiers ended up being not “a meteor”, as statesman Francis Bacon had warned him, but a “stella fixa” (a fixed star) in the firmament of James’ affections.

When James appointed George Villiers Lord High Admiral in 1619, nothing in his credentials could justify this promotion to a role he was most certainly not qualified for, except for the fact that he was, in Bishop Godfrey Goodman’s words, “the handsomest-bodied man in all of England”.

Before then, James had already made him a member of the Order of the Garter and Viscount Villiers in 1616, Earl of Buckingham and Member of the Privy Council in 1617, and a Marquis in 1618. When James created him Duke of Buckingham in 1623, Villiers became the highest-ranking aristocrat in England who could not boast royal blood.

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Relationship rumours

A plethora of contemporary witnesses – bishops, courtiers, foreign ambassadors, and more – registered the emotional and physical closeness between James and Villiers, which generated (some) rumours about the nature of their relationship.

Of course, it can be argued that resentment of Villiers’ ascent (not to mention his dubious skills as a statesman), anti-Stuart feelings in England, and anti-British sentiments abroad fuelled gossip.

The notorious remark Rex Fuit Elizabeth: Nunc Est Regina Jacobus (‘Elizabeth was King, now James is Queen’) may be tinged with scorn, but homophobia does not characterise all these reports.

When the diarist Sir John Oglander, who owed James his knighthood, wrote that the King “loved young men, his favourites, better than women, loving them beyond the love of men to women” he seems to be thinking of the biblical King David and Jonathan, whose love is described as “passing the love of women” (2 Samuel 1:26).

In early modern England “the public signs of a male friendship”, as historian Alan Bray argues, “could be read in a different and sodomitical light” and, while discourses on the topic were careful to differentiate between friendship and queerness, “signs of the one were indeed sometimes also the sign of the latter”.

Homoerotic and amical language could overlap to almost undistinguishable extents in Renaissance England, but the relationship between Villiers and the King went beyond humanistic engagement with Cicero's De Amicitia, in which masculine friendship is described as the supreme bond among people – ‘Nuptial love maketh mankind’, Bacon echoes, ‘friendly love perfecteth it’.

Indeed, some historians read Villiers’ letter fondly reminiscing of “the time which I shall never forget at Farnham, where the bed’s head could not be found between the master and his dog” as evidence of the fact that their relationship was (or had been) physical, especially since Villiers usually described himself as “your Dog” and James as “the best of masters” in his letters to the King.

Were Villiers and James lovers?

While no irrefutable proof can reveal whether they were lovers, an extraordinary emotional closeness emerges from their personal letters. Royal letters are semi-private documents at best, but James and Villiers felt nonetheless free to display some of their playful and intimate bond in the letters they sent each other, especially during the eight months Villiers spent in Spain with James’ son, Charles, Prince of Wales (the future King Charles I).

Pining for George’s return, James (pictured) wrote to him of his habit of wearing Villiers’ picture "under my waistcoat next my heart" (28 Feb 1623), and his fear that "extreme longing will kill me" (21 Jul 1623). In turn, Villiers would reply describing how much he enjoyed “reading over and over” the King’s “sweet cordial letters” (24 Mar 1623), and his hope for a swift return home, since “none longed more to be in the arms of his Mistress” than he wished to return to England and lay himself at James’ feet (date unknown).

Even if they were careful not to write down anything too explicit, academic David M. Bergeron suggests that the horrified reactions of 18th- (and even 20th-) century historians reveal that the letters’ homoerotic charge did not go undetected: Catharine Macaulay labelled their tone as “indecent”, Philip Yorke as “nauseous”, and Godfrey Davies as "repulsive” and even "revolting".

Deep connections

The relationship outlined in these letters is complex, as they reveal feelings that are not simply friendly or romantic, but also familial. James would usually sign himself as “thy dear dad”, and similarly Villiers would consistently address him as “Dear Dad and Gossip” (godparent).

In December 1623, the King sent Villiers a famous letter, wishing that the two of them “may make at this Christmas a new marriage ever to be kept hereafter”. “I desire only to live in this world for your sake”, James goes on, adding that he’d “rather live banished in any part of the earth with you than live a sorrowful widow’s life without you. And so God bless you, my sweet child and wife, and grant that ye may ever be a comfort to your dear dad and husband”.

Deprived of parents at an early age by the murder of his father Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, and the imprisonment of his mother Mary, Queen of Scots, James sought kinship in men at court.

The bond with his first favourite, Esmé Stewart, 24 years his senior, ended in heartbreak for the teenage James after Stewart was exiled in 1582. As he grew older, James sought solace in several handsome young men – most notably Carr – but, as this multi-layered sign-off reveals, it is in Villiers that he may have found what he craved: a sense of family that not even his wife and children could satisfy.

Villiers, James and the language of sexuality

Employing modern labels to describe Renaissance sexualities can be tricky. After all, as scholar Will Tosh points out, “early modern terms denoting queer nonconformity” – such as 'Ganymede’, ‘catamite’, ‘ingle’, ‘tribade’ or even ‘sodomite’ – “weren’t precise predecessors for labels of identity such as gay, bisexual or lesbians”.

The very word ‘queer’ still generates such heated debates nowadays, that we cannot fail to appreciate how difficult it is to find a language that defines the sexuality of people who came long before us, whether they lived in Ancient Greece or Jacobean England.

In the past few decades, some authors have alternatively described James as “actively bisexual” or “homosexual”, while others, more recently Sir Noel Malcolm, have noted that (most) rumours concerning James’ sexual activity with his favourites started circulating only after his death. However, there is little doubt that Villiers was the most important person for James in the last decade of his life.

A lasting bond

The King’s favour and affection endured even after Villiers got married and had children. Villiers’ skills at keeping James entertained and swiftly dispatching potential rivals (including his own cousin Arthur Brett) did the rest.

On 27 May 1624, courtier Richard Zouch noted that after Villiers had been seized by fever, “the King [took] Buckingham to Greenwich, helping him into the coach with his own hand”. Perhaps they would be pleased to know that both their portraits are now on display together at the Queen’s House.

About the author

Dr Max Riviera is a literary historian based in London and Milan. He has recently been awarded a PhD in English from University College London for his thesis on the Elizabethan poet Richard Barnfield and is working on his forthcoming book on this subject.

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Zeenat Mahal: the exiled queen

Elizabeth Oliver — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 10:04:01 +0000

Zeenat Mahal: the exiled queen Elizabeth Oliver Tue, 07/02/2024 - 10:04

The recently acquired portrait miniature of Zeenat Mahal marks an historic moment as the first South Asian queen to be displayed at the Queen’s House. This portrait offers a chance to delve into Zeenat’s controversial life, marked by both tragedy and intrigue.

Was Zeenat Mahal a valiant freedom fighter, warrior and expert political strategist – or was she a treacherous murderer? Her contentious story offers insights into how history is written and who writes it, providing a unique perspective on the complex relationship between art and colonialism.

Portrait of a favourite

At the age of 19, Zeenat Mahal (1823-1886) married the 64-year-old Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II (1775-1862). It is believed that this miniature of Zeenat was painted around the time of their nuptials. Their marriage in 1840 was marked by grand celebrations, and she quickly became and remained Zafar’s favourite wife.

When she entered the Mughal court, Zeenat found herself in the midst of a literary renaissance. Ghalib, the greatest lyrical Urdu poet, was writing there, and Zafar himself was a mystical poet, calligrapher, Sufi theologian and scholar. In 1841, she gave birth to Mirza Jawan Bakht, Zafar’s 15th son, and embarked on a determined campaign to secure his position as the heir to the Mughal throne.

Renowned for her intelligence and beauty, Zeenat captivated Zafar, who built her a palace and granted her significant influence at court, eventually making her the de facto regent of the Mughal Empire. Sir Thomas Metcalfe, the Governor-General of India and British Resident in Delhi, complained that Zafar "has surrendered himself so completely to the guidance of the favourite wife Zeenat... that he is induced to commit many unreasonable acts."

Metcalfe’s objections to Zeenat reflect the stark contrast between the Indian and British colonialist representations of the Mughal Queen. While she was known for her astute political acumen and was trusted by her husband (who was more interested in the arts than politics), East India Company officials were frustrated at having to negotiate with Zeenat, leading to their often malicious characterisation of the Empress.

"Clever, wicked woman"

The Mughal Empire, having dominated South Asia since the 1560s, experienced rapid economic decline from the late 18th century. Primarily this was due to the increasing control and expansion of the East India Company, which progressively restricted the Emperor's powers. When Zafar’s eldest son died in 1849, he declared Mirza Jawan Bakht as his successor in accordance with Mughal customs. However, Sir Thomas Metcalfe imposed the alien European concept of primogeniture, thwarting Zeenat’s plans for succession.

Zeenat’s political power and influence were evident when Metcalfe referred to her as a "clever, wicked woman." He even suspected her of poisoning him in revenge for excluding her son. Though there was no proof, the rumours were widely believed within the East India Company. The British colonisers regarded Zeenat’s power at court as dangerous and branded her a murderer.

The East India Company’s egregious acts of corporate irresponsibility eventually led to the largest anti-colonial uprising of the 19th century. The Indian Uprising of 1857 signalled the end of both the Mughal Empire and the East India Company. Indian soldiers (sepoys) initiated the uprising; as it spread, Indian regiments seized Delhi and acclaimed Bahadur Shah Zafar as their nominal leader, albeit not at his behest.

European sailors of the Indian Navy, Breaching the Delhi Gate 1858 (PAD5908)

Stories suggest Zeenat opened the gates of the Red Fort at Dehli to the sepoys. However, no evidence supports this claim or that she actively participated in the fighting. Instead, colonial records show Zeenat was negotiating with the British Captain William Hodson for the lives of her family.

In 1858, British forces violently defeated the sepoys and Zafar went into hiding. To secure his life, Zeenat disclosed his whereabouts to the British, leading to Zafar’s capture, trial and the subsequent exile of the Emperor and his family to Rangoon, marking the end of the Mughal dynasty.

While some historians construe her actions as a shocking betrayal of her husband, her supporters point to her shrewd negotiating skills and efforts to ensure her family’s survival.

Photograph of Zinat Mahal Begum, the favourite queen of the Emperor Bahadur Shah (Courtesy British Library Add.Or.5475)

Zeenat remained devoted to Zafar during their challenging exile, where their living conditions were severely restricted by the British. After Zafar’s death in 1862, the British prohibited anyone from using the title ‘Mughal Emperor’ again. Zeenat lived out her life, in frugality and dignity, until her death in 1886. Her legacy remains intertwined with the grandeur and tragedy of the end of the Mughal era.

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Portrait miniatures and South Asia

South Asian painting developed over hundreds of years, with many ateliers in royal courts. The Mughal court was particularly famous for its art. In 1617, James I’s envoy was presented with a series of Mughal royal portraits, initiating a continual cultural interchange.

South Asia was recognised for its highly significant creative and intellectual culture. Charles I ordered every ship to bring back one Persian manuscript, often containing paintings, due to "the great deal of learning to be known" from them.

The term ‘miniature’ was first used by colonialists, to relate the style of South Asian painting to European medieval illuminated manuscripts and portrait miniatures. East Indian Company officers and administrators became new patrons for court artists, giving rise to the ‘Company Style’.

This hybrid method of painting imposed European tastes on South Asian pictorial conventions, including the introduction of painting with thin layers of watercolour on ivory, as seen in Zeenat’s portrait miniature.

Following the 1857 Uprising, the administration of India passed to the British Crown. Over 3,500 manuscripts were looted from Delhi Library and transported to the India Office in 1859, now part of the British Library’s collection.

The Greenwich connection

Royal Museums Greenwich is actively addressing the gaps in its collection by representing the untold stories of diverse communities and identities. The Museum holds very few portraits of women, let alone diverse ones, making Zeenat’s miniature a highly significant addition, especially as it depicts a powerful South Asian Empress.

Zeenat’s portrait was recently acquired by the Museum through an auction of material belonging to the Grindall family. It is believed that the miniature was collected by the descendants of Rivers Francis Grindall, a senior administrator of the East India Company.

The miniature, probably collected as a souvenir or gift, raises interesting questions about the relationship between the Mughal court and the East India Company. Was this a sign of Zeenat’s fame and power or an exotic objectification of a woman?

As part of a display inside the Queen’s House, visitors can come face-to-face with both the portrait of Zeenat and the family who owned her image.

In this naval portrait of the Grindall family (pictured), made in 1800 by Richard Livesay, a young Rivers Francis Grindall stands between his mother and father, looking out from a domestic scene infused with maritime references.

Zeenat’s portrait is displayed alongside, together with elaborate Chinese and Indian card cases owned by Rivers Francis Grindall and some of the family’s christening clothes. Katherine Grindall, pictured at the centre of the family, would tragically see the loss of all her children, except Rivers Francis.

Zeenat’s portrait miniature, displayed in this context, is a manifestation of colonial power. British imperialism largely celebrates and creates portraits of the colonisers, rarely revealing the stories of the colonised. This absence acts as a central component of imperial domination.

However, Zeenat’s portrait refocuses the narrative to a transnational one, highlighting the entangled nature of these histories and how her story can unexpectedly surface from legacies of colonialism. It also foregrounds her significant role and resilience during the turbulent period of South Asian history in which she ruled and was deposed, oppressed and yet survived, degraded but honoured.

Victoria Lane is Senior Curator of Art and Identity at Royal Museums Greenwich

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A historical treasure hunt in the grounds of the National Maritime Museum

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 14:23:17 +0000

A historical treasure hunt in the grounds of the National Maritime Museum Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/14/2023 - 14:23

Have you ever given any thought to the history of the monuments and large objects in the grounds of the National Maritime Museum? This blog offers a brief guide to some of the treasures on display.

Statue of King William IV

The granite statue of King William IV (1765-1837) is the first statue that greets visitors when they enter the grounds of the Museum by the St Mary’s Gate entrance of Greenwich Park. It was made by Samuel Nixon (1804-1854) in 1844 and was originally located at King William Street near London Bridge.

In 1935, owing to changes in the road network as motor transport gradually replaced journeys by horse, the statue was moved to its current position in 'Maritime Greenwich'. This was a particularly fitting location given that William IV became known as the 'Sailor King' after having served in the Royal Navy for more than 10 years.

Statue of William IV by the entrance to the Sammy Ofer wing

Weighing 20 tons of solid granite, the statue's relocation was undertaken by the specialist company Askham and Palin, Bridge and Steelwork Erectors of Fulham, just two years before the Museum was formally opened by King George VI in April 1937. Its move necessitated the demolition of St. Mary’s Church, which was built in 1825 to accommodate any overflow of worshippers from nearby St Alfege’s Church.

Carronades

To the east of the grounds and adjacent to the Museum's administration building, visitors will find two guns, a 12-pounder and a 32-pounder. These guns, known as carronades, face the Queen's House. Carronades were nicknamed “Smashers”. They were mounted in pairs at the ship’s forecastle, near the bow, and were very effective at close range. They fired canister shot, which consisted of a large quantity of lead or iron balls, encased in a metal cylinder. The shot would burst open on firing, discharging its contents and creating a tremendous amount of damage. The largest could fire a 68-pound solid iron shot.

A 12- and 32-pounder carronade near the East Wing

Carronades were used to great effect during the Battle of Trafalgar. When Lord Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory fired its carronades into the stern of the Bucentaure, Admiral Villeneuve’s flagship, the shot swept through an entire gun deck. Nearly 200 French sailors were killed and scores of others were wounded. The scale of the damage inflicted just about put an end to the Bucentaure’s fighting ability.

Carronades were shorter than a conventional gun and required less gunpowder charge. The 32-pounder carronade was the only calibre of carronade still in use by the Royal Navy in the 1820s. During the 1970s and 1980s, six of these guns - two 24-pounders and four 32-pounders - were on display on the footpath leading to the Stanhope entrance of the Museum (see main image above). All six are now in storage.

Anchor Park

Not far from these carronades and situated at the Park Row end of the Museum's grounds is Anchor Park. This 'park' of anchors has been in situ for many years and can be easily missed by visitors, who generally enter the grounds from the western side of the grounds. The largest anchor in the park is from the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert, which was launched in 1899 and scrapped in 1954.

Anchors are the most commonly encountered maritime relics on the seabed. With their barbed flukes, anchors were very prone to becoming embedded in the sea floor, making it impossible to raise them to the surface. When this happened, the only option was to sever the anchor chain, leave the anchor in the sea bed and replace it with another.

Anchor fouling was generally caused by the chain or rope becoming entangled around the stock or flukes, or by the anchor becoming lodged by an obstruction. Very large ships would often use several anchors to ensure the ship always had a means of being held fast.

Betty Nelson Curryer, a former World War Two Wren and National Maritime Museum staff member, has written a comprehensive book on the subject of anchors entitled Anchors: an Illustrated History, which is available at the Museum's Caird Library. Please see further details below.

Statues of Royal Navy officers

Statues of Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith and Admiral Edward Pellew in the colonnades

A short distance from the anchors, between the colonnades which link the three wings of the Museum are four marble statues of officers of the Royal Navy: Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith (1764-1840), Admiral Sir Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth (1757-1833), Captain Sir William Peel (1824-1858) and Admiral James de Saumarez (1757-1836).

The Caird Library and Archive contains extensive documents and papers relating to Admiral Pellew and there is also material relating to Smith and de Saumarez. Pellew is possibly the most well-known figure, owing to his appearance in the fictional television series Hornblower (1998 to 2003). Pellew was played by the award-winning British actor Robert Lindsay. All four statues were made as national monuments to the sitters. They were originally located in the Royal Naval College's Painted Hall, opposite the National Maritime Museum.

Statue of General James Wolfe

The statue of General James Wolfe in Greenwich Park, outside the Royal Observatory

Finally, a statue of General James Wolfe (1727-1759) is situated up the hill in Greenwich Park next to the Royal Observatory. It was created by the Canadian sculptor Robert Tait McKenzie. Cast in bronze, the statue was a gift from Canada. It was unveiled in 1930 by the Marquis of Montcalm, a descendant of Wolfe's adversary at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in Quebec.

Wolfe joined the army in 1741 and rose to become one of England’s most celebrated military heroes of his time. He was killed at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham on 13 September 1759. The battle was part of the French and Indian War, the North American conflict in the larger imperial war between Great Britain and France known as the Seven Years' War (1756-1763).

His body was returned to England and interred in his family vault at St Alfege’s Church in Greenwich. The church holds one of the oil versions of Edward Penny RA's Death of Wolfe, while the Museum has a print of the more famous painting by Benjamin West depicting his death. A local primary school located a short distance from St Alfege’s Church has been named after him.

The Death of General Wolfe, William Woollett after Benjamin West, 1 January 1776

To find more about the items in this article, the following books are available at the Museum’s Caird Library:

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This blog explores the history of various large artefacts in the grounds of the National Maritime Museum and one in Greenwich Park

Royal portraits in Royal Museums Greenwich’s collection

Elizabeth Oliver — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 21:14:44 +0000

Royal portraits in Royal Museums Greenwich’s collection Elizabeth Oliver Mon, 04/24/2023 - 21:14

The royal portraits collection at Royal Museums Greenwich features some of Britain’s most recognisable rulers, from King Charles I to Queen Victoria.

Greenwich has long been steeped in royal history, a connection stretching back more than 500 years. King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I were born at Greenwich Palace, and in 1616, the Queen’s House was commissioned by the Stuart monarch Queen Anne of Denmark.

Royalty also shaped Greenwich’s scientific and maritime heritage: in 1675, King Charles II ordered the founding of the Royal Observatory, and in 1937 King George VI opened the National Maritime Museum.

From Tudor icons to Victorian masterpieces, uncover some of the highlights of our portraiture collection, on display now at the Queen's House in Greenwich.

King Henry VIII

1491–1547

Staring imposingly at the viewer, King Henry VIII commands authority in this portrait by the studio of Hans Holbein the Younger.

One of Britain’s most notorious monarchs, Henry’s 37-year reign was marked with controversy. He sentenced two of his six wives to death and broke from the Roman Catholic Church after the Pope refused to annul his marriage to Katherine of Aragon.

This painting depicts Henry in his late forties – around the time he married his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, at Greenwich. The embroidered gold doublet, black bejewelled hat and fur-trimmed coat all emphasise his status and wealth.

On display at the Queen's House

Queen Mary I of England and King Philip II of Spain

1516-1558; 1527-1598

The inscription above the open window in this double portrait of Queen Mary I of England and King Philip II of Spain celebrates the extent of the sitters' combined domains. After securing the throne in 1553, Mary married her first cousin Philip the following year – a union that was opposed by her councillors.

In this painting attributed to Flemish artist, Lucas de Heere, Philip is shown wearing the Order of the Garter, while Mary holds a rose, a reference to the Tudor heraldic symbol.

The painting is a statement of union between two nations more than two individuals. The steep pitch of the floor underscores an atmosphere of awkwardness.

On display at the Queen's House

Queen Elizabeth I

1533–1603

Power and opulence combine in the ‘Armada Portrait’ of Queen Elizabeth I. Made to commemorate the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 – a defining moment of Elizabeth’s reign – the painting is an enduring image of female majesty.

Elizabeth wears an extravagant dress encrusted with pearls, a reference to her chastity. She is surrounded by symbols of imperial ambition, from the terrestrial globe underneath her hand to the crown on the table beside her.

Following a nationwide funding appeal, the portrait was acquired by Royal Museums Greenwich in 2016.

On display at the Queen's House

King James I

1566–1625

A controversial monarch, King James I was the target of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 – a failed attempt to assassinate the king and blow up Parliament. Today, his legacy lives on in the form of the King James Bible – the most widely published text in the English language – which James commissioned in 1604.

This portrait depicts James wearing a white satin doublet and hose, sewn with pearls. It was made in around 1610 by the artist John de Critz.

On display at the Queen's House

Queen Anne of Denmark

1574–1619

In 1616, Queen Anne of Denmark commissioned leading architect Inigo Jones to design the Queen’s House, England’s first Classical building.

Known for her appreciation of art, Anne also transformed the social and cultural life of the Stuart court, including ordering and performing 'masques': elaborate performances of music and dance.

Depicted wearing an ornate gown, Anne of Denmark stares steadily at the viewer in this work by artist John de Critz. The painting would have been part of a pair, accompanying a portrait of her husband, King James I of England.

On display at the Queen's House

Princess Elizabeth Stuart

1596–1662

This masterpiece of early English portraiture depicts Elizabeth of Bohemia, King James I and Queen Anne of Denmark’s only surviving daughter.

At the time this portrait was painted, the seven-year-old Elizabeth was already regarded as an important tool in international royal marriage negotiations. Her opulent clothes and jewellery highlight her suitability as a wealthy bride.

Look closely to spot a hunting scene in the distance – thought to represent Elizabeth’s brother Prince Henry and his friend John Harington.

Ten years after this portrait was painted, Elizabeth married Frederick V, Elector Palatine of the Rhine, and later King of Bohemia. Unfortunately, following Frederick’s defeat in battle, Elizabeth spent much of her life in exile in The Hague.

On display at the Queen's House

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King Charles I

1600–1649

Civil war and religious and political turmoil were just some of the disasters of King Charles I’s reign, which resulted in his trial and execution for treason in 1649.

Painted in the style of Van Dyck, this work shows Charles wearing a dark cloak with the Star of the Garter embroidered on it. A pearl earring hangs from his left ear, thought to be the one he wore on the day of his execution.

During his lifetime, Charles was a prolific art patron and collector, amassing works by Titian, Holbein and Rubens. For Charles, art was an important way to promote his idea of kingship.

On display at the Queen's House

Queen Henrietta Maria

1609–1669

A leading patron of the arts, Queen Henrietta Maria established the Queen’s House as a centre of culture and creativity.

She oversaw architect Inigo Jones’s completion of the building in the 1630s and commissioned a spectacular painted ceiling from the Italian artists Orazio and Artemisia Gentileschi.

This portrait was made by court artist, Anthony van Dyck. It bears similarities to his triple portrait of King Charles I – Henrietta Maria’s husband – which was used to create a marble bust. Henrietta wished to commission a companion bust of herself. This portrait was one of three profiles made by Van Dyck in preparation for the bust.

On display at the Queen's House

King James II

1635–1701

Complete with gleaming golden armour and a vibrant silk coat, King James II represents Mars, the Roman god of war, in this portrait by Henri Gascar.

A fleet of ships in the top left-hand corner provide a nod to James’ seafaring career. During the reign of his elder brother, King Charles II, James was appointed Lord High Admiral. One of his most important naval engagements was the Battle of Solebay in 1672, a conflict between a Dutch fleet and a combined force of English and French ships. An elaborate tapestry on display in the Queen’s House depicts a climactic moment from the conflict.

James came to the throne in 1685, but his reign was short-lived. In 1688 he was overthrown in the Glorious Revolution, which saw King William III and Queen Mary II become joint ruling sovereigns.

Queen Anne

1665–1714

Queen Anne was the first sole queen regnant after Queen Elizabeth I. This meant that she was a female monarch who reigned in her own right, rather than becoming queen through marriage to a king.

This commanding portrait by Michael Dahl depicts Anne dressed in coronation robes and holding a sceptre. During her reign, Anne played an active role in scientific affairs. In 1714, she passed the ‘Longitude Act’ which offered a financial reward to anyone who could find an accurate method for navigation at sea. The position of Astronomer Royal at Greenwich was listed as one of the Commissioners of Longitude, a panel that assessed the submissions.

She was also one of the early promoters of Greenwich Hospital, an institution that looked after injured and retired seafarers.

On display at the Queen's House

Queen Victoria

1819–1901

Queen Victoria’s 63-year reign witnessed many changes, including revolutionary breakthroughs in the arts and sciences, industrial transformation, the expansion of the British Empire and the growth of political reform movements.

Painted a few years after Victoria came to the throne in 1837, this portrait shows Victoria gazing steadily beyond the viewer. Look closely to spot the locket around her neck, containing a lock of hair from her beloved husband Prince Albert.

On display at the Queen's House

Royal connections

Discover more kings, queens, princes and princesses who have shaped Greenwich or are featured in our collections

1 / 5

Queen Elizabeth II, 1926–2022

Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II had a long association with Royal Museums Greenwich.

On 27 April 1937, she accompanied her father, King George VI at the official opening of the National Maritime Museum. She also reopened Cutty Sark in 2012, following a major conservation project.

2 / 5

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, 1921–2021

During his lifetime, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh had a committed involvement with Royal Museums Greenwich, becoming a Trustee and Royal Patron.

In 2017, the Duke of Edinburgh unveiled The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre – our state-of-the-art storage facility and conservation studio – named in recognition of his personal contribution to the Museum.

3 / 5

King Charles II, 1630–1685

An avid proponent of science, King Charles II ordered the founding of the Royal Observatory in 1675.

He was also a dedicated patron of the arts, offering the Dutch artists Willem van de Velde the Elder and Younger an annual salary and a studio space at the Queen’s House in Greenwich.

Not currently on display

4 / 5

King George III, 1738–1820

Painted in around 1800, this artwork shows King George III wearing general’s full-dress uniform.

During his reign, he experienced periods of severe mental ill health, which resulted in his son, King George IV, acting as regent.

Not currently on display

5 / 5

King William IV, 1765–1837

King William IV was just 13 when he joined the Royal Navy, where he saw active service in the American War of Independence. This dominating portrait by Andrew Morton depicts the king wearing the Admiral of the Fleet’s full-dress uniform.

A statue of William can be seen next to the Parkside Café at the National Maritime Museum.

Not currently on display

A guide to Royal Greenwich

Tudor kings and queens, historic palaces and royal connections - where will your day in Greenwich take you?

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Mapping the Theatre of the Stuarts

Freya Richards — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 12:28:07 +0000

Mapping the Theatre of the Stuarts Freya Richards Mon, 10/17/2022 - 12:28

From tailor to scholar

The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine was the work of historian and cartographer John Speed (1551/2-1629). A tailor by trade, Speed developed interests in genealogy and cartography later in life. Eventually, through the patronage of poet and parliamentarian Sir Fulke Greville, he was able to pursue his scholarly interests full-time.

John Speed by James Hopwood (RMG ID: PAD2449)

Greville introduced him to the Society of Antiquaries, where he met, among others, the English antiquarian William Camden. Speed presented maps to Queen Elizabeth I and contributed material on the coinage to Camden’s Britannia (1600, Caird Library ID: PBB3998), the first chorographical survey of Britain and Ireland. It was during this time that he embarked on The Theatre and his accompanying lesser-known The Historie of Great Britaine.

Speed was fortunate to be able to draw on contemporary topographers Christopher Saxton and John Norden; antiquarian Sir Henry Spelman; and bibliophile Sir Robert Cotton, whose collection later formed the basis of what became the British Library, for assistance. Their collections and works were instrumental in his research.

Theatre and Historie: the chorographical and historical parts

The Theatre is the first - or chorographical - part of a two-volume magnum opus. The second volume comprises Speed’s Historie of Great Britaine, referred to as the historical part. It chronicles the ancient Britons and the reigns of Roman emperors, Saxon, and English monarchs up to James VI & I. London publisher George Humble was granted the privilege to print both works in 1611-12. For The Theatre, plates were engraved by Amsterdam-based Jodocus Hondius.

The Theatre was modelled on Abraham Ortelius’s 1570 atlas Theatrum orbis terrarum (Theatre of the Orb of the World, PBD7645) in format and title, displaying a combination of geographical and historical information. While it is principally comprised of English and Welsh county maps, other realms are not neglected.

Notably, the first detailed maps of the Irish provinces of Munster, Connacht, Ulster, and Leinster make an appearance. Only a general map of Scotland is provided as the Scottish minister and cartographer Timothy Pont was busy surveying there at the time. Maps of the Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey also feature.

The Theatre contained the first detailed maps of the Irish provinces of Munster, Connacht, Ulster, and Leinster (RMG ID: PBE6831)

Maps are accompanied by information on topics such as antiquarian remains and famous battles. Each map is illustrated with the armorials of princes and nobles and plans of major population centres.

From kingdom to county, city to village, no detail was overlooked. This was an atlas on a grand scale. Such was its success that it became the basis for subsequent folio atlases for the next 150 years.

The Museum is fortunate to have three copies:

PBE6831 (1611), colour. Carries the signature of Wijbrandt on the title page, and the ex libris of James Hatton and Victorian antiquary Richard Henry Wood on the bookplates. It was later acquired by our founding benefactor Sir James Caird, who presented it to the Museum in 1941.
PBE6834 (1611), first edition. From the Macpherson Collection, a founding collection of the National Maritime Museum.
PBE6833 (1676), colour. Macpherson Collection. Includes Speed’s A Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World, first published in 1627.

A Stuart Theatre

A nod to the Scottish origins of the new British Royal Family is included in The Theatre. Small full-length portraits of the King and Queen, with their sons Henry and Charles, decorate the map of Scotland.

Speed began work on The Theatre and Historie in the last years of the reign of Elizabeth I. When King James VI of Scotland succeeded to the English and Irish thrones in 1603, the project took on an added significance.

Small full-length portraits of the King and Queen, with their sons Henry and Charles, decorate the map of Scotland (RMG ID: PBE6831)

For the first time Scotland, England, and Ireland found themselves united under a single monarch. Each kingdom was nominally independent, yet control was exercised centrally from London, where the new Stuart King had relocated his court from Edinburgh.

Consequently, The Theatre took on a distinctly British flavour. The new Royal coat of arms, reflecting James’s new triple crown status, frequently appears. There is also high praise for the King in Speed’s dedication to James, who is referred to as an ‘uniter’ and ‘restorer’:

"To The Most High and Most Potent Monarch, James, of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland King; The Most Constant and Most Learned Defender of the Faith; Inlarger and Uniter of the British Empire; Restorer of the British Name; Establisher of Perpetuall Peace, in Church, and Commonwealth; President of al Princely Vertues and Noble Arts."

Speed was known to have produced maps for James, and this may have been a way to express his gratitude for the King’s patronage. The Theatre would continue to be published beyond Speed’s lifetime and well into the reign of James’s grandson, Charles II.

To view these items in the Reading Room of the Caird Library and Archive, please register with our online ordering system, Aeon. You can then request items via the Library catalogue on Collections Online.

Queen Elizabeth II's visits to Greenwich

James Gill — Wed, 04 May 2022 08:26:05 +0000

Queen Elizabeth II's visits to Greenwich James Gill Wed, 05/04/2022 - 08:26

In 2012, Greenwich was formally declared a Royal Borough as part of Her Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Join us as we look back through the archives to find out more about Elizabeth II's visits to Greenwich.

On 25 April 2012, the Queen reopened Cutty Sark following a major conservation project. Her visit came almost 55 years after she had first opened the ship to the public in 1957.

To preserve the hull’s shape, Cutty Sark had been lifted three metres above the ground, allowing the Queen to walk beneath the ship itself. Millions of visitors have since enjoyed the same unique perspective.

Visit Cutty Sark

This is the Queen's Bedchamber in the Queen's House as it was laid out during Elizabeth II's visit in 1990.

From lavish royal residence to a school training boys for a life at sea, the Queen's House has seen numerous transformations since it was designed by Inigo Jones in the 17th century. Today it is home to Royal Museums Greenwich's internationally renowned art collection.

Visit the Queen's House

The Queen had a long association with the National Maritime Museum. On 27 April 1937, as Princess Elizabeth, she accompanied her father, King George VI, at the official opening of the new museum.

She is seen here in the centre of the photograph, walking through the colonnades that connect the National Maritime Museum with the Queen's House.

Visit the National Maritime Museum

The young Princess Elizabeth follows her mother, Queen Elizabeth, up the stairs of the Queen's House.

In 2003, Her Majesty returned to these same steps as part of an official visit.

The Royal Observatory Greenwich has played host to numerous royal visits throughout its 350-year history. In 1698, for example, the Tsar of Russia, Peter the Great, observed the planet Venus with first Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed.

Centuries later, on 22 May 2007, Queen Elizabeth II was joined by her husband Prince Philip for the opening of the new Planetarium and Astronomy Centre.

Visit the Royal Observatory

This photograph shows the Queen walking through the main entrance of the National Maritime Museum during a visit in 1999.

In 1951, Princess Elizabeth signed the royal visitors' book in the Great Hall of the Queen's House, having opened a new wing of the National Maritime Museum. Less than a year later, in 1952, she acceded to the throne as Queen Elizabeth II.

Art in focus

This painting by the artist Norman Wilkinson captures the royal yacht Britannia arriving in Greenwich on 15 May 1954.

In 1953-4, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh undertook a six-month tour of the Commonwealth. They returned to London in the new royal yacht. It is shown here off Greenwich, where it stopped briefly to allow the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret to come aboard before sailing upstream, to moor above Tower Bridge.

Visit Royal Museums Greenwich

Green space, historic sites and beautiful city views - discover the best that Greenwich has to offer

Find out more

In memory of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Royal Museums Greenwich Trustee and Patron

James Gill — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 08:30:00 +0000

In memory of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Royal Museums Greenwich Trustee and Patron James Gill Fri, 04/16/2021 - 08:30

Prince Philip remained actively engaged with and gave his unique support to the National Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark for over 73 years, quite an astonishing feat in itself.

The Duke of Edinburgh arrives to open the Octagon Room at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, 8 May 1953

The Duke became a Trustee of the National Maritime Museum in 1948, becoming the Museum’s ‘senior Trustee’ in 1974 and assuming the role of our first Royal Patron in 2000. In all that time, he amassed a remarkable knowledge of the Museum’s activities and achievements, often able to recall experiences from our past to assist decision-making in the present.

Throughout his period as both Trustee and Patron, the Duke of Edinburgh readily gave the Museum public support, from the opening of the Octagon Room at the Royal Observatory in 1953, through to the unveiling of the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre in 2017 (pictured), named in recognition of his personal contribution to the Museum.

It is fitting that the opening of the new facility was his last visit to Royal Museums Greenwich before retirement.

As a Trustee, His Royal Highness regularly attended board meetings, offering influential suggestions on, amongst other subjects, acquisitions, where he was particularly keen to ensure our approach combined modernity with the historic; and the presentation of displays for general interest – particularly for young people, rather than specialist audiences.

There was a personal aspect to the Duke of Edinburgh’s board work too. When Admiral of the Fleet Lord Lewin became Chair of Trustees of the National Maritime Museum, a reunion of old shipmates sparked a formidable partnership.

Prince Philip had become a midshipman in the Royal Navy as a Prince of Greece in January 1940. At the time Greece was not actually involved in the Second World War, and so Prince Philip was initially posted to the Far East.

On his birthday in 1940 however, Greece was invaded by Italy. The Admiralty concluded that it was right and proper that he be sent to the frontline, and so Prince Philip joined HMS Valiant in Alexandria in January 1941.

There he met Terence Lewin, senior midshipman of the Valiant's gun-room. They became friends immediately, kindling a lifelong relationship until Lord Lewin’s death in 1999. The Museum benefitted particularly from their combined firepower when the Neptune Court capital project hit a bump. The pair were able to guide the project back on track, not simply because of who they were but also due to their combined influencing skills and abilities.

Prince Philip and Cutty Sark

The importance of the role played by the Duke of Edinburgh in the life of the Cutty Sark cannot be overestimated.

He was instrumental in the Ship coming to Greenwich in 1954 and its continuing preservation, including another major conservation project that completed in 2012. It was he who made Greenwich the home of the Monument to British Seafarers Naval and Mercantile, a memorial to those who have died in the service of the nation.

His association with Greenwich predates even his association with the Museum – just. On the morning of his marriage to the then Princess Elizabeth in 1947, he was made Baron Greenwich at the same time as he was created Duke of Edinburgh and Earl of Merioneth.

He was especially pleased to see Cutty Sark finally become part of the national collection in 2015, when the Ship and the National Maritime Museum were joined under the banner Royal Museums Greenwich.

At the commemoration of his 60th anniversary of his association with the Museum, Prince Philip spoke fondly and proudly of our achievements over the years. His mischievous humour came to the fore as he teased those present with the thought that, when he started, the labels were too small to read and the lighting too dim to see by. Tongue in cheek, he declared how pleased he was to see how things had improved.

Commemorations at Royal Museums Greenwich

In response to the news of his sad passing, flags at the National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory Greenwich and the Cutty Sark are being flown at half-mast until after the funeral.

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The Queen's House

The Queen's House in Greenwich is one of the buildings which will be lit purple until Saturday evening in honour of the Duke of Edinburgh.

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Cutty Sark

Prince Philip was instrumental in bringing Cutty Sark to Greenwich in 1948. Visitors to the borough at night will be able to see the Ship's figurehead 'Nannie' lit in purple until the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.

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National Maritime Museum

The large propeller inside the National Maritime Museum's main hall is also lit in purple. The bronze-alloy propeller was made for a Type-23 frigate, the core warship of the Royal Navy's surface fleet. They are often called 'Duke-class' frigates, as they are all named after British dukes.

The Queen’s House, Neptune Court propeller and the Cutty Sark are being lit in purple in his honour, again until after the funeral. A video presentation can be seen in the Sammy Ofer Wing foyer and online.

Staff on duty have been provided with black armbands, and we are in cooperation with the Royal Borough of Greenwich in particular, who are also flying their flags at half-mast and lighting the Town Hall in purple

National Historic Ships UK are acting in tandem with the Museum, providing advice in respect of the dipping of ensigns and house flags on the day of the funeral to all owners of vessels in the National Historic fleet.

One particular story that illustrates the Duke of Edinburgh’s approach to institutions and their people involves Curator of Ship Models Simon Stephens, who joined the National Maritime Museum in 1979 as a very young man. Almost immediately after joining, he was presented to the Duke of Edinburgh as the Museum’s first holder of his scheme’s Gold Award.

Slightly embarrassed by this early accolade, a few years later Simon found himself once more presented to the Duke, after Prince Philip had heard that Simon had co-led a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Expedition to walk the Inca Trail in Peru. The Duke remembered the association and took a genuine interest, asking Simon to write up an illustrated report for his personal inspection.

We remain profoundly grateful for the Duke of Edinburgh’s commitment to Royal Museums Greenwich, and for his dedication and service to national life.

To quote our Deputy Lieutenant and Curator Emeritus Pieter van der Merwe, himself quoting Shakespeare: ‘We shall not look upon his like again’.

The Duke of Edinburgh had a long and very committed involvement with Royal Museums Greenwich.

Queen Elizabeth's Oak: a tree of legend

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 14:24:24 +0000

Queen Elizabeth's Oak: a tree of legend Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/09/2020 - 14:24

Greenwich and the Tudors

Queen Elizabeth I was born in Greenwich Palace in 1533. Lying conveniently on the Thames, Greenwich was popular with the Tudors, and King Henry VIII, Elizabeth’s father, was also born at the site. Different buildings have been constructed, added to, rebuilt and destroyed throughout Greenwich’s history. These include the Tudor Greenwich Palace, the Palace of Placentia, and Inigo Jones's Queen’s House which still stands to this day.

The tree has been here throughout this time – or at least since the 12th century, which is when experts believe it was originally planted.

Why is the tree named after Elizabeth I?

Legend has it that Elizabeth picnicked near the tree. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, his second wife and Elizabeth’s mother, were also supposed to have danced around this tree during their courting days. This carefree scene can’t have lasted long - Henry had Anne arrested for high treason and beheaded three years after their marriage.

The tree in Greenwich isn't the only oak that Elizabeth has been associated with. Another myth tells the story of when Elizabeth was declared queen in 1558, she was supposedly sitting under an oak tree on the grounds of Hatfield House. A deeply symbolic tree and indigenous to this island, the oak scene was meant to show that Elizabeth had a deep-rooted right to the English crown.

Queen Elizabeth's Oak in Greenwich has been dead for over 100 years and its hollow trunk was big enough to make a small room that may have been used to lock up people who misbehaved in the park. After dying in the 19th century, the old oak was propped up by ivy until it fell over in 1991. Nowadays, you can see it lying on its side and locked up itself to give it the status it deserves and prevent the wear and tear of people climbing on it.

Ultimately, we can't be sure of the truth of the stories around this tree. But it is a remarkable, ancient husk of bark nevertheless.

Inside the tree's enclosure is a sign which reads:

This ancient tree known as Queen Elizabeth’s Oak is thought to have been planted in the 12th Century and it has been hollow for many hundreds of years.

It has traditions linking it with Queen Elizabeth I, King Henry VIII and his Queen Anne Boleyn, it may also have been a lock-up for offenders against park rules.

It died in the late 19th Century and a strong growth of ivy supported it until it collapsed in June 1991.

The English Oak alongside was planted by His Royal Highness the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh KG, KT Baron Greenwich on 3rd December 1992

The tree was donated by Greenwich Historical Society to mark 40 years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

Read about the famous Queen Elizabeth I Armada Portraits, one of which is on display at the Queen's House.

Explore Greenwich Park

Greenwich Park is full of hidden gems including a deer park, lakes, lawns, viewing spots, and historic buildings.

What’s on

Events at Royal Museums Greenwich

Experiences

Observatory Unlocked

Drop by and chat with our Royal Observatory Explainers as they bring science and astronomy to life

Saturdays and Sundays

Included with Royal Observatory admission

Royal Observatory

Talks and tours

Behind the scenes tours at The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre

Explore the inner workings of Royal Museums Greenwich and see conservation in action on one of our guided tours

Second and fourth Thursday of every month (see page for details) | 1.30pm

Adults: £16 | Members: £12

Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre

Family fun

Character Encounters at the National Maritime Museum

Visit the National Maritime Museum every Saturday to discover a different character from history with their own fascinating story to tell

Every Saturday

Free

National Maritime Museum

Family fun

Character Actors at the Queen's House

Meet historical characters connected to the Queen's House and take part in exciting performances

Sundays | 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm

Free

Queen's House

Family fun

Cutty Sark Characters

Meet colourful characters from Cutty Sark’s past and hear astonishing stories about life at sea in the age of sail

Weekends during term time | Check schedule below for school holidays

Included with entry to Cutty Sark

Cutty Sark

Talks and tours

Royal Observatory Treasures Tour

Explore some of the Royal Observatory's most treasured objects with a guided tour

Daily tours at 11am and 3pm | Mandarin tour on select Saturdays at 1.30pm and Cantonese tour on select Sundays at 1.30pm

£5 Adults | £3.50 Students | £2.50 Children | In addition to Royal Observatory entry | Members go free

Royal Observatory

Workshops

Coder Dojo

Be inspired by the collection and create computer programmes, animation, art and electronic experiments in response

First or second Saturday of the month (see page for dates)

Free

Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre

Family fun

Play Tuesdays

Bring your under 5 on a different adventure every week! Explore the Museum together through song, dance and stories

Term time Tuesdays | 10.30am, 11.30am, 1pm, 2pm

£4 per child and accompanying adult | Under 6 months free

National Maritime Museum

Exhibitions | Space and astronomy

ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition

See the world's greatest space photography at the National Maritime Museum

Open daily until 3 August 2026 | 10am-5pm

Adult £12 | Child £6 | Student £9

National Maritime Museum

Family fun

Discover Sundays

Each Sunday, come and explore the Museum's collection through hands-on creative activities

Term time Sundays | 11am-1pm | 2pm-4pm

Free | Drop-in

National Maritime Museum

Family fun

Ship Mates

Hop aboard Cutty Sark for sensory sessions for under 5s!

Term-time Wednesdays | 10.30am, 12.00pm & 1.30pm

£5 per adult, under 5s free

Cutty Sark

Family fun

SENsory Sailors

Come along and enjoy this brand new sensory play session for children under 13 years with special educational needs

Second Saturday of the month | 11am-12.30pm

Free | Pre-booking required

National Maritime Museum

Exhibitions

Windrush Food Culture exhibition

Visit this free exhibition exploring Windrush food culture and its impact on Britain through the decades: from the margins to the mainstream

Open Tuesday - Saturday until 30 July 2026 | 11am-4pm

Free entry

National Maritime Museum

Exhibitions

Niki Gorick: Dock Life

A snapshot of the culture and communities of London’s docklands

Open daily | 10am-5pm

Included with Cutty Sark entry

Cutty Sark

Exhibitions

Kõmij Mour Ijin/Our Life is Here

Reflections on nuclear testing and climate change in the Marshall Islands – a contemporary art exhibition at the National Maritime Museum

Open daily until 14 June 2026 | 10am-5pm

Free

National Maritime Museum

Workshops | Art and culture

From object to art craft workshops

Join our community of makers at The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre

First Saturday of every month | 10.30am-12.30pm

Free

Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre

Talks and tours

LGBTQ+ history talks at the National Maritime Museum

We deliver queer history talks at least once a week at the National Maritime Museum

Thursdays and Sundays | See page for dates | 3.30pm | Drop-in

Free

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours

Treasures Tour of the National Maritime Museum

Explore some of the Museum’s most prized – and lesser-known – objects on a guided tour

Daily at 12pm and 2pm

£7.50 Adult | £5.50 Student | £3.75 Child | Free for Members

National Maritime Museum

Family fun

Sea shanty singers

Join our resident sea shanty groups at Cutty Sark on the first weekend of every month as they sing traditional maritime songs

First weekend of every month

Included with entry to Cutty Sark: £22 Adult | £11 Child

Cutty Sark

Talks and tours | Maritime history

Shipkeeping Wednesdays

Join us on the second Wednesday of the month as we bring the art and heritage of ship care to life with shipkeeping talks and activities

Second Wednesday of every month - see page for details | 11am-3pm | Drop-in

Free for Cutty Sark ticket holders

Cutty Sark

Family fun | Experiences

Astronomers Take Over

This brand-new interactive gallery gives curious minds aged 4 to 104 the space to play, learn and explore!

Now open | Dates and times vary: check the ticketing page for full details | 10am-5pm

Experience + planetarium: £16 | Experience only: £8

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours | Art and culture

Queen's House Treasures Tour with drinks on the balcony

Learn about the history of the former royal residence and enjoy a drink in picturesque surroundings

Select Sundays between March and October 2026 at 3.30pm | Next date to be announced

Adult: £25 (plus £3 booking fee per booking); Adult Members: £22.50

Queen's House

Family fun | Experiences | Space and astronomy

Unboxing the Universe

Blast off on an unforgettable journey through space in this exciting science theatre show, and answer some big questions about the Universe along the way

Sat & Sun 1.30pm and 3.30pm | Fri-Mon (School holidays only) 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm

£16 for adult / child / student ticket

National Maritime Museum

Family fun

Safe Harbour

Safe Harbour is a series of free workshops created to provide a safe space for foster and adoptive families with children under 13 years

Last Saturday of the month | 12.30pm-2.30pm

Ticketed | Free

National Maritime Museum

Family fun

Baby yoga

Stretch and unwind with your little one on our Ocean Map during this baby yoga session.

First or second Friday of the month | 10.15am and 11am

£10 per baby and accompanying adult

National Maritime Museum

Family fun | Space and astronomy

Astronomy LEGO brick club

Join us for a LEGO brick building club themed around the night sky

Fridays 2.30-4.30pm | 8 May onwards except 5 June, 10 July, 21 August 2026

Free

National Maritime Museum

Family fun

May half term at Cutty Sark

Discover the fun family activities you can enjoy on the iconic tea clipper this May half term

Saturday 23 May - Sunday 31 May 2026

Included with entry to the ship

Cutty Sark

Family fun

May half term at the National Maritime Museum

Find fun for all the family at the National Maritime Museum this May

Saturday 23 – Sunday 31 May 2026 | 11am–4pm

Free | Drop in

National Maritime Museum

Family fun

May half term at the Queen's House

Find free workshops and creative activities for all ages inside Greenwich's historic villa

Sunday 24 – Sunday 31 May 2026 | See page for timings

Free

Queen's House

Family fun

Sail by the Sky: SEND family music workshop

Come along and enjoy these music workshops for children under 13 years with special educational needs

Monday 25 May | 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm

Free | Pre-booking required

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours

Crossings: Artists in Conversation

An evening of informal conversation with artists Güler Ates and Shorsh Saleh, with an opportunity to view their artworks in the Queen's House

Friday 29 May 2026 | 6pm-8.30pm

Free: booking required

Queen's House

Workshops | Space and astronomy

Time to Make poetry workshops

Join us for a series of workshops exploring space and time through poetry

Mondays 2.30-4.30pm | 1, 8, 15, 28 June

Free | Pre-booking required

National Maritime Museum

Workshops | Conferences | Ocean Court

Teacher CPD: Ocean

A resource-packed event exploring cross-curricular approaches to teaching and learning about the ocean environment and climate change – in the unique setting of the Ocean map at the National Maritime Museum

Tuesday 2 June 2026 | 4–6.30pm

FREE for UK school teachers and educators

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours | Maritime History and Culture Seminars

Unfit for service: disability and old age in the British Navy during the French Wars

Join us for a free online talk by Dr Manon C. Williams

Tuesday 2 June 2026 | 5.15-6.30pm

Free

Online

Events and festivals | Museum Lates

DEBUT at the Queen’s House

Come to an evening of enchanting classical music as part of DEBUT's acclaimed 'Secret Concerts' series

Thursday 4 June 2026 and Thursday 3 September 2026 | VIP experience at 6pm | Classic experience at 6.30pm

Adult £35 | VIP Adult £60 (+£3 booking fee) | Adult Member £31.50 | VIP Adult Member £54

Queen's House

Events and festivals | The ocean

World Ocean Day

A family-friendly celebration of our ocean at the National Maritime Museum

Saturday 6 June 2026

Free

National Maritime Museum

Events and festivals

Experimental Saturdays

Experimental Saturdays brings people together at the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre for workshops that spark conversation, creativity and connection

Select Saturdays (see page for details)

Free Entry

Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre

Talks and tours | Member events

Flamsteed Astronomy Society masterclass

Join the Flamsteed Astronomy Society for a masterclass in nightscape photography

Tuesday 9 June 2026 | Doors open at 6.30pm, event starts at 7pm

Flamsteed Members: FREE | Guests of Flamsteed Members: £15 | Royal Museums Greenwich Members: £12

National Maritime Museum

Experiences

Ferreira Weekend at Cutty Sark

Take part in activities themed around the decades Cutty Sark spent as Ferreira after the ship was sold to a Portuguese company in 1895

Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June 2026 | 11am-4pm

Free with entry to Cutty Sark - Adults £22 | Students £16.50 | Children £11

Cutty Sark

Talks and tours | Member events

Flamsteed Lecture: Unveiling the secrets of star and planetary system formation

Join us as we explore star and planetary formations with the sharpest eyes on the sky in this Flamsteed Astronomy Society lecture by Dr Claire Davies

Monday 15 June 2026 | 7.15pm

Flamsteed Members: FREE | Guests of Flamsteed Members: £15 | Royal Museums Greenwich Members: £12

National Maritime Museum

Events and festivals | Art and culture

Lunchtime Concerts at the Queen's House

Enjoy musical performances in the Queen's House given by students from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

Select Wednesdays (see page for details) | 1pm-2pm

Free, drop in

Queen's House

Talks and tours | Member events

Members' lecture: This way up with Map Men

Explore cartographic travesties with YouTubers Jay Foreman and Mark Cooper-Jones aka Map Men

Wednesday 17 June | 6.30-7.30pm

Free for Members | £15 for non-Members

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours | Member events

Members' treasures tours

Explore the treasures of the National Maritime Museum with one of our expert guides

Friday 19 June, Saturday 18 July, Tuesday 11 August and Sunday 20 September 2026 | 11am

Free for Members

National Maritime Museum

Events and festivals | Ocean Court

Windrush Day 2026

A day of creative workshops, informative talks and discussion to explore the significance of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush and the legacies of the Windrush generation

Saturday 20 June 2026 | 11am-4pm

Free

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours

Guided audio-described tour of the Pacific Encounters gallery

Join a tour of the National Maritime Museum's Pacific Encounters gallery for blind and visually impaired visitors

Thursday 23 June 2026 | 11am-12pm | Please arrive at 10.50am

Free

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours | Salons in the Queen's House

Salons in the Queen's House: Phillis Wheatley and American Revolution 250

Award-winning British-Nigerian writer Ade Solanke discusses her work on the acclaimed poet

Wednesday 24 June 2026 | 1-1.30pm

Free

Queen's House

Workshops

Collage workshop with artist Sharon Walters

Get creative with artist Sharon Walters at the National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House in a collage workshop for young people aged 13-17

Saturday 27 June 2026 | 2-4pm

Free

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours | Maritime History and Culture Seminars

Remembered lives: a tribute to the crew of HMS Challenger

Join us for a free online talk by independent researcher Philip Pearson

Tuesday 30 June 2026 | 5.15pm-6.30pm

Free Entry

Online

Experiences | Member events

Members' summer party

Celebrate the summer with us in the grounds of the National Maritime Museum

Tuesday 30 June | 6.30-8.30pm

£5 per ticket

Queen's House

Talks and tours | Salons in the Queen's House

Salons in the Queen's House: The flying fish tour

Join artist Remiiya Badru as she takes you on a tour of contemporary art in the Queen's House which features the symbolic motif of the flying fish

Wednesday 1 July 2026 | 1-1.30pm

Free

Queen's House

Workshops

Young Carnival Creators

Take part in the legendary Notting Hill Carnival! Design and create your own Carnival costume and performance inspired by sound system culture and migration

Wednesdays from July to August & Sunday 30 August | 5-7pm | Time of Sunday parade to be confirmed

Free

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours | BSL tours

BSL Tour: Amazing Animals in Maritime History

Join historian and guide John Wilson at the National Maritime Museum, for a British Sign Language (BSL) tour about remarkable animals

Friday 3 July 2026 | 2pm-3pm

Free

National Maritime Museum

Workshops | Member events

Members' solar observing

Learn how to view the sun with our team from Flamsteed Astronomy Society

Tuesday 7 July and Thursday 6 August | 11am

Free for Members

Royal Observatory

Events and festivals

Teachers' Evening 2026

Join us for a celebration to mark the end of term and look towards the new academic year

Thursday 9 July 2026 | 4.30-7pm

FREE for UK school teachers and educators

National Maritime Museum

Events and festivals

Matariki

Celebrate the Pacific New Year and explore the connections between the stars and Māori/Pacific Island cultures with Royal Museums Greenwich

Saturday 11 July 2026 | 12.30-4.30pm

Free

National Maritime Museum

Family fun | Ocean Court

Ready Steady Sail!

Join us for a day of ocean fun through an interactive walkabout performance and crafting to bring our Ocean Map to life!

Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July 2026 | 10.30am, 12pm, 1.45pm and 3.15pm

£6 per child

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours | Maritime History and Culture Seminars

I saw three ships go sailing by: the life of Phillis Wheatley in three maritime journeys

Join us for a free online talk by playwright and academic Ade Solanke

Tuesday 21 July 2026 | 5.15-6.30pm

Free Entry

Online

Talks and tours | Member events

Members' lecture: The aristocrat, the able seaman and the tragedy of Titanic

Join writer Angela Young as she tells the story of two courageous Titanic survivors

Tuesday 21 July | 6.30-7.30pm

Free for Members

National Maritime Museum

Family fun | Workshops

SEND family poetry workshop

Come along and enjoy these poetry workshops for children under 13 years with special educational needs

Thursday 23 July | 10.30-11.15am; 12-12.45pm; 2-2.45pm

Free | Pre-booking required

National Maritime Museum

Events and festivals | Ocean Court

Caribbean Takeover

Join the Caribbean Social Forum as they take over the National Maritime Museum and the Queen’s House for another spectacular year of celebration

Saturday 25 July 2026 | 10am-5pm

Free

National Maritime Museum

Family fun | Member events

Discover our Ocean Map

Explore our Ocean Map with a curator in this event for children

Tuesday 11 and Thursday 20 August | 10.30-11am

Free for Members

National Maritime Museum

Family fun

Cutty Sark relaxed opening

Explore the famous tea clipper in a calmer, more relaxed environment

Wednesday 19 August 2026 | 10am-11am

£22 per adult, £11 per child, £3 Universal Credit, free for carers

Cutty Sark

Workshops

Wellbeing walk with Lira Valencia: Greenwich Park

Join outdoor content creator, community builder and nature enthusiast Lira Valencia for a guided nature walk through Greenwich Park for young people aged 16-25

Wednesday 19 August 2026 | 2.30-4.30pm

Free

In Greenwich

Family fun | Member events

Members' craft workshop

Join us for exclusive craft workshops, just for Members

Saturday 12 September and Saturday 21 November 2026 | 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm

Free for Members

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours | Member events

Members' lecture: the most important naval officer you’ve never heard of

Join author Alan Harper as he recounts the extraordinary life of Royal Navy warrant officer Greenvile Collins, the subject of his book Master & Cartographer

Tuesday 15 September | 6.30-7.30pm

Free for Members

National Maritime Museum

Workshops

Saturday Art Club

Join weekly creative workshops for young people aged 13-16 during term time at the National Maritime Museum

Saturdays from October 2026 - March 2027 | 10am-1pm

Free

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours

Guided audio-described tour of the Queen's House

Join a tour of the Queen's House for blind and visually impaired visitors

Tuesday 6 October 2026 | 11am-12pm | Please arrive at 10.50am

Free

Queen's House

Talks and tours | BSL tours

BSL Tour: The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre

Join guide John Wilson for a British Sign Language (BSL) tour of our state-of-the-art conservation and storage facility

Thursday 8 October 2026 | 2pm-3.30pm

Free

Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre

Events and festivals | Museum Lates

Musica Antica at the Queen's House

A night of celebration with music by virtuoso female composers from 17th-century Venice and Florence

Thursday 8 October 2026 | VIP experience at 5.45pm | Sessions at 6.15pm and 8pm

Adult: £20-£25, VIP Adult: £45 (plus £3 booking fee) | Adult Member: £18-£22.50; VIP Adult Member: £40

Queen's House

Workshops

Young Producers

Find out more about the Young Producers – a paid opportunity for young people aged 16-25

Every other Tuesday from 20 October 2026 to 23 February 2027 & Saturday 13 February 2027 | 5-7pm & Saturday event times to be confirmed

Free

National Maritime Museum

Events and festivals | Museum Lates

In conversation with Richard Wright: celebrating 10 years of the Great Hall ceiling

Hear first-hand about the ideas, craftsmanship, and legacy behind this spectacular ceiling installation

Thursday 22 October 2026 | Doors open at 6.30pm | In conversation at 7pm

Adult £25 | Students £22.50

Queen's House

Events and festivals | Maritime history

Sea Shanty Festival 2026

Visit Cutty Sark for a fantastic day of sea song performances and workshops in celebration of the tea clipper's 157th birthday

Saturday 21 November 2026 | 10am-4.30pm

Free for Cutty Sark ticket holders

Cutty Sark

Events and festivals

LGBTQ+ history month

Join us in Greenwich each February for a spectacular series of events celebrating queer histories, cultures and communities

Throughout February 2027

Free Entry

In Greenwich

Events and festivals

Lunar New Year

We celebrated the Year of the Horse with a whole host of Lunar New Year activities and performances

Saturday 13 February 2027 | 10am-4pm

Free

National Maritime Museum

Events and festivals

STEM careers event 2027

Free careers event for schools

Wednesday 24 February 2027 | 10am-3pm

Free

National Maritime Museum

Talks and tours | BSL tours

BSL Tour: Cutty Sark

Join guide John Wilson for a British Sign Language (BSL) tour of Cutty Sark and discover what life was like aboard the iconic sailing ship

Friday 26 February 2027 | 2-3pm

Free with entry to the ship. Cutty Sark entry: Adult: £22 | Student: £16.50 | Child: £11

Cutty Sark

Visit Greenwich Park Lying on its side within the historic Greenwich Park is Queen Elizabeth's Oak. Myths and legends surround the tree as thoroughly as the foliage which now covers it. We can only imagine what it has seen in its long past...

Royal history

Writing a museum label with 'Gendering the Museum'

Gendering the Museum

Looking beyond that fabulous outfit

Facts, research and evidence

The final version

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History of the Queen's House

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History in brief

1400s: Greenwich's early royal connections

1500s: Greenwich Palace and the Tudors

1600s: Queen's House takes centre stage

1700s: Kings, Queens and Rangers

1800s: a mansion for mariners' children

1900s-today: a gallery for all

Who was the Queen's House built for?

How was the Queen's House used by the royal family?

A home for art and science

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The Queen's House: the heart of maritime Greenwich

Greenwich Park and the Queen's House: in pictures

Ghostly sightings

The Queen's House today

Niki Gorick: Behind the lens

Look inside: The Many Invincible Ones by Sharon Walters

Artist Sharon Walters on creating The Many Invincible Ones display in the Queen's House

Artemisia Gentileschi at the Queen's House

Introducing new contemporary art at the Queen's House for 2026

Pasifika Now

Reaching for the Moon

Reframing the Pacific in the Queen’s House

Mapping uncharted histories: the 19th century woman who developed London’s map trade

Power and passion: George Villiers and James I

Rising through the ranks

Discover more great art

Relationship rumours

Were Villiers and James lovers?

Deep connections

Villiers, James and the language of sexuality

A lasting bond

About the author

Further reading

Discover more

A guide to Royal Greenwich

Zeenat Mahal: the exiled queen

Portrait of a favourite

"Clever, wicked woman"

Discover more great art

Portrait miniatures and South Asia

The Greenwich connection

Find more stories like this

Pioneers: A Renaissance in South Asian Creativity

Beneath the blue: Alberta Whittle on the making of Feeling Blue

Reunited at last: William and Catherine Kerr

The search for the lost Wren

Visit the Queen's House

A historical treasure hunt in the grounds of the National Maritime Museum

Statue of King William IV

Carronades

Anchor Park

Statues of Royal Navy officers

Statue of General James Wolfe

More blogs from the Caird Library

The Caird Library and Archive

Royal portraits in Royal Museums Greenwich’s collection

King Henry VIII

1491–1547

Queen Mary I of England and King Philip II of Spain

1516-1558; 1527-1598

Queen Elizabeth I

1533–1603

King James I

1566–1625

Queen Anne of Denmark

1574–1619

Princess Elizabeth Stuart

1596–1662

Discover more great art

King Charles I