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Royal Tour of St James', Parks, Palaces and Royal intrigue

18 Reviews 5.00 out of 5 stars Based on 18 reviews collected by City Boat Tours and TripAdvisor |
Recommended by 100% of reviewers
100% of reviewers gave this experience a rating of 4 or higher.
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Badge of Excellence |Badge of Excellence This experience is highly rated by travelers and has met our top quality standards. London, England
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from US$199 per group

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150 to 180 minutes (approx.)
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Overview

This private walking tour covers the area of St James' known unofficially as London's Royal Village because of its many royal connections. We wander past the OUTSIDE ONLY of Buckingham Palace and St James' Palace, and through two beautiful royal parks, Green Park and St James' Park. St James' is renowned for its Gentlemen's Clubs, and we will stroll past several which still flourish today, some 275 years after they were founded.  These clubs are in the midst of exclusive shops, many set up to supply the gentlemen with everything they could possibly need from cheese and wine to shirts and shoes.  If you're lucky, your tour date might coincide with an ancient ceremony called the Changing of the Guard, a chance to see royal pageantry at its best. This currently takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
This is a tour not to be missed with hidden gems around every corner! All my City Boat Tours reviews are graded Excellent so I must be doing something right!

What's Included

  • A fun and experienced professional, local guide, accredited by the Institute of Tourist Guiding and the University of Westminster. Sandy is a member of the City of Westminster Guide Lecturer's Association.
  • Food and drinks
  • Food sampling
  • Gratuities - optional
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Meeting Location

Meeting point

Piccadilly
St. James's, London W1J 9BR, UK

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Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Green Park

Legend has it that the park is green because Charles II's wife Catherine de Braganza ordered all its flowers to be removed. Why you might ask? You'll find out on the tour!
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5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

St. James's Palace

Built by Henry VIII on the site of a women's leper hospital, this palace was originally built for the son promised to Henry by his second wife, Anne Boleyn. But things didn't turn out quite as planned!
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Changing of the Guard

One of London's ancient ceremonies, this is pageantry not to be missed BUT IT DOES NOT GO AHEAD EVERY DAY. We will need to check if the ceremony is scheduled for the morning of your tour. If it is, you're in for a treat as we view different parts of the ceremony from three different places - we'll need to move fast to get from one to another! EVEN IF THE CEREMONY IS SCHEDULED TO GO AHEAD, IT CAN BE CANCELLED AT THE LAST MOMENT SO THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL SEE THE CEREMONY.
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20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Clarence House

A chance to see where King Charles III and the Queen Camilla, call home.
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2 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lancaster House

Built from beautiful Bath stone, this building stood in for Buckingham Palace during the filming of Downton Abbey, the Netflix series the Crown and the film, the King's Speech.
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2 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Buckingham Palace

One of the London's most iconic buildings, with its world famous balcony, Buckingham Palace is the office of the monarchy and one of the few working palaces in the world. Queen Elizabeth II lived here Monday - Friday but her son Charles has yet to decide where he is going to live. The palace is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment so we'll have to wait and see what he decides to do.
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Wellington Barracks

Home to the Queens' Life Guards, responsible for the security of the monarch since 1660. The new guard leave from here during the Changing of the Guard ceremony.
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2 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

St. James's Park

One of the prettiest Royal parks with an abundance of wild life and a gorgeous ornamental lake, England's most extravagant king George IV, made it what it is today. A few other monarchs before him had their say too - I will reveal all on our tour!
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15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall

Originally used for jousting during Tudor times, Horse Guards Parade is now home to two of London's ancient ceremonies dating back to the 1600s, the Changing of the Guard and Trooping the Colour. The parade ring was also used during the London Olympics in 2012 - I wonder if anyone can remember which sport took place here?
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

St. James' Square

Once a housing estate for the English aristocracy, it still retains a beautiful garden in the centre.
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5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Paxton & Whitfield

This shop began life centuries ago as a market stall; how it has changed wince then as it now displays over 90 artisan cheeses from all over Europe.
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3 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Floris

Originally a barber's, Juan Floris quickly changed his shop into a perfumery which is still thriving nearly 300 years later. It still produces Lily of the Valley perfume which was one of the shop's first creations but there are many others well worth a sniff!
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5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Fortnum & Mason

The most sophisticated department store in London - the hamper began here! As we take a quick walk arund the ground floor of the store, you will find out what unusual feature is up on the roof as well as the nature of a competition sponsored by the store. Intriguing!
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15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

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Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • The tour will go ahead come rain or shine so please don't be put off by the weather. Do wear comfortable shoes and clothing and, if needs be, bring waterproofs and an umbrella.
  • Due to the distances involved, and the speed at which we may have to walk between events, this tour is not recommended for those with walking difficulties.
  • Morning tours start at 09.45 under the Colonnade of the Ritz Hotel, Piccadilly

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Royal Tour of St James’, Parks, Palaces and Royal intrigue?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (BST). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

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Activity code: C-67681P5

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Reviews

5.00
18 reviews

Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 18 traveler reviews collected by City Boat Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
18
4 stars
0
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0

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Frequently Asked Questions (6)

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from City Boat Tours customers.

Filter by:

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Royal Tour of St James’, Parks, Palaces and Royal intrigue?
A:
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (BST).
Apr 2025
Q: What's included in the price?
A:
The following is included:
  • A fun and experienced professional, local guide, accredited by the Institute of Tourist Guiding and the University of Westminster. Sandy is a member of the City of Westminster Guide Lecturer's Association.
The following is NOT included:
  • Food and drinks.
  • Food sampling.
  • Gratuities - optional.
  • Transportation to/from the start and end points of the walk.
Apr 2025
Q: What is the minimum age for this tour?
A:

There is no minimum age for this tour, so bring your wee one along for an adventure. This tour requires at least one adult to accompany children..

Apr 2025
Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?
A:

If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

Apr 2025
Q: Is this an accessible tour?
A:

Accessibility information for the Royal Tour of St James', Parks, Palaces and Royal intrigue is as follows:

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Apr 2025
Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?
A:

Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Royal Tour of St James', Parks, Palaces and Royal intrigue will be included in your confirmation email from City Boat Tours. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

 

 

Mar 2024

What's Included

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

  • A fun and experienced professional, local guide, accredited by the Institute of Tourist Guiding and the University of Westminster. Sandy is a member of the City of Westminster Guide Lecturer's Association.
  • Food and drinks
  • Food sampling
  • Gratuities - optional
  • Transportation to/from the start and end points of the walk

Additional Info

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • When your booking is confirmed, you will receive contact details for me (Sandy) and I will be your guide on this tour. My aim is to give you, my client, the best experience you could possibly have so if you have any special requests, be sure to tell me what they are! If you need to stop for a break midway through the tour, that will be fine with me.
  • The tour will last up to 3 hours depending on the walking pace of the group, the number of questions asked and if the Changing of the Guard ceremony is going ahead on the day of the tour.
  • The tour will cover roughly 2 miles in total.
  • The tour will go ahead come rain or shine so please don't be put off by the weather. Do wear comfortable shoes and clothing and, if needs be, bring waterproofs and an umbrella.
  • Due to the distances involved, and the speed at which we may have to walk between events, this tour is not recommended for those with walking difficulties.
  • Morning tours start at 09.45 under the Colonnade of the Ritz Hotel, Piccadilly
  • Unlike some other guides, I specialise in just five areas of London, St James' being one of them. This means that I have detailed knowledge of the area which I pass on to my clients in a fun and interesting way.
  • 100% of my Trip Advisor/Viator reviews are graded 'excellent' and as I now have over 100 reviews in total, I must be doing something right!
  • I prefer to guide small groups of up to five family or friends so that everyone can hear what I am saying above the usual street noises of a busy city. Also, everyone can ask as many questions as they like.
  • I ALWAYS make contact with my clients before a tour so if you have not heard from me one week before your tour, please contact me instead.
  • I only accept bookings directly from customers. Any bookings made by a travel agent on behalf of a customer will be cancelled.

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American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

Lowest Price Guarantee

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

We guarantee the lowest price on all the tours available to book on our site. We'll refund the difference if you find the exact tour cheaper online until 48 hours before your tour starts.

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Locate your City Boat Tours Booking Number and the proof of the lower price you found.

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Receive your refund

If everything checks out, we'll refund you the price difference.

Refund Terms & Conditions

The following conditions apply to all lowest price guarantee refund requests:

  • The lowest price guarantee is available to any customer who makes a qualifying purchase through our website. The qualifying purchase must be a minimum of US$20 (or equivalent).
  • The lowest price guarantee covers retail and prepaid rates available to the general public. This does not include discounts or promotions you may receive (or be eligible for) from third-party sites or organizations such as AAA or AARP or special offers made as part of a membership program, corporate discount, daily deal, group, or rewards program.
  • City Boat Tours promotions cannot be combined with the lowest price guarantee.
  • If you find a lower retail or prepaid rate for the same tour, offered on the same date, time and priced in the same currency as your original purchase, on any other website between the time you book on City Boat Tours and 48 hours before your trip starts, we will refund the difference.
  • The lowest price guarantee does not apply where a lower overall price is found by breaking down the purchased tour into one or more parts sold separately.
  • City Boat Tours reserves the right to verify the lower price details. Examples of acceptable forms of verification include a web screenshot or a web address.
  • All refund decisions will be made at the sole discretion of City Boat Tours.

Free Cancellation

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

100% refund
No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (BST).

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American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

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