Take your clients on a journey through British royal history
Are you experiencing a royal heritage bounce as a result of King Charles’ coronation? Gen up on the best tours of castles and palaces in England, Wales and Scotland to have handy recommendations at your fingertips when clients want to dig a bit deeper into the history of the British monarchy
The coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla on Saturday 6 May brought the Royals back to the forefront of British consciousness. As with so many royal celebrations, the balcony at Buckingham Palace took centre stage, and it was also an opportunity to view Windsor Castle in a new light, as the spectacular backdrop to a star-studded concert.
As the nation basks in the after-glow of a long weekend filled with pomp and pageantry, now is a good time to showcase trips to a wide range of palaces and castles around Britain. Here are some historic highlights to entice clients with over the coming months.
ENGLAND
The official royal residences are likely to top many a wish list this year, especially Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. From mythical ceiling paintings by Antonio Verrio and Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House to a children’s programme of crafts, storytelling and school holiday trails, there’s plenty to keep everyone enthralled, and it’s open year-round.
At Buckingham Palace visitors can explore the state rooms, the throne room, the grand staircase and the palace gardens as well as viewing some of the palace treasures and the Changing of the Guard. This summer sees a new exhibition in the adjacent Queen’s Gallery showcasing fashion in the Georgian and Regency period. Tours including the palace are available with a number of operators including Just Go Holidays while disabled clients can tick off Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace on a five-day accessible tour with Limitless Travel from £1,299pp.
At Hampton Court, visitors will find well-curated insights into the life of Henry VIII, an epicurean vegetable plot and the Magic Garden, a castle-themed play area with water features.
Another family-friendly option is Warwick Castle, where children will relish the chance for a sleepover in one of the on-site lodges or glamping tents as well as enjoying live shows featuring knights and princesses.
For a bucolic adventure, Sandringham is the Royals’ much-loved country retreat in Norfolk. Its verdant parkland is well worth exploring – there are cycling trails and a woodland play area. Between April and October visitors can tour the eight main ground floor rooms, which are regularly used by the Royal Family and still bear their Edwardian-era decor.
Book it: Riviera Travel’s Norfolk: Royal Sandringham & the Broads package includes a visit to the stately home as well as Blickling Hall, thought to be the birthplace of Anne Boleyn. The five-day tour starts from £639pp; rivieratravel.co.uk
WALES
With more castles per square mile than anywhere in the world (more than 600 in total), there is much to occupy royal enthusiasts in Wales.
Edward I commissioned four particularly impressive Welsh castles, which have been designated Unesco World Heritage Sites. One of the four, Harlech Castle, is set on a craggy coastal rock, and a path of 108 steps rising steeply up the rock face allowed besieged defenders to be fed and watered by ship during the rebellion of Madog ap Llewelyn in 1294. Today it is accessed via a “floating” footbridge.
Caernarfon Castle in Snowdonia, another of Edward I’s projects, was where King Charles III was crowned Prince of Wales. The jewel in the castle’s crown is the Eagle Tower, with its three great turrets and 18-feet thick walls. The castle is home to the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum and, on certain dates, hosts historical re-enactments and Pages and Squires Training for children.
Pembroke Castle was the birthplace of Henry Tudor who went on to become Henry VII. Largely intact, this fortress on the river estuary is home to the world’s largest map of Wales. It also has a great keep and dungeon tower to explore and plenty to entertain children including the Merrymakers Knight School and falconry.
Just beyond the Wye Valley, Raglan Castle subsequently became home to the young Henry Tudor. An imposing fortress palace with a rich history, its hexagonal Great Tower and the gatehouse are highlights.
Book it: Just Go Holidays’ five-day Great Little Trains of Wales and Portmeirion coach tour includes Caernarfon Castle. Departures are available on selected dates from June to October with prices starting from £339pp; justgoholidays.com/agents
SCOTLAND
King Charles’s official residence in Scotland, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, is a big draw with its stone staircase, dazzling jewels and manicured gardens. Perched at the end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, the palace brings to life historical figures such as Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie.
At the opposite end of the Mile, Edinburgh Castle is set in a lofty position on Castle Rock. Highlights include the One O’Clock Gun which fires daily (except Sundays, Christmas Day and Good Friday), the Great Hall, St Margaret’s Chapel and a recreation of the castle’s prisons.
Heading north-west from Edinburgh there are more treasures to be found. Linlithgow Palace is due to partially reopen this summer after masonry inspections. It served as a nursery for a number of Stewarts including James V (1512), Mary Queen of Scots (1542) and Princess Elizabeth (1596). Although badly damaged by a fire in 1746, the ruins are well worth exploring and it makes a good stopping point on the way to Stirling Castle.
High on a volcanic rock, Stirling’s impressive fortress brings royal history to life with the Palace of James V, the Great Kitchens and the Stirling Tapestries while the Palace Vaults’ interactive exhibitions appeal to younger visitors.
Further north in the Highlands clients can explore the grandeur of Balmoral Castle, the Royals’ Scottish holiday home. Open to the public daily from 1 April to 31 July, its rustic country setting is a stark contrast with Edinburgh’s highlights and rangers organise a two-hour ramble for visitors each Wednesday. Just Go Holidays has a Balmoral Castle & Aberdeenshire tour, while Shearings offers Edinburgh and the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is berthed in Leith after travelling more than a million nautical miles in service of the Royal Family.
Book it: Newmarket Holidays’ The Royal Caledonian sees clients travel onboard the iconic sleeper train, plus visits to Balmoral Castle and Edinburgh. The seven-day tour starts from £930pp; newmarketholidays.co.uk
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