And pay attention to where these are filmed – I’m sure the scenery will look familiar to a lot of you!

And here’s a link to the YouTube page where you can see larger versions (including HD).

* Shakespeare’s Kings and Westminster Abbey – RSC actors performing excerpts from the history plays in the coronation ‘theater’ of the Abbey. I wish I could attend some of these!

* Presentation on objects from Tudor and Stuart playhouses at the Museum of London on April 24

* History Today has an article by Linda Porter – Katherine Parr: An Ideal Stepmother. Porter has a new biography on Parr due out in March in the UK (you can sign up to be notified for the US release at the link below).

* There are several upcoming Tudor Events at Hampton Court Palace that look interesting. As always, if anyone gets a chance to go to any of these, I’d love to hear about it!

* A new book on the death of Amy Robsart Dudley is out in the UK (article from The Times Online). UK Amazon link below (and another US “sign up to be notified”)

I posted when Deborah Kerr died in 2007 about how I came across “Young Bess” early in my early teens, so I of course have to mention it again with the news that Jean Simmons died yesterday. And as with Deborah Kerr, Jean Simmons is probably mostly known for other roles, but it’s always “Young Bess” that I think of. She’ll always be a young Queen Elizabeth I to me!

Jean Simmons’ Obituary from The Telegraph and The New York Times

Oh, and for my fellow geeks who are also fans of Felicia Day, why did it take me so long to realize that it was a young Jean Simmons that she reminded me of? Geez I’m thick sometimes. (See this photo if you don’t know who I’m talking about. And then watch The Guild!)

The London Dungeon is turning the temperature up this February half term with a flaming new experience – Bloody Mary: Killer Queen featuring one of England’s most feared rulers – Mary Tudor, the deadliest daughter of Henry VIII . This Killer Queen was nicknamed Bloody Mary for ordering around 300 horrifying murders in her brief but brutal five year reign (1553-1558). Guests are transported back to London in 1556 where the fanatically Catholic Queen is burning Protestants at the stake. Special effects conjure up the sights, screams and overwhelming stench of fiery execution as another helpless “heretic” endures one of the most painful deaths known to man – being slowly burnt alive.

(Above text excerpted from a press release at Travel Daily)

Before I could write up a post about this, one showed up at the Mary Tudor: Renaissance Queen blog so head over there for more intelligent commentary than I can offer right now.

And Adieu from Henry 8.0

I had to shudder at Henry’s treatment of Catherine’s iPod nano though! I got a green one for Christmas and I love it… I’d hate to see it shoved into a jar of chocolate spread.

* National Portrait Gallery on the Iconography of Lady Jane Grey

Here’s the article from Art Daily about it and here’s a little information from the National Portrait Gallery’s website. And just a reminder that Painting History – Delaroche and Lady Jane Grey will be opening at the National Gallery (around the corner from the NPG) at the end of February.

* Large medieval waterwheel uncovered at Greenwich

It’s a little before the Tudors, but I’m a sucker for medieval archaeological finds. Here’s an article (with a few pictures) from Medieval News.

* Showtime picks up a series on The Borgias

According to Variety Showtime is looking to continue playing in the Renaissance with a new series about The Borgias. Jeremy Irons will be starring so I’ll probably be watching!

* Debunking the Myth of Lady Jane Grey

Thought-provoking article by Leanda de Lisle at Intelligent Life (a lifestyle and culture magazine from The Economist)

* Mary Rose Trust photos on Wikipedia

Mary Rose Trust releases photographs onto Wikipedia
Unseen Mary Rose pictures revealed in groundbreaking Wikipedia deal

* Exhibition features documents suggesting Shakespeare was Catholic

Shakespeare was a ’secret Catholic’ new exhibition shows

* Greenwich to become a Royal Borough in 2012

This honors its long connection with the English and British monarchy (lots of Tudor connections there!). The other Royal Boroughs are Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, and Windsor and Maidenhead.

Greenwich Becomes Royal Borough
Queen to grant Greenwich Royal Borough status for Diamond Jubilee

* Catch up on “The Tudors”

Season Three is now available on iTunes (this link goes to the Showtime site, which has a link to the iTunes store)
Unfortunately I didn’t see it in time for the first episode, but Showtime is replaying all of the previous seasons in a lead-up to the season 4 premiere in April. Here’s a link to the schedule.

And finally…

* 2010 sees the 450th anniversary of the refoundation of Westminster Abbey

The history of Westminster Abbey, London – The coming year is the 450th anniversary of Elizabeth I’s refoundation of Westminster Abbey as the collegiate church we know today

[I caught a few errors in the first paragraph after the ad in the middle of the article. I'm going to post a comment on the article and hopefully someone will see it and correct it.]