There are a number of countries around the world still with constitutional monarchies. But for the fans of its system and history the United Kingdom is perhaps the big one. Australia, New Zealand and Canada, for example, are all constitutional monarchies but still have links with the United Kingdom.
So when you come to London, United Kingdom you have a wealth of places to see and discover with royal links and they’re not even all completely in the centre of London either. You have Windsor Castle, west of London and Kensington Palace, a little further west from Buckingham Palace.
So you want to come to London and see the home of English and later United Kingdom royalty. The City Unscripted Experience - Royal London with an Ex-Employee might be just what you’re looking for. I’m Brian and I worked within two royal palaces for 13 years. A wonderful time but it is a part of United Kingdom history that offers so much. And much of that, but certainly not all is in London itself.
Working as a warden or a guide within a royal palace gives you a lot of perks and you do fall in love with the history. During the 13 years of working for the United Kingdom royal family I spent a lot of time in London and a lot of time uncovering its royal history.
One of those principle moments was during the London Olympics in 2012 when I worked as a guide in Buckingham Palace. You did your job through the day and in the evening and your days off you had this world city to uncover. What you find in royal history is fascinating. Here are some examples.
Westminster Abbey
Of all the churches in even central London. This is the big one. Coming from Buckingham Palace I took the Jubilee line from Green Park and got off at Westminster Tube station. When I walked out of exit 4 on to Bridge Street everything was as I expected it to be. Busy streets, The United Kingdom Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.
The church is full of royal history, a real royal must for any monarchy fan and was created further west, upstream from the old city of London by King Edward the Confessor in the 1000s. Every English, British and later United Kingdom coronation has taken place here since 1066. It’s witnessed not only coronations, but royal weddings and funerals here.
Think of every big royal you can think of: They have a link here. Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, Queen Victoria, Charles I, Queen Elizabeth I, King Henry VIII and William the Conqueror all have connections here whether coronations, weddings or funerals. As you walk in and begin to study the abbey you’ll find some of the important monarchs from the history of the British Isles. Yards away from each other I found two Queens who never met but were a constant threat to each other’s thrones. Queen Elizabeth I of England and Mary, Queen of Scots.
King James I (the first monarch of both Scotland and England) and of course the King who formed the abbey in the 9th century, Edward the Confessor. Finding and studying all this history amongst myself having spoken about it for so long in my job as a royal guide was a delight and a privilege and I would recommend it to anyone.
Trafalgar Square and Charles I
Trafalgar Square is almost a halfway point between absolute monarchy and a modern democratic state. It is perhaps apt then that one of your stops on this intriguing experience will be a statue of a man on a horse. Not just any old man though, but King Charles I.
The King that wanted complete power and to control parliament. It is perhaps ironic that today he is near the home of United Kingdom royalty, Buckingham Palace. But also staring aimlessly at what could have been at the modern Houses of Parliament. Metres away is his site of execution. Can he still feel the pain looking in that direction?
Ladies and Gentlemen get your Bicorn Hats Ready! King Charles I near neighbour is Vice-Admiral Nelson, on top of Nelson’s column in the centre of Trafalgar Square. The Battle of Trafalgar, in 1805 is perhaps the most celebrated victory involving the Royal Navy.
The site of Nelson’s Column takes you back to another age, another time, when the United Kingdom fighting our old European adversaries, the French and Spanish was normal. Except 230 years ago it was happening across the globe. Not just across a small European passage of water.
Buckingham Palace
Known throughout the world as the home of the United Kingdom monarchy. I’ve been to London countless times and adore the city and its history. However, I always love walking up Whitehall, the centre of the United Kingdom parliament, up to Trafalgar Square, turning left through Admiralty Arch and looking down The Mall. It is like taking a constitutional time machine and going back in time from the present day and into the past. Or indeed you can do it the opposite way.
Throughout most of the year Buckingham Palace is not open to the public, so this experience is a great way to find out more about the residence. Buckingham Palace or BP to some was never, originally meant to be a royal residence but over the last 250 years has been the home to not only members of the United Kingdom royal family but celebrations, state visits, discussions about national crises such as World War Two and less serious gatherings such as garden parties.