Edward vi. was born at Hampton Court, October 12, 1537, and his mother, Queen Jane Seymour, died there on the 14th of the same month.[2] Her corpse was conveyed to Windsor by water, where she was buried, November 12.  Catharine Howard was openly showed as Queen, at Hampton Court, August 8, 1540.  Catharine Parr was married to the King at this palace, and proclaimed Queen, July 12, 1543.  In 1558, Mary and Philip kept Christmas here with great solemnity, when the large hall was illuminated with 1,000 lamps.  Queen Elizabeth frequently resided, and gave many superb entertainments here, in her reign.  In 1603-4, the celebrated conference between Presbyterians and the Established Church was held here before James I. as moderator, in a withdrawing-room within the privy-chamber, on the subject of Conformity.  All the Lords of the Council were present, and the conference lasted three days; a new translation of the Bible was ordered, and some alterations were made in the Liturgy.[3]

Charles I. retired to Hampton Court on account of the plague, in 1625, when a proclamation prohibited all communication between London, Southwark, or Lambeth, and this place.[4] Charles was brought here by the army, August 24, 1647, and lived in a state of splendid imprisonment, being allowed to keep up the state and retinue of a court, till November 11, following, when he made his escape[5] to the Isle of Wight.

In 1651, the Honour and Palace of Hampton were sold to creditors of the state; but previously to 1657 it came into the possession of Cromwell, who made it one of his chief residences.  Elizabeth, his daughter, was here publicly married to the Lord Falconberg; and the Protector’s favourite child, Mrs. Claypoole, died here, and was conveyed with great pomp to Westminster Abbey.

The palace was occasionally inhabited by Charles II. and James II.  King William resided much at Hampton Court; he pulled down great part of the old palace, which then consisted of five quadrangles, and employed Sir Christopher Wren to build on its site the Fountain Court, or State Apartments.  In July, 1689, the Duke of Gloucester, son of the Princess, afterwards Queen Anne, was born here.  The Queen sojourned at Hampton occasionally, as did her successors George I. and II.; but George III. never resided here.  When his late serene highness William the Fifth, Stadtholder of the United Provinces, was condemned to quit his country by the French, this palace was appropriated to his use; and he resided here several years.  The principal domestic apartments of Hampton Court are now occupied by different private families, who have grants for life from the crown.