If you’re wondering what’s my mental image of Henry VIII whenever someone mentions him, this is it. Not Damian’s version in general. This particular image.
This beautifully detailed cope has been utilized at least three times in recent years for television. A cope, which is known in latin as a “cappa” or “cape” is a long liturgical cloak that is fastened at the front. The cope can be worn by all ranks of clergy for processions, blessings and other liturgical functions, though it is not worn to celebrate mass. The cope worn by the Pope is generally a bit longer than others, and is called the “Papal Mantum.”
It is not known from where this cope originated. It could very well have been rented from a costume house, or it could have been designed by Gabriella Pescucci for the television show The Borgias, where it appeared in 2013 on Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia. The cope was used again in 2015 on Will Keen as Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury in Wolf Hall, where the ornamentation on the front appears to have been removed. The piece was seen again most recently in the 2022 second season of Bridgerton in the episode The Choice, where it was worn on Anthony Wise as the Archbishop.
This vivid yellow and black costume was first spotted in the 2015 mini-series Wolf Hall, where it was worn by Damian Lewis as Henry VIII. It was used again in a 2017 episode of Horrible HistoriesentitledRidiculous Romantics, where it was worn by Tom Stourton also playing Henry VIII. The costume was spotted a third time in 2021 on Mark Stanley as Henry VIII in Anne Boleyn.
