HobNob Tours
Exclusive Private Walking Tours

 

London is awash with Royal history and Royal stories are the thread which runs throughout this tour.  Our tour starts with St James' Palace, the centre of so many significant events in the history of the Royals including the announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.  Just like Queen Victoria, we'll walk around the corner to Buckingham Palace and see the world famous balcony as well as hear some fascinating stories about what goes on behind its walls.

 

As we make our way to Parliament Square, we'll wander through St James' Park, one of London's most beautiful green spaces, with one of the best views in London to be seen from the bridge across the ornamental lake!  Parliament Square is not short on iconic buildings with the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Hall side by side and Westminster Abbey a few metres away.    

Next up is Horse Guards Parade and a chance to see the box men with their horses guarding the gates.  This is a parade ground like no other with two ancient ceremonies taking place on the sand, the Changing of the Guard and the Trooping of the Colour.  Exactly what is trooped and what are the colours?  You will find out!

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Finally, we arrive in Trafalgar Square where our tour will end beside Nelsons Column taking pride of place in London's largest square.

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Apart from seeing so many magnificent buildings, this tour emphasizes how history is often about the 'what ifs'!  If it wasn’t for Edward the Confessor, for example, we wouldn't have Westminster Abbey or the Houses of Parliament – think of that; no bell ringing on New Year’s Eve!  And if George IV hadn’t moved the Royal Mews to Buckingham Palace, we wouldn’t have Trafalgar Square with Nelson on top of his column and the lions at his feet. 

 

There are so many questions to be answered.  What legacy did William Rufus, the son of William the Conqueror who invaded Britain in 1066, leave behind?  Which king was tried for treason in Westminster Hall and executed outside Banqueting House?  Which birds have lived on the ornamental lake in St James’ Park since the 1660s and which regiments have guarded the monarch from the same date?  You’ll find answers to all of these questions and more on this fascinating day’s tour.  Don't miss it!

 

This tour starts under the Colonnade of the Ritz Hotel on Piccadilly and, if it is scheduled on the day of your tour and you would like to, we could time the start of the tour to fit in with the Changing of the Guard ceremony.  This is pageantry at its very best and we view parts of the proceedings from two or three different places so it is quite fun moving quickly from one to the other to catch the action!

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