See the Britain From a Different Angle

Buckingham Palace is the important residence and office of the British royal family in London, one of the symbols of Britain. Regular royal ceremonies and celebrations are held here. In special days, it will open to the public. The changing of the guard ceremony at noon is a highlight.

The changing of the guard in Buckingham Palace is one of the events that attracts tourist’s interest. It happens almost every day (except special days). It starts at 11:30am at noon, when you can see the uniformed royal guards and cavalry. In summer, the uniform is in red, while in winter it is in gray.

It is also known as Westminster Abbey with a beautiful architecture of Gothic style. It is one of the most important churches in Britain. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth and the marriage of Prince William took place here, and the church contains the tombs of the royal family and many famous people.

Westminster Abbey has several parallel spires inlaid with stained glass, which is beautiful and incomparable. It faithfully records the rise and fall of the British royal family. The famous poets' corners of the church contains the monuments and memorials of many great literary figures such as Shakespeare and Dickens. Britain calls Westminster Abbey "the pinnacle of honor".

The Tower of London, which was a royal palace hundreds of years ago, also housed upper-class prisoners such as Elizabeth I and executed many nobles. Legend has it that the Tower of London is haunted. Before visiting, it is recommended to read Tudor dynasty history (such as the story of Mary I) for the background.

The Tower of London has been rumored to be haunted. It is rumored that there is ghost of beheaded queen Anne Boleyn, moaning of Countess Margaret, or two princes missing there, etc. Reports of ghost sightings continue. Visitors can feel the gloomy atmosphere from time to time when visiting the tower.

The best things to see are The Crown Jewels and White Tower. The Crown Jewels exhibits all kinds of rare jewelry, including crown, scepter, and the world's biggest diamond "Great Star of Africa". The White Tower is the oldest building in the Tower of London, comprising church and royal ordnance exhibition where exhibits fine armor.

Located in the southwest London, it was originally the British royal residence, also known as "the British Palace of Versailles". It features gorgeous Tudor decoration inside, and the courtyard is also delicate.

The palace was occupied by Henry VIII, one of whose wives was the famous "beheaded" queen Anne Boleyn. Haunted incidents are reported frequently in Hampton Court Palace. Cameras inside the palace had caught a white figure in robes pushing open the door and walking out. It is rumored that it's the ghost of Henry VIII. Someone also claimed to have seen the ghost of the queen, moaning from time to time.

Highlights of the palace include its gorgeous and complicated decoration. The famous Whitehall is where the Kings received state guests and held banquets and balls. There are also rooms with art collections, a kitchen for making chocolate for the royal family, elaborate gardens and a maze. There are often explanations and performances by staff dressed in ancient costumes. Every spring, a grand flower show will be held here.

The Windsor Castle is located in Windsor Town, West London. It is the largest and oldest inhabited castle in the world. It tells the story of King Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, who loves beauty. It is also the place where Diana and Prince Charles met. Now it is one of the official residences of the Queen. Queen Elizabeth II has many times in a castle.

When the castle is open to the public, you can see a wealth of exhibits, including weapon exhibition, exhibition of queen's oil painting and porcelain collections, Queen Mary's Dolls' House, banquet hall and conference hall, and St George's Chapel (one of the best examples of English Gothic architecture). You can also see the changing of the guard, or queen's parade if lucky enough. Click to view specific information.

Saint Paul's Cathedral is the main church of the Anglican diocese in London built in the 17th century. It is the fifth largest church in the world, the representative of British classical architecture. The church is typical of baroque architecture, with recognizable big dome. You can overlook the London city from height on the church.

The church is where the royal family is baptized, buried and some religious rituals are held, including the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981. Mrs. Thatcher's funeral was also held here in 2019. In the basement of church, there are tombs of some famous persons, including General Nelson and General Wellington, who had fought Napoleon.

Kensington Park is adjacent to Hyde Park and serves as the royal garden. On the west side of the palace is the royal residence, princess Diana's former home, so people often place flowers in tribute to Diana outside the palace door. Today, the royal family is still living in Kensington Palace, including queen's cousin, the duke of Kent, as well as prince William, Kate Middleton and prince George.

Princess Diana's room is not open to the public, but visitors can see some collections of royal clothes and paintings in the palace.

The National Portrait Gallery is near Trafalgar Square, behind the National Gallery of Art. There are more than 10,000 portraits, sculptures and photographs, including portraits of famous person and royals in British history. If you're interested, you may go to appreciate it.

The interior of the gallery is of Victorian style, quiet and has a collection of more than 10,000 pieces of arts. Main collections are portraits of British historical figures, such as Shakespeare's portrait. There are also temporary special exhibitions on different subjects in the gallery.

The gallery has collected portraits of historical royals, such as queen Victoria and Henry VII. There are also portraits of Queen Elizabeth II Prince William, Prince Harry and Princess Kate.