London Trip - Day Seven

Today (Wednesday, June 26th) was our last day in London.  We had planned on going several places with our London Pass, but it expired the day before. Whoops!  Apparently the Shakespeare Globe Theater is really interesting. We just ended up seeing the outside.

To be honest, I wasn't really sad we didn't get to tour the Globe Theater.  Matt was though. I wanted to see the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace and if we toured the Globe we would miss this event.  It all worked out because Matt and I had a good time seeing this take place.

The crowds outside the palace.  We stayed across the street and saw the event from afar. There was no way we would have ever gotten close to the gates at this particular moment.

First, the marching band went by and they were followed by guards on horses.  From there, they go into the gates of the Palace and who knows exactly what they do.

I had seen advertisements around the city for In Fine Style: The Art of Tudor and Stuart Fashion that was in The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace.  I asked Matt if we could go to the exhibition and he said he was willing. I knew it probably wouldn't be something he would enjoy that much.  The exhibition displayed paintings and even has some authentic clothing illustrating the costumes that the Royals wore during the 16th and 17th centuries.  During this time fashion was very important to court life and was an important way to show wealth.  I was disappointed it was mainly portraits, but I learned that clothing that old really had no way of surviving and I had had no idea.  I was under the impression that it would have survived as everything else has, but it makes perfect sense!

If you haven't figured it out already I'm rather intrigued with the Tudor dynasty.  The bust below is that of a young Henry who later became King Henry the VIII.  The portrait beneath is one of most recognizable portraits of the King.  I was giddy that I got to see the real deal. I had seen them in books, but now I saw them in real life.  How cool is that?

Queen Mary I - daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon

Queen Elizabeth I - daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.  She is considered one of the greatest monarchs in British history and her reign was called "The Golden Age."  

After viewing the exhibition, we went back to our hotel and had Afternoon Tea.  It was so good!

The remainder of the afternoon we just took a walk around London.  We stumbled across The Goring Hotel where Kate Middleton stayed her last night as a commoner before marrying Prince William.

Matt and I had a wonderful time while we were in London. The weather was great and it seeing all the historical places was fascinating. I would definitely go back some day, but take the girls with us.  This was the best birthday present ever!