Dr Owen Emmerson

In the lead-up to Wolf Hall Weekend 2026 we spoke with Dr. Owen Emmerson @drowenemmerson.bsky.social in an Exclusive Q&A on Hilary Mantel's portrayal of Mary Boleyn, William Carey, and Cromwell’s Circle. wolfhallweekend.substack.com/p/an-exclusi...

New online event! I do hope you'll consider joining @drowenemmerson.bsky.social and me. Learn more & reserve your place! www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-rise-o...

Lovely launch of @drjoannepaul.bsky.social Thomas More. Great to see so many historians there, inc Sarah Gristwood Luke Pepera @nicolatallis.bsky.social @drowenemmerson.bsky.social Kate McCaffrey @nathenamin.bsky.social @estelleprnq.bsky.social @historywithjackson.bsky.social Alfred Hawkins

Head over to my Patreon to watch @drowenemmerson.bsky.social and me review ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ film. This is an open access video, which means it’s freely available to the public. I hope you enjoy it! www.patreon.com/posts/dr-owe...

Delighted to reveal that the foreword to my upcoming book ‘The Many Faces of Anne Boleyn: Interpreting Image and Perception’ has been written by none other than the brilliant @drowenemmerson.bsky.social !! Out 31 July 2025! @penandswordbooks.bsky.social www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Many-Fac...

Still time to buy tickets to this weekend’s online Katherine of Aragon Legacy fundraiser for Peterborough Cathedral. Loads of fabulous historians. I’m speaking about Jane Seymour peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/event/the-ka... @drowenemmerson.bsky.social @onthetudortrail.bsky.social #peterborough

Of all the details I found about Anne Boleyn’s relationship with her daughter Elizabeth this has to be the most poignant @hodderbooks.bsky.social #mothersday #mothersday2025 #anneboleyn #elizabethi #tudors @drowenemmerson.bsky.social

We are very pleased to be working with @southwarkcathedral.bsky.social to arrange an evening of talks about Thomas Cromwell on 11 September. Speakers are @drjoannepaul.bsky.social @drowenemmerson.bsky.social and @melitat.bsky.social Get your tickets now, as space is limited! bit.ly/4kUFm29

Very pleased to be taking part in an evening devoted to Thomas Cromwell at Southwark Cathedral on 11 September. My fellow-speakers will be @drjoannepaul.bsky.social and @drowenemmerson.bsky.social Book now, as spaces will be limited. bit.ly/4kUFm29

We’re delighted to share that Dr Peter Stiffell is taking part in ‘The Katharine of Aragon Legacy Lectures’! Please do consider joining @drowenemmerson.bsky.social & me online (5-6 April) for a wonderful lecture series, all in support of Peterborough Cathedral. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/historians...

It was such a joy to review the acclaimed TV drama, ‘Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light’, with the brilliant @drowenemmerson.bsky.social! Our discussion is available to all paid subscribers of Talking Tudors. Not a patron? Sign up at patreon.com/TalkingTudors. I look forward to welcoming you!

As much as I adore seeing our majestic Long Gallery & extraordinary 16th-century art collection beautifully lit, there is also something utterly magical about turning off all of the electricity & seeing it lit only by glorious sunlight, as those before us did. #HeverCastle #AnneBoleyn #AnneofCleves

We’re thrilled to share that the brilliant Dr Linda Porter is taking part in ‘The Katharine of Aragon Legacy Lectures’! Please do consider joining @drowenemmerson.bsky.social & me online for a wonderful lecture series, all in support of Peterborough Cathedral. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/historians...

Exploring the early life of Q Anne Boleyn this past week with @drowenemmerson.bsky.social and @onthetudortrail.bsky.social ! So interesting to delve into her early experiences that shaped the Queen she would become! Looking forward to the Q&A this wknd!🤗 📸: Dr. Owen Emmerson & Natalie Grueninger

The Royal Beat is now a podcast! You can hear me talking about the Seymour scandal involving a young Elizabeth I with @katewilliamsme.bsky.social and @drowenemmerson.bsky.social over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify. #temptationofelizabethtudor #seymourscandal #royalbeat

#InternationalWomensDay2025 why not listen to Historic Royal Palace’s 6 wives podcast with @tracyborman.bsky.social I’m in episode 1, James Peacock @drowenemmerson.bsky.social @nicolatallis.bsky.social Gareth Russell & Sarah Gristwood also appear historicroyalpalaces.libsyn.com/the-six-tudor...

On #WorldBookDay2025, I thought I’d share one of the things I love most about #AnneBoleyn’s Books of Hours at Hever: their smell! Their ‘bibliosmia’ is a blend of cocoa, vanilla and spent fires that seep from the vellum as you turn their pages. If only I could bottle that scent.

We’re beyond thrilled that @alfredrjhawkins.bsky.social, Curator of Historic Buildings at the Tower of London, is part of The Katharine of Aragon Legacy Lectures! Join @onthetudortrail.bsky.social & me online (5-6 April) in support of Peterborough Cathedral! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/historians...

Less than two weeks until our next online event kicks off! Join us for an exploration of Anne Boleyn’s origins and early life. @drowenemmerson.bsky.social www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-making...

We’re excited to share that @laceybonarhull.bsky.social is taking part in ‘The Katharine of Aragon Legacy Lectures’! Please consider joining @drowenemmerson.bsky.social & me online (5-6 April) for a fab lecture series, all in support of Peterborough Cathedral. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/historians...

When your day starts with seeing a newly discovered Elizabethan treasure, you know the bar has been raised pretty high 🤩🤩🤩

Today, over on YouTube, I will be discussing why I prefer Hans #Holbein’s preparatory drawings to the final product. I think Holbein’s sketches captured the raw immediacy of his subjects, preserving the spontaneity of his first impressions: youtu.be/DmCl1GrPSVU?...

New speaker announcement! I'm thrilled to share that Gareth Russell is taking part in the 'The Katharine of Aragon Legacy Lectures'! Please do join @drowenemmerson.bsky.social & me on 5-6 April to help raise much-needed funds for Peterborough Cathedral. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/historians...

From 12th Feb to 2nd Nov, visitors to #HeverCastle can enjoy costumes from #WolfHall: The Mirror and the Light! I adored working as an historical advisor on the series, so its a joy to have organised the loan of these treasures, displayed with their portraits. Do come & see! 📷 Oliver Dixon

Lovely to see the Peterborough Cathedral fundraiser, which I’m helping @drowenemmerson.bsky.social organise, in the news! The Katharine of Aragon Legacy Lectures will feature contributions from more than 15 historians. Join us from anywhere in the world! www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/people/...

🚨 LAST CHANCE! 🚨 It’s the FINAL day to save $10 on Witchcraft: The Real History & get access to tomorrow’s Royal Witches Zoom! 👑🔮 Join us for 8 days of uncovering the truth behind witch trials & legends. Register now! 👉 claireridgway.com/events/witchcraft/ #WitchcraftHistory #WitchTrials

Casually hanging out with my absolute favorite portrait of #AnneBoleyn, hoping she’ll reveal all her secrets… #LoveMyJob

A true ‘pinch me’ moment. Today, I had the incredible opportunity to hold #AnneBoleyn’s exquisite cup & cover, a remarkable treasure from the Church of St. John the Baptist in Cirencester. While planning exhibitions can be stressful, experiences like this make it all worthwhile!

The Katharine of Aragon Legacy Lectures is an online event, raising funds for Peterborough Cathedral. Our exciting lineup of historians will be announced over the coming weeks! @onthetudortrail.bsky.social & I would love it if you could join us on 5-6 April 💜 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/historians...

Cambridge sunset…

I sat down with @drowenemmerson.bsky.social to discuss the role of a historical consultant & to review episodes 1-3 of the BBC's 'The Mirror and the Light’. Dr Emmerson was one of the show’s historical consultants, so it was a real treat to hear about his experience. www.patreon.com/c/TalkingTud...

It’s a catalogue writing day, and today, I will be focused on this late 17th/ early 18th-century portrait labelled #AnneBoleyn. It is one of only four known portraits in this famous pattern in which Anne is shown wearing an ‘HA’ pendant instead of a ‘B’.

For @apollomagazine.bsky.social I went to investigate the newly discovered terracotta busts of children attributed to Guido Mazzoni in Colbaghi's current exhibition. They are almost identical to a bust in the Royal Collection, sometimes identified as a young Henry VIII.

Come to Kentwell and live as a Tudor! Beautiful place, lots of wonderful people, and lots and lots of history....

Every day is an ‘Anne’ day at Hever, & today is all about the second Queen to live at the castle: #AnneofCleves! I’m digging into the opaque provenance of this gorgeous painting of Anne, after Holbein’s original - a passion project with my colleague & fellow sleuth, Kate McCaffrey🕵️‍♂️

It’s a tough call because every day working at Hever Castle is pure magic, but I think this has been my favourite week yet. #LoveMyJob

I very much enjoyed discussing the relationship between Anne Boleyn and the Princess Mary, (future Mary I), with the wonderful @drowenemmerson.bsky.social . Our chat is available on the Talking Tudors YouTube channel. I hope you enjoy it! youtu.be/ZTWIBwnPjQA?...

Celebrating another year at Hever with the very best of company @alfredrjhawkins.bsky.social. Do you think #AnneBoleyn would approve of our ‘dress to impress’ attire?

How do we balance history with expectation when envisioning figures like #AnneBoleyn? Her face has been reimagined from a C16th sketch by Holbein to later oil portraits. Do these reflect their era’s ideals more than Anne herself? Is it even her? Excited to share my findings soon!

I am so excited to be teaming up with Travel Editions for a two-night ‘Anne Boleyn: Life and Legacy Tour’ from 19th May 2025. Together, we will follow Anne’s footsteps from Hever Castle to the Tower of London. Check out this link for more information: www.traveleditions.co.uk/tour/anne-bo...

I think I've stepped into art heaven with the OG influencers before me. Any guesses as to where these #Tudor icons are holding court? #ArtHistory

It was the end of an era today as we bade a fond farewell to our amazing colleague @lucyworsley.bsky.social in the only way that HRP curators know how: with copious amounts of tea and cake 🍰 🫖

This C16th beheading sword forms part of the Hever Castle collection & is similar to that used to execute #AnneBoleyn. Typically, the English nobility were killed by axe, but Anne was one of the few people to be decapitated in England by the central European method of the sword. #Tudor

It was a real joy to join Gordon & Eleanor on @bbc5live.bsky.social this morning to talk all about a #Tudor Christmas at #AnneBoleyn’s stunning childhood home of #HeverCastle.

Christmas as #AnneBoleyn saw it. Illuminations of The Nativity as seen in Anne’s two Books of Hours, housed at her home of Hever Castle. Merry Christmas, all 🎄

I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been appointed Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces. Looking forward to uncovering many more stories from the past 1,000 years 🏰

This festive season I've had the privilege to give 3 readings at the Chapel of Saint Peter ad Vincula - while I love doing them the best bit really is the choir!

If, like me, you have post- #WolfHall blues, why not visit Hever Castle’s incredible art collection and stand face-to-face with breathtaking 16th-century portraits of all the main characters, from #ThomasCromwell & #CardinalWolsey to #AnneBoleyn & #ThomasMore?