Royal London
undefined • 3 June 2025
England has had a monarch since the 9th century although it wasn’t until centuries later that it became a London centric administration. The result today is a more modern monarchy that co-exists with some impressive monuments that provide the backdrop to some famous traditions. Whether you're a history buff, a fan of the Crown, or simply looking for iconic sights, you do not have to be a Royalist to appreciate exploring London’s Royal landmarks.
We start off with none other than Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the British monarch. The Changing of the Guard ceremony normally takes place from 11am on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays with the most impressive display being Trooping the Colour in the middle Saturday of June to celebrate the monarch’s birthday. During the summer months, it is possible to explore the opulent State Rooms by visiting inside the palace. Afterwards, take a walk through St James’s Park which is arguably the best urban Royal Park (there are 8 in total).
Located near Buckingham Palace, The Royal Mews
houses the Queen’s collection of historic coaches and carriages, including the dazzling Gold State Coach used for coronations. It’s a fascinating look at the pageantry and tradition behind royal events.
More recently, the Royal Family have been basing themselves in semi rural Windsor Castle
which is just a short train ride from London. It is the world’s oldest and largest inhabited castle and very much a working palace. The Changing of the Guard here is less crowded than at Buckingham Palace and St George’s Chapel is a sight to behold, also being the venue for many a Royal Wedding including Harry and Meghan and the (then) Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles. It is also the resting place of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
In the days of King Henry VIII it was all going on at Hampton Court Palace
including his marriage with Anne Boleyn (wife number 2 of 6) and the imprisonment of King Charles I prior to execution after his defeat in the Civil War which led to a temporary republic for 11 years. Visitors get to experience a serious step back in time as much of the building dates back to the Tudor area with a particularly impressive wine cellar and kitchens. The vast riverside gardens and famous maze are a real treat for visitors and it is worth spending the whole day there. They have a summer festival of open air concerts in June. Accessible by train from Waterloo.
From the outside, the Tower of London
looks like a vast walled fortress with an historic building inside, which indeed it is, but it is only when you step inside that you see it open up as a whole village of activity from the half timbered Queen’s House which temporarily housed Anne Boleyn prior to her execution on the green outside to the Traitor’s Gate where prisoners were brought in by barge via the River Thames and their heads displayed on pikes to deter dissidents to the old enclosures for wild animals which were later moved to the newly established London Zoo. The most famous landmark is the White Tower built by William the Conqueror in 1080. You read that correctly; the building is almost 1000 years old and still standing. Save the best for last and visit the Crown Jewels. The words “breath-taking” and “impressive” can be overused but in the case of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is completely justified. Take a selfie before you go with a Yeoman Warders, known as Beefeaters.
Afterwards, we strongly recommend Tower Bridge. You can walk across the glass bottomed top of the bridge and a staff member will give you the exact times the bridge is expected to open for passing boats so you can see it from above. Did you know it used to be a battleship grey pre-WW2 to protect it from bomb damage until it was repainted in red, white and blue in 1977 to celebrate the late Queen’s Silver Jubilee. An underrated gem.
Westminster Abbey
is a magnificent Gothic church that has been the site of every British coronation since 1066 and has hosted numerous royal weddings including William and Kate. Inside, you'll find the final resting places of 17 monarchs and a graves of a mostly British dead poets' society such as Byron, Blake, TS Eliot, Keats, Milton, WH Auden, Kipling, Shelley, Tennyson and Wordsworth. For more graveside bang for your buck you can also pay your respects to Darwin, Dickens, Handel, Purcell, Newton and the remaining matter of Stephen Hawking providing an extraordinary concentration of famous mortal remains all in one place. For the living, the elaborate architecture and stained glass is a must see.
Kensington Palace
is basically a posh block of flats as it houses the London residences if the Prince and Princess of Wales and various Dukes and Duchesses making it a unique multi-generational family living space. If you are old enough then you may remember the scenes back in 1997 when millions left flowers outside its gates after the death of Princess Diana since she too resided here. Parts of it are now open to the public with special exhibitions showing gowns and jewels as well as a chance to see state rooms and gardens. It is in the Sunken Garden that Prince Harry and Meghan announced their engagement.
Located in Kensington Gardens, the Albert Memorial
is a stunning tribute to Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s beloved husband. Those two were hit hard by Cupid’s bow. This elaborate, gilded monument is a must-see for anyone interested in royal history. It’s also the perfect spot to relax after exploring the nearby Kensington Palace and is located directly in front of the Royal Albert Hall
in Hyde Park.
Sadly, St James’s Palace
is not open to the public but it is an important ceremonial backdrop. You can view it from the outside and enjoy a visit to the Chapel Royal, a beautiful active church often used for royal weddings and christenings. It is a short walk from Buckingham Palace. Nearby is Clarence House, the official London residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. This elegant residence has hosted many royal occasions and is open to the public during the summer.
The Palace of Westminster
includes the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, St Stephen’s Chapel
and Westminster Hall
which is 900 years old.
St Paul’s Cathedral
is Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece and a visit will take you across town to the City of London. Site of the ill fated marriage of a certain Charles to Diana and the funeral of Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill, it is known for his airy architecture and vast capacity for a large crowd. It is on these steps that we were implored to “feed the birds” in Mary Poppins. Explore the whispering gallery sound waves phenomenon by visiting the famous dome.
Further east to Greenwich is home to a vast campus of buildings including the Royal Naval College, National Maritime Museum
and Royal Observatory Planetarium. Stand on the true anchor of the world’s timeline when you find the copper coloured line that marks Greenwich Mean Time
or GMT.
The choices are so vast it does feel almost endless and you will find it impossible to tick everything off your list in one visit. For a full list of Royal options, you may find the following link useful: vi.me/PjOaV
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London has a reputation for being expensive but one thing that makes London unique is its wealth of top quality museums that are completely free of charge, something you don’t usually get in other global major cities. Funded by a combination of grants and public spending from the Arts Council, National Lottery, central and local government, you can enjoy some truly world class museums. Instead, to support our wonderful museums, consider making a voluntary contribution or buying something in the gift shop. Some special exhibitions may be chargeable but the bulk of the museum is free at the point of entry. Here is a list to help you plan your visit: The British Museum – the fifth most visited museum is also widely considered one of the top three museums in the world. A good tip is to book your free one hour entry timeslot online to beat the queues. See the famous Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles (Parthenon Sculptures), Benin Bronzes, Easter Island statues and Egyptian mummies. The oldest exhibit is the Olduvai Stone Chopping Tool which is some 2 million years old. You could spend anything from 1 hour here to 6 and still not see everything. The Natural History Museum – possibly London’s most iconic museum, it is as impressive for its Gothic architecture as it is for its animatronic T-Rex and giant blue whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling. Again, prebooked timed entry tickets are advisable as they are free of charge and help you skip the queues. At Christmas time there is a charming ice skating rink on the grounds. The Victoria & Albert Museum – located just adjacent to the Natural History Museum and nicknamed “the V & A”, its theme can be hard to describe. With changing displays that range from iconic fashion by Dior and Chanel through to Islamic ceramics and plaster casts of Michelangelo’s David and Trajan’s Column, it’s most famous object is Tipu’s Tiger; a mechanical item from 18th century India. Heavy on sculpture and glass blown objects I suppose you could day it celebrates art outside the canvass. The building features the simply stunning Gamble Room Café which is worth a visit in itself. The Science Museum – the third museum in South Kensington’s little Exhibition Road patch celebrates the history of innovation. With lots of interactive fun combined with exhibits behind glass cases, the first X ray machine and Stephenson’s rocket are a highlight. Paid experiences include the interactive Wonderlab and IMAX cinema. The space gallery inspires wonder and as you would expect, the exhibits don’t stay static as the nature of science is that it should always be forward facing. If you have been before, perhaps you should go again. Tate Modern – many years ago one of the main exhibits was Tracey Emin’s unmade bed. Some may dismiss modern art as “low effort” or simply ridiculous but others simply adore its break from the confines of classical tradition. Whatever your position, the Tate Modern is a riverside former Bankside Power Station awash with large open spaces. It is one of the largest museums of contemporary art in the world saved from demolition when repurposed. It features a Picasso, Dali, Matisse and a Warhol as well as a world class restaurant and very decent gift shop. Well worth whiling away an hour or two. The National Gallery – super famous building located on Trafalgar Square, it houses a collection of more than 2,300 paintings including Monet’s The Water Lily, various Boticellis and da Vincis, works by Rembrandt, Stubbs, Goya, Velazquez, Renoir and of course van Gogh’s Sunflowers. One visit is not enough, firstly because you need to take your time and secondly because of the vastness of the collection and space. The National Portrait Gallery – prior to social media, important historical figures would celebrate themselves via portraits (often self-portraits) and they really didn’t hold back. If you want to look at the faces of important British people from history then this is the place for you. From Shakespeare, Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn (not together) to Samuel Johnson, this celebration of self-importance also depicts modern photography of icons such as Vivienne Westwood and the Beatles. The Imperial War Museum – covers conflicts from the Great War (WW1) to the present day. The Holocaust Galleries are particularly moving but you must be 14 years and over for admission. Worth the trip south of the river. The Bank of England Museum – this one is actually quite cute and somewhat reminiscent of a certain scene from Mary Poppins where young Michael struggles to part with his tuppence. It’s small and manageable, allowing you to pick up a gold bar and learn about the fundamentals of our economy. The London Museum in Docklands hosts 9 galleries that are free to the public, all based around the themes of London’s river, port and people. Set in a converted riverside warehouse, around 2 hours are recommended for a full tour. Excitingly, a new museum is due to open in late 2026 in Smithfield which is very hotly anticipated. Most of the river Thames in London is technical coastal, meaning tidal, did you know that? The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich actually hosts quite an eclectic range of exhibits under its maritime theme all accessed free of charge. Another riverside museum and architecturally impressive, you can get to Greenwich by riverboat for extra fun and the local area has much to offer including the Cutty Sark, Greenwich Mean Time line, Royal Observatory, the Trafalgar Tavern pub and a fabulous view of the London skyline from Greenwich Park. The National Army Museum – we need not describe this; the clue is in the name but actually it showcases soldier stories from the Army’s origins to the present day. With a strong emphasis on history and travel it offers perhaps a more interesting perspective than first meets the eye. This is not an exhaustive list! There are many many more free museums all over London and sometimes it is the smaller, lesser known venues that can pique your interest the most. A little bit of research can go a long way.
Here is our guide to getting the best out of London this season. Firstly, the best parks for those photogenic colours and squirrels doing what they do best; squirrelling: Richmond Park - Stunning autumn foliage and rutting deer season (September-October) including a 7 mile circular taking in the Isabella Plantation Hampstead Heath - Golden leaves and crisp walks to Parliament Hill viewpoint, one of the best views of London Greenwich Park - Royal Observatory views framed by autumn trees Regent's Park - Queen Mary's Gardens with late-season roses Hyde Park - Serpentine Lake surrounded by changing leaves St. James's Park - Pelican feeding continues through the autumn months Kensington Gardens - Italian Gardens and Diana Memorial surrounded by autumn colours It’s not all parks and trees, some other recommendations for London’s best head clearing walks include: Thames Path Autumn Section - Westminster to Tower Bridge with golden plane trees Hampstead Heath to Kenwood - Through ancient woodland with stunning views Canal Walk - Regent's Canal from Camden to Little Venice with autumn reflections Literary London Autumn Tour - Keats House and poets' haunts in Hampstead The calendar is full of events this season with a mixture of homegrown & adopted cultures as well as historical events providing the context: Diwali Celebrations the Hindu, Sikh and Jain festival of light with fireworks displays all over London including festivities at Trafalgar Square on Sunday 12th Oct 2025. Remembrance Sunday 9th November 2025 – head to the Cenotaph at Whitehall for a respectful and well attended ceremony and memorial services commemorating Armistice Day. Please consider buying a poppy from the Royal British Legion. Black History Month is in October in the UK rather than February in the US due to historical and culture differences. Watch out for free events, exhibitions, and talks celebrating Black heritage London Oktoberfest draws on the Munich tradition which needs no explanation and takes place over three October weekends in Finsbury Park and Hammersmith. Lederhosen optional. Hallowe’en (31st October) is muted in some areas and impressive in others, especially where there are American communities. Kensington, St Johns Wood and Knightsbridge are all excellent for trick or treating and instagrammable house decorations. Free Halloween activities include self-guided ghost walks through historic areas, Covent Garden and the West End for retail displays, pumpkin picking in some city farms such as Kentish Town and Stepney and underrated graveyard tours in Highgate and Kensal Green Cemeteries to take in the resting places and lore of bygone celebrities. The London Dungeon and The Tower of London are also excellent choices for the spooky season. Bonfire Night - remember remember the 5th of November is famous for Guy Fawkes’ gunpowder plot when he tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and King Charles I in 1605. [GF didn’t get the King in the end but the parliamentarians did later on when HRH was found guilty of treason and executed in 1649 resulting in a temporary republic. Irony eh?] We have been celebrating this failed/foiled attack with bonfires and fireworks ever since. The best locations for such cavalier displays are Alexandra Palace, Blackheath, Clapham Common and Victoria Park. Some events are tickets only. Perhaps you have heard something about British weather being unpredictable. Don’t stress as many of the best Autumn cosy experiences can be found indoors, including: British Library - Free exhibitions and warm reading rooms Wellcome Collection – Free and special exhibitions with café Royal Festival Hall - River views and free events Barbican Centre - Brutalist architecture, lakeside dining and conservatory Somerset House - Courtyard and river terrace Historic & riverside pubs - The George Inn, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, so many others. Reward yourself with pub pit stops along the way Traditional Sunday roasts - Many pubs offer reasonably priced meals but the best Sunday roast we have ever consumed was courtesy of the Builder’s Arms in Kensington where you can order a sirloin, chicken and lamb rump “to share” for a meagre 4,081 calories Seasonal Tips: • Pack layers and thermos for longer outdoor exploring • After 1st November it will get dark by 4pm so get up and out early • Use heating in cafés and museums as free warming stations • Autumn is known for its harvest so choose produce at markets like Borough • Always carry umbrella for sudden London showers • Wear comfortable waterproof shoes for leaf-covered paths • Check museum late-night openings for shelter during rain • Keep an open mind- you may need to tweak your plans in line with the weather but with a good jacket you may still be able to sit outdoors in some cases. Our verdict: Is Autumn a good time to come to London? Yes! The weather can actually be very mild and city breaks can be uncomfortable during a heat wave. It’s a great time to get away before proper winter. Where should I stay? Our choice would be either near the river or the parks if the outdoor scenes appeal to you and Eldon Chambers is ideal. If you prefer the pre-Christmas retail vibe then perhaps you might prefer Interlude House .
