Home / Arts and Entertainment / Tudor Heart Saved: £3.5M Raised for Henry VIII Pendant
Tudor Heart Saved: £3.5M Raised for Henry VIII Pendant
10 Feb
Summary
- Museum successfully raised £3.5 million for a rare Tudor artifact.
- The pendant dates back to Henry VIII's marriage to Katherine of Aragon.
- Over 45,000 public donations contributed to the successful campaign.
The British Museum has announced the successful completion of its £3.5 million fundraising campaign to secure the Tudor Heart pendant. This significant artifact, discovered in 2019, is linked to King Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
The four-month appeal garnered widespread support, with over 45,000 members of the public contributing. Substantial grants were also crucial, including £1.75 million from The National Heritage Memorial Fund and £400,000 from the Art Fund.
This 24-carat gold pendant, uniting Tudor and Katherine's symbols, may have been created for a tournament in October 1518, marking the betrothal of their daughter, Princess Mary. It has been on display in the museum since the campaign launch and is expected to be formally added to the collection later this year.
Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum, expressed gratitude for the public's support, highlighting the object's power to connect people with English history. The museum plans for the pendant to tour the UK in the future.
