While in London one thing I was set on doing was visiting as many Royal castles and palaces as possible! I mean living in Texas, how often do you get to see a Royal castle?! During our visit we got to visit Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace. We were in London for one week and were able to visit all of these historic sites. But, if you are short on time here is a guide to the pros and cons of each site.
Kensington Palace
Tickets: £17.50
Kensington Palace has been a Royal Residence since the 17th century with William and Mary buying the residence when they first took the throne. Kensington Palace is now famous for its noteworthy residents like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The Palace now has many displays and rooms dedicated to Queen Victoria. This was her childhood home before she became Queen. This Palace also holds some memorabilia of Diana, Princess of Wales as this is where she lived when she was married to Prince Charles. While Kensington Palace holds a lot of history, it is not quite as opulent as some other places on this list (but there are a couple gorgeous State Rooms).
Why Visit Kensington Palace?
Kensington Palace would be a great place to visit if you love Victorian Era history and want to see interesting memorabilia from Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. Although there is information on other Royals who have lived in the Palace, a majority of the exhibits are about Queen Victoria and Princess Diana
Tower of London
Tickets: £24.70
Talk about history! The Tower of London has it all! The White Tower, the central point of the Tower of London, was built by William the Conquerer in 1078 and was expanded upon throughout the 12th and 13th centuries. The Tower of London has served as a Royal Residence, prison, armory, treasury, Royal Mint, and much more! The Tower of London by far holds the most history compared to any other Royal Residence on this list. Walking through the grounds here, it is hard not to think of how many people were imprisoned or executed there. Although the White Tower originally served as a residence to the King, the Tower of London has not really been used as a Royal Residence since the Tudor Era.
Why Visit the Tower of London?
If you are a lover of history the Tower of London is for sure a place you need to visit! This is a massive place and I would recommend allowing a few hours to tour this. While you don’t get to see opulent ballrooms like you see in Buckingham Palace, you do get to see a classic moat and castle! Also if you are a lover of beautiful jewels, you also get an opportunity to see the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London! (This was obviously my favorite part)
Windsor Castle
Tickets: £22.50
Just an hour outside the city of London lies the beautiful Windsor Castle. Windsor Castle was originally built by William the Conquerer in the 11th century as a defensive ring around London. It was not until the early 12th century, when Henry I was reigning, that Windsor Castle became a Royal Residence. Throughout the centuries many Royals continued to live here, including the infamous Henry VIII. During the 17th century Windsor Castle and the Royal Monarchy both underwent restorations. From this point Windsor Castle looked less like a gloomy fortress and more like an opulent baroque castle! In 1992 Windsor Castle faced major damage from a fire. In order to pay for these repairs Buckingham Palace was open to the public for select times throughout the year. Today the Queen spends a lot of her time here and Windsor Castle remains the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world.
Why Visit Windsor Castle?
If you love British history, Windsor Castle is chopped full of that. Windsor Castle is also impressively large and stunning. Everything about Windsor Castle is exactly how I would’ve envisioned a Castle being in my mind. Also, if you are a fan of Royal Weddings, St. George’s Chapel on the grounds on Windsor Castle has recently been the wedding ceremony venue for Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank and also for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Buckingham Palace
Tickets: £26.50+ (There are many other tour options that may increase the price)
Buckingham Palace first became a “Royal Residence” when King George III gifted this house to his wife Princess Charlotte in the late 18th century and it became known as “The Queen’s House”. In 1837 when Queen Victoria’s reign began, Buckingham Palace became the primary Royal Residence. Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, spent much time and effort renovating the Palace. After the death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria preferred to spend her time away from London and Buckingham Palace and the Palace remained fairly empty for years. At the turn of the 20th century the Palace began to be used as the primary Royal Residence again. As mentioned previously, in 1993 after the fires at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace became open to visitors for select months of the year.
Why Visit Buckingham Palace?
Buckingham Palace is an iconic London landmark! Who wouldn’t want to visit the Queen’s house?! If you have watched any movie or TV series about the Royal Family (*cough* The Crown *cough*) you will likely recognize many places throughout the palace that look familiar. Buckingham Palace is gorgeous and I was taken aback by how lavish each room was decorated. This place is indeed fit for a Queen. Although, compared to places like Tower of London, Buckingham Palace does not nearly hold as much history. If you enjoy more modern Royal Family history, you will certainly enjoy Buckingham Palace.
