Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace

A royal palace in the borough of Richmond upon Thames, Hampton Court Palace was built in 1515 by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, favourite advisor to King Henry VIII. Once the most powerful man in the English court, second only to the King, Cardinal Wolsey fell out of favour with Henry after he failed to negotiate an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could marry his latest obsession, Anne Boleyn.

After Wolsey’s death in 1530, Henry VIII took charge of Hampton Court, turning it in to a hotel, a theatre and a huge private playground, using it to demonstrate his enormous wealth.

When William III and Mary II (1689 – 1702) took the throne in 1689, they commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to build an elegant new Baroque Palace. Queen Victoria opened the palace to the public in 1838, and it has remained one of England’s most beloved historic attractions. Wander through the vast kitchens where cooks would have worked day and night to bring Henry his poached dolphin and roasted swan, and head out to the beautiful gardens and see if you can escape the oldest surviving maze in the world.

Windsor Castle

The preferred weekend residence of our current Queen Elizabeth I, Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Also a favourite castle of Henry VIII, the place is now his tomb along with Queen Victoria, the Queen Mother and many more royals.

Wander through the stunning State Apartments and take a look at St George’s Chapel, where Harry and Meghan married. Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is a must-see, with hot and cold running water, electricity and tiny items made by 1,500 of the finest craftspeople of the 20th century.

Keep an eye out for rare works of art on the walls from geniuses like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.