27 March 2026 (past event)
- 14:00 to 15:00
Talk
Secrets of The National Archives: the will of Henry VIII
The last will and testament of Henry VIII with Suzannah Lipscomb.
- Date
- 27 March 2026
- Location
- Online
About this image
Will of Henry VIII, 1546. Catalogue reference: E 23/4 pt1
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.
Event details
- Date
- 27 March 2026, 14:00 to 15:00
- Price
-
Free
Pay what you can
- Location
- Online, Live-streamed on Vimeo
- Part of series
- Secrets of The National Archives
This event has sold out.
Dates for this event
How to join online
What you need to join
This event will be live streamed on the website of our streaming service, Vimeo.
When you book, you will receive an email that includes the link you need to join the event. This link will also be shared with you in a reminder email in advance of the event.
- Vimeo provide guidance on How to watch a live event.
- You do not need a Vimeo account to join. If you do sign up for a Vimeo account, please be aware you may be asked to verify your age. You can find out more here: About age verification in the UK and EU
- You can join from your browser from a laptop or mobile device.
- For the best experience we recommend using either a laptop or desktop computer.
Help during the event
To access the live event, click on the link in the Eventbrite confirmation email you received when you booked the event. Vimeo will open in your web browser.
- If the live event hasn’t started at the advertised start time, please refresh your browser window and click the play button on the event again. If that doesn’t work, try closing the browser window and clicking the link in your confirmation email again.
- You can enable live subtitles by clicking on the ‘CC’ button at the bottom of the video player. ‘CC’ stands for ‘Closed Captions’.
- When you join the event, you may have to click on the sound icon at the bottom of the video to unmute the sound. If there is still no sound, please make sure that you have got your speakers turned up to full volume.
- If you have a query that has not been answered above, please email us at whatson@nationalarchives.gov.uk
Watch after the event
This talk will be available to watch after the event, using the same link you will receive to join it live. It will remain available for a limited period of 48 hours after the event has finished, unless otherwise stated.
Speakers
Series
Secrets of The National Archives
This series of events showcases some of the most notable documents and stories from our collections.