Chelsea Pensioner Roy Palmer, our resident poet, shares his powerful, factual poetry inspired by his life, his beloved wife Muriel, and the stories that shaped him. Join this special session to hear Roy read his work and reflect on an extraordinary life lived with humour, love and resilience
Date: Sunday 4 October 2026
Time: 15:00 - 16:00
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Royal Hospital Chelsea - Soane Stable Yard Courtyard/Activity Room (enter via Chelsea Gate)
Meet Roy Palmer, our much-loved Chelsea Pensioner poet, as he shares the remarkable story behind his writing, poetry that began during lockdown and has since reached readers around the world.
Roy first set out to write his life story during Covid. After reaching 6,000 words and only getting as far as age six, he decided it might be a long read for anyone. So he tore it up and began again, this time in verse. His poems are all factual, even those inspired by the First World War, and soon he found himself writing about the life of his beloved wife, Muriel. Roy and Muriel were married for 54 years and 266 days, moving 34 times and building a life full of love, humour, and resilience.
His poetry captures both the joy they shared and the hardships she faced with extraordinary strength. Today, Roy’s work has travelled far beyond the Royal Hospital Chelsea. His books are held in embassies around the world; Queen Camilla owns copies and has written to him three times; and Gyles Brandreth wrote the foreword to his second collection. He has sold more than 1,000 books, donating most of the proceeds to the Royal Hospital. This special Chelsea History Festival session offers a rare chance to hear Roy’s poetry in his own voice, honest, moving, and deeply human. A celebration of life, love, memory, and the extraordinary stories found in ordinary people.
Tickets: £5 (plus £2 booking fee per transaction)
Additional information
This event is eligible for our 20% ticket bundle discount.
Book tickets to three or more different events across the festival and you can save 20%. Tickets must be purchased in the same transaction and the discount will automatically be applied within the basket.