LONDON -- "Henry is coming!" screams the banner snapping in the river breeze at Hampton Court Palace. It's more accurate to say he never left.

Five hundred years after he was crowned King of England, Henry VIII's favorite party palace is leading London's anniversary celebration for the monarch whose wife-chopping, food-chomping legend lives on.

From Hampton to Windsor to Westminster, this spring's events and exhibits are themed to a younger, slimmer Henry -- the dashing intellectual who brought the Renaissance to England. Hampton Court, the sprawling red-brick palace on the Thames in Surrey, kicks things off April 21, the date the 17-year-old prince succeeded his brother on the throne in 1509.

While Hampton profiles his wives and daughters in a new exhibit, the Tower of London will premiere "Dressed to Kill," displaying the ever-expanding wardrobe of the king's armor. The British Library will debut a retrospective with rare portraits and manuscripts, while the famous Holbein portraits of Henry (and two of his six wives) are shown at Windsor Castle, where he was born and buried.

Red-haired and handsome, the youthful Henry had a lot in common with the current Prince Harry: the second in line to the throne was a tireless athlete who enjoyed socializing. He built a tennis court and two bowling alleys. He enjoyed jousting -- as a spectator. He entertained thousands of courtiers, keeping the vast Tudor kitchens of Hampton Court constantly cooking. (Today, food archaeologists demonstrate the logistics of cooking for the Tudor crowd, from the Fish Court, a 16th-century cold room, to the Boiling House.)

Although Henry died in debt, he lived richly. He amassed a spectacular collection of 2,000 wall tapestries, woven with gold and silk. Hampton Court has restored several fine examples for the anniversary celebration. Henry's Great Hall and magnificent Chapel Royal remain soaring examples of high Renaissance architecture. His privy gardens, newly reinterpreted by famed designer Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, still flower against topiary backdrops. Christopher Wren added a baroque wing for William and Mary in 1700, while Capability Brown designed more gardens. (The famous hedge maze, the largest in England, still thrives.)

Hampton Court's gardens are as well known as its buildings. That's due mainly to the exotic flowers and plants collected by later royals, who built promenades, fountains and walled gardens. The flower shows held on the grounds include Florimania, an indoor exhibit held over Mothering Day weekend (Feb. 29 to March 3).

As for Henry's six wives, their portraits will be exhibited together for the first time at Hampton this year. Often dismissed in the shorthand "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived," these victims of Henry's dynastic quest get an in-depth look beginning April 10. Those who remember "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" as the hit 1973 composition by Rick Wakeman can see it performed in an outdoor concert here May 1 and 2. It will be the first time the former Yes keyboardist has performed the work live, and the evening is billed as a "mock rock Tudor" experience.

While all of the wives spent time at Hampton, only one is said to have remained. Catherine Howard, the king's flirty fifth wife, was executed for alleged infidelity. The corridor where she pleaded for her life is called the Haunted Gallery, where visitors faint regularly from unknown causes. A palace CCTV camera caught another apparition on video in 2003. Ghosts, of course, are a dependable tourist draw; Hampton draws nearly half a million visitors a year.

You might not expect anything new to discover in a sprawling estate that was continuously occupied, by VIPs from Cardinal Wolsey to lucky state retirees, from 1514 until 1971. But an ongoing excavation of the original Tudor courtyard is unearthing what director Philip Jonson calls "amazing" finds, including items from a courtyard well.

Twelve miles south of central London, Hampton today is part of its suburbs. It's an easy ride by bike or train, but it's still possible to arrive as Henry did, by boat. To make sure his barge always caught high tide, Henry built the 16th-century equivalent of a BlackBerry: Hampton's massive astronomical clock charted the phases of the moon as well as the hour, month and day.

Henry's interest in science, music, poetry and the art of war are plumbed in exhibits around London this spring. The British Museum show will include his musical compositions, his psalm book and his prescriptions for medical remedies. The exhibit, which runs April 23 to Sept. 6, also includes a birth announcement for the future Queen Elizabeth and a more infamous relic: the list of the wives, cardinals, attendants and abbots that Henry executed during his reign surpasses those of any other British ruler before or since.

At the Tower of London, three levels of the White Tower will be devoted to Henry's attire and arms. Divided into sections on Henry the Sportsman, Henry the King and Henry the Warrior, the "Dressed to Kill" exhibit includes other objects owned and used by the monarch, as well as paintings from his reign.

Windsor Castle in Berkshire, the world's largest and oldest occupied castle, pays tribute to Henry with a yearlong exhibit of portraits and artifacts. Completely restored after the 1992 blaze that damaged 100 rooms, the castle hosted Henry and his court on many occasions. He is buried, with nine other rulers, in St. George's Chapel. Alongside is Jane Seymour, his third wife.

It's at Hampton, however, where Henry's spirit of revelry is revived. Lavishly costumed staffers called Past Pleasures guides stroll the grounds, giving unscripted performances that interpret life at court. This spring, they'll include Henry VIII and Kateryn Parr. Visitors are "invited" to their marriage in 1543, with feasting and music. The yearlong celebration is dubbed "Heads and Hearts," a reminder that Henry's women were liable to lose both.