Lady Carnarvon will describe the way the discovery of the tomb of the boy-pharaoh in November 1922 transformed our understanding of Ancient Egypt, and was the sensation of the day. Howard Carter was the lead archaeologist, but the years of excavation were funded and engineered by George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon. Her investigations into the family’s archives have thrown new light on the lustrous settings and striking characters in this fascinating story, as well as the ‘twists’ of luck and tragedy that shaped Herbert’s life. There is currently a fine exhibition at the Bodleian’s Weston Library in Oxford called: ‘Tutankhamun: excavating the archive‘, which provides more on the achievements of Carnarvon and Carter.

The talk will take place in the Chantry House, next to Henley Parish Church, and will be a ticketed event. The room to be used is on the first floor of the Chantry House and does not have lift access, but the flight of stairs is about the same difficulty as we are used to at our usual venue, the King’s Arms Barn.