A hat dating back to the 16th century and rumoured to have once belonged to Henry VIII will be displayed as part of Hampton Court Palace's 500th anniversary.

The fluffy red hat, complete with ostrich feather, remained in the Tudor king's family for centuries and was recently bought by Historic Royal Palaces and the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection.

According to Tudor family tradition, Nicholas Bristowe caught the hat after the Tudor King threw it in the air after the surrender of Boulogne in 1544.

Bristowe was clerk of the wardrobe under Henry VIII and also served his children Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I as clerk of the jewels.

Although Historic Royal Palaces said the throwing of the hat could not be verified but said the hat had been well looked after for more than 450 years and was "exceptionally well preserved" for an item of clothing from that period.

Experts said the hat would have belonged to someone of high status and considerable wealth because it is made of silver and silk, with an ostrich feather and holes for attaching jewels.

The hat is the oldest item of dress in the collection by almost a century and will become one of the most significant objects in the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection.

The collection has more than 10,000 items of royal and court dress and the hat will undergo routine conservation before being displayed in a future exhibition.