What it's really like inside Buckingham Palace
As Buckingham Palace reopens for the first time since 2019, The Royal List was front of the line...
This week, Kerry went on a very special assignment, as one of the first visitors to go inside Buckingham Palace as it reopened for the summer. It’s the first time it has opened to the public since 2019. Here’s an extract of her feature for Escape.com.au:
Jackie Kennedy might have dubbed it “dilapidated”, but we thought it glorious. The palace is under renovation and the Queen living at Windsor Castle, so there was no chance of spotting the monarch, but it was still thrilling to arrive in the Grand Hall and walk up the famous red-carpeted Grand Staircase, following in the footsteps of royalty and James Bond.
Visitors get to tour the State Rooms, including various drawing rooms, the Throne Room, State Dining Room, Ballroom and galleries festooned with Old Masters. You can wander around the gardens and take tea in the restaurant, so you can claim to have dined at the Palace. You can also visit The Royal Mews to see the Queen’s coaches, including the Gold State Coach and the Queen’s Gallery, with its rotating exhibitions of treasures from the Royal Collection Trust.
This summer there’s a Platinum Jubilee exhibition of Dorothy Wilding portraits taken of the young Queen when she acceded the throne in 1952 and wonderful tiaras like The Diamond Diadem (our favourite), The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and the dress 11-year-old Elizabeth wore for the coronation of George VI in 1937.
The interiors are a riot of red, white and gold, with gilded ceilings, rich wallpaper, enormous chandeliers and antique furniture. You see the deep red Throne Room, with its two red and gold thrones, the scene for royal wedding photos, plus the pretty blue and gold Music Room, with its double-domed ceilings, where christenings take place. The White Drawing Room is magnificent, with its gold and white ceiling, plus hidden door, which the Queen uses to enter from her private apartments.
It’s very much a working palace, not a home, so feels like touring a museum. Some half a million people come through the palace during the summer and in a normal year, 50,000 guests are entertained at events. The State Rooms are just a slice of the vast palace – with 775 rooms, including 19 State Rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms and 92 offices. It has a chapel, doctor’s surgery, cinema, pool and staff gym servicing its 450 employees.
Once the tour, which can take a few hours, depending how long you linger, is over, you exit into the vast gardens - via a gift shop. Everyone in our party enjoyed it, including kids and it’s a definite must-do for anyone visiting London. For tickets, book here.
Beep, beep! Charles opens Commonwealth Games
We’ll never forget the London 2012 Olympics kicking off in spectacular style with the Queen and James Bond, so we loved Charles (10 years and a day later) giving the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony a Bond twist, by arriving in an Aston Martin - 007’s vehicle of choice.
The Duke of Cornwall looked delighted to be driving his blue DB6 model (a 21st birthday present from the Queen) – and converted to run on ethanol made from whey and wine – in the Alexander Stadium alongside a beaming Camilla. Opening the event on Thursday, he read the Queen’s message, which she had placed into the baton last October.
“Over the years, the coming together of so many for the ‘Friendly Games’ has created memorable shared experiences, established long-standing relationships, and even created some friendly rivalries,” said Charles. “But above all they remind us of our connection with one another, wherever we may be in the world, as part of the Commonwealth family of nations.”
The couple were joined by Sophie Wessex and Prince Edward, vice-patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation. And we’re awarding a gold medal to Camilla for her chic outfit. Her Anna Valentine navy jumpsuit, first seen on a 2019 New Zealand tour, was a winner. The Games runs until August 8.
The Cambridges roar on the Lionesses
As well as the Commonwealth Games, the other big sporting event is the Women’s Euro 2022 finals today (Sunday) at Wembley.
William and Catherine are rumoured to be making an appearance at Wembley and this time possibly with Princess Charlotte cheering on the Lionesses as they take on Germany. While meeting the Lionesses earlier this year, William said Charlotte is a keen football fan and “really good in goal”, even going so far as to call her a “budding sports star”. After their semi-final victory, footie-lover and FA president, William, tweeted: “Congratulations @Lionesses on making it to the #WEURO2022 final on Sunday. The entire country is so proud of everything you’re achieving. We believe in you and will with you all the way! W”
Happy birthday Meghan
The Duchess of Sussex celebrates hitting 41 this Thursday. She shares a birthday with another royal bride - on the same date (August 4) 122 years ago, the Queen Mother was born. Unlike Meghan, who this week hit the headlines again after stating she grew up “feeling” like an only child, in her defence to a court case brought by her estranged half-sister Samantha, the late consort was the youngest girl and ninth out of 10 children.
A royal weekend in London
The Royal List checked into The Rubens at the Palace last weekend and had a right royal good time. If you’re looking for a hotel in London, you couldn’t get any closer to Buckingham Palace than this, as it’s opposite the Royal Mews.
This lovely, welcoming five-star heritage hotel is a classic choice. From its top-hatted doormen, to its fabulous Platinum Jubilee Afternoon Tea, put this hotel on your royal wish-list for your next mini-break. Staff are also terrific with children, giving them their own kids’ check-in and treating them like princes and princesses. Thanks Rubens, until next time!
Special thanks to VisitBritain.com. To book The Rubens, visit here.