British museum raises £3.5 million to acquire rare Henry VIII pendant

The British Museum has successfully raised £3.5 million to acquire a rare 24-carat gold pendant linked to King Henry VIII, following a public fundraising campaign that attracted support from tens of thousands of people.

The Tudor Heart Pendant was discovered by a metal detectorist in a field in Warwickshire. Experts believe it is the only surviving piece of jewellery connected to Henry VIII’s 24-year marriage to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, according to Independent. 

The pendant features the Tudor rose alongside Katherine’s pomegranate emblem, a personal symbol associated with her Spanish heritage. It also bears a banner inscribed with the word “tousiors,” an early French form of “always.”

“This beautiful survivor tells us about a piece of English history few of us knew, but in which we can all now share. I am looking forward to saying more soon on our plans for it to tour the UK in the future," Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the British Museum, said.

The museum launched its fundraising campaign in October, aiming to secure the artefact for the national collection by April. More than 45,000 members of the public contributed, donating a total of £360,000.

The campaign also received £1.75 million from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and was supported by actor Damian Lewis.

“I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported our campaign and to the National Heritage Memorial Fund for so generously awarding £1.75 million,” Dr Cullinan said. “The success of the campaign shows the power of history to spark the imagination and why objects like the Tudor Heart should be in a museum.”

The British Museum noted that there are very few surviving artefacts associated with Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon’s marriage, which was the longest of the king’s six marriages. According to museum researchers, the pendant may have been commissioned for a tournament held in 1518 to celebrate the betrothal of their two-year-old daughter, Princess Mary, to the French heir apparent.

Henry VIII was known to commission jewellery from London goldsmiths for major state occasions and celebrations.

“It has been a tremendous privilege to share the story of the Tudor Heart and its finding with the world. I have been enormously touched by the positive response to the Museum's campaign," Dr Rachel King, a curator at the British Museum, said. “Thanks to the spectacular generosity of many, people will have the opportunity to enjoy the object forever and, I hope, unravel the mysteries of who wore it and why and how it came to be buried.”

The museum plans to keep the pendant in its public collection and has indicated it may tour the United Kingdom in the future.

By Sabina Mammadli