• Spencer House - Located at the end of a quaint street, Spencer House was constructed between 1756 and 1766 for John, the first Earl Spencer, an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997). It stands as London’s most exquisite surviving eighteenth-century townhouse.

• St. James’s - Victoria was born at Kensington Palace in May 1819 and spent much of her early life there until she became queen in 1837. The statue commemorating Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887 took several years to complete. It was commissioned by the Kensington Golden Jubilee Memorial Executive Committee, which invited design proposals. Although initially hesitant to sculpt her mother, Princess Louise was encouraged by her friend, artist Lawrence Alma-Tadema, to create a model. She submitted her design anonymously, and it was chosen by the judges. Princess Louise, who lived at Kensington Palace, sculpted the statue in her studio there, despite some reports attributing the work to her tutor, Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm. The statue was unveiled by Queen Victoria on 28 June 1893.

• St. James’s Palace - Originally a leper hospital named St James the Less, Henry VIII transformed it into a palace designed by Holbein. It became the official residence in 1698 after Whitehall Palace was destroyed by fire in 1694 and 1698. George IV was born here in 1762. A fire in 1809 destroyed a wing, and in 1837, the court moved to Buckingham Palace.

• The Mall - St James’s Palace remains the official royal palace in London and is not regularly open to visitors. However, the public can attend Sunday services at the Chapel Royal and the Queen’s Chapel.

• Clarence House - Built between 1825 and 1827, Clarence House was designed by John Nash. It was commissioned by the Duke of Clarence, who became King William IV of the United Kingdom in 1830. He preferred living there over the adjacent St James’s Palace, which he found too cramped.

• Buckingham Palace - In the Middle Ages, the future palace site was part of the Manor of Ebury, also known as Eia. The marshy land was nourished by the River Tyburn, which still flows beneath the palace’s courtyard and south wing. The village of Eye Cross developed where the river was fordable at Cow Ford. The site’s ownership changed hands multiple times, including Edward the Confessor and his queen consort Edith of Wessex in late Saxon times, and after the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror. William granted the site to Geoffrey de Mandeville, who left it to the monks of Westminster Abbey.

• Apsley House - Originally constructed in red brick by Robert Adam between 1771 and 1778 for Lord Apsley, the Lord Chancellor, the house was named after him. Some Adam interiors remain, such as the Piccadilly Drawing Room with its apsidal end and Adam fireplace, and the Portico Room, located behind the grand Corinthian portico added by Wellington.

• Wellington Arch - Cross over to the Wellington Arch, designed by Decimus Burton in 1828. It features a four-horse chariot with a figure of peace added in 1912. The central passage was reserved for royalty.

• Albert Memorial - This bronze statue of a man on horseback, titled Physical Energy, is the creation of British artist George Frederic Watts (1817-1904). Watts held high ideals for his art, intending it to inspire humanity to embrace progress. Physical Energy symbolizes the human drive for new challenges and the instinct to look towards the future. In Watts’s words, it represents ‘a symbol of that restless physical impulse to seek the still unachieved in the domain of material things.’ The original plaster model is displayed at the Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village in Compton, Surrey. Watts worked on it for about twenty years, from 1883 until his death in 1904. The model was first cast in bronze between 1902 and 1904 for a memorial in Cape Town, South Africa, dedicated to Cecil Rhodes, the founder of Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Rhodes left his fortune to Oxford University to fund the Rhodes Scholarships.

• Bomber Command Memorial - The Royal Air Force Bomber Command Memorial honors the crews of RAF Bomber Command who undertook missions during World War II. Located on the south side of Piccadilly, facing Hyde Park Corner, the memorial commemorates the sacrifice of 55,573 aircrew from Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and other allied countries, as well as civilians of all nations who perished during raids.

• Royal Albert Hall - George II, who was blind in one eye and hard of hearing, rose as usual at 6:00 am on 25 October 1760 at Kensington Palace, drank a cup of hot chocolate, and went to his close stool alone. A loud crash was heard by his valet, who found the king on the floor. He was lifted into bed, and Princess Amelia was summoned; however, he passed away before she arrived. At nearly 77 years old, he had lived longer than any of his English or British predecessors. A post-mortem revealed he died from a thoracic aortic dissection. He was succeeded by his grandson George III and was buried on 11 November in Westminster Abbey. He left instructions for the sides of his and his wife’s coffins to be removed so their remains could mingle. He is the most recent monarch to be interred in Westminster Abbey.

• Kensington Palace - Victoria was born at Kensington Palace in May 1819 and spent much of her early life there until she became queen in 1837. The statue commemorating Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887 took several years to complete. It was commissioned by the Kensington Golden Jubilee Memorial Executive Committee, which invited design proposals. Although initially hesitant to sculpt her mother, Princess Louise was encouraged by her friend, artist Lawrence Alma-Tadema, to create a model. She submitted her design anonymously, and it was chosen by the judges. Princess Louise, who lived at Kensington Palace, sculpted the statue in her studio there, despite some reports attributing the work to her tutor, Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm. The statue was unveiled by Queen Victoria on 28 June 1893.

• Knowledgeable Guide and Royal history walk
• The history of tea drinking in England
• Afternoon Tea of Sandwiches, Scones and Cakes, prepared daily in house
• Small Group, maximum of 10, typically 4-6 guests

• Private Transport
• No entrance to Palaces / Walking tour (unless selected at check out)
• Bus fare - please bring a Contactless Card or Oyster Card
• Alcoholic beverages

Explore three magnificent palaces and immerse yourself in the grandeur of London’s royal district with a guided tour of its most breathtaking monuments, followed by an authentic afternoon tea in regal surroundings.

Delve into the heart of aristocratic London by discovering the serene corners and charming streets of St James’ and its Tudor palace, where the King was declared monarch.

On mornings when the Changing of the Guard takes place, observe the inspection of the Old Guard at St James before accompanying the band to Buckingham Palace. Walk to Wellington Arch and board an iconic red bus for a brief journey to the Royal Albert Hall.

Enter the picturesque Kensington Gardens and learn about a millennium of history. Visit Princess Diana’s Statue and wander through the beautifully maintained parkland to the 300-year-old Tea Room founded by Queen Anne. Relish a complete Afternoon Tea featuring delectable sandwiches, scones, and cakes with a variety of teas. Dietary preferences are accommodated, and a children’s tea is available for young guests.

• We offer Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan & Halal on prior request

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.