Tourism: 5 Royal Visits To London.
With the coronation of Charles III on May 6th, 2023, the city of London was in the spotlight. If you were unable to attend this historic day, you can still celebrate the British monarchy during a future stay in the capital of the United Kingdom. We have selected 5 royal tours in London for you.
1- Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is naturally at the top of the list of 5 royal visits in London.
As the official royal residence of the new King Charles III, this palace has 775 rooms! During the visit, you will only discover a part of it, corresponding to the State Apartments reserved for official events.
Inside the palace, you can also visit the Queen's Gallery, which presents works of art from the British Royal Collection. This gallery, where you can admire paintings by Titian, Rembrandt, or Rubens, was built in 1962 on the ruins of the palace's private chapel, destroyed by bombing during World War II.
If you don't have time to visit the inside of the palace, go watch another royal event: the famous Changing of the Guard! To not miss anything of this spectacular ceremony, try to arrive in front of the palace by 11:30 am.
2- Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, which is one of the most famous religious buildings in the capital, is also among the 5 royal visits in London. This is where all British monarchs have been crowned since 1066 and the current king has not deviated from the rule!
So, if you couldn't attend the coronation of Charles III on May 6, 2023, be sure to visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site abbey.
As a major site of the British monarchy, this church has hosted 16 royal weddings, including that of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, and more recently the wedding of Prince William and Kate. It is also the burial place of some of the kings and queens of England.
3- The Tower of London
Another symbol of the British monarchy, the Tower of London is a must-see site among the 5 royal visits in the capital.
This fortress, which has stood on the banks of the Thames since William the Conqueror, welcomes several million tourists every year. The success of the Tower of London is largely explained by the fact that it houses the Crown Jewels.
During this visit, you will not only be able to admire this impressive treasure composed of 23,578 pieces, but also let the history of this tower be told by the Yeoman Warders who are its guards.
This place, rich in more than nine centuries of history, has served in turn as a royal residence, prison and place of execution, armory, treasury and even zoo!
4- The Kensington Gardens
Kensington Palace is one of the most underestimated royal residences in the capital. If you don't have time to visit the renovated State Apartments, at least take a stroll around Kensington Gardens, which are open to the public.
Kensington Gardens deserve to be among the top 5 royal visits in London as they are one of the capital's royal parks and one of its green lungs.
This park, which was once the private garden of Kensington Palace, has long been a leisure spot for British monarchs. After her husband's death, Queen Victoria had the Prince Albert Memorial built there, which is now the park's most imposing monument.
You can also see:
• Italian gardens created at the request of Prince Albert as a gift for Queen Victoria
• a Dutch garden with flower beds full of tulips
• a bronze statue of Peter Pan.
5- Fortnum & Mason translates to "5- Fortnum & Mason" in English.
To end these 5 royal visits to London in style, what could be better than having tea in the British way? To do so, head to the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum & Mason (see link below).
Fortnum & Mason has been the official tea supplier to the British royal family for over 150 years. Take advantage of your trip to bring back the tea that King Charles III himself drinks!
This very British brand also offers coffee, biscuits as well as chutneys and marmalades... Those who want to taste everything will opt for one of the famous hampers from the brand, before or after sipping a nice cup of tea...
