Introduction
Documentary going behind the scenes at the Tower of London and exploring its 900 years of history.
Outline
It’s spring, and the Tower is now just weeks away from the coronation. Staff have been working hard to prepare for the new era, but one thing is yet to change – the Beefeaters’ iconic uniforms. These world-famous uniforms still bear the Royal monogram of the late Queen Elizabeth II, known as a cypher, and they must be updated to represent King Charles III.
Yeoman Gaoler Rob Fuller has drafted in master tailors Kashket and Partners for the job. But with hundreds of garments to create from scratch, getting them ready for a national press launch just ahead of the coronation will be a huge challenge.
And it’s not all out with the old and in with the new. Chief Yeoman Warder Pete McGowran visits the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection at Hampton Court Palace, a priceless archive containing historic garments from a dress worn by Queen Elizabeth II to gowns worn by Princess Diana. The latest addition to the collection will be Pete’s old uniform, securing a place for the Yeoman Warders in this amazing historic archive of clothes.
Yeoman Sergeant Jimmy James meets Keeper of the Tower Armouries Emma Mawdsley, to look at an exceptional archive of photos cataloguing Queen Elizabeth II’s visits to the Tower.
Meanwhile in the Tower moat, big changes are afoot. In 2022, this space was transformed by Superbloom, a magnificent floral meadow garden in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Now Rhiannon Goddard and her team want to see the moat in bloom once again, but they are faced with hard, frozen soil.
Rhiannon calls in help from London’s last herd of working shire horses stationed at Hampton Court Palace. A much softer way of preparing the ground than using tractors, these gentle giants should make light work of tilling the earth – if they can adjust to the busy London traffic noises.
The Schools Team are running a competition for children across the United Kingdom, giving them the chance to design a Coronation Bench for the Tower. In charge of choosing the winning entries are Aileen Pierce, Nivek Amichund and Chief Yeoman Warder, Pete McGowran. Will they be able to narrow down the entries?
And Historic Royal Palaces Chief Curator Tracy Borman investigates perhaps the most influential woman in the life of Henry VIII – his beloved mother Elizabeth of York. She finds evidence of just how close the pair were, with Henry growing up alongside Elizabeth and even taking writing lessons from her. But her untimely death at the Tower just after giving birth to her seventh child scarred Henry – perhaps influencing him for life.
Inside the Tower of London Series
You can find a full index and overview of Inside the Tower of London here.
Production & Filming Details
- Release Date: 09 November 2023.
- Rating: U.
- Running Time: 58 minutes.
- Country: US.
- Language: English.
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