Hampton Court’s 500th anniversary will be celebrated with a special postmark from Royal Mail.

Your Local Guardian:

Special year: Hampton Court Palace is pulling out the stops this weekend

The mark will be printed on millions of items of mail this week.

Cardinal Wolsey, a trusted adviser of Henry VIII, commissioned builders to lay the foundations of Hampton Court Palace 500 years ago this year.

Wolsey was stripped of his power and his palace after failing to arrange an annulment for the king, and died of natural causes on his way to London to fight charges of treason.

The palace will celebrate the anniversary over Easter weekend with a party featuring period music and fireworks.

Paul Gray, palace director, said: "We’re absolutely delighted to have a dedicated postmark to mark the palace’s 500th anniversary, just in time for our celebrations."