Richmond Palace, showing the towers and turrets that María de Salinas would have known.

A 1525 French tapestry depicting Mary Tudor’s marriage to Louis XII in 1514. Mary is in the centre, flanked by her ladies-in-waiting. The woman immediately behind her is thought to represent Anne Boleyn.

Catherine of Aragon and her ladies-in-waiting watching the King joust at Westminster in 1511, a tournament held to celebrate the birth of their short-lived son Prince Henry. Catherine, on the left, has the King’s sister Mary next to her.

Mary Howard, Duchess of Richmond, sketched by Holbein in preparation for a painted portrait that has not survived. This was probably done in 1533 to celebrate her marriage to Henry Fitzroy, the King’s illegitimate son. The bottom of the sketch is a study of her hat, covered in ‘M’ for Mary and ‘R’ for Richmond. Her dress was made of red and black velvet.

West Horsley Place, home of Gertrude Blount, Marchioness of Exeter. This is where she received Elizabeth Barton, the ‘nun of Kent’, in 1533.

Reconstruction of Kimbolton Castle. María de Salinas, Lady Willoughby, talked her way into the castle after allegedly falling from her horse on her way there at New Year in 1536. She remained in Catherine of Aragon’s rooms, at the top of this image in the south range, until the latter’s death on 7 January.

The Tower of London, roughly as it would have been in Anne Boleyn’s day. Her apartments are below and to the right of the central White Tower.

Greenwich Palace, where Anne Boleyn was arrested in May 1536. Her chambers were at the back of the palace, overlooking the tiltyard on the left.

Hampton Court Palace, showing the old ‘stacked’ royal lodgings in the centre. This is where Anne Basset met Jane Seymour in 1537.

The christening procession of Edward VI in 1537, showing Gertrude Blount, Marchioness of Exeter, holding the Prince.

The last page of the letter written by a group of ladies-in-waiting to Henry VIII on 4 August 1539, to thank him for showing them his ships in Plymouth harbour. Anne Basset’s signature is at the bottom in the centre.

The royal closet in St George’s Chapel, Windsor, built for Catherine of Aragon. This is where Katherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk, and Kathryn Parr stood to watch the funeral of Henry VIII in 1547.

The tomb of Mary Howard, Duchess of Richmond, at St Michael’s Church in Framlingham, Suffolk. She is buried with her husband Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond.

The tomb of Katherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk, at St James’ Church in Spilsby, Lincolnshire. She is buried with her second husband Richard Bertie.