Best Of Great Britain

A tour of Britain’s royal palaces..

 

Exploring Britain's best royal buildings

Britain's culture, history and national identity has always been linked with the Royal Family, who are still a key feature of the country's society to this day. Spread throughout Britain are a series of extravagant buildings belonging to the Royals, some of which are over 1,000 years old and have to be seen to be believed. Here are seven of Britain's must-see royal palaces that you should visit on your trip to Britain.

Hampton Court Palace

A favourite residence of Henry VIII, London's Hampton Court Palace is an intricately designed red-brick royal palace which is now open to visitors all year round. No royals have lived there since George II in the early eighteenth century, but it's still well worth a visit to take the tour. One of the most unusual but undeniably fascinating attractions at Hampton Court is the enormous palace kitchens. Here you'll be able to see a demonstration of how the palace staff prepared enough food to sustain Henry's famously ravenous appetite, as well as the 600 guests he had at the palace every day.

Kensington Palace

Located on the outskirts of Hyde Park in London, Kensington Palace has played host to a variety of royals throughout the years, the most famous of which was Princess Diana before her tragic death in 1997. It's now the home of everyone's favourite royal couple, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who moved there after their wedding in 2011, as well as William's brother Prince Harry. Don't worry; Harry isn't cramping his older brother's style, as he lives in a completely separate wing of the palace. The palace was recently on the receiving end of a £12 million refurbishment, so now is the perfect time to pay a visit.

Sandringham House

Sandringham House isn't technically a royal palace, but The Queen's love for this huge Norfolk residence has practically made it an unofficial one. Every year Elizabeth II and family head to Sandringham to spend Christmas there, opening their presents on Christmas Eve in the White Drawing Room underneath the 20 foot royal Christmas tree. The residence is open to visitors between April and November every year, and highlights include the onsite royal museum, taking a tour through the house, and exploring the stunningly beautiful gardens housed in Sandringham's 8,000 acre estate.

Windsor Castle

As the world's oldest and largest royal castle still used as a residence, we're definitely not over-exaggerating when we say Windsor Castle is simply unmissable if you are planning a trip to Britain. Queen Elizabeth spends most of her weekends here, spending time in the picturesque castle grounds to get away from the hustle and bustle of London life. When you pay the entry fee you'll be given an audio guide, which will tell you everything you need to know as you explore the castle. You'll learn about Windsor's thousand-year history, and if you're really lucky you might even spot Her Majesty in the flesh as she arrives or leaves the castle.

Clarence House

Built in the early nineteenth century by William IV, Clarence House is a royal residence adjoining St. James's Palace on The Mall in London. Clarence House was the home of William and Kate before they got married, and although they've since moved out it's still the official residence of Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall. During the summer months the house is open to visitors, who will be given a fascinating guided tour of the building and shown items from the Royal Collection, including royal treasures and items that were owned by the Queen Mother.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse

Whenever The Queen takes a trip up north to Scotland, Holyroodhouse is her official place of residence. The palace is now almost one thousand years old, and you'll marvel at the sheer sense of history and grandeur as you wander through its gilded halls and extravagant function rooms, which are still used by The Queen to entertain guests. Be sure to check out The Queen's Gallery on the palace grounds, which contains breath-taking works of art from the royal collection. Also worth visiting are the ruins of the original palace abbey built in 1128, which are still largely intact.

Buckingham Palace

Since The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Buckingham Palace has played host to an exhibition displaying some of Her Majesty's most prized jewellery, meaning there has never been a better time to visit the centrepiece of British royalty. Don't let the inevitable crowds scare you away from the palace — this is one landmark that is well worth braving the sea of tourists for. The palace itself is made up of a staggering 775 rooms. Luckily you won't have to trudge through the whole sprawling maze of the palace — the tour takes in 20 of the main staterooms, which should be more than enough for even the most royal-obsessed visitors.