Friday dawned clear and sunny, a beautiful day for all the walking we had planned. Our Uber driver dropped us at the Victoria Embankment, just past Westminster Bridge. The Uber app was great, we never had to wait more than five minutes for a ride, it charged directly to our app, and an e-mail popped up later in the afternoon for us to rate and tip our driver.
A quick photo op with the Elizabeth Tower (aka Big Ben).
.JPG)
We turned right and proceeded down Whitehall, the street recognised as the centre of the Government of the United Kingdom and lined with numerous departments and ministries. This photo shows the Churchill War Rooms, which we're saving for another trip that includes a segment on Churchill's Britain.
The Cenotaph, the central focus for the remembrance and commemoration events in Britain since the First World War.
The Women of World War II memorial, unveiled in 2005, honors the contributions of over seven million women who served in various roles during the war.
The gates at Downing Street, home of the British Prime Minister (at No. 10) and the Chancellor of the Exchequer (at No. 11).
The Earl Haig Memorial, a bronze equestrian statue of the British Western Front commander Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig.
The Horse Guards building is guarded by two mounted cavalry troopers of the King's Life Guards who are posted outside from 10:00am to 4:00pm daily. The Life Guards change takes place at Horse Guards Parade at 11:00am daily and 10:00am on Sundays.
We had time before the Changing of the Guard to visit the Household Cavalry Museum.
Impressive uniforms.
A stable block with more uniforms.
Vic was honored to meet a Chelsea Pensioner with the RH (Royal Hospital) initials on his cap. The Royal Hospital Chelsea is an Old Soldiers' retirement home and nursing home for some 300 veterans of the British Army. Residents are known as Chelsea Pensioners
Horse Guards is the building with a clock tower over an archway and remains the official entrance to St. James's and Buckingham Palace. Horse Guards dates from the eighteenth century, and was designed by William Kent, the then Chief Architect to King George II. We entered through the archway from Whitehall.
We were fortunate to be at Horse Guards just before the Changing of the Guard ceremony at11:00am. Unfortunately, one of the riders came unseated when her horse reared. She was unhurt and led her horse out as it was impossible to get back on with the long over-the-knee boots without some form of mounting block.
The Guards Memorial, also known as the Guards Division War Memorial, is an outdoor war memorial located on the west side of Horse Guards Road, opposite Horse Guards Parade. It commemorates the war dead from the Guards Division and related units during the First World War, and of the Household Division in the Second World War and other conflicts since 1918.
Horse Guards Parade and the London Eye in the background.
We walked around St. James's Park and onto The Mall, the ceremonial route and roadway between Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square.
The Changing of the Guard approaching from Horse Guards Parade.
The Mall was still decorated from the German President's visit which ended on this day.
First view of Buckingham Palace.
The Victoria Memorial.
The Palace and the Memorial in the background.
.JPG)
Sentries outside the Palace.
We entered through a smaller gate just to the left of this one for our tour. I have to say that the Palace staff was incredibly considerate to the two of us with mobility challenges (me and another gentleman). I paid for an admission ticket and Vic had a no-fee companion ticket. They provided rollators and took us up and down in the lift when the others took the stairs.
As we were waiting, the police cleared the area in front of the gate. An usher who was inside the gate quietly told me to "Look to the right" as King Charles III was leaving the palace. A photo op mega-fail as that's the King in the car behind the security officer on the right!
No photographs inside the Palace so you'll just have to take my word for it that it was magnificent. Our tour was of the East Wing which is the area on the second floor from far left to far right including the balcony. We didn't go onto the balcony, but we were able to visit the room where the Royal Family waits to go out onto the balcony.
The portraiture in the East Wing is unbelievable. Here's a screenshot of the portraits of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. These portraits are ten feet tall.
Next stop, the Buckingham Palace Shop. I brought home quite a collection of ornaments and a few gifts for family and friends. So many beautiful things - china, books, stationery, toys, and even Buckingham Palace Gin!
Vic suggested we buy a crown to use as a tree topper, lol.
This table setting was beautiful and that's Buckingham Palace Gin in the top right-hand corner.
Our final stop for the day was Notting Hill and the Notting Hill Bookshop. It was SO crowded but I managed to pick up a book (84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff) and a postcard. Time to grab a taxi and head back to the hotel.
