A chronological journey through the key events that shaped Hampton Court Palace over more than five centuries.
1514: Cardinal Wolsey acquires the manor and begins building. 1529: Henry VIII takes possession. 1532–1535: The Great Hall is built. 1536: Anne Boleyn's initials are hastily removed. 1537: Jane Seymour gives birth to Prince Edward and dies. 1541: Catherine Howard is arrested.
1604: James I hosts the Hampton Court Conference. 1689: William III commissions Wren's Baroque rebuilding. 1694: Queen Mary II dies of smallpox. 1700: The famous Maze is planted.
1768: The Great Vine is planted. 1838: Queen Victoria opens the palace to the public. 1986: A devastating fire damages the King's Apartments. 2015: Ongoing restoration projects continue.