The monarchy has been a part of London’s history for over 1,000 years, and tourists are spoiled for choice with the number of places associated with the royal family they can visit.
Below, you will find a list of my 10 favorites.
Enjoy the read!
Royal Must See Places in London
1. The official residence of the King
Buckingham Palace – the official London residence of the British monarchs – occupies one of the top positions on the list of things to see in London for most tourists visiting the UK’s capital.
The best time to see the palace from the outside is during the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which takes place every other day.
This is a free event to watch and you can check the dates and times here.
If you wish to see the inside of the palace, you’ll need to plan your visit for the summer months. You can find more details about this here.
See also: 25 things to see near Buckingham Palace in less than an hour! – free London walking tour with a map
2. “Old Buckingham Palace“
Just around the corner from Buckingham Palace, you can find the former residence of the monarch in London, the picturesque St James’s Palace.
While St James’s Palace is not generally open to the public, it remains an important ceremonial and administrative center for the royal family.
With its distinctive red-brick façade, it is very different from Buckingham Palace and definitely worth stopping by.
Make sure that you see both façades of the palace: the east one and (my favorite!) the north one.
3. Royal Jewels!
The Royal Jewels, often referred to as the Crown Jewels, are a collection of ceremonial objects and regalia used by the British monarchy.
They are kept in the Tower of London, and on most days, tourists are welcomed to view them.
The Tower of London is a paid tourist attraction. You can find more information about it here.
Even though photography is not allowed in the area where the Crown Jewels are displayed, visiting them is a memorable experience for any royal enthusiast.
The Tower of London comprises many buildings, and to see it all, you will need between 2 to 4 hours.
4. Royal Church & Royal Tombs!
Westminster Abbey is the most important church in the district of power in London, and is renowned for its association with the British monarchy (often referred to as a royal church).
40 coronations and 16 royal weddings have taken place here.
Westminster Abbey is also the final resting place of 30 kings and queens, whose tombs were typically crafted by the best sculptors of their time.
St. Edward the Confessor (the king who founded Westminster Abbey and later became a saint), Elizabeth I and Mary I (Bloody Mary) are buried here, just to name a few.
To visit the royal graves, you will need to purchase a ticket – more details here.
5. Royal Parks!
Royal Parks in London are historic green spaces once used by the royal family mainly for their leisure but are now open to the public generally from sunrise to sunset and accessible for free.
If you have limited time, you might find it difficult to choose just one.
There are eight of them: Hyde Park, The Green Park, Richmond Park, Greenwich Park, St. James’s Park, Bushy Park, The Regent’s Park, and Kensington Gardens.
In this case, trust my judgment and visit Greenwich Royal Park.
Just a hint: there is more than one reason why this park was chosen as the location of the Prime Meridian!
See also: 13 things to see in Greenwich in less than 2 hours (self-guided Greenwich walking tour with a map)
6. A London home of young royals
Kensington Palace is mostly known for being a London home for young royals.
Queen Victoria was born and spent her childhood there.
Princess Diana lived there for over 15 years.
You can find statue dedicated to her in Sunken Gardens.
It’s also the London home of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The elegant State Rooms of Kensington Palace are open to the public – it is a paid attraction, and you can find more details about it here.
7. Royal Horse Guards
From 7am to 4pm on most days, at the junction of Whitehall and Whitehall Place, you can see the Royal Horse Guards performing their duty.
The best times to see them are around 11am, when you have a chance of seeing the Changing of the Horse Guard, or at 4pm, when the official inspection by the Officer takes place. Both events are free to watch.
8. Horse & Guardsman pub!
Now, I would like to convince you to explore the King’s Guards themed pub near Trafalgar Square, The Horse & Guardsman.
Its unassuming front elevation hides great decor celebrating British history and the monarchy.
The Horse & Guardsman is a perfect spot to stop and soak in the historical significance of the Westminster area.
9. The statues of King Charles III’s grandparents
For a change, let’s explore something equally interesting but on a smaller scale – the beautiful statues of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s parents.
You can find them just steps away from Buckingham Palace, facing The Mall.
The statues depict King George VI at the age of 56 and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, at the age of 51 when she became a widow (she died at the age of 101).
If you look a bit closer at the small wooden plaques located near the statues, you might even spot a depiction of a young Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, Princess Margaret.
10. The Store Where the Royal Family Does Their (Not Only) Christmas Shopping!
Fortnum & Mason, located at 181 Piccadilly in London, is a prestigious department store with deep ties to the British royal family.
Established in 1707, it has long been renowned for its luxury goods, fine food, and exceptional service.
The store holds a Royal Warrant, an official mark of recognition from the British monarchy, which signifies its role as a supplier of goods to the royal household.
Fortnum & Mason at Piccadilly provides not only products but also an experience, and everyone is welcome!
It is a great place to visit if you are planning to buy tea – not all the products are super pricey.
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