Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. It has been the family home of British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years. It is an official residence of Her Majesty The Queen, whose standard flies from the Round Tower when she is in residence.
Eton was founded by King Henry VI in 1440 and lies just across the river Thames from the pretty Berkshire town of Windsor; most famous for its royal castle.
http://www.etoncollege.com/Default.aspx
Speakers' Corner is a traditional site for public speeches and debates since the mid 1800's when protests and demonstrations took place in Hyde Park.
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park/things-to-see-and-do/speakers-corner
Every year millions of Londoners and tourists visit St James's Park, the oldest of the capital's eight Royal Parks.
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/st-jamess-park
D. R. Harris was founded in 1790 and has been operating in the St. James's area of London ever since. D. R. Harris has an extensive range of products which are ideal for both men and women. Alongside this impressive range they are also a fully-functioning pharmacy for which they hold the Royal Warrants to Her Majesty the Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales.
Be amazed by the glittering interiors of the grandest address in the capital, once known as 'Number 1 London'. This beautiful Georgian building was the London home of the first Duke of Wellington and has changed very little since his great victory at Waterloo in 1815.
The royal family may have left Hampton Court in 1737 but the palace and its apartments soon found another purpose. From the 1760s onwards, the palace was divided up for ‘grace-and-favour’ residents who were granted rent-free accommodation because they had given great service to the Crown or country. They lived, often with their own small households of servants above, underneath and around the state apartments.
The term ‘State Rooms’ is applied to those rooms that were designed and built as the public rooms of the Palace, in which monarchs receive, reward and entertain their subjects and visiting dignitaries.
Spencer House is London’s most magnificent eighteenth-century aristocratic palace
Built between 1756-1766 for John, first Earl Spencer, an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997) it is London’s finest surviving eighteenth-century town house.
Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. It has been the family home of British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years. It is an official residence of Her Majesty The Queen, whose standard flies from the Round Tower when she is in residence.
Eton was founded by King Henry VI in 1440 and lies just across the river Thames from the pretty Berkshire town of Windsor; most famous for its royal castle.
http://www.etoncollege.com/Default.aspx
Speakers' Corner is a traditional site for public speeches and debates since the mid 1800's when protests and demonstrations took place in Hyde Park.
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park/things-to-see-and-do/speakers-corner
Every year millions of Londoners and tourists visit St James's Park, the oldest of the capital's eight Royal Parks.
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/st-jamess-park
D. R. Harris was founded in 1790 and has been operating in the St. James's area of London ever since. D. R. Harris has an extensive range of products which are ideal for both men and women. Alongside this impressive range they are also a fully-functioning pharmacy for which they hold the Royal Warrants to Her Majesty the Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales.
Be amazed by the glittering interiors of the grandest address in the capital, once known as 'Number 1 London'. This beautiful Georgian building was the London home of the first Duke of Wellington and has changed very little since his great victory at Waterloo in 1815.
The royal family may have left Hampton Court in 1737 but the palace and its apartments soon found another purpose. From the 1760s onwards, the palace was divided up for ‘grace-and-favour’ residents who were granted rent-free accommodation because they had given great service to the Crown or country. They lived, often with their own small households of servants above, underneath and around the state apartments.
The term ‘State Rooms’ is applied to those rooms that were designed and built as the public rooms of the Palace, in which monarchs receive, reward and entertain their subjects and visiting dignitaries.
Spencer House is London’s most magnificent eighteenth-century aristocratic palace
Built between 1756-1766 for John, first Earl Spencer, an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997) it is London’s finest surviving eighteenth-century town house.
From its conception the House was recognised as one of the most sumptuous private residences ever built in London and a building of unique importance in the history of English architecture.
Designed by John Vardy and James ‘Athenian’ Stuart, the State Rooms are amongst the first neo-classical interiors in Europe.
Changing of the Guard, one of the top attractions in London!
The Changing the Guard ceremony, or Guard Mounting as it is formally known, signifies the official handover of responsibility for the military security of the Royal Palaces in London.
Household Troops have guarded the Sovereign and the Royal Palaces since 1660.
Until 1689, the Sovereign lived, mainly, at the Palace of Whitehall and was guarded there by Household Cavalry.
In 1689, the court moved to St James's Palace, which was guarded by the Foot Guards.
When Queen Victoria moved into Buckingham Palace in 1837, the Queen's Guard remained at St James's Palace, with a detachment guarding Buckingham Palace, as it still does today.
The Queen’s Guard is commanded by a Captain (who usually holds the rank of Major), and each Detachment is commanded by a Lieutenant.
The Colour of the Battalion providing the Guard is carried by a Second Lieutenant (who is known as the Ensign).
The handover is accompanied by a Guards band. The music played ranges from traditional military marches to songs from films and musicals and even familiar pop songs.
When The Queen is in residence, there are four sentries at the front of the building. When she is away there are two.
Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. It has been the family home of British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years. It is an official residence of Her Majesty The Queen, whose standard flies from the Round Tower when she is in residence.
The Queen spends most of her private weekends at Windsor and takes up official residence for a month over Easter (March to April), known as Easter Court. The Queen is also at Windsor for one week each June, when she attends Royal Ascot and the service of the Order of the Garter.
Windsor is still very much a working royal palace. The Castle is used regularly for ceremonial and State occasions. It is here that The Queen often hosts State Visits from overseas monarchs and presidents. St George’s Hall makes a spectacular setting for a State Banquet, when a single table, stretching the length of the hall and seating 160 people, is decorated with porcelain, and silver-gilt from the Royal Collection.
Occasionally The Queen hosts a ‘dine and sleep’, when Her Majesty invites important figures, such as political leaders, Ambassadors, High Commissioners or the heads of Commonwealth nations, to have dinner at the Castle, before showing them a special display of items from the Royal Library. The guests then spend a night at the Castle and depart after breakfast the following morning.
St George’s Chapel within the Castle Precincts is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in the world. Founded at Windsor by Edward III in 1348, its Knights still attend a Service of Thanksgiving in the chapel of their patron, St George, processing in their robes and insignia through the Castle Precincts. Today, the Order consists of The Queen, The Prince of Wales and 24 Knight Companions. There are also Royal Knights and Foreign or ‘stranger’ Knights. St George’s Chapel remains an active centre for worship, with daily services open to all.
Eton was founded by King Henry VI in 1440 and lies just across the river Thames from the pretty Berkshire town of Windsor; most famous for its royal castle. Throughout its history Eton has been one of the leading independent schools in the UK and it continues to provide a stimulating all-round education, coupled with academic excellence.
Eton is a boys’ boarding school with around 1,300 pupils. Their pupils join at the age of 13 (with a few joining in the sixth form) and continue right through until they are 18.
Eton College is a modern, forward-thinking school which embraces new opportunities within teaching and learning. Tradition remains important and still shapes some of their guiding principles, but it is a willingness to innovate which has seen the school thrive for almost six centuries.
Every year millions of Londoners and tourists visit St James's Park, the oldest of the capital's eight Royal Parks.
The park includes The Mall and Horse Guards Parade and is at the heart of ceremonial London, providing the setting for spectacular pageants including the annual Trooping the Colour.
St James's Park is at the heart of ceremonial London. It is the setting for spectacular pageants, like Trooping the Colour, and is surrounded by some of the country's most famous landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, St James's Palace and Westminster.
But there is also another side to St James's Park; it is a tranquil place. Simply relax in a deckchair and watch the world go by. The flower beds and shrubberies are enjoyed by visitors all the year round.
St James's Park has been at the centre of the country's royal and ceremonial life for more than four hundred years. Royal ambitions and national events have shaped many of the features in the park.
D. R. Harris was founded in 1790 and has been operating in the St. James's area of London ever since. D. R. Harris has an extensive range of products which are ideal for both men and women. Alongside this impressive range we are also a fully-functioning pharmacy for which we hold the Royal Warrants to Her Majesty the Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales.
The story begins just before 1790 at No. 11 St. James's Street where Harris's Apothecary set up shop. Over the next fifty years the family established a reputation selling Lavender Water, Classic Cologne and English Flower perfumes to this fashionable quarter of London.
One of the proprietors, Henry Harris, was a surgeon, while Daniel Rotely (D. R.) was an early Pharmaceutical Chemist.
For over two centuries this family business in the centre of men's Clubland has served the gentry and the court of St. James's and in 1938 was awarded the warrant as chemists to her Majesty The Queen, later the Queen Mother which was held until her death in 2002. In 2002 they were also appointed as Chemists to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, an honour that was added to in 2012 when they had the Royal Warrant for Her Majesty the Queen bestowed upon them.
Today they continue to offer outstanding levels of service at their traditional Chemists' shop at 29 St. James's Street which includes much of the original furniture. They continue to adapt with the times, however, and their fine selection of soaps, shaving creams and soaps, aftershaves and colognes, skincare products and much more, continue to appeal to all those who appreciate quality and distinction the world over.
Be amazed by the glittering interiors of the grandest address in the capital, once known as 'Number 1 London'. This beautiful Georgian building was the London home of the first Duke of Wellington and has changed very little since his great victory at Waterloo in 1815. Revel in one of the finest art collections in London, with paintings by Velazquez and Rubens, as well as a wonderful collection of silver and porcelain.
Apsley House was originally designed and built between 1771 and 1778 for Lord Chancellor Henry, 1st Baron Apsley (later 2nd Earl Bathurst), by the fashionable architect Robert Adam (1728–92).
The site chosen was on Piccadilly, at the formal entrance to Hyde Park, which was Crown land. Bathurst negotiated the lease of land from the Crown in order to build his new house.[1] Apsley was the first house on the north side of Piccadilly, located opposite a turnpike with toll houses, and consequently it became known as ‘Number 1, London’. Its correct postal address is now 149 Piccadilly.
The original house was a five-bay red brick building, with a spacious entrance hall and central colonnaded oval staircase. Adam had to design the house to respect the existing stable block on the eastern side, which contributed to its irregular floor plan.[2]
Adam completed the building and furnishing of the house at a cost of £10,000. The structure of this house survives underneath the later stone encasement and extensions.
Delve into the art and history of Apsley House with the brand new multimedia guide, learn about Regency society and much more, as you tour the house.
Venture down to the basement gallery to see items which have never been seen before, in a new exhibition. Discover a wealth of fascinating memorabilia including medals and shields.
Find out more about the man behind the myth. The 'Iron Duke' lived at Apsley House after defeating Napoleon, and the house remains a residence of the Dukes of Wellington today.
By the time of his death in 1852 the Iron Duke was a national hero, and his house stands as a national shrine to the victor of Waterloo.
Away from his military career, the Duke reputedly had a way with words and many admirers.
The royal family may have left Hampton Court in 1737 but the palace and its apartments soon found another purpose. From the 1760s onwards, the palace was divided up for ‘grace-and-favour’ residents who were granted rent-free accommodation because they had given great service to the Crown or country. They lived, often with their own small households of servants above, underneath and around the state apartments.
Over the next two hundred years a wide variety of people became Hampton Court residents. Lady Baden-Powell, the widow of the founder of the Scout movement, had apartments within Henry VIII's kitchens.
The great experimental scientist Professor Michael Faraday (1791-1867) had a house on Hampton Court Green.
In 1838, the young Queen Victoria (r 1837-1901) ordered that Hampton Court Palace ‘should be thrown open to all her subjects without restriction.’
Conservation and restoration of Hampton Court Palace continues. The vast majority of the palace buildings are now either open to the public or used as office space and store-rooms, although a small group of grace-and-favour residencies remain.
Perhaps surprisingly, new building works are also commissioned: 2007 has seen the opening of the brand new Clore Education Centre outside the palace’s West Front.
Interpreting and explaining the palace to the visitor also remains an ongoing challenge. Hampton Court has many histories, and understanding – and finding your way around – the complex geography of the site can be challenging.
It is perhaps easiest to think of Hampton Court as the ‘story of two palaces’: a Tudor palace established by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and made even more magnificent by Henry VIII, alongside a baroque palace built by William III and Mary II.
It is recommended you allow at least 3 hours for your visit to Hampton Court. The friendly staff in the Information Centre off Base Court can assist you in planning your time.
The term ‘State Rooms’ is applied to those rooms that were designed and built as the public rooms of the Palace, in which monarchs receive, reward and entertain their subjects and visiting dignitaries. Today the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are used extensively by The Queen and members of the Royal Family to receive and entertain their guests on State, ceremonial and official occasions.
The Palace's nineteen State Rooms predominantly reflect the taste George IV (r.1820-30), who commissioned the architect John Nash to transform what had previously been known as Buckingham House into a grand palace. Many of the pieces of furniture, sparkling chandeliers, candelabra and other works of art in these rooms were bought or made for Carlton House, George IV's London home when he was Prince of Wales. Today the State Rooms are furnished with many of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Van Dyck and Canaletto, sculpture by Canova, exquisite pieces of Sèvres porcelain, and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world.
Many of the other State Rooms also have particular uses today. It is in the Throne Room, for example, that The Queen, on very special occasions like Jubilees, receives loyal addresses. On 29 April 2011 this room was the setting for the formal photographs following the wedding of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. In the Music Room, guests are presented to The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and the visiting Head of State on the occasion of a State visit. The White Drawing Room, perhaps the grandest of all the State Rooms, serves as a royal reception room for The Queen and members of the Royal Family to gather before official occasions.
