Private Guided Tour of Hampton Court Palace
5
Private Guided Tour of Hampton Court Palace
By Sheila Dunsmore
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About
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-120
Duration: 90–120 minutes
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Personal tour with your own knowledgeable guide with 18 years experience of working at The Palace.
- Sheila also specializes in Ghost, LGBTQ+ & Grace and Favour tours
- Sheila has an EDI Level 3 Diploma in Cultural Heritage (learning & interpretation)
- Sheila has a Level 2 Accreditation from the Institute of Tourist Guiding
What's not included- Entrance fee to Palace not included. Approx. £25 pp, concessions available, children under 5 free.
- Food & Drink
- Gratuities
- Entry/Admission - Hampton Court Palace
- Start:
- Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Ct Way, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU, UKWest Gate - Main entrance (down drive) to Palace (not large gates by main road)
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 291212P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 291212P1
From
$227.00
per group (up to 10)
Select date and travelers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- Hampton Ct Way, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU, UKWest Gate - Main entrance (down drive) to Palace (not large gates by main road)
- 1A comprehensive tour of Hampton Court palace tailored to your historic interests. I can also be in Tudor or Victorian authentic costume (note, no adults allowed in period costume). Children can wear what they like! I cover all aspects of the Palace's history including tales of Henry VIII, Ghostly stories, Grace & Favour, and all others who have lived there. You will see a Palace in two halves, half Tudor, half Baroque. Highlights include Henry's Great Hall, the Haunted Gallery, King Williams spectacular Staircase, Guard Chamber and the beautiful Versailles style gardens.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- JillDodds0060 contributionsFun tour of Hampton Court PalaceWe had a wonderful three hour tour of Hampton Court Palace hosted by Sheila. Her knowledge is amazing and she shared facts about life in the Palace you would not have learnt at school!! Plus lots of stories about the famous Palace ghosts. I’d highly recommend contacting Sheila for a tour. Jill Dodds Aug 2024Written August 26, 2024
- Stephanie F0 contributionsIncredibleI highly recommend Sheila! Our attention never waned. We were riveted by her knowledge of the castle and its inhabitants. I had gone previously and used the audio guide. This private tour with Sheila was impressive.Written December 30, 2022
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
48 reviews
Excellent
47
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Michele C
3 contributions
Aug 2023
Shelia is a phenomenal guide! She communicated with us ahead of time to find out what we were interested in and then tailored the tour to our interests. She was able to respond to all of our questions and even incorporated some original poetry into the tour. She wove stories into the tour to make the palace come to life and the breadth of her knowledge was extensive. She took us behind the scenes in some places and was willing to continue to tour with us long beyond our allotted time. The people in my group love to ask questions when visiting historical places and this investment was worth every penny. Please book Shelia if you are at all curious about the palace. You will not regret your investment.
Written August 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Michele,
Thank you for the glowing review. It was my absolute pleasure to take you all on tour of the Palace. I loved the fact that all of you were so enthusiastic and asked lots of questions, and were also so much fun to be with. I am glad you liked my ghostly poem as well. I do hope you are all enjoying the rest of your holiday.
Regards Sheila
Written August 9, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Paul H
2 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
My husband arranged a private tour with Sheila as a belated 60th birthday treat, as it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.
I cannot recommend Sheila enough - we spent 3 1/2 hours going round the Palace & the time just flew by.
Sheila is extremely knowledgeable & eloquent. She made life at the palace in Tudor times come to life, as well as telling us some really spooky & interesting tales.
I absolutely loved my tour & can’t thank Sheila enough for taking me off the beaten track, as an extra treat.
I cannot recommend Sheila enough - we spent 3 1/2 hours going round the Palace & the time just flew by.
Sheila is extremely knowledgeable & eloquent. She made life at the palace in Tudor times come to life, as well as telling us some really spooky & interesting tales.
I absolutely loved my tour & can’t thank Sheila enough for taking me off the beaten track, as an extra treat.
Written December 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for the wonderful review.
It was my absolute pleasure , to take you and Paul around the Palace. You were so enthusiastic and knew so much already! I do hope the rest of your stay in the area was as enjoyable, and I do hope you have a lovely time at Hever Castle. Lovely pub near there called the King Henry VIII ( amazing roast).
Regards Sheila
Written December 7, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Melinda M
4 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
We had an amazing tour of Hampton Court Palace with Sheila! Her extensive knowledge of the history of the palace is impressive and her talent for storytelling makes this tour unlike any other. She immediately asked what we were interested in learning and she personalized our tour throughout the whole experience. She was such a joy to learn from and her passion is contagious. It was truly the highlight of our trip to London. Thank you, Sheila!
Written October 10, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Melinda,
I think you’ve reviewed my tour already ( see below). However , how flattering to have two lovely reviews.
I am soo pleased this was the highlight of your trip to London. What a compliment to me , with so many lovely Historic venues to visit .
Regards Sheila
Written October 12, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Scenic58714304503
1 contribution
Jun 2024 • Couples
My wife and I took an amazing tour with Sheila. She very quickly was able to figure out what would interest us and lead a very captivating couple of hours around Hampton Court. We look forward to coming back and staying at the hotel on the grounds.
Written June 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi ,
I’m afraid I can’t figure out who this review is from without your names?
However thank you soo much for taking the time to review my tour.
I am so glad you enjoyed yourselves . I always enjoy taking every one ,who books a tour around the beautiful Palace, but positive feedback always reassures me that I’m doing a good job!
It was absolute pleasure to entertain you both.
Regards Sheila
Written June 7, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Natasha B
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Friends
We booked Sheila for a guided children’s Tudor tour at Hampton Court Palace during October half term for my daughter’s 7th birthday and it was absolutely fantastic!
Shelia could not have been better informed, she pitched it all perfectly and was so knowledgable. The kids were completed transfixed from start to finish.
We have visited Hampton Court a lot over the years, as I grew up nearby and we used to be members. My daughter is really into history at the moment, in particular Henry VIII. She wanted this has her party and it was easily the best trip we’ve ever had there.
Sheila told us about the myths, the facts and answered all their (many!) questions, without moving off topic or loosing their interest seamlessly.
Sheila e-mailed me before the tour to ask how gory to go and to gauge what we were after and from the minute we met her outside the Palace, we knew we were in safe hands.
What a wonderful, informative and amazing way to experience the Palace and all that history.
I cannot recommend Sheila enough!
The children were still talking about the tour for days afterwards and any sleepless nights afterwards were due to the ghostly gouls that were in costume and character and put on my the Palace for half term and so realistic!
A brilliant visit and perfect for a birthday party, if your child is into history as much as ours is!
Thank you Sheila!
Shelia could not have been better informed, she pitched it all perfectly and was so knowledgable. The kids were completed transfixed from start to finish.
We have visited Hampton Court a lot over the years, as I grew up nearby and we used to be members. My daughter is really into history at the moment, in particular Henry VIII. She wanted this has her party and it was easily the best trip we’ve ever had there.
Sheila told us about the myths, the facts and answered all their (many!) questions, without moving off topic or loosing their interest seamlessly.
Sheila e-mailed me before the tour to ask how gory to go and to gauge what we were after and from the minute we met her outside the Palace, we knew we were in safe hands.
What a wonderful, informative and amazing way to experience the Palace and all that history.
I cannot recommend Sheila enough!
The children were still talking about the tour for days afterwards and any sleepless nights afterwards were due to the ghostly gouls that were in costume and character and put on my the Palace for half term and so realistic!
A brilliant visit and perfect for a birthday party, if your child is into history as much as ours is!
Thank you Sheila!
Written November 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for the wonderful review. It was pleasure to entertain Jessica and her friends, they were all so engaged and came out with very intelligent and amusing questions ,and answers to anything I asked them. They were all lots of fun to take on tour!!
Regards Sheila
Written November 16, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Roving231502
Knoxville, TN1 contribution
Sheila was an EXCELLENT guide! We had many questions and she was never without an answer. Her knowledge of Hampton Court Palace throughout history is amazing and she shared many interesting stories you would most likely not hear on a regular tour. We saw the musical Six about Henry VIII's wives the afternoon following our tour and we were so glad we had just toured with Sheila, as it really helped us enjoy the show! She is an excellent communicator, giving us thorough instructions prior to the tour and checking in with us to learn about our particular interests. We would recommend her without reservation and hope we have the opportunity to tour with her again in the future. Thank you, Sheila!
Written June 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi All,
Thank you for the lovely review, it was my pleasure taking you around my favourite place. So glad you got to see SIX , it’s good to have that prior knowledge of the wives , it adds to the enjoyment of the show( which I’ve seen four times!).
Regards Sheila
Written June 15, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tim R
Pasadena, CA14 contributions
Aug 2022
I arrived in the early afternoon and met Sheila in front of Hampton Court. Within minutes, Sheila transported me to Tudor and Georgian times and gave me a behind the scenes tour of the history, culture and little known nuggets about the incredible people who have lived at Hampton Court. Simply a phenomenal experience and worth investing the time and money to have a memorable and long-lasting impression of a major historical site in the history of England. Sheila also provided me with a really great post-tour food recommendation before traveling back to London. I still dream of the lamb and mint sauce I ate at The Mute Swan.
Written September 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi,
So pleased you enjoyed your Tour and thank you for taking the time to write the awesome review. I must go over to the Mute Swan and sample the Lamb & Mint sauce !!
Best Wishes Sheila
Written September 15, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Steph F
5 contributions
Jun 2023 • Solo
I was so looking forward to my tour of Hampton court and I was not disappointed. Sheila is an amazing guide. Her energy and enthusiasm for history is infectious and it made the tour the highlight of my trip. She tailored the tour to my interests and showed me all the details and secrets of the palace you would otherwise miss. She knew I had dedicated the day and spent the whole morning with me (longer than the booking) making sure to show me as much as possible. I think this shows how much passion she has for sharing her knowledge and ensuring you have a great experience. If you are thinking of visiting Hampton court, this is the way to go. Thanks so much Sheila.
Written August 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Steph,
How lovely of you to review my tour. I do remember you, I took you around on the 15th of June. I am soo happy your tour was memorable, and I really enjoyed taking you around as you were so enthusiastic. Many thanks again for the review and I do hope to see you again , if you ever venture over this way again.
Regards Sheila
Written August 25, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
David H
1 contribution
Oct 2022
Fabulous tour of Hampton Court with Sheila.
Advertised as a 1.5-2.0 hour tour--hours was over 3.5 hours with never a dull moment.
Sheila brought the history alive with multiple anecdotes of times yore and present.
Would recommend her highly.
Advertised as a 1.5-2.0 hour tour--hours was over 3.5 hours with never a dull moment.
Sheila brought the history alive with multiple anecdotes of times yore and present.
Would recommend her highly.
Written October 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi ,
Thank you for the fabulous review , it was my pleasure to entertain you all with the Palaces wonderful History.
Regards Sheila
Written October 4, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ken M
Alhambra, CA1 contribution
Shiela Dunsmoore was very personable and went deeply into the history that interested us. In about three hours she covered Henry VIII and the wives and a lot more. We focused on the Tudor portion of the buildings. We were well satisfied.
Written September 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Ken,
Thank you for taking the time to leave me a glowing review. It was my absolute pleasure ,to take you and Karen on tour. I do hope the rest of your holiday was as enjoyable!
Regards Sheila
Written September 19, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We will be coming from Gatwick. Is it possible to store luggage locally for 1/2 day? We will head to London later in day.
Written June 15, 2023
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