Or, if you have a bit of time, I really recommend going by boat. Turks do a lot of historic river trips – they go from Hampton Court, Richmond and Kingston. You can go from Westminster, or, if you have the time, from Greenwich. You go past the Tower, and heading west, you pass the neighbourhood of Chelsea, which was where Henry VIII’s last wife Catherine Parr had her home. Then, eventually, you get to Richmond and Hampton Court. It takes three or four hours, but I would really recommend it. You see London as the Tudors, in particular, would have seen it.
Lots of palaces to see, and ways to see them. What about royal parks?
Yes! The royals did love their parks, a lot of which started out as hunting grounds. There’s Hyde Park, for example. I also would recommend Kensington Gardens; you learn a lot about the Georgians there. And, of course, Kensington Palace, which is very much synonymous with the modern royals, and Princess Diana and William and Kate.
Any museums you’d suggest with particularly royal connections?
The V&A Museum is amazing. I’d also suggest the Treasures gallery at the British Library, its permanent exhibition. It’s got letters from kings and queens, it’s got execution warrants, it’s got religious books owned by monarchs – dazzling, illuminated manuscripts.
Also the newly reopened National Portrait Gallery – they’ve had this huge refurbishment over the last three years. It’s like looking through the family album of monarchs. You can see them all on the wall.
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