6. Streets of London

28 July 2025

I wake up to another brilliant day. It's warm, the sun is shining, and I am ready to face a very busy day with Natasha. We've only briefly discussed our plan of attack today, so where we end up is anyone's guess.

As Marianne, Carolyn, and Laraine prepare for the longest ever HOHO ride, Natasha and I walk across the road to the station and catch a train to Victoria, just three stops away. As we walk up the stairs to the road level, I recognise the young man who sold the HOHO tickets to the girls yesterday. We must have made an impression because he recognised me instantly. Imagine that with the millions of people in London at any one time, I happen to meet the one person we were speaking to yesterday in another suburb! It is quite uncanny.

We are a little early for our visit to the Buckingham Palace State Rooms tour, so we walk around to the front of the palace, which is currently being closed off, with large buses and media catering vans parked at the front. I'm not sure whether this activity is for a movie or, as Natasha suspects, set up for a parade for the Lionesses' football win yesterday, or for the Changing of the Guards parade scheduled for 11:00 AM. Whatever the case may be, it is very crowded and with the added areas being closed off, I am not going to see too much today. To make matters worse, my beloved and trusty camera was drowned yesterday, so I have to rely on my phone and its limited battery life. Photos might be sparse.

We line up at the appropriate time for the tour, go through security, collect our headsets and start our self-guided tour. No photos are allowed inside, so I have to rely on my memory. We have all seen pictures of people arriving in Buckingham Palace for various reasons, mostly to meet one or more members of the Royal Family. They are all absent today, but walking up the red-carpeted stairway is an experience of its own. The steps are shallow and long, meaning that those wearing high-heeled shoes and full-length dresses, and those with mobility problems can easily ascend these steps. There seems to be a lot of red and gold here. Lots! We enter the banquet room, the large area usually set up with a gleaming table, fine bone china tableware, several heavy crystal glasses per place setting, and cutlery of silver or gold all measured meticulously. But today, there is no table. Instead, there is an interesting exhibition of artwork. Since 1985, 43 artists have toured with King Charles on 70 royal tours to 95 countries. The seventy paintings on display during this year's Buckingham Palace tour season have been selected by King Charles himself from his own personal collection. These paintings usually hang in various state homes, and there is an interesting video about them below.

We continue through the Buckingham Palace picture gallery, which is a long hall. The arched ceiling is of opaque glass designed to let in natural light, but not enough to damage old and valuable art works. At first I think it is my imagination, but two paintings in particular grab my attention as, over opposite fireplaces, they are of the same subject, but one is of a front view and the other is the back view. Fascinating stuff, but we don't have time to linger.

Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing rewiring and plumbing works, so some of the rooms that maybe should have been included in this year's tour have been blocked off for construction works and we are directed around these to reach the finale of the exhibition.

The Throne Room

Traditionally, the formal wedding, christening, and coronation photos are taken in this iconic room with its red carpet, huge crystal chandeliers, and two thrones along the back wall. These are quite ordinary-looking not at all ornate or throne-like. Standing here in real life is a little surreal. Secretly, I would love to sit on one of the thrones, but I am sure that would not be allowed, and I would be 'throne' out! The tour ends here and we are soon handing back the audio devices and skirting around the back of the palace. If you ever wonder what is in the backyard, I can confidently tell you that apart from some fancy porta-loos, there is a large lawn the size of a cricket pitch and a lake.

I'm glad we have come here today. The exhibition is entirely different to what I had imagined but mostly, I am glad that this area is open to the public. I do get the sense that it is caught up in a time warp, though. This huge building is filled to the brim with priceless things, beautiful to look at, and deeply entrenched in customs and traditions, yet the modern royal family now live in smaller residences, leaving Buckingham Palace empty. Although not abandoned yet, what will become of it in the future? Perhaps Buckingham Palace will eventually be converted to a huge museum that would be open year round. But for today, the two hours I spend here have been most enjoyable.

With the rest of the day stretching ahead of us, Natasha and I walk towards the late Princess Diana's pre-marriage stamping ground, Sloane Square. I have been told that the view of London from the top floor of the small department store, Peter Jones (no relation to David) is exceptional. Since it is time to have a bite to eat, we make our way up to the sixth floor, where a cafeteria-style arrangement is located. I head to the last window table left and plonk myself down. This, more than coffee, is the reason why are here. The view is every bit as good as was described, and the lines of chimney pots remind me of Mary Poppins in the scene where she Bert dance across London's roofs.

Sloane Square is gaily decorated with bunting, and there are many people eating in the pedestrian-only streets on this sunny day. England and Ireland has had some excellent weather this year and we are hoping that it lasts whilst we are visiting. If today is any indication, we will have a very good holiday weather wise.

Walking through back streets and enjoying the views of old buildings interspersed with new ones, we eventually make our way to the most iconic department store of all - Harrods. By now, I know that whilst Laraine has continued her journey to the V&A museum, Marianne and Carolyn had departed the HOHO bus here and are inside the store.

Harrods

That word conjures up a perception of elegance and top quality products. But Harrods has probably become a victim of its own fame, so by the time Natasha and I arrive inside the store, there are more shoppers here than you would see at the Victoria Market on a Saturday morning. It is crowded and stuffy. Escaping to the upper floors to the designer clothes department is marginally better, but I have no real interest in here any more. I think that if the ground floor is that crowded, the merchandise department in the basement would be worse. I don't want to buy anything anyway. So we head down to the exit.

As Natasha and I leave the store discussing which way we will walk back to the hotel, I hear my name being called. As I turn, Marianne catches up with us. They also found Harrods too crowded and uncomfortable and Carolyn had decided to return to the hotel.

So, Marianne, Natasha, and I make our way down the street, turning and making our way into the magnificent Hyde Park, the lungs of London, which has attracted many families on this sunny Monday in summer. We have plenty of time to wander, and Hyde Park is the perfect place for wandering. Marianne mentions the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, and since we are close by, walk towards it. Designed by Kathryn Gustafson, an American landscape designer, it is not really a fountain but a large oval stream bed. The goal of the fountain is to allow people to access the structure and the water for quiet wading and contemplation. Despite early glitches, which have obviously been rectified, today's visit proves that Diana's playful spirit is very much alive. All I can say is that there is little contemplation but much pleasure and enjoyment as shoes and socks are cast aside as the water attracts waders young and old.

Time is marching on and so must we. We still have a dinner date at the pub, and after arriving back at the hotel to freshen up, we decide to try for an earlier dinner if possible.

We say goodbye to Natasha after a lovely last meal in London and return to the hotel to prepare for tomorrow's transfer to Southampton to board our cruise ship and to start a new adventure. This time in Ireland.

Title Quote: Ralph McTell

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