Royal Connections from Stately Homes to Sporting Events, Catch a Glimpse Into the Lives of the British Royal Family in England

Home , Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, Royal Mews, Tower of London, Windsor Castle

Royal connections From stately homes to sporting events, catch a glimpse into the lives of the British royal family in England. See the Duchess of Cornwall’s home village, visit Diana’s elegant ancestral home and walk in the footsteps of Princes William and Harry.

> Windsor Castle, Berkshire ©Britainonview > House and Grounds, Sandringham ©Britainonview > Highgrove, Gloucestershire

1 Windsor Castle 4 Highgrove and Highgrove Shop, Gloucestershire The mighty towers and walls of Windsor Castle are an inspirational Home to Prince Charles, Highgrove is a charming example of an sight, and have been for nearly 1,000 years. This magnifi cent edifi ce English country house. It’s most famous for its gardens, largely is one of The Queen’s offi cial residences, and the oldest and largest designed by the Prince himself, and the high-quality goods available occupied castle in the world. Visitors are particularly drawn to the from its shop. Everything from handcrafted silver to spirits is State Apartments, full of treasures from the Royal Collection, and the available, and all proceeds go to charity. Garden tours are available exquisite Queen Mary’s Dolls House, which even has running water! between April and October. www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle www.highgrovegardens.com www.highgroveshop.com

5 Sandringham, Norfolk The Queen’s favourite country retreat, the Sandringham Estate has been home to four generations of English monarchs, all sharing The Queen’s enthusiasm for the place. The house, museum and gardens are full of rare ceramics, photographs, royal vehicles and other remarkable things, and a guided tour is highly recommended. The 8,000-acre estate comprises beautifully varied countryside, from woodland to fruit farms and wetland: just the place for a day’s exploring. www.sandringhamestate.co.uk

6 Kensington Palace, London A royal residence since the 17th century, Kensington Palace was home to Diana, Princess of Wales. Today it’s the ofﬁ cial residence of several dukes, duchesses and princes, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. “It recently underwent a £12 million revamp and is home > Buckingham Palace, London ©Britainonview to beautiful gardens, and a number of exhibitions. 2 Buckingham Palace, London www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace London’s royal centrepiece is another of The Queen’s ofﬁ cial residences and the headquarters of the royal family. Iconic Buckingham Palace is nestled between the tranquil expanses of two of London’s exquisite royal parks: Green Park and St James’s Park. Time visits to coincide with the Changing the Guard ceremony and the summer opening of the State Rooms. www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/buckinghampalace

3 Eton Visit one of England’s oldest schools, the famous Eton College. Famous for its traditions and historic buildings, it’s also well known as the school attended by Princes William and Harry. Incidentally, it was selected partly for its academic reputation, and partly because their grandmother The Queen lives close by at Windsor Castle. Guided tours are available, and should be arranged in advance. www.etoncollege.com > Kensington Palace, London ©Britainonview Royal connections

> Tower of London ©Britainonview > The Glass Coach Royal Mews, London ©Britainonview > Royal Ascot ©Britainonview

7 Royal Ascot 10 Royal Purveyors Wave in the British royal family’s horse-drawn carriage procession Stock up on the British brands bearing the royal seal of approval. at Royal Ascot, a race meeting held every June. This prestigious Documenting the best in British, the Royal Purveyors is the voice of social event is renowned for its regal guests and elite crowds clad authority on noteworthy British products. Acclaimed names include in designer ﬁ nery. Enjoy the day from the comfort of a private box, luxury fashion house Burberry, upmarket suit specialist Austin Reed or if you have friends who are established members of the Royal and acclaimed London perfume house Penhaligon’s. Less publicised Enclosure, ask them to invite you into this exclusive area. British brands with interesting heritage are also championed, each www.ascot.co.uk highlighted in features on the Royal Purveyors website. www.theroyalpurveyors.com

11 Tower of London See the exquisite Crown Jewels, which have adorned England’s kings and queens for centuries, on display inside this formidable ancient castle by the River Thames. The Tower of London’s long and dark history is documented in its historic exhibits and restored rooms. Hear about the tales and traditions on one of the Yeoman Warders’ atmospheric tours. www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon

> Parade Ring, Royal Ascot ©Britainonview

8 Polo Polo is a much-loved pastime of the British royal family. Watch ‘The Sport of Kings’ at the charming Beaufort Polo Club in the Cotswolds, where Princes William and Harry are regular players. Another royal favourite is Cirencester Park Polo Club, while Guards Polo Club near Windsor Castle holds the star-studded International Day in July. Polo season is from the end of April to mid-September. www.beaufortpoloclub.co.uk www.guardspoloclub.com www.cirencesterpolo.co.uk

9 Althorp, Northamptonshire Visit Princess Diana’s grand ancestral home and ﬁ nal resting place, the Althorp Estate. The house and grounds of the aristocratic Spencer family open to the public during July and August, and visitors can wander the tree-strewn greenery, peek inside private rooms and see the acclaimed exhibition Diana: A Celebration. View the island lake on which rests Diana’s tomb, and see the waterside Diana memorial. www.spencerofalthorp.com > Althorp, Northamptonshire ©Britainonview Royal connections

12 Kew Palace, London Kew Palace is a charming regal residence in the verdant Kew Gardens. Hidden Gems After being closed for a decade, it was chosen by the royal family to celebrate the Queen’s 80th birthday in 2006 with a dinner held by the 13 Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Surrey Prince of Wales. The house has been open to the public ever since. Walk the hallways of prestigious army ofﬁ cer training academy Kew Palace is open April to September, when palace experts run Sandhurst, whose alumni include Princes William and Harry. On the behind-the-scenes evening tours. 90-minute tour see the Old College rooms and the Royal Memorial www.hrp.org.uk/KewPalace Chapel, and in the summer bring a picnic for a lakeside lunch. On set dates in April, August and December see the cadets in their end of term Sovereign’s Parade. Book walking tours three weeks in advance. www.sandhurstfoundation.org

14 The Bucklebury Estate, Berkshire The Duchess of Cambridge’s home village is on one of the oldest estates in the country. The preened gardens surrounding Bucklebury House were ﬁ rst founded by Benedictine monks in the 12th century, and trees on the ancient Avenue of Oaks running to the Duchess’ home village Chapel Row include ones planted to mark a visit by Queen Elizabeth I and to celebrate victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. www.buckleburyestate.com

15 Star Castle, Scilly Isles, Cornwall Spend a night in the star-shaped fortress that once hosted Prince William and his mother Princess Diana when holidaying in the Scilly Isles. Star Castle on St Mary’s island was built in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, and today is part of the Duchy of Cornwall belonging to Prince Charles. Guests pick from castle and garden rooms, and take in the glorious sea views. >Kew Palace, London ©Britainonview http://star-castle.co.uk