Matilda gets invited to Hampton Court
I can hardly write this as I’m so excited. I’ve been allowed to come with the royal court to Hampton Court palace!
I’ve heard this is one of King Henry’s favourite palaces. The court likes to come here in summer time to get away from the heat of London. Imagine having a favourite palace…
I do see why he likes it so much. It has beautiful red turrets and overlooks the river. This means that there are many boats filled with astonishing food and other goods coming to the palace every day. I like to watch them out of my window and guess what treasures they might be bringing in.
One of the reasons King Henry loves this palace so much is that it’s close to Richmond park. The court often goes hunting there. A few days ago one of the young men brought back a stag he had shot, I got to see it’s fearsome antlers up close and marvelled at how they managed to capture such a magnificent creature.
Last week I managed to sneak out to explore the beautiful palace gardens on my own. I met one of the boys who works there and he told me he was visiting Richmond park that day to make sure it was ready for King Henry.
He showed me a young oak tree that he wanted to plant whilst he was there. He said he was going to place it right in the centre of the park, overlooking a great pond.
I was told off for talking to him when I told one of the ladies in waiting, but when I fell asleep that night I imagined the oak growing so tall you could see it from all around the park.
I wonder how long it will live there overlooking that pond. It could be hundreds of years...
Check out Nisha's visit to the same tree almost five hundred years later.
