Queen Katherine Parr writes from Oatlands Palace announcing her marriage to Henry VIII.
Our hotel dates back to the 19th century, but did you know the Oatlands estate dates back as far as Tudor England? In 1538 King Henry VIII acquired the land to build Oatlands Palace which was intended to be a home for his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, who he married in 1540. Over the years Oatlands Palace became home to many Kings and Queens, Earls and Duchesses before becoming the hotel we see today.
While the Palace no longer remains above ground anymore, we’re still fascinated by our hotel’s history and the amazing artefacts that are found today.
Just last week, a rare letter written by Henry’s last wife, Queen Katherine Parr, went to auction at Sotheby’s. As part of their Coronation Sale on May 4th 2023, the letter was included due to its British Royal roots.
Image credit: sothebys.com
The Tudor Queen Katherine Parr wrote to her brother announcing her marriage to Henry VIII, 20 July 1543. The letter itself is said to have been written from Oatlands Palace, which was the first stop on the newlywed’s summer tour, just days after leaving Hampton Court Palace. Katherine was a keen patron of the arts and was the first known English queen to write and publish her own books. It is for this reason that we named one of our meeting rooms ‘Parr’ as a dedication to the late Queen.
The letter is estimated between £15,000 – £20,000 and is considered a part of England’s rich Tudor history due to its rarity of being written by one of King Henry VIII’s Queens. Take a look at the listing on Sotheby’s website.
Read more about Oatlands Palace on the Elmbridge Museum website.
