Rare pendant linked to Henry VIII to go on UK tour after rescue appeal

"A six-month race to save a rare Tudor-era jewelled pendant for the nation has successfully raised the £3.5 million needed to buy the pendant, and now a UK tour is being planned so more people can see it in person. British Museum officials said the public response to the campaign to save it underlined the view that museums are the appropriate long-term custodians of nationally important objects. The campaign also drew attention to the personal story behind the pendant, which is linked to Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon."

"The fundraising campaign, launched last October, aimed to raise the money before April 2026 but hit its target early, helped by a £1.75 million grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, awarded as part of the fund's 45th anniversary. The remainder of the funding came from a mix of major arts bodies, philanthropic trusts and public donations."

"Discovered by a metal detectorist in Warwickshire in 2019, the 24-carat gold pendant is the only known piece of jewellery of its kind from the period of Henry and Katherine's marriage. Decorated with the Tudor rose and Katherine's pomegranate emblem, it bears the inscription tousjours - old French for "always". Research by the British Museum suggests the pendant may have been created for a tournament held in October 1518 to mark the betrothal of their daughter, Princess Mary, to the French heir apparent."

A six-month fundraising campaign raised £3.5 million to acquire a rare 24-carat gold Tudor pendant linked to Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon. The National Heritage Memorial Fund contributed £1.75 million as part of its 45th anniversary. Additional support came from major arts bodies, philanthropic trusts and over 45,000 individual donors who together provided more than £380,000. Significant grants included the Julia Rausing Trust (£500,000), Art Fund (£400,000) and the American Friends of the British Museum (£300,000). The pendant was found in Warwickshire in 2019, bears Tudor symbols and an inscription, and research suggests it was made for a 1518 tournament; a UK tour is planned.

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