Royal London

The idea of a monarchy in the 21st century baffles me sometimes, but when it comes to the British monarchy, I just can’t get enough. From the invasion of the Normans in 1066 to the sexy Tudor times, to the present day royals that just seem like your best friends, I have quite the obsession with the Royal Family. That’s why going to London was a dream come true. There is royal history in almost every corner of the city!

The Tower of London

This was the most coveted building for me to see while in London. It dates back to 1066 when William I built the White Tower and has served as a residence, a prison, and now a tourist site. The “beefeaters” – the guards that walk around in the red uniforms and silly hats – actually live in the Tower now. They are all former military officers and now serve to protect the Tower. I’m so jealous! I would love to live there.

The Tower of course is most famous for being a prison. A lot of political prisoners and prisoners that were particularly wealthy got to stay in this Tower … it was definitely not for the every day beggar! Many of them did end up with heads chopped off, like Anne Boleyn and Mary, Queen of Scots. I was a bit disappointed because in the spot where they were beheaded, there is a somewhat silly memorial for them. I was hoping for a chopping block so I could pretend I was getting beheaded! Also, during the World Wars, there were German spies that were arrested and put into the Tower, and eventually executed (through firing squad, not the axe!).

The Tower also served as a residence, as well. The Plantagenets built and lived in one of the towers during the 13th and 14th centuries. You can get a view of what their dwellings looked like and see what their daily life was like.

There are so many interesting aspects to the Tower of London. We stayed for three hours, but we could have stayed for so much longer if we weren’t hungry and didn’t have another tour to get to later that night. In the White Tower, they have different exhibitions all the time, and they have the armory, so you can see King Henry VIII’s armor (and how it changed over the years when he started to put on the pounds). There’s also the magnificent crown jewels to see. You can’t take pictures, except with your mind, but it is definitely worth it (and luckily no pieces were being used at that time so we got to see them all!).

Of course, you also have a great view of the Tower Bridge (often confused for London Bridge), the great big blue and silver bridge that connects the land over the Thames. It makes for some great photo-ops. You can also walk across the bridge, but I didn’t have enough time to do it.

There are so many stories, secrets, and myths that go along with the Tower of London. I could write a good essay on it, but I’ve decided to keep it short and spare you all the details.

Buckingham Palace

The place that many people associate with the royalty is Buckingham Palace, where the queen resides when she is in London. It’s the great building that is guarded by the Queen’s Guard – you know the ones with the giant fluffy hats. It was built for Queen Victoria in the 19th century, making it a more recent royal structure. We were there in winter, but it was still full of people packing along the gates to view the Queen’s Guard marching back and forth – and not smiling. There were none close enough to try to taunt, and they were wearing the winter garb (and not the bright red suits they are known for).

We went on a tour of London of Christmas and we were supposed to see the changing of the guards, but unfortunately it started to downpour rain at that time, so we only saw a muted version of it. They marched off the grounds of the Palace, escorted by policewomen on horses. Apparently there is usually a band and a lot more pomp, but when it is raining, they scale it back.

Since it was pouring when we got our first glimpse of Buckingham Palace, we went back on Boxing Day to see it. It was a bit sunnier and made for a better experience and some great pictures. There are lots of gold gates, both to the palace and then “Commonwealth Gates” that surround the area, representing Canada, Australia, and New Zealand since they are part of the commonwealth.

St. James’s Park is also RIGHT outside Buckingham Palace. If we had more time, it would have been cool to explore a bit more in there. There are lots of ducks, geese, etc. in the lakes, and it is all very green and lovely.

Royal Horseguard Palace

This is the official entrance to Buckingham Palace, although it is about three-quarters of a mile away from Buckingham Palace. There are soldiers (part of the Queen’s Guard) who sit on horses guarding the palace. I think that must be harder to sit on a horse for a few hours than to have to stand around – you have to sit up straight and be on a horse that can act up!

You can even pet the horses! (Although one didn’t want my dad to pet him … I don’t blame him 😉 ) It’s a much more subdued place to go, but it is also where the beach volleyball tournament was held during the Olympics in 2012. It’s over near 10 Downing Street and you can even see the back of it from the Horseguard Palace.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is a magical place. It was the first place we went into since the day we arrived was the only day it was fully open to the public. It has been in use for over 1000 years, and every king or queen has had their coronation here since William I in 1066 (except Edward VII because he resigned before his coronation). At the end of the tour around Westminster Abbey, you can see the throne they use during the coronation – very cool but also very uncomfortable.

It also serves as the final resting place for many famous Britons. Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots are both resting there, on opposite sides of the church in similar locations. Underneath Elizabeth’s fantastic crypt is her sister, Mary I. There are also a lot of famous scientists, like Issac Newton and Charles Darwin that are buried there, as well as famous literary people. There is only one grave that you can’t walk on, and that is the grave of the Unknown Soldier. It sits in the back of the chapel covered in poppies (the flower used for Remembrance/Memorial Day), and it a solemn, yet beautiful site.

Westminster Abbey is a definite “must-see” in London. It houses not just royalty, but innovators and authors that help define the British culture. It has seen the crownings of every king and queen in nearly a millennium, and also displayed the coffin for Princess Diana before she was buried on her family’s estate. It’s also where Prince William and Kate Middleton got married!

Be aware though, there are no pictures that can be taken inside the abbey. It’s definitely an important place to the British people, and it is important to respect the fact that there is not photography allowed and to not be obnoxiously loud, either.

Also of note, next to Westminster Abbey is Parliament and “Big Ben”. A note: Big Ben is not the tower like everyone thinks. Big Ben is the name of the bell, the tower is actually Elizabeth Tower, named for the current monarch. The tower on the opposite side that holds the flag is known as Victoria Tower. I actually squealed when I first saw this in our car on our way taking us to the apartment we stayed in. It’s something that just screams London and it’s a beautiful sight both at day and at night.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Although not directly involved with the royal family, it is where Charles and Diana got married. Most royal weddings happen in Westminster Abbey, but they moved the wedding to St. Paul’s Cathedral because it can seat more people.

It is a beautiful cathedral, and definitely different from Westminster Abbey. I wish I could have had more time in it to explore, but we went with our tour group and had limited time. In 1666, it was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Instead of being rebuilt in the exact same way as it was before, Christopher Wren, the architect, designed it in the way he wanted it to look. He was paid beforehand, so when they asked him to redesign it, he refused. Anyway, it is still a very beautiful Anglican cathedral, which houses the bodies of Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington in the crypts. It also had the funeral for Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.

One really cool thing I wish I had experienced is the Whisper Gallery. If you go up to the top of the cathedral, where you can whisper something to the wall and anyone with an ear to the wall can here it in the gallery. If I get a chance to go back to London, I will definitely check this out!

Now there are so many more things to see and do in and around London that have royal history. I would love to see Hampton Court Palace, where Henry VIII lived, as well as Windsor Castle, where he is buried. Those places require a train to get there and are just outside of London. If you love the gallantry of the royal family, you will definitely not be disappointed in visiting London!