9/10/2019. Buckingham Palace

In the morning, we rode around London with a guide.  We passed through different areas of  the city including Kensington where Kate and William live.  I had a glimpse of their house through the trees.

Phone says 15,816 steps, 6.5 miles and 4 flights climbed.

I chose to spend my afternoon visiting the Mews - the stable for horses and carriages of Buckingham Palace and visiting the palace.  The palace rooms that were available to us were primarily created during Queen Victoria’s reign.  I found the rooms to be beautifully decorated and saw a vast collection of valuable paintings.  Photos were allowed in the Mews.

This is a semi-state landau.  It can be used in the city and the country.  Queen Victoria liked this because it could also be an open air coach.


Queen Alexandra’s State Coach.  Built in 1865, it was converted to a glass coach in 1893.  It is still used each year to carry the State Crown, Sword of State and cap of Maintenance to the opening of Parliament..   

King Edward VII ordered this coach.  It is used to carry visiting dignitaries.

This coach weighs four tons and the wheels are tipped in to help carry the weight.  The jacks in the picture are to help support the weight for display.  

This gold stage coach was last used in 2002 for the Queen’s Jubilee.  It is pulled by eight horses, but is only displayed with four horses.  The coach weighs four tons and the back wheels are tipped in to help carry the weight.  George III commissioned this coach in 1760.

I walked through James Park down to the Thames and took a boat ride back to my hotel at The Tower of London. I also went up on the Tower Bridge and took some pictures.  My palace visit was the highlight of the day, I was impressed.