Part 4/8:
The royal courts provided a unique lens through which to observe the development of privacy as a status symbol. Tuscano underscores the importance of privacy for monarchs like Henry VII at Hampton Court, where spaces were organized into levels of exclusivity. As new royal apartments emerged, the demand for privacy in political and personal communications grew. The distance between the public and private lives of royals reinforced their authority and control. It wasn’t just a way to seek comfort; it was strategic in shaping power dynamics at court.