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Hampton Court Palace Private Guided Tour

Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
London, England
Great choice
10+ bookings last month.
  • 2 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

5.0
·
· Ashley_L ·
Jan 2026
Jo was an animated storyteller who demonstrated great passion and excitement for her subject. On. Very cold morning, she demonstrated patience with grumpy teenagers while their mother soaked up the fascinating stories of the Tudors. I’ve been to the palace before on a self-guided tour, but never would have known all of the hidden secrets without this tour. Highly recommend!
· Gia_M ·
Oct 2025
Jo was a fantastic tour guide … communicative prior to meeting .. very well informed and added some secrets from all her years at the castle … lovely morning !

Overview

Venture beyond London's city streets to explore a historic site with hundreds of years of fascinating stories—Hampton Court Palace. Private and tailored to your interests, the experience explores both the Tudor and Baroque sides of the palace, taking in grand rooms and gardens while uncovering tales of Henry VIII’s six wives, royal court life, and the site’s ghost stories.
  • A private tour offers a relaxed, personalized experience
  • Choose from morning and afternoon tour options for flexibility
  • Gain insight you'd miss if exploring independently from your guide
  • Make your own way to the palace via a method of transport that suits you best

What's Included

  • Personal tour with Jo who is accredited by the Institute of Tourist Guiding.
  • Jo has worked at Hampton Court for 15 years and has a Drama and Theatre Arts degree.
  • She has been featured on ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ and BBC’s Timewatch ‘The King’s Servant’
  • Entrance tickets - can be purchased via the Historic Royal Palaces website. Approx £27
  • Food and Drink
  • Transport
  • Gratuities
  • Entrance fee - Hampton Court Palace
    £28.00 per person

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Hampton Court Palace
    Hampton Ct Way, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU, UK

    West Gate - Main entrance down the drive to the Palace (not the entry gates by the main road).

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

1

Hampton Court Palace

2 hours Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • This is a private tour / activity. Only your group will participate.
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

5.0
based on 42 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

This is a must book tour! You will be so glad you did!!!

Kristen_B, Mar 2026
If you are reading this review trying to decide whether it's worth having a guide to visit Hampton Palace.... the answer is YES and you should book with Jo!!!! Jo was so friendly and cheerful with a genuine passion for history. Jo is extremely knowledgeable about the palace and all of its inhabitants from royalty to those grace and favoured. She is very knowledgeable about the different royal houses and relevant players that were integral parts of the different Kings and Queens reigns. We spoke about the Tudor and Stuart houses through present day House of Windsor. Jo answered all of our questions with ease. Jo went above and beyond and exceeded our expectations. She truly made our experience so much better than we could ever have imagined. You will not be disappointed if you book with Jo and be so glad that you did! Put simply Jo was amazing.

Wonderful experience and a walk back through time

Denise_D, Jan 2026
We had a wonderful tour of this castle. We were running late and the guide was so patient and accommodating with our schedule change. We learned so much and wish we could have heard all the entertaining, fun facts, and ghost stories for more hours that day.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you so much for your lovely review, it was so good to meet you and share some of the stories of the palace with you. I'm so glad that you enjoyed your visit and your time on the tour.

Jo was an animated...

Ashley_L, Jan 2026
Jo was an animated storyteller who demonstrated great passion and excitement for her subject. On. Very cold morning, she demonstrated patience with grumpy teenagers while their mother soaked up the fascinating stories of the Tudors. I’ve been to the palace before on a self-guided tour, but never would have known all of the hidden secrets without this tour. Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you so much for your lovely review Ashley. It was such a pleasure to meet you and your delightful family and I'm so glad that you found the tour interesting and enjoyable. It was great fun to take you all around the palace!

We loved our tour with Jo!

Tracy_C, Nov 2025
Jo gave us an incredible private tour of Hampton Court Palace. Her stories were captivating, her knowledge impressive, and her enthusiasm made the whole experience unforgettable. She truly brought the palace to life. Highly recommend-Jo is amazing!

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Thank you so much Tracy for your lovely review. It was wonderful to meet you and your family, and a real pleasure to take you round the palace and share some of the stories with you. Thank you so much!

Hampton Court (King Henry VIII) tour

David_C, Oct 2025
Very interesting tour of the palace once used by King Henry VIII. Our tour guide Jo’s in depth knowledge of the palace’s history and her unique ability to tell an interesting story kept us captivated throughout the tour.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you so much for your kind review David. It was a pleasure to take you and your family around the palace and share the history of Henry VIII with you. I'm so glad you enjoyed your tour.

Jo was a fantastic tour...

Gia_M, Oct 2025
Jo was a fantastic tour guide … communicative prior to meeting .. very well informed and added some secrets from all her years at the castle … lovely morning !

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you so much Gia for your lovely review. It was such a pleasure to meet you and I'm so glad that you enjoyed your tour and visit to the palace.

Hampton Court Palace

Andrea_B, Aug 2025
What an amazing experience to have our guide Jo meet us at the front gates and take us round the areas and explain what happened where in such detail. Her knowledge of the people and the history was incredible.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you so much for your lovely review Andrea. It was wonderful to meet you and Pete, and to share so many stories of the palace with you both. I'm so glad you enjoyed your tour and your time at the palace.

Jo was amazing!

Nicholas_P, Aug 2025
Jo delivered an incredibly informative tour that ticked every box! Friendly and personable, Jo is so knowledgeable about the Palace. Made it sound like a fun chat instead of speaking at you. Extremely interesting and would recommend Jo as a guide to anyone!

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you so much Nichola for your lovely review. It was such a joy to take you around the palace, and I'm so glad that you all enjoyed the tour!

Our time at Hampton Court with Jo!!!

Floyd_P, Aug 2025
Jo have us the absolute most amazing tour we have ever experienced, THANK YOU Jo!!! So knowledgeable is she, and patient and thorough to all our questions, and never did we feel hurried. We so enjoyed this time at Hampton Court because of the her as well as the venue, and cannot give but an A+ recommendation for her services!

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you so much Floyd for your lovely review. It was such a pleasure to meet you and Laura and to share with you both what the palace has to offer. It was such a joy to do this tour for you both and I'm so glad that you enjoyed it!

She knew everything!

Ingela_U, Jul 2025
Our guide Sheila knew everything about Hampton Court! The 2 hour private guiding tour was worth every penny.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you so much Ingela for your lovely review for Sheila, who covered your tour for me. Sheila says that you and your family were a joy to entertain, and passes on her thanks to you for your very kind feedback.

We all absolutely loved...

Tammy_R, Jul 2025
We all absolutely loved this tour. Jo, our guide was fantastic. She was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about teaching us everything. After the tour we walked around the gardens. We really could have stayed all day, there is so much to see and do here.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you so much for your lovely review Tammy, and it was a great pleasure to meet you and your family. I'm so glad that you all enjoyed your time at the palace and the beautiful gardens. It was a real pleasure to guide you on your tour.

Hampton Court with Jo

David_H, Jul 2025
We were blown away with the history and knowledge of our tour guide. Jo brought this castle to life for us and we enjoyed every minute.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you so much for your lovely review. I'm so glad that you enjoyed your tour, and it was a great pleasure to meet you both.

Best tour we’ve ever been on!

Tamela_C, Jul 2025
Jo was very knowledgeable about Hampton Court Palace’s history. She was very friendly. Best tour we’ve ever been on.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you so much for your very kind review. It was such a pleasure to take you around the palace and to share its many stories with you. I'm so glad you enjoyed your tour.

Jo Cooper was an...

John_S, Jun 2025
Jo Cooper was an excellent guide. She reached out in advance of our arrival and the tailored the tour to our granddaughters’ interests.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

It was such a pleasure to meet you and your family John, and I was delighted to focus the tour on your granddaughters' interests. I'm so pleased that you all enjoyed the tour and your visit to the palace.

Outstanding guide

Pam_M, Jun 2025
Jo was a fantastic guide. She showed us all the ins and out of the Tudor court. Her knowledge of English history was excellent and she was very considerate of my ability to walk stairs and rest occasionally. Highly recommend.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you so much for your very kind review Pam. It was lovely to meet you and your family and take you around the palace. I'm so glad that you enjoyed your tour!

Wow! Jo was amazing!

Lauren_W, Jun 2025
Jo was an amazing guide! She was very engaging, informative, and well-versed in Tudor history and Hampton palace. She did a fantastic job of focusing the tour on our interests, which was the wives of Henry VIII. I can’t say enough about how fantastic she was! I would definitely recommend her tour to anyone interested in Hampton Palace! Thank you Jo!

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you so much Lauren for your very kind review. It was such a pleasure to meet you and Hana, and I was so impressed with your knowledge of, and passion for, Henry's wives. I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the tour, and that I was able to add to a subject that you both so clearly love. Hana is indeed a Tudor scholar!

Jo’s the best

harrisonlynda, Jun 2025
Jo was brilliant, her knowledge was amazing she was so friendly and answered all our questions. I would recommend her to anyone. Can’t say enough about her

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you so much for your lovely review. It was such a pleasure to meet you and share stories about Henry and his wives, and to answer all your questions. I'm so glad that you enjoyed your tour, your interest in Henry and the palace certainly shone through!

Hampton Court Palace With Tour Guide Jo

Lisa_G, Jun 2025
We took a private guided tour with Jo. She was an amazing tour guide! She's a 14-year expert on giving tours at Hampton Court Palace and knows everything! She is very welcoming, personable, enthusiastic, and fun to spend 2 hours with learning about history, art, architecture and inside stories of Hampton Court and its historical residents. She tailors the tour to your personal interests and requests. I would highly recommend a tour with her. We were also impressed with the horticulture at Hampton Court Palace--stunning! The restaurant is wonderful with many tasty options. This experience was definitely a highlight of our trip!

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you so much for your very kind and full review. It was so nice to meet you and Jeff and build on your interest in the history and architecture of the palace. I'm delighted that you enjoyed your visit and was able to experience the beauty of the palace gardens!

Jo was extremely...

Francis_P, May 2025
Jo was extremely knowledgeable and and enthralled us with Hampton Court's rich history. It was definitely worth it!

Response from Host, May 2025

It was a pleasure to meet you and your group Francis, and I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the tour and the palace. Thank you so much for your very kind review.

Hampton Court Palace Private Tour

Ronald_F, May 2025
Our tourguide was Jo Cooper and she was very knowledgeable about the history and architecture of the palace - as well as the dubious behavior of Henry Viii. She told all this in an engaging and personable manner -- as soon as we met her it felt like we were longtime friends! PS: when we booked this we didnt realize it would be truly a private tour - it was just my wife and I being taken around, a pleasant surprise and something special to wrap-up our 2 weeks in the UK!

Response from Host, May 2025

Thank you very much for your kind review Ron. It was so lovely to meet you and your wife, and a real pleasure to show you round the palace and share some Henry VIII stories with you both! I'm so glad it made a special ending to your stay in the UK!

Perfect Day at Hampton Court Palace.

Chris_W, May 2025
Jo Cooper was the quintessential guide! Her knowledge. Candor and engagement made our tour a delightful experience. I highly recommend!

Response from Host, May 2025

Thank you so much for your lovely review Chris. It was such a pleasure to take you both around the palace, and I'm so glad you enjoyed your tour.

If you are looking for a personal touch…

Marc_C, Mar 2025
I purchased this experience as a gift for my wife’s birthday. We were very fortunate to have Jo Cooper as our designated guide, her wealth of knowledge was incredible. She brought Hampton Court Palace to life and was a very engaging throughout. If you are looking to get more out of your visit, we would fully recommend this private tour. Thanks again Jo for making our experience memorable

Response from Host, Apr 2025

Thank you so much, Marc, for your lovely review. It was such a pleasure to meet you both, and I'm so pleased that you enjoyed your tour. I do hope your wife had a wonderful birthday!

Jo was amazing!

Jacqueline_C, Mar 2025
This was such a wonderful tour! Jo made it interesting for both my husband myself and my 10-year-old twins. They were engaged the whole time!

Response from Host, Apr 2025

Thank you so much for your lovely review. I'm so pleased you enjoyed your tour, and your twins were absolutely delightful!

Tailor-made tour

Eric_S, Mar 2025
Our tour guide, Jo, was so knowledgeable about all aspects of the palace. She was able to tailor our tour to cover our interests exactly.

Response from Host, Apr 2025

Thank you for your kind review. I'm so glad that you enjoyed your tour and it was a great pleasure to meet you both.

Great Tour

VanLear_E, Mar 2025
Tour guide Jo Cooper was awesome! She was knowledgeable and very informative. Highly recommended tour and guide.

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you so much for your kind review. It was such a delight to meet you all and I'm so glad you enjoyed your tour!

An excellent tour guide.

David_A, Feb 2025
Ms. Cooper is an excellent guide. There is however so much to cover, and Ms Cooper is so knowledgeable, you may want to think ahead, what is it you want to learn. It's a live history lecture.

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Thank you David for your kind review, and I'm so glad that you enjoyed the tour and found the information useful.

Great day at Hampton Court.

Jennifer_R, Feb 2025
Jo was an absolute pleasure and related well to my husband and me as well as our 16yo son. Worth every penny!

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Thank you so much for your kind review. It was such a pleasure to meet you all and I'm delighted that you enjoyed the tour.

Best Tour Thus Trip!

Janie_E, Feb 2025
Jo was an excellent tour guide, and did well with our group of adults who had all levels of knowledge of history. She took her time and we got to see so much!

Response from Host, Feb 2025

I'm so glad that you enjoyed the tour, and thank you so much for your lovely review. It was a great pleasure to meet you all and share some of the stories of the palace with you.

Take this tour!

Shani_G, Dec 2024
I thought this was fantastic. It’s always lovely to have a private tour where you can ask just as many questions on whatever esoterica you’re interested in personally. Our guide Jo did not get stumped by a single question that we asked. she is a professional.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you so much for your wonderful review. I'm so glad that you enjoyed your visit to the palace and that the tour added so much to your experience. It was my pleasure to show you around and to tailor what the palace has to offer, to your interests.

great visit

Robert_K, Dec 2024
Personalized tour to suit our interests and speed..very clear and made the castle come alive. Meeting us at the entry gate with a big smile Jo was so friendly...and for sure loves her job as a guide

Response from Host, Dec 2024

Thank you so much for your lovely review. It was such a pleasure to meet you and take you around Hampton Court and I'm so glad that you enjoyed your visit and the tour.

From $235.32

per group (up to 10)

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 38 days in advance.

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