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A Right Royal Time

Day One: Afternoon 

Get acquainted with local culture exploring the palatial Queen’s House for a real insight into a regal way of life. Built by way of an apology from King James I to his wife Anne of Denmark after a bit of a tiff (she accidently shot his dog and he swore at her in public!). Climb the stunning and unique Tulip Stairs, enjoy uplifting musical performances, and admire artistic masterpieces and iconic portraits of past Royalty.

Continue your royal adventures at Sir James Thornhill's Painted Hall - the jewel in the crown of the Old Royal Naval College. This enormous, hand-painted dining hall will no doubt leave you open-mouthed, just make sure you look up! The Old Royal Naval College is packed full of drama. Not only is it one of the most popular filming locations in the world, the site on which it stands was the former Tudor palace of Placentia which witnessed the births of King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Mary I and the marriages of Henry VIII to Catherine of Aragon and Anne of Cleves in the chapel. It is also where Henry VIII later signed the death warrant of Anne Boleyn. 
 

Day Two: Morning

Situated at the top of Greenwich Park, the Royal Observatory was founded by King Charles II in 1676 and was Britain’s first state funded scientific institution. Follow in the footsteps of the Queen and stand with one foot in each hemisphere astride the Prime Meridian of the world. That’s right, even Her Majesty couldn’t resist a selfie here! 

Stroll through gorgeous Greenwich Park to Greenwich Pier and hop onboard City Cruises or Uber Boat by Thames Clippers and take in the iconic views of London as you travel along the river - alighting at Tower Pier for the Tower of London (from just 19 minutes).

Over the drawbridge and behind the castle walls lie unexpected tales of lost princes, WWI spies and daring escapes.  Make sure you see the Crown Jewels – still used today by The Queen.

Next stop, visit St Paul’s Cathedral (site of the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer) and explore the crypt and the famous Whispering Gallery in the dome. Multimedia guides and free guided tours will bring the history to life.

Soak up the City of London atmosphere and architecture as you stroll along to Blackfriars Pier to head back to Greenwich by river.

Day Two: Afternoon

Stroll through Greenwich Park, one of London’s Royal Parks, and take some time to soak up royal connections. Even the wildlife here was introduced by Royal decree! Greenwich Park’s population of red and fallow deer were introduced by King Henry VIII back in 1510, although they’ve gone on a short staycation to beautiful Richmond Park so they aren’t disturbed while their enclosure undergoes improvements. 

As you follow in the footsteps of royalty, admire Ranger’s House, famous today as the set of Bridgerton’s cosmopolitan London home. The elegant Georgian villa on the boundary of Greenwich Park and Blackheath houses The Wernher Collection, a world-class art collection amassed by the 19th-century businessman, Sir Julius Wernher. Over 700 works of art are displayed across a dozen panelled interiors, and include medieval sculptures, glittering enamels, ornate jewellery, Renaissance paintings, Dutch Old Masters and French tapestries. Not only are many of these pieces’ unique examples of their kind, but the stories they tell reveal much about the making, meaning and movement of art on a world stage. Open Wed-Sun, 11am-4pm, it’s well worth making time for a visit!

Want to go behind the scenes? 

Combine your visit to the Old Royal Naval College with a film tour, available every Saturday and Sunday at 12.30pm and 2.30pm, during June, July, August and September. 

Fill your senses and social feeds with: 

- The exact spot where Buckingham Palace was recreated for The Crown (2016 – present).

- The Old Royal Naval College hosted a crashed spacecraft in a climactic battle scene in Thor: The Dark World.

- Where Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman waltzed the night away in the iconic scene from Indiscreet, filmed in a replica Painted Hall in 1958.

- The antics of Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady (2011) and Emma Stone as Cruella in Disney’s 2021 delve into the villainess’ backstory. 

- Where Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow was dragged through the Painted Hall in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

- Exactly the place in which Rowan Atkinson utters the classic line, “Repeat after me, I do take thee, Lydia Jane Hibbott, to be my awful wedded wife,” in The Chapel during Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994).

Film tours last 60 minutes and are part of your overall admission ticket including entry to the Painted Hall, the Victorian Skittle Alley and other talks and tours.