Home » News & Articles » 2021 » King’s marks 550th anniversary of the death of the College’s Founder

King’s marks 550th anniversary of the death of the College’s Founder

This year, the College will mark the anniversary of Henry VI’s death with a special Requiem in the Chapel on 21 May.
fountain_lh

This year, the College will mark the anniversary of Henry VI’s death with a special Requiem in the Chapel on 21 May.

Normally the anniversary is commemorated with a service in the Chapel and a ceremony in the Tower of London, where Henry died in 1471. Roses and lilies representing King’s and Eton College, the two royal colleges founded by Henry, are placed on the site in the Wakefield Tower where he was killed. But current restrictions mean that this year they will be laid on the King’s Chapel altar during a sung Requiem service, followed later in the evening by a Compline service dedicated to his memory.

The impact of Henry VI’s legacy on King’s has been huge - without its royal Founder the College would not have the Chapel, or such a prime location in Cambridge," said Professor Michael Proctor, Provost of King’s.  "He established us as an ‘intellectual community of unusual constitution’, which continues to this day - we have always given radical thinkers and curious minds the opportunity to excel - and Henry’s tradition of philanthropy lives on in the current King’s Campaign and the incredible support we receive from our alumni and friends.

Since it was launched in 2018 the King’s Campaign has raised more than £74 million to attract and support the best students from disadvantaged and under-represented backgrounds, deliver world-class academic teaching and research and protect and enhance the College’s unique heritage. 

King’s Archivist Patricia McGuire can be heard talking about Henry VI and his legacy in this recent presentation.

2021 will also see the 600th anniversary of Henry’s birth, in 1421. The anniversary will be commemorated at the College Founder’s Day on 6 December.

Similar Entries

gibbs_rainbow_flag

Gibbs Building marks 300th anniversary

The iconic building has been the venue for countless student supervisions and nerve-wracking admissions interviews, and continues to be where many King’s Fellows research and teach.

arrival_at_kings_4120256792_obw

Special Choral Evensong to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II

A special service will take place in the Chapel at 5.30pm on Tuesday, 20 September.

swns_kings_college_210

Statement from the Heads of Cambridge Colleges

A joint statement in response to claims that Cambridge will be moving entirely online next year.

1

The King’s E-Lab welcomes students from five different Colleges

A total of 42 participants will form the third cohort of the E-Lab programme, designed to support students of all disciplines in developing sustainable and ethical projects with a positive social and environmental impact.

 

festival_programme

Festival marks 50 Years of Women at King's

The event was the culmination of a year-long programme of events to mark the anniversary of the admission of women as students to King’s.

oq99ww-w_lr

Kings bans use of the apostrophe

As a result of an extraordinary meeting of the Governing Body, Kings College has decided that the apostrophe should no longer be used in official communications.

swns_kings_college_210

Statement following the death of Her Majesty the Queen

A statement from the College Officers following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

rs2530_20161017-dsc_0041-lpr

King's Voices Celebrates Anniversary

King's College's mixed voice choir will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a special Evensong.

Follow us on Instagram

View more