About

On 28 January 1547, the sickly and obese King Henry VIII died at Whitehall. Just hours before his passing, his last will and testament had been read, stamped and sealed. The will confirmed the royal line of succession as Edward, Mary and Elizabeth; and, following them, the Grey and Suffolk families. It also listed bequests to the king's most trusted councillors and servants and outlined the details of his planned burial and tomb in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Henry's will is one of the most intriguing – and contested – documents in British history. Historians have disagreed over its intended meaning, its authenticity and validity, and the circumstances of its creation. In this talk, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb will explore the background to the drafting of the will and the last days of the dying king, as well as offering her own illuminating interpretation of a key constitutional document of the Tudor period.