Event overview
International Conference on the wedding celebrations of Charles I and Henrietta-Maria in 1625. Royal Museums, Greenwich, 15-16 February 2013
The marriage of Charles I to a French princess in 1625 was a relatively low-key affair by early modern standards. The sudden death of James I and an outbreak of the plague prevented large-scale public celebrations in London, and the union between a Protestant king and a Catholic princess was also controversial. None the less, a variety of events were organized in Paris and London, and in the small towns along the route between. There were triumphal entries; masques and court ballets were planned (if not actually performed) and there were banquets, balls and fireworks. Henrietta Maria was met by Charles at Gravesend and they entered London in a river procession up the Thames, passing the then half-built Queen’s House at Greenwich, on which work had stalled on the decline of Queen Anne’s health in 1618 and would only be completed for Henrietta Maria in the 1630s.
This conference – the third in a series leading up to the 400th anniversary of the House’s inception in 1616 – will analyse the 1625 celebrations from an interdisciplinary perspective and put them in their intellectual, cultural and political contexts. It aims to uncover the differences and misunderstandings beneath the outward celebration of union and concord, and show how an alliance which promised well for future relations between Britain and France, could soon turn into tensions and acts of hostility.
The Queen’s House Conference, 2013
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Feb 2013 | 12:00pm - 6:00pm | |
| 16 Feb 2013 | 10:00am - 5:00pm |
Accessibility
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