Pearls, Sugar, & Tobacco Flowers: English Queens in an Atlantic World

In Tudor and Stuart England, cactuses and Chesapeake plants grew in London gardens, and much of the silver gleaming in banquets had once travelled on the backs of mules across Panama. 

Join Lauren Working, author of A Golden World: How the Americas Transformed Renaissance England (Faber, 2026), to explore what queenly portraits, classical architecture, and the orangery at the Queen’s House can reveal about English history and heritage in this age of expansion. 

In this talk, Working will uncover Venezuelan pearls, Brazilian sugar, and tobacco flowers in everything from the glittering ‘Armada Portrait’ of Elizabeth I to Henrietta Maria’s interest in tropical plants, to shed light on the sometimes unexpected connections between royal women and the Atlantic world.

This talk is part of a series of events taking place in the Queen's House for the Association for Art History's Art History Festival. The annual celebration sees museums, galleries and cultural venues across the UK host free talks, tours and workshops, to showcase the richness of art history.

This event is a walking tour where seating opportunities are limited. There will be a small number of folding stools available. If you would like to discuss any accessibility requirements in advance of the event, or if you require a step-free route, please contact bookings@rmg.co.uk so that we can best facilitate your visit.