Blog

  • The History of the Royal Fly Past

    The Royal Fly Past takes place after great state occasions, most particularly after events such as Trooping of the Colour, the official celebration of the monarch’s birthday. The Trooping takes place on a Saturday in June every year. Although the date might not coincide with the actual birthday of the monarch – King Charles III was born on 14th November 1948 – it is a convenient date for the ceremony, which takes place when the British weather is usually at its best. Since the accession of George III in 1760, Trooping of the Colour has been an annual event.

  • Discover the History of Bradgate House, the Childhood Home of Lady Jane Grey

    In February, an announcement was made by Historic England that it is to give a grant of £37,160 to help preserve the remains of Bradgate House, the childhood home of Lady Jane Grey. Archaeologists from the University of Leicester have been carrying out digs to find out more about the history of the house and what it would have looked like in Jane’s day. The ruins are in Bradgate Park, a beauty spot dominated by a 212-metre hill. At the top is an eighteenth-century folly called Old John, a tower with an arch which can be seen for miles around.

  • Trooping the Colour – A Royal Birthday Parade

    Many of us would love to have a birthday parade with marching bands, and soldiers perfectly turned out displaying their marching skills. Trooping the Colour marks Her Majesty The Queen’s official birthday. As the late Duke of Edinburgh stated, ‘it is not a “theatrical” production, (sic) it is a deadly serious demonstration of the basic infantry skills for which the British Guards are renowned across the world.’

  • Top 10 Reasons to Visit London’s Royal Borough of Greenwich

    Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, Greenwich provides the perfect day out for visitors wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of Central London. A short journey down river from Central London, the Royal Borough of Greenwich is home to six museums, stunning historic architecture and a wonderful range of shops, markets, pubs and restaurants.

  • Uncovering the Secrets of the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich

    This year is a very good time to visit the spectacular Old Royal Naval College (ORNC), right in the heart of Greenwich, especially if you love royal and maritime history and architecture. In 2023 we are celebrating Wren 300. This is a commemoration of 300 years since the death of the great architect of the ORNC, Sir Christopher Wren, who gave his time for free when the building was commissioned in 1694. So what is the ORNC, and why should you include it on a visit to London?

  • Upon The Roof: Ten Places To See London From On High

    Many visitors to London like to see the city from on high and several attractions give them the opportunity to do so. The London Eye and the viewing platform at The Shard are two of the capital’s most popular attractions, while One New Change and the Sky Garden attract people who do not wish to pay an entrance fee or wait in line to look at London from high up. Other towers, such as Arcelor Mittal Orbit in the Olympic Park and The Monument to the Great Fire, may not attract so many visitors but are important parts of London’s skyline.

Blog Posts

Guide London A to Z: Letter T

Guide London A – Z: Letter T London Landmarks And Tourist Attractions

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter T? Blue Badge Tourist Guide Karen Dawson continues our Guide London A-Z video series and provides insights on the historical events, famous and not-so-famous landmarks in London starting with the Letter T.

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Jules Léotard. Photo Credit: © Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

The Man In Tights – Jules Leotard in London

The word ‘leotard’ is used to describe a one-piece stretch garment in various colours and styles and is commonly used in dance, sport, and exercise. Leotards allow flexibility of movement and are worn by dancers, gymnasts, and fitness fanatics. The name is referred to without thought for its origin, but it is interesting to learn that a young Frenchman, Jules Léotard, who wanted to show his acrobatic skills in mid-air, created this functional garment which continues to provide comfort for those who wear it.

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Guide London A to Z: Letter S

Guide London A – Z: Letter S London Landmarks And Tourist Attractions

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter S?  Blue Badge Tourist Guide Katherine Alcock continues our Guide London A-Z video series and provides insights on the historical events, famous and not-so-famous landmarks in London starting with the Letter S.

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Battersea Power Station at night. Photo Credit: © Christopher Hayden.

The Battersea Power Station – One Of London’s Great Landmarks

One of London’s iconic buildings, the Battersea Power Station has gone from being an engineering marvel to a symbol of industrial dilapidation and is now home to one of the capital’s most prestigious redevelopment schemes. Gossip news may reveal a stream of high profile celebrities moving in but chief amongst its tenants will be Apple, which will use six floors of the station’s former Boiler House, as its main London HQ.

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Guide London A to Z: Letter R

Guide London A – Z: Letter R London Landmarks And Tourist Attractions

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter R? Blue Badge Tourist Guide Justin Roxburgh continues our Guide London A-Z video series and provides insights on the historical events, famous and not-so-famous landmarks in London starting with the Letter R.

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Christ among the Doctors oil on panel by Albrecht Dürer 1506. Photo Credit: © © Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid via National Gallery in London.

Albrecht Durer Exhibition at the National Gallery in London

A blockbuster exhibition at the National Gallery traces the travels of Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), the ‘Apelles of the black line’ as Erasmus called him. These journeys were principally to cities along the Rhine (1490-4), twice to Venice (1505-7), and the Netherlands (1520-21). No other artist has produced a comparable body of work from the experience of travel. Like the landmark self-portrait of 1500, which evokes Christ (above) Durer’s art signals a self-awareness that crosses frontiers.

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Guide London A to Z: Letter Q

Guide London A – Z: Letter Q London Landmarks And Tourist Attractions

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter Q? Blue Badge Tourist Guide Emily Lawrence Baker continues our Guide London A-Z video series and provides insights on the historical events, famous and not-so-famous landmarks in London starting with the Letter Q.

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London blue plaque for Russell Henderson. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey.

London Blue Plaques Commemorating Historical & Famous Residents

There are nearly a thousand blue plaques commemorating famous people who have lived in London. The modern plaque was designed by an unnamed student of the Central School of Arts and Crafts in 1938 who was paid just four guineas (£4.20) for it. Each blue plaque is nineteen inches in diameter and is crafted by ceramicists Frank and Sue Ashworth, who are based in the county of Cornwall rather than the capital.

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Guide London A to Z: Letter P

Guide London A – Z: Letter P London Landmarks And Tourist Attractions

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter P? Blue Badge Tourist Guide Hamish Carroll continues our Guide London A-Z video series and provides insights on the historical events, famous and not-so-famous landmarks in London starting with the Letter P.

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Guide London A to Z: Letter O

Guide London A – Z: Letter O London Landmarks And Tourist Attractions

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter O? Blue Badge Tourist Guide Nigel Haynes continues our Guide London A-Z video series and provides insights on the historical events, famous and not-so-famous landmarks in London starting with the Letter O.

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Guide London A to Z: Letter N

Guide London A – Z: Letter N London Landmarks And Tourist Attractions

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter N? Blue Badge Tourist Guide Tomasz Haber continues our Guide London A-Z video series and provides insights on the historical events, famous and not-so-famous landmarks in London starting with the Letter N.

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Henri Matisse L’Escargot (1953). Photo Credit: © Richard Jones.

Famous Paintings At Tate Modern Art Gallery In London

The Tate Modern in Southwark has become one of the most popular museums in the world since it was converted from its former use as a power station and opened by the Queen in 2000. It is one of four galleries in Britain created from the legacy of the sugar entrepreneur Henry Tate. These are the original Tate Gallery (now Tate Britain), Tate St Ives and Tate Liverpool.

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