History buffs have a treat in store with a deep dive into the history of the Tudors.

And where better to hold such an event than at Hever Castle, near Sevenoaks, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.

The castle’s Festival Theatre is hosting a four-day series of lectures this August digging into the tumultuous history of the Tudor period and unearthing the hidden lives of some of the iconic queens of the age.

First up is Jane Seymour - Henry VIII’s true love - with a lecture from Dr Elizabeth Norton, who has written a biography of Henry’s third wife.

It seems she was not the meek character that she has often been labeled. The talk is on Monday, August 19, at 2pm.

Next, at 8pm the same day, are Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I with a talk from Dr Tracy Borman on the mother and daughter who changesd history. Dr Borman will delve into the relationship between Anne Boleyn and her daughter, drawing on original documents and artifacts.

The royal palace of Hampton Court is the subject of a lecture by Gareth Russell on Tuesday, August 20, at 2pm. He will guide guests through the 500-year history of the palace from the Tudors to the Windsors.

Dr Nicola Tallis takes a look at Young Elizabeth - Princess, Prisoner, Queen, the same day 8pm. She will recount the early life of Elizabeth I, which was filled with peril and intrigue.

On Wednesday, August 21, at 2pm, Dr Joanne Paul will turn the spotlight on the often-overlooked women of the Dudley family, whose resilience and ingenuity ensured the family’s legacy through turbulent times.

Thomas Cromwell’s Book of Hours, currently lodged at Trinity College in Cambridge, is the subject of a joint talk by two historians: Kate McCaffrey and Dr Owen Emmerson, on Wednesday, August 21, at 8pm, while Sarah Gristwood looks at the Tudors in Love in her talk on Thursday, August, at 2pm, promising to deliver some new insights into some familiar stories.

Finally, Dr Alison Weir will lecture on Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown, on Thursday, August 22, at 8pm.

Tickets are £21.70 for one talk, or £101.70 for all eight, available from the box office on 07379 488477.

The talks are in the new Festival Theatre, which opened just in May.

The previous theatre was damaged by a falling tree.