British History

Last May, the team uncovered a telltale sign of the long-lost palace: the base of a centuries-old wall and a foundation.

Amateur Historians Unearth a Long-Lost Tudor Palace Visited by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I

Locals had long shared stories of Collyweston Palace. Then, excavations in England's Midlands revealed traces of the fabled estate

The rare bust of Caligula is only five inches tall.

Curator Uncovers Lost Roman-Era Bust of the Emperor Caligula

The small bronze statue, which was unearthed at Herculaneum, had been missing for two centuries

Just Stop Oil protesters Rajan Naidu, 73, and Niamh Lynch, 21, sit in front of Stonehenge after covering the monument in orange powder.

Climate Activists Spray Stonehenge With Orange Paint

Protesters with Just Stop Oil are demanding that the British government phase out fossil fuels by 2030

Alicia Vikander portrays Henry VIII's sixth wife, Catherine Parr, in the new film Firebrand.

The Real Story Behind 'Firebrand' and Henry VIII's Tumultuous Relationship With His Sixth Wife, Catherine Parr

A new film dramatizes how the Tudor queen narrowly avoided execution on charges of heresy

The stones were shot from catapults during one of the longest sieges in British history.

Catapult Shots Fired During 13th-Century Siege Unearthed at British Castle

Found on the grounds of Kenilworth Castle, the eight stones were used during a clash between rebels and royal forces in 1266

Edmond O'Brien and Jan Sterling during the filming of a 1956 adaptation of George Orwell's 1984

What Does George Orwell's '1984' Mean in 2024?

Now 75 years old, the dystopian novel still rings alarm bells about totalitarian rule

Historians were surprised to discover more than 50 carvings on the door, including initials, last names and depictions of hangings. 

See the Graffiti Bored British Soldiers Carved Into a Castle Door More Than 200 Years Ago

One of the carvings may even depict French emperor and military commander Napoleon Bonaparte being hanged

Hannah Uzor painted this portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales, for Tatler's July 2024 cover.

Why a New Portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales, Is So Controversial

For the second time this month, a painting of a British royal is garnering backlash

This photograph, depicting four royal women with their newborns, was a gift to the obstetrician who delivered all of the babies within a two-month period in 1964.

Never-Before-Seen Royal Family Portraits Go on Display at Buckingham Palace

"Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography" showcases 150 photographs taken between the 1920s and today

The exhibition includes portraits of staff by Sir Godfrey Kneller.

The British Royals' Huge Staff Once Included Exotic Cat Wranglers, Rat Killers and Toilet Attendants

A new exhibition in London offers an inside look at the lives of the workers who served the monarchy between 1660 and 1830

A romanticized 1920 depiction of the capture of Blackbeard, one of history's most notorious pirates

Who Were the Real Pirates of the Caribbean?

During the Golden Age of Piracy, thousands of sea dogs sought fame and fortune. But the reality of a pirate's life was less enticing than movies and television shows suggest

That Mary consigned some 280 Protestants to the flames is both indisputable and indefensible. But as historians have increasingly argued, this number is just one element of a much larger story that warrants contextualization.

The Myth of 'Bloody Mary,' England's First Queen

History remembers Mary I as a murderous monster who burned hundreds of her subjects at the stake, but the real story of the Tudor monarch is far more nuanced

Alicia Vikander as Catherine Parr in Firebrand, an upcoming film from director Karim Aïnouz

Watch the Trailer for 'Firebrand,' a New Drama About Henry VIII's Sixth Wife, Catherine Parr

Karim Aïnouz’s film features Alicia Vikander and Jude Law as the Tudor queen and king

The London National Gallery will celebrate its 200th birthday on May 10, 2024.

At 200 Years Old, the London National Gallery Is Redefining What It Means to Be a 'National' Museum

Despite its decidedly traditional art collection, the British cultural institution is adopting a contemporary approach to public outreach and accessibility

The wreck of the Isabella and Newton Providence camp, as shown in Charles Barnard's narrative of his experiences in the Falklands, 1829

Why the Wartime Rescue of the Survivors of a British Shipwreck Ended in Betrayal

In 1813, an American sealing vessel, the "Nanina," promised to save the crew and passengers of the "Isabella," even though it was an enemy ship. Here’s how the British brig got stranded in the first place

Researchers discovered broken pottery in a medieval ditch beneath a bridge in the city's center.

Archaeologists Discover Medieval Artifacts Ahead of Bridge Demolition in England

Found during a construction project near the railway station in York, the trove includes pottery and bones

This photograph may depict the iceberg that caused the Titanic to sink

This Historic Photograph May Depict the Iceberg That Sank the Titanic

The image, which sold for $22,000 at auction this week, was taken aboard a recovery vessel days after the famous ocean liner went down

The statue was unveiled on what would have been Elizabeth's 98th birthday.

New Statue Honors Elizabeth II—and Her Beloved Corgis

The seven-foot-tall bronze monument is billed as the "first permanent memorial" to the late queen

Charged with the 1974 theft of 19 masterpieces, Rose Dugdale entered a plea of “proudly and incorruptibly guilty.”

The English Heiress Who Masterminded a Multimillion-Dollar Art Heist and Built Bombs for the IRA

Fifty years ago, Rose Dugdale stole 19 paintings worth an estimated £8 million, including works by Vermeer, Velázquez and Rubens, from a British aristocrat's estate

Stonehenge was constructed in stages beginning about 5,000 years ago.

Were Stonehenge's Builders Guided by the Moon?

Researchers are studying the monument's connection to a celestial event that occurs every 18.6 years

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