London: The ultimate guide to royal hot spots in the UK
Between Harry, Meghan, the monarchy’s never been more fascinating. Here’s how to explore London’s most famous royal hot spots - including a bakery you cannot miss.
Between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and The Crown, we’ve never been more obsessed with the royals.
Millions of Aussies travel to London every year, plenty of them ticking off the major attractions including Buckingham and Kensington Palaces.
But thanks to all the real-life royal hoopla – and wildly addictive Crown dramatisation – since 2016, there’s suddenly even more reason to hit the English capital.
Want to recreate Harry and Meghan’s first date? Or visit the stunning Diana-favoured garden where the beaming couple announced their engagement to the world?
Here’s the ultimate guide to living like a royal in London – or as close as we commoners will ever get.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
This one’s obvious, so let’s get it out of the way.
No trip to London is complete without a little stopover at the Queen’s official capital residence.
Every summer, she throws open her front doors to allow millions of tourists the opportunity to have a squiz inside one of the most iconic buildings in the world, which also happens to be the scene of plenty of major royal milestones in modern times … as fans of The Crown would be well aware. (Fun fact: the show isn’t actually allowed to film there, so Lancaster House and Wilton House are used instead.)
Luckily, tourists are able to visit the real thing: Buckingham Palace is open to the general public for 10 weeks each British summer, from around mid-July until the end of September.
Westminster, London, SW1A 1AA
ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL, WINDSOR CASTLE
Unfortunately, the general public isn’t allowed to traipse through Harry and Meghan’s UK home, Frogmore Cottage, in Windsor (less than an hour out of London) – but we’ll settle for visiting the location of their wedding in 2018, watched by billions of people around the world.
On a sunny day in May, a nervous-looking Harry, accompanied by his brother and best man Prince William, greeted the thousands of wellwishers outside St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle before making his way inside to await his American bride.
A short time later, Meghan, in a breathtaking white Givenchy gown and tiara, pulled up out the front and climbed the stairs before walking down the aisle to marry her prince, cementing her place in modern royal history.
Princess Beatrice also married her beau, Jack Brooksbank, at the same spot just six months later, in a ceremony attended by the Queen and other senior royals.
Luckily, that very chapel is open for visitors from Monday to Saturday, between 10am-4pm, and for services throughout the day. Entry is included in Windsor Castle tickets (which also makes for a great royal visit).
Trains and buses leave daily from central London, and travel time is between 25-50 minutes.
Windsor, SL4 1NJ
WESTMINSTER ABBEY
The other royal wedding which had everyone talking over the past decade was, of course, that of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The future King of England married his stunning bride inside Westminster Abbey, adding to the centuries of royal weddings (including the Queen and Prince Philip), coronations and high-profile funerals (such as Princess Diana’s), that have taken place within the church’s walls in its more than 1000-year history.
While standing in the very spot that William and Kate said “I do” is more than incentive enough, the Abbey’s incredibly rich history makes it an attraction well worth spending some time exploring.
To learn more and book tickets, head to the official website.
20 Deans Yard, Westminster, London SW1P 3PA
THE SUNKEN GARDEN, KENSINGTON PALACE
Among the grassy hills of Hyde Park stands the stately home of Kensington Palace, just a stone’s throw from the Queen’s Buckingham Palace base.
Kensington Palace hosted plenty of high-profile former residents – including Princess Diana – and is still brimming with members of the royal family.
Prince William, Kate, and their three kids live within its walls in Apartment 1A, the Prince and Princess of Kent in Apartment 10, the Duke and Duchess of Kent in Wren House, and Princess Eugenie and her new husband Jack Brooksbank in Ivy Cottage.
And in late 2017, Prince Harry and his new fiancee, Meghan, gave the world a rare glimpse of the private gardens of the Palace – specifically, the Sunken Garden, which was said to be his late mother’s favourite.
The loved-up couple used the site to pose for their engagement photocall, with the stunning images beamed all over the world.
Members of the public are able to stand in that very spot, and wander through the rest of the gardens and the Palace (excluding Kate and William’s pad, unfortunately), which is open year-round. More details and ticket information can be found on the property’s official website.
Hot tip: make sure you finish up your visit with a stop at the Palace’s famous Orangery to try the iconic afternoon tea service.
Kensington Gardens, Kensington, London W8 4PX
VIOLET BAKERY
Be sure to swing by the Hackney bakery which made Harry and Meghan’s wedding cake and fall in love with chef Claire Ptak’s delicious treats like they did.
For the non-royal nerds, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex worked with Claire to dream up a lemon and elderflower creation with buttercream icing, topped with fresh flowers.
If you’re not in the market to order an elaborate decadent wedding cake, don’t worry – there’s plenty on offer to keep your tastebuds royally satisfied.
The bakery is wall-to-wall with a mouth-watering display of cupcakes, brownies, and pastries – as well as some lunch items, like quiches and pies.
47 Wilton Way, London E8 3ED
DEAN STREET TOWNHOUSE
Back in June 2016, Suits actor Meghan Markle – in London on a publicity tour – arrived for a blind date with Prince Harry, arranged by a mutual friend.
The scene of their first meeting? Dean Street Townhouse, the uber trendy London hangout beloved by celebrities, royals – and pretty much everyone else who can nab a table in the cosy Soho dining room.
As we now know, Meghan and Harry’s first date went so well, they arranged to see each other the following night, headed to Africa together a few weeks later, were engaged by the end of 2017 and tied the knot in May 2018.
While it’s unlikely you’ll lock in an eligible prince at Dean Street Townhouse these days (they’re currently in short supply), at least you can enjoy the restaurant’s famous Sunday roast – or even just one of their cocktails.
69-71 Dean Street, Soho, W1D 3SE
CHILTERN FIREHOUSE
Chiltern Firehouse, in the swanky Marylebone district, is one of the most popular royal hangouts in London.
After its 2013 launch, the 1887 fire station-turned-hotel and restaurant quickly became one of the most exclusive and notoriously hard-to-book venues in the city. Celebrities, dignitaries and members of the royal family are regularly seen rubbing shoulders within its rustic walls – Princess Beatrice even held her engagement party with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi there late last year.
Sure, it’s almost impossible to get a table, unless you’re related to the Queen or happen to be a global star – but hey, it’s worth a crack.
… Just imagine who you might meet.
1 Chiltern Street, Marylebone, W1U 7PA
LUMINARY BAKERY
Luminary Bakery enjoyed a burst of overnight fame after Meghan personally selected it to appear within the pages of British Vogue last year.
The Duchess of Sussex, who was guest editor of the “Forces for Change” September issue, chose the London bakery to recognise its incredible work in helping some of the city’s most vulnerable women affected by sexual or domestic violence.
That’s right: a visit to a Luminary Bakery branch in Camden or Hackney doesn’t just mean you’ll eat something delicious – it also gives you the opportunity to support the women working there, who have been given a six-month training program to help teach them culinary skills and find employment.
Meghan has visited the eatery several times herself – and even had her birthday cake last August supplied by Luminary, according to Hello magazine.
47 Chalk Farm Road, Chalk Farm, NW1 8AJ or 71-73 Allen Road, Stoke Newington, N16 8R7
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