Walking Tour of Royal London

Royal London is the City of Westminster, a one-thousand-year-old religious and Royal settlement on the River Thames. It is here where Kings are crowned, married, buried and memorialised. It is the centre of power and the heart of the story.

Kensington Palace
Start at Kensington Palace, a vast complex of Royal apartments currently lived in by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Wills and Kate) the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. See the palace from the outside and take a stroll through the Lady Diana Memorial fountain and Kensington Gardens.

The Albert Memorial
The genuine romance between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert is depicted in film and tv dramas. The couple enjoyed a close and loving relationship. Prince Albert's death at 42 broke Queen Victoria's heart. The grand memorial reflects her heartfelt affection for Albert and depicts the Princes' wide variety of interests and passions.

The Guard Change and Buckingham Palace
Your guide will have you positioned in the perfect place to watch the Queen's Guard marching. The tradition has been in place since 1660, and today the event involves marching bands and drummers performing traditional military tunes and modern scores. It is not uncommon to hear the Star Wars, Bond, or Raider of the Lost Ark theme tunes. 

After your guide has explained the regiments, the three-guard change locations and purpose it will all make sense.

Shops with Royal Warrants (approval)
We briefly head into St James, a neighbourhood with rather high-end retail. Originally the area was inhabited by suppliers to the Crown, and in some respects, not much has changed. The difference today is the products are more accessible, mostly British made and importantly, hold that Royal Warrant. Take a stroll with your guide and pop in a few shops and learn their fascinating history. There is something for everyone; a beautifully made shirt for him and a great hat for her, amongst all that are a few nice pubs for refreshment. The drinking of traditional Ale is not mandatory, its just polite to try.

Whitehall, Parliament and Downing Street
Whitehall is the location of most government departments and once the site of Whitehall Palace, the largest palace in Europe. A small fragment of it remains in the form of the Banqueting House. Go-Inside with your guide and marvel at the only surviving ceiling painting by Sir Peter Paul Rubens, the much-admired Flemish artist.

We stop briefly outside the Churchill's War Rooms to get a flavour of wartime Britain and see where Churchill secretly held cabinet meetings underground. Head down Whitehall and stop briefly at Downing Street; of course, Number Ten Downing Street is the incumbent prime minister's official residence.

Westminster Abbey
See Parliament Square, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. The Abbey is where Kings and Queens are crowned, married and often in the past, finally laid to rest. It is also where Britain remembers its great and good citizens, Prime Ministers, poets, musicians and philanthropists. You may like to extend the tour by an hour and go-inside – it will be up to you.

Westminster Cathedral
We make twists and turns through Westminster's back-streets, seeing where famous people lived and Go-Inside inside St John's Smith Square, a beautiful baroque church. We finish up at Westminster Cathedral, the Neo-Byzantine style Roman Catholic place of worship. We Go-Inside and see a vast space with interior decoration still in progress. The interior is clad with over 100 types of marble, and each chapel tells the story of a saint in colourful mosaics.

Your guide will now make sure you know where to have lunch, arrange reservations if needed, set up a taxi or car, and generally check that you are happy. You may like tickets for an afternoon visit to Westminster Abbey or even extend and enjoy a guided tour. 

If you have MORE TIME, we recommend our Royal London Tour (7hrs) and The Old City of London Tour (7hrs). Two comprehensive days in London, ideal for your first visit to London.