Blog

  • The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Ann Bulkley aka Dr James Barry

    I recently visited The National Portrait Gallery, which re-opened in June 2023 to much fanfare – and it is duly deserved. It was apparent whilst viewing the rooms that more women across the centuries were featured. Before the gallery’s closing in 2020 for refurbishment, exhibits and images of women were approximately 20% of the collection; now, it is 48%!

  • London Millennium Footbridge, also known as The Wibbly Wobbly Bridge

    Officially known as the London Millennium Footbridge, this iconic pedestrian bridge gracefully spans the River Thames, connecting the Tate Modern Art Gallery to St. Paul’s Cathedral, two of London’s most recognizable landmarks. But to many Londoners, this bridge has another, more affectionate name – “The Wibbly Wobbly Bridge.” This moniker hints at the bridge’s unique history, a tale of design, engineering, and the resilience of a city that embraces its quirks.

  • History of Kensington Palace: from Jacobean Mansion to Royal Residence

    Kensington Palace, nestled at the western edge of leafy Kensington Gardens, has been a royal home since 1689. Today, it is the London base of the Prince and Princess of Wales and the nerve centre of their operations. It is also home to the Dukes of Kent and Gloucester and Princess Michael of Kent.

  • The Whispering Gallery at Saint Paul’s Cathedral Reopens

    It is no more than appropriate that in Sir Christopher Wren’s tercentenary, the star feature of his masterpiece, the Whispering Gallery at St Paul’s Cathedral, should have been re-opened after four years of renovation. London’s great sotto voce experience is back.

  • The UK Honours System: A Comprehensive Guide to the Orders and Medals

    The United Kingdom’s honours system rewards those who have rendered significant service to the country. These awards are typically in the form of lifetime titles that cannot be passed down to the recipient’s children. However, in very rare cases, a hereditary peerage is granted, allowing the recipient to leave a title to their offspring.

  • 10 Facts You Didn’t Know About The History of Afternoon Tea in England

    Many visitors to Britain like to partake in the ritual of afternoon tea, which is a long-standing British tradition. It combines the British love of drinking tea with a fondness for cakes and other sweet dishes in the middle of the afternoon. Many hotels and well-known shops, such as Fortnum and Mason on Piccadilly, offer afternoon tea packages.

Blog Posts

Buckingham Palace: Changing of the Guards

January in London

January is the best month to visit London if you are a bargain hunter.  To start, the shops have sales which usually start a couple of days after Christmas. Plus most ice skating rinks and funfairs are still open during the first week so if you missed out pre Christmas, now is the perfect time to visit as they are less crowded. Most shops and many museums open on New Years Day.

Read more
Guide London A to Z: Letter Z

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

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter Z? Blue Badge Tourist Guide William Harry Mitchell completes 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 Z.

Read more
Guide London A to Z: Letter Y

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

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter Y? Blue Badge Tourist Guide Rick Jones 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 Y.

Read more
Guide London A to Z: Letter X

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

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter X? Blue Badge Tourist Guide Sarah Wood 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 X.

Read more
Guide London A to Z: Letter W

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

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter W? Blue Badge Tourist Guide Gavin Skerritt 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 W.

Read more
Yeoman Warder Emma Rousell and Blue Badge Tourist Guide Russell Nash. Photo Credit: © Russell Nash.

Lady Beefeaters At The Tower Of London

The first female Yeoman Warder appointed at the Tower of London was Moira Cameron who comes from Scotland and took up the role in 2007. Like all Yeoman Warders, who are often called Beefeaters, she was a former non-commissioned officer who had served in one of Britain’s military forces – the army, navy, air force or royal marines – for a minimum of twenty-two years with an ‘unblemished record’ and had been awarded a good conduct medal. As an often repeated Beefeater joke has it, ‘that just means we never got caught.’

Read more
Guide London A to Z: Letter V

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

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter V? Blue Badge Tourist Guide Vania Gay 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 V.

Read more
The site of Wimbledon Common's former aerodrome. Photo Credit: © Antony Robbins.

The Wonders of London’s Wimbledon Common

London is a series of villages and we Londoners are all villagers at heart, fiercely proud of our own corner of the city. I live in urban Islington but was born in leafy Wimbledon on the other side of London. Wimbledon Common was a frequent destination in my youth – for childhood rambles, winter snowballing, and teenage high-jinx. So, on the 150th anniversary of the Wimbledon Common’s 1871 creation, I re-visited this much-loved green space finding it much as I’d always remembered.

Read more
Guide London A to Z: Letter U

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

How many London landmarks and tourist attractions can you name that start with the Letter U? Blue Badge Tourist Guide Fiona Lukas 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 U.

Read more
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.

Read more
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.

Read more
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.

Read more