55 Days: Mark Gatiss visits Charles I's execution vest

Mark Gatiss, currently playing Charles I in the sell-out 55 Days, paid a visit to The Museum of London on 12 November to examine a garment of clothing remarkably preserved since the 16th Century.

But this isn’t just any piece of clothing. This knitted pale green silk vest or waistcoat is said to have been worn by Charles I at his execution in 1649. The stains on the front are believed to be blood, but forensic tests in the 1950s and 1980s failed to prove this conclusively.

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For a clearer image of Charles I’s waistcoats click here

Images copyright of The Museum of London