If you are reading this there is a high chance that you are looking for suggestions how to sample the kind of life that a few on this planet can enjoy. So far you have been doing the right thing – among many places in the world, London, with a number of royal and historic buildings open to the public, is probably the best choice to discover as much as you can about the Royals. Read below to find what famous landmarks and place you have to visit to better understand the circulation of the British blue blood and the sites that either play or played a major part in their lives.
The Tower of London and Royal Gems
Although it is perhaps true to some degree for all the royal residencies, the Tower of London is exceptional when it comes to the wealth of unreal tales of lost princes, dramatic endings to romantic stories, and little, the royal family misconducts. Some of them we are meant to never get outside the thick walls of the fortress. When at Tower, visitors will get a chance to get to know better the figure of the second wife of Henry the Eighth – Anne Boleyn through a theatrical recollection of her final 17 days at the Tower of London. For those who are less interested in stories and want to visit the historical castle, for the physical artifacts linked to the royal dominance instead, there is always the dazzling collection of the Crown Jewels, that is part of the Royal Collection of the royal regalias. If you feel like it’s hard to part with the stunning view on this unique historic site, there are plenty of rooms available at Guoman The Tower.
Westminster Abbey
The 700 years old Gothic building is an essential part of any trip to London, regardless of its significance in the lives of royal family members. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English and British monarchs. The Westminster Abbey has its own museum, located in the oldest area of the Abbey, that includes a collection of the royal effigies, and other artifacts such as Mary’s II coronation chair. The museum is now closed and will be re-opened in June 2018.
Buckingham Palace
It’s the obvious, must – see spot on the London map, if you want to catch a glimpse of the glittering life of the British royal family. Recognized around the world as the focus of national and royal celebrations, the Queen’s official London residence is open to visitors for 10 weeks each summer and on selected days during winter and spring. The highlights of the visit at the Buckingham Palace include the State Rooms ( 19 in total) which are public rooms where the royal receive their guests, and few other rooms where significant events concerning the life of royal family take place such as the Throne Room, and The Ballroom.
Kensington Palace
The stylish royal apartment at the heart of the Kensington Gardens is another working Royal residence in London. It’s been a home to members of Royal Family for more than 300 years, including Queen Victoria and Princes Diana. Today the Palace is a home address of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry. Although it might be hard, if not impossible altogether to rub the shoulders with them, visitors to the Kensington Palace can still glimpse into the lavish royal lifestyle, by booking tours allowing them to access the Queen’s State Apartments, and the stunning Palace Gardens. The Kensington Palace hosts themed exhibitions such as Victoria Revealed and Diana: Her Fashion Story, that cover the very intimate life of royals ( sometimes through their own eyes) subtlety hinting the bitter- sweet truths about being one.
Kew Palace
The hidden retreat of the George III, as it is often referred to, is probably one of the most secluded and intimate royal palaces, that offers quite a different view on what the royal residences might look like. The doll-house size building is now famous for the Royal Kitchens that have been preserved since the time of Queen Charlotte’s death in 1818. Paying a visit to the Kew Place will not only help you to discover a completely different face of “royalty” but also learn how the trivialities of everyday life such as cooking are transformed in a unique culinary experience in the life of the Royals.
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