Royal births, deaths and marriages

Greenwich and Eltham have long-standing connections to the royal family, with many important royal events taking place in the borough.

Royal births in Greenwich

Tudor period:

  • 1491 – Birth of Henry VIII
  • 1499 – Birth of Prince Edward (died in infancy)
  • 1516 – Birth of Princess Mary (later Mary I)
  • 1533 – Birth of Princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth I)
  • 1536 – Anne Boleyn suffered a miscarriage

Stuart period:

  • 1605 – Birth of Princess Mary
  • 1606 – Birth of Princess Sophia

Royal births in Eltham

  • 1316 – Birth of Prince John (later Earl of Cornwall)

Christenings in Greenwich

  • 1480 – Catherine and Bridget, 6th and 7th daughters of Edward IV, christened

Royal deaths in Greenwich

  • 1553 – Death of Edward VI

Royal marriages

In Eltham:

  • 1403 – Henry IV married Joan of Navarre by proxy

In Greenwich:

  • 1509 – Henry VIII married Katherine of Aragon
  • 1540 – Henry VIII married Anne of Cleves

To research family and local history in the Royal Greenwich archives, you can get in touch with Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust by emailing archive@rght.org.uk.

Visit the Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust website