No one factor has had a bigger influence on the shape of London than the presence of the Royal Family. Her Majesty the Queen and her husband Prince Philip still live in London in Buckingham Palace.

Many of the other buildings near the palace also have royal connections, such as Clarence House, which is the home of the Queen Mother.
Westminster Abbey, being the entry and exit point of many a king and queen, is steeped in royal history, as is the Tower of London, which was an earlier royal residence.

A number of London’s parks, such as Hyde Park and Regent’s Park, have been in royal ownership since King Henry the Eighth seized them for use as royal hunting grounds. Regent’s Park and the whole surrounding area, including Regent Street, were designed by John Nash for the Prince Regent, who became King George IV.

The British Monarchy has had a rather chequered past. Their history has been riddled with corruption and greed. With a past like that today’s royal family don’t seem so bad.

Not only is she one of the richest people in the world but Queen Elizabeth II also has two birthdays! Born on 21st April 1926, she celebrates her ‘official’ birthday on 15th June. On this day each year, she announces her Honours List. This is a list of around 1000 British subjects that she rewards for their good works and achievements.

The top honour is a life peerage, which entitles the Peer or Lord to sit in the House of Lords in Parliament. Another high honour is a Knighthood, which allows the holder to use the title Sir or Lady before their name. There are other honours; such as Commander of British Empire (CBE) and the Order of the British Empire (OBE), and below these is the Member of the British Empire medal, which adds the initials ‘MBE’ after the recipient’s name.

Strict protocol of rank must be observed at official functions. For example, if an Archbishop is present then the OBE’s must be seated closer to him than the MBE’s are! Following recent criticism that the Honours List was too elitist, attempts have been made to make it more appropriate for a modern ‘classless’ Britain. So now along with the usual politicians, ‘leaders of industry’, entertainers and sports people, the Honours list also now contains the odd road sweeper and school dinner lady. The 1995 Honours List even gave a Knighthood to the ever-youthful pop star Cliff Richard or Sir Cliff to his peers.

Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 in St Paul’s Cathedral. They had 2 children, Princes William and Harry, but the marriage ended in divorce. Tragically Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a car crash in Paris in August 1997. Aged just 36, the Princess, although officially no longer a member of the royal family, was given a state funeral in all but name. The funeral took place in Westminster Abbey, followed by a private burial at the Spencer family’s Althorp estate in Northampton, 60 miles north of London.

St James’s Palace is the London residence of Prince Charles. His sons Princes William and Harry also have rooms there.

1042-1066 Edward the Confessor
1066-1066 Harold II
1066-1087 William I the Conqueror
1087-1100 William II
1100-1135 Henry I
1135-1154 Stephen
1154-1189 Henry II
1189-1199 Richard I
1199-1216 John
1216-1272 Henry III
1272-1307 Edward I
1307-1327 Edward II
1327-1377 Edward III
1377-1399 Richard II
1399-1413 Henry IV
1413-1422 Henry V
1422-1461 Henry VI
1461-1483 Edward IV
1483-1485 Edward V
1485-1509 Henry VII
1509-1547 Henry VIII
1547-1553 Edward VI
1553-1558 Mary I
1558-1603 Elizabeth I
1603-1625 James I
1625-1649 Charles I
1649-1660 Charles II was in exile and “Lord Protectors” such as Oliver Cromwell ruled England.
1660-1685 Charles II
1685-1689 James II
1689-1702 William III and Mary
1702-1714 Anne
1714-1727 George I
1727-1760 George II
1760-1820 George III
1820-1830 George IV
1830-1837 William IV
1837-1901 Victoria
1901-1910 Edward VII
1910-1936 George V
1936-1936 Edward VIII
1936-1952 George VI
1952- Elizabeth II