British Museum keeps Tudor Heart pendant linked to Henry VIII

The British Museum has raised £3.5m to acquire the Tudor Heart pendant found in 2019 and plans to include it in its collection later this year.

The British Museum has raised £3.5m to acquire a gold pendant known as the Tudor Heart. The pendant was found by a metal detectorist in a Warwickshire field in 2019. Museum research links the object to King Henry VIII's marriage to Katherine of Aragon and suggests it may mark a 1518 betrothal. The museum launched a public appeal in October to fund the acquisition. Known details: - The museum reached its £3.5m fundraising target, including about £360,000 in public donations from more than 45,000 contributors. - The National Heritage Memorial Fund provided £1.75m towards the purchase. - Other donors named include the Art Fund, the Julia Rausing Trust and The American Friends of the British Museum. - Researchers say the pendant unites the Tudor rose with Katherine's pomegranate and bears a banner reading "tousiors" (old French for "always"), and may relate to the betrothal of Princess Mary in 1518. - After its discovery the object was reported under the Treasure Act 1996, and the museum paid a reward to the finder and the landowner to place it on permanent display. Summary: The acquisition keeps the Tudor Heart in a public collection and adds a rare object connected to Henry VIII's marriage to Katherine of Aragon to the museum's holdings. The British Museum plans to formally include the pendant in its collection later this year and has said it will tour the UK.