Hampton Court Palace Private Guided Tour

Absolutely fantastic tour of Hampton Court Palace! Jo was was a great guide - warm, friendly, engaging and full of fascinating insights into the stories hidden within the palace walls. I strongly recommend this experience and I look forward to doing it again one day.

We absolutely adored Jo! She was an incredible guide and made our visit to Hampton Court Palace such a memorable experience. We told her from the beginning that we were particularly interested in Tudor history and wanted to focus solely on the Tudor parts of the palace, and she did exactly that! She completely tailored the tour to our interests, which made the experience so much more special. Having a private tour was wonderful because we were able to explore the history and areas that interested us most without feeling rushed or having to follow a set itinerary. Jo was incredibly knowledgeable, engaging, and accommodating. Her passion for the history really shone through, and we loved every minute of our time with her! We honestly couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Jo was absolutely amazing, and we would highly recommend her to anyone visiting Hampton Court Palace, especially fellow Tudor history lovers!

This was one of the best things I have bought as a birthday present for my sister. We had such a fabulous day. Jo, our guide, was so knowledgeable and made the tour amazing. She geared it totally to our questions and interests and had so many stories to tell us about the palace snd the people that have lived there. We would not have found out so much by walking around by ourselves, even with the free audio guides (which are good). I cannot praise Jo enough. I will recommend her to everyone. Was such a good afternoon. Thank you Jo!!

Our guide Jo has an intricate knowledge of this place & all its history. If you want to do more than just look then this is for you.She catered the tour totally to our interests. Such an incredible place with such an amazing history, that changed this country forever- well worth a visit.

Having your own guide ensures that you see the important things and learn about the details that you might otherwise miss. And Jo was great, very knowledgeable and willing to talk about the things we were interested in.

Jo was a wonderful guide. This tour gets a A+. She is full of knowledge about both the palace and the history. We asked her to focus on the Tudor era and she brought Henry VIII and his wives to life. We also learned a lot about how the palace operated was built. Even after a 2+ hour tour, Jo left us hungry for more. A must do if you are interested in Tudor history.

Our family had a very educational and fun tour with Jo. She is knowledgeable and easy to talk to - spending lots of time where we had most interest. She also has a great sense of humor and we had a good time. We highly recommend Jo’s tour!

I booked Jo's service based on 5* reviews online. It was a win! We had an amazing time at the Hampton Palace accompanied by an erudite guide! Jo kept us captivated for the duration of the tour. Her extensive knowledge of history and good humour made us feel like parting with a friend at the end. Thank you, Jo!

What a delight it was to tour this place with Jo! She absolutely knows her stuff and she went above and beyond to make our experience wonderful. Highly recommend!

Jo is an expert on Hampton Court Palace and British history. Easy commute to and from London from Waterloo Station.

We booked a private tour directly through Hampton Court Palace and were assigned Jo as our guide. How lucky we were! As requested, she focused on the Tudor history of the palace and added some ghost stories and salacious tales on the way. She’s delightful to be with and has a wonderful sense of humor. She was also very considerate to find as many cool stops as she could during an uncharacteristically blazing hot day in London. Thanks Jo!

What a wonderful 2 hour tour. Our guide Jo Cooper was fantastic! She was passionate and extremely knowledgeable regarding all things Tudor. Great experience through and through.

Fabulous, so informative. Would recommend. Incredible place of many layers of history and a fantastic guide.

Jo is terrific. She is as curious in those she is guiding and their interests as those she is guiding are curious about what they are touring, making for a perfect mix of guide and gawker. A fantastic experience.

What a wonderful experience! Jo delivered the most wonderful and engaging tour of the palace. She’s a treasure trove of knowledge, and her great sense of humor made a ~2hr tour enjoyable even for my 11yo who was itching to get back to the Magic Garden. Our time with Jo was absolutely money well spent, and we’ll remember it forever.

Jo is an amazing tour guide and gave us a detailed and interesting tour of the palace and its links to the royals who lived there. So much better than a group tour. Great experience. Highly recommend!

We booked a private one-and-a-half-hour tour of Hampton Court Palace, focusing on the history of Henry VIII, his wives, Elizabeth I, and the Tudor court. Our guide, Jo Cooper, was knowledgeable, accommodating, and shared insights we would never have discovered on our own. Her depth of understanding — not just of Tudor history but of Hampton Court as a whole — was truly impressive. Jo has a gift for bringing history to life. She presented facts and stories in a way that was easy to follow yet richly detailed, striking exactly the right balance between depth and accessibility. Everything felt engaging and relevant, making for a genuinely fascinating experience. Her warm, friendly personality added to the enjoyment, turning what could have been a straightforward history lesson into something thoroughly entertaining and memorable. Hampton Court itself is breathtakingly beautiful and absolutely worth a visit. After the tour, we spent time exploring the magnificent gardens — a perfect way to round off a wonderful day.

I spent a completely wonderful 3 hours with Joan Cooper at Hampton. Court Palace -- a visited tailored SPECIFICALLY with my interests in mind. Excellent communications beforehand, followed by a tour rich in knowledge and insights! I highly, highly recommend this excellent tour!

Our private tour of Hampton Court with Jo was exceptional. Not only did we feel like we got a comprehensive tour overall, but she patiently answered all our questions and tailored the experience based on our interests. There’s a reason she was on BBC. Funny too. Highly recommend.

We had such a fantastic experience at Hampton Court Palace, and a huge part of that was thanks to Jo. We have lived in the Hampton court area for years but wanted some better knowledge of the history of the Palace. Jo was absolutely exceptional from start to finish. Her knowledge was incredible, but what really made the tour stand out was the way she told the stories, bringing the history to life in such an engaging and vivid way. Jo had the entire group completely captivated throughout, and it honestly felt like we were stepping back in time with her. The tour was so well run, fascinating, and enjoyable from beginning to end. It made for a truly memorable day for all of us, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. We’d love to come back again, especially for the ghost tour later in the year! Highly recommend Jo to anyone visiting.

I went on a Hampton Court Palace tour this morning and had the best time! Jo is so incredibly knowledgeable and makes history come alive. We asked a million questions, and she knew the answer to all of them! She catered the tour to our interests. This will be a highlight of my trip! Be sure to allow plenty of time after your tour to see all that Hampton Court has to offer! It is a remarkable place. You are in the best of hands with Jo!

Jo is an exceptional tour guide. Amazing energy and excitement. Her historical knowledge is unlike anything I’ve seen on a tour like this. Definitely worth the visit.

Jo was very knowledgeable and tailored her comments to our interests. She shared a lot of information about Henry Viii and King William that we weren't aware of.

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.

Jo is professional and highly knowledgeable, I felt so lucky for her to be my tour guide. As a person with little knowledge of Tudor history, she made the tour accessible to me without neglecting the intricacies. I would highly recommend her!

Jo filled in for us when our original tour guide wasn’t able to make it and we couldn’t be happier with her! She was a wealth of knowledge and took us around filling us in on all the intricacies of the palace. She answered our questions and took pictures for us. Book yoir tour with her, she’s wonderful!!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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 !

Jo was an amazing guide! We were with her for over 2 hours. She is so knowledgeable on Henry VIII and his six wives. Fascinating information! This tour is a must for those of us who love the history and intrigue involving the Tudor period of Henry VIII. You will not be disappointed!

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.

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!

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!

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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!

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

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!

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

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!

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

Hampton Court Palace is an easy day visit from London (40 minute train trip) and really a must see for any anglophiles, particularly those who are fans of the Tudor period. Jo is a delight and knows so much about the palace and it's use through the centuries (people were even living there into the early 1970s!). I highly recommend doing a private guided tour with her to get more out of your visit!

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