Inside the Tower of London: Season 6 Premiere (Channel 5 Thursday 2 November 2023)

Inside the Tower of London: Season 6 Premiere airs Thursday 2 November 2023 on Channel 5.

What is this episode about

It’s 2023, and that means another amazing year at America’s most popular museum of history, the Tower of London. A new monarch is about to be crowned for the first time in 70 years, and the fortress is scrambling to get ready to celebrate.

In the first episode, it is March 2023, and the Tower is getting ready for the coronation of a new monarch, one of the most momentous occasions in its thousand-year history. Having served King Charles III since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II last year, the fortress has been gradually entering a new era in preparation for the upcoming coronation.

First on the list is updating the royal cyphers (the monarch’s personal monograms) found throughout the Tower. The Beefeaters’ ceremonial partisans are in dire need of an update, as are the buttons on the staff uniforms and the sentry boxes. In Tudor times, these ancient weapons would have been used to protect the king or queen; today, however, they are carried by the Yeoman Warders in ceremonial parades and gun salutes at the Tower that are much more friendly. It’s not easy to modernise equipment that’s 70 years old, and Chief Yeoman Warder Pete McGowran is in a race against time to get the partisans ready in time.

Alfred Hawkins, the Tower’s assistant curator, will be in charge of supervising the replacement of the tower’s largest cypher. Perched atop the world-famous Jewel House, it heralds the beginning of the King’s reign by proclaiming his ownership of the priceless crown jewels.

Chris Skaife, the raven master, is in danger of losing his precious flock at the raven enclosure. Due to the widespread spread of the potentially fatal avian flu, he has made the difficult decision to quarantine his seven feathered charges. Chris comes up with some creative ways to keep them entertained, despite the fact that the enclosure has been expanded for them.

Even though the Coronation is the most important event of the year, Easter always comes first on the calendar at the Tower. While Curator and Public Historian Charles Farris and Yeoman Warder Barney Chandler investigate the fascinating history of Easter gift giving at the fortress (spoiler alert: it didn’t involve chocolate eggs), Sous Chef Denis Idahosa has rustled up some delicious seasonal treats in the café. Traditional Easter Parade is the last time the Yeoman Warders will wear their state ceremonial dress with the late Queen’s initials, so they put their best foot forward.

The stunning gold sovereign ring was discovered by a metal detectorist in Kent, and Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces Tracy Borman played detective to uncover its history. Anne Boleyn was Henry VIII’s infamous second wife, and Tracy thinks this mysterious bull symbol and initial may belong to her family. In her search, Tracy travels to the Isle of Sheppey, to the ancestral home of a courtier of Henry VIII’s. While travelling to France with King Henry and Anne Boleyn and their massive court, Tracy reveals that Anne’s father Thomas or brother George may have owned the ring before their dramatic downfall.

Season 6 Episode 1

When can we see the episode

Inside the Tower of London: Season 6 Premiere airs Thursday 2 November 2023 at 8:00pm on Channel 5

Featured Image Credit: Channel 5