London City Guide

Royal Palaces & Mansions

Royal events on this week include taking a day trip to see Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace, treating yourself to a professional photoshoot outside Buckingham Palace, and getting early access to the Tower of London and watching the Yeoman Warders performing the opening ceremony

★★Apsley House

Apsley House - The former home of Arthur Wellesley, better known as the Duke of Wellington, the famous general who beat Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo4

★★Banqueting House

Banqueting House - Banqueting House has a Rubens on its ceiling and it’s where Charles I stepped out onto a scaffold to be executed after the English Civil War5

★★★Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace - The King’s residence is open to the public during the summer when you can visit the Throne Room, Ballroom and drink tea on the veranda15

★★★Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace - If you don’t mind the crowd of thousands then try watching the Changing the Guard ceremony at the Buckingham Palace10

★★Charterhouse

Charterhouse - A 14th-century priory that happily survived Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries and is now one of London’s least-known treasures4

★★Clarence House

Clarence House - Best known as the former home of the Queen Mother, Clarence House was also the former residence of King Charles and Camilla7

★★★Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace - Henry VIII’s Tudor palace contains the State Apartments of several kings and queens, and the spectacular Great Hall and Chapel Royal6

★★Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace - Best known as the royal residence of Victoria and Princess Diana, Kensington Palace was also the London home of Prince William and Catherine6

Mansion House

Mansion House - Mansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London. The Egyptian Hall is one of the grandest rooms in the whole of London2

Princess Diana Memorial Fountain

Princess Diana Memorial Fountain - Designed like a stone river with water bubbling around it, this fountain can be found on the south side of the Serpentine7

Queen’s House

Queen’s House - Built by the legendary architect Inigo Jones in the early 17th-century, Queen’s House once formed part of the Tudor palace at Greenwich4

★★Royal Hospital

Royal Hospital - Built by Christopher Wren in the late 17th-century, the Royal Hospital is best-known today as the home of the Chelsea Pensioners4

Royal Mews

Royal Mews - See the Royal limos, coaches and Gold State Coach that are used on the monarch’s Coronation Day, and the horses that pull them along6

★★St James’s Palace

St. James’s Palace - Buckingham Palace is the monarch’s official residence in London, but St. James’s Palace has seniority over it. It is closed to the public3

Syon House

Syon House - Built by Robert Adam on the site of the medieval Syon Abbey, Syon House and its 200-acre park are now owned by the Duke of Northumberland

★★★Tower of London

Tower of London - Started by William the Conqueror in 1066, the Tower has been dominating London for 1,000 years as a palace, fortress, prison and Royal mint13

★★★Trooping the Colour

Trooping the Colour - If you want to see some pomp and pageantry then try Trooping the Colour with its mounted soldiers, marching bands and flypast by the RAF6

★★★Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle - Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite home was reportedly here, at Windsor Castle – the largest and longest-occupied castle in the world14

Upcoming Royal events in London

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Guided tour to see Changing the Guard at the palace

Guided tour to see Changing the Guard at the palace Watch the soldiers marching after forming up outside St James's Palace

Walk & Royal Tea in Kensington Gardens Pavilion

Walk & Royal Tea in Kensington Gardens Pavilion Take a pleasant walk through Kensington Gardens and then enjoy an afternoon tea outside the palace

Three Royal Palaces Walking Tour + Afternoon Tea

Three Royal Palaces Walking Tour + Afternoon Tea St. James's Palace, Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace followed by an afternoon tea

Early access to the Tower of London & Tower Bridge

Early access to the Tower of London & Tower Bridge Skip the lines to see the Crown Jewels and the Tower's opening ceremony by the Yeoman Warders

Have a professional photoshoot outside Buckingham Palace

Have a professional photoshoot outside Buckingham Palace Treat yourself to a professional photoshoot outside the palace for an amazing souvenir

Day trip to see Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace

Day trip to see Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace See the State Rooms at Windsor Castle and the Tudor palace at Hampton Court