Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace
At a glance
Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace is a 2h 30m small-group experience in London, United Kingdom, operated by Top Tasting Tours. Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 107 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor. Prices start from $179 per person, and free cancellation is available. Included: Entrance to the State Rooms (if selected at check out), Knowledgeable Guide and Royal history walk, The history of tea drinking in England.
Highlights
- Rated 5.0/5 by 107 travellers
- Small group of up to 10 people for a more personal experience
- Free cancellation for flexible planning
- 13 stops in one well-planned itinerary
Quick facts
- Duration
- 2h 30m
- Group
- Small group, up to 10 travellers
- Languages
- English
- Pickup
- Meet at the start point
- Confirmation
- Instant confirmation
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation (see policy)
Overview
See Three Palaces & experience the magnificence of London’s royal quarter with a walk around its most stunning monuments followed by an authentic afternoon tea in Royal surroundings in the company of a knowledgeable guide.
Get to the heart of aristocratic London, exploring the quiet corners & higgledy-piggledy streets of St James’ & its Tudor palace - where the King was proclaimed monarch.
On Changing of the Guard mornings, witness the inspection of the Old Guard at St James before following the band to Buckingham Palace. Stroll to Wellington Arch & hop onto an iconic red bus for a short ride to the Royal Albert Hall.
Step into beautiful Kensington Gardens & hear of a 1000 years of history, See Princess Diana's Statue & stroll through manicured parkland to the 300 year old Tea Room established by Queen Anne. Enjoy a full Afternoon Tea of delicious sandwiches, scones & cakes with a selection of teas. Dietary preferences are catered for, & a children's tea provided for youngsters.
What's included
What's included
- Entrance to the State Rooms (if selected at check out)
- Knowledgeable Guide and Royal history walk
- The history of tea drinking in England
- Small Group, maximum of 10, typically 4-6 guests
- A Private Table exclusively for you at Tea
- Afternoon Tea of Sandwiches, Scones & Cakes. (NB: Child Tea is typically for 11 yrs & younger)
Not included
- No entrance to Palaces / Walking tour (unless selected at check out)
- Bus fare - please bring a Contactless Card or Oyster Card
- Can be purchased during the tea service
Itinerary
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Stop 1 · 10m
Formally known as Upper St James Park, Green Park is the starting point of the tour. We will head away from the crowds to discover quiet spots and discreet passageways that lead away from the regular tours.
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Stop 2 · 10m
St James is the main aristocratic quarter of London where the landed gentry and political classes mingled in chocolate houses and taverns that became prestigious clubs in the seventeenth century. You will stroll through little used back streets with their fascinating history
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Stop 3 · 5m
Spencer House at the end of the small street. Built between 1756-1766 for John, first Earl Spencer, an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997) it is London’s finest surviving eighteenth-century town house.
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Stop 4 · 5m
St James Palace remains the official London royal palace and is not regularly open to visitors, but the public can attend Sunday services at the Chapel Royal and the Queen's Chapel.
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Stop 5 · 5m
The house was built between 1825 and 1827 to a design by John Nash. It was commissioned by the Duke of Clarence, who in 1830 became King William IV of the United Kingdom (reigned 1830–1837). He lived there in preference to the adjacent St James's Palace, an ancient Tudor building which he found too cramped
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Stop 6 · 5m
St James is the main aristocratic quarter of London where the landed gentry and political classes mingled in chocolate houses and taverns that became prestigious clubs in the seventeenth century. You will stroll through little used back streets with their fascinating history
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Stop 7 · 5m
In the Middle Ages, the site of the future palace formed part of the Manor of Ebury (also called Eia). The marshy ground was watered by the river Tyburn, which still flows below the courtyard and south wing of the palace. Where the river was fordable (at Cow Ford), the village of Eye Cross grew. Ownership of the site changed hands many times; owners included Edward the Confessor and his queen consort Edith of Wessex in late Saxon times, and, after the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror. William gave the site to Geoffrey de Mandeville, who bequeathed it to the monks of Westminster Abbey.
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Stop 8 · 5m
Cross to the Wellington Arch (Decimus Burton) 1828. 4 horse chariot with a figure of peace (1912) Central Passage was reserved for royalty.
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Stop 9 · 5m
The Royal Air Force Bomber Command Memorial is a memorial commemorating the crews of RAF Bomber Command who embarked on missions during the Second World War. The memorial, on the south side of Piccadilly, facing Hyde Park Corner, was built to mark the sacrifice of 55,573 aircrew from Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Czechoslovakia, Poland and other allied countries, as well as civilians of all nations killed during raids.
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Stop 10 · 5m
The house was originally built in red brick by Robert Adam between 1771 and 1778 for Lord Apsley, the Lord Chancellor, who gave the house its name. Some Adam interiors survive: the Piccadilly Drawing Room with its apsidal end and Adam fireplace, and the Portico Room, behind the giant Corinthian portico added by Wellington.
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Stop 11 · 5m
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres have appeared on its stage.
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Stop 12 · 5m
The Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens is one of London's most ornate monuments. It commemorates the death of Prince Albert, who died of typhoid in 1861.
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Stop 13 · 5m
George II was blind in one eye and hard of hearing. In Kensington Palace, 25 October, 1760 he rose as usual at 6:00 am, drank a cup of hot chocolate, and went to his close stool alone. After a few minutes, his valet heard a loud crash and entered the room to find the king on the floor. The king was lifted into his bed, and Princess Amelia was sent for; before she reached him, he was dead. At the age of nearly 77 he had lived longer than any of his English or British predecessors. A post-mortem revealed that the king had died as the result of a thoracic aortic dissection. He was succeeded by his grandson George III, and buried on 11 November in Westminster Abbey. He left instructions for the sides of his and his wife's coffins to be removed so that their remains could mingle. He is the most recent monarch to be buried in Westminster Abbey.
Meeting point
We are meeting at the Park Gate between Ritz Hotel and the Station Entrance where the Black Gates are. Under the porch of Green Park Station Street Level.
Nearest Underground: Green Park
Good to know
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We offer Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan & Halal on prior request
- Not suitable for those with walking difficulty, we walk for about 60 mins
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace take?
The experience lasts about 2h 30m.
How much does it cost?
Prices start from $179 per person. The final price depends on the date, time and number of travellers, and is confirmed on Viator before you pay.
What's included?
Entrance to the State Rooms (if selected at check out); Knowledgeable Guide and Royal history walk; The history of tea drinking in England; Small Group, maximum of 10, typically 4-6 guests; A Private Table exclusively for you at Tea; Afternoon Tea of Sandwiches, Scones & Cakes. (NB: Child Tea is typically for 11 yrs & younger).
Where does it start?
We are meeting at the Park Gate between Ritz Hotel and the Station Entrance where the Black Gates are. Under the porch of Green Park Station Street Level. Nearest Underground: Green Park
Can I cancel?
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Which languages is it offered in?
It is guided in English.
Is it worth it?
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 107 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor, which places it among the top-rated experiences in London.
