KENTSTAYCATION
A ROYAL CONNECTION CONT .
HEVER CASTLE
WALMER CASTLE
As the mother of Queen Elizabeth I and the second wife to King Henry VIII , Anne Boleyn is one of Britain ’ s most famous queens , her tragic death now a poignant and grisly part of British history . Anne ’ s story began right here in Kent at her childhood home , Hever Castle where she was born in 1501 and spent her childhood . Hever Castle had belonged to her family since 1462 and now , in honour of this history , until early November , Hever Castle ’ s 2022 exhibition Becoming Anne : Connections , Culture , Court explores the factors that moulded Anne ’ s character and the rise of the Boleyn family . Not only can visitors look upon King Henry VIII ’ s bedchamber from their courting days , they can also see Anne ’ s personal prayer book which bears her signature .
Alongside Henry VIII , almost all British monarchs have left their mark on UNESCO World Heritage Site Canterbury Cathedral . From King Ethelbert , the first British king to convert to Christianity , to tales of Elizabeth I ' s lavish birthday celebrations and the wedding of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence , plenty of monarchs have frequented this holy place . Perhaps the most infamous royal link the cathedral has is that of Henry II ' s dispute with Archbishop Thomas Becket , which resulted in one of the world ’ s most well-known martyrdoms and thousands of pilgrims treading the now well-travelled road to Canterbury . Today , the cathedral still welcomes pilgrims of all kinds , offering a special guided tour which tells stories of royals through the ages . Discover monarchs immortalised in stone , wood and stained glass which adorn the cathedral ' s walls , including the special statues of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip , which were unveiled in 2015 .
This royal visit from Elizabeth II was one of her most recent where , with the Duke of Edinburgh at her side , she unveiled the pair of statues at Canterbury Cathedral to mark her diamond jubilee . It was sculptor Nina Bilbey who was given the prestigious task to create them as one of the first to be installed there during the queen ' s reign . They complement existing statues by the cathedral ' s west door of Prince
Albert and Queen Victoria - the only other monarch to celebrate a diamond jubilee .
Although today , Queen Elizabeth does not have any official royal residences in Kent , perhaps the closest abode linked to the House of Windsor is Walmer Castle . A former home to the Duke of Wellington , namesake of the boot of which the castle still houses an original pair , the strongest royal connection is the Queen Mother Gardens at Walmer . With Walmer Castle being a former seaside fortress and as the Queen Mother was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports for 23 years , a contemporary garden was created in honour of her 95th birthday . The Queen Mother declared : " I have been given many presents before , but never a garden ." Featuring an elegant arched pavilion over still water and blooms throughout the season , this romantic and peaceful garden is one of Kent ’ s best , coming complete with a statue of a corgi sitting on a bench . The Queen Mother loved Walmer and came to stay for a short holiday in July of most years , often with one or more of the royal corgis .
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