The world’s second-longest reigning monarch, nearly all of individuals in Britain have identified no different head of state than Queen Elizabeth II. After celebrating her Platinum Jubilee earlier this 12 months, her dying in 2022 indicators the top of an period.
And also you don’t must be a fervent monarchist to really feel a deep sense of loss, with tributes across the nation marking a interval of nationwide mourning and the solemn procession because the coffin travels from Balmoral to London, through the Palace of Holyroodhouse and St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Whether or not you’re planning to hitch the crowds anticipated for the funeral and because the Queen lies in state or trying to bear in mind her lengthy life and reign, listed here are among the greatest locations to pay tribute to the Queen should you’re visiting London with children.
Must know should you’re visiting London with children in September
Many websites across the capital are closing as a mark of respect on September 9, others will likely be closing on the day of the funeral, whereas these with royal hyperlinks could also be closed for longer.
All the time examine earlier than you go to for the most recent data.
The State rooms at Buckingham Palace (usually open till October) will shut till their scheduled reopening subsequent 12 months.
The Royal Mews and Queen’s Gallery in London, in addition to Windsor Fort, are additionally presently closed.
Westminster Abbey is open for prayer and reflection however will likely be closed to vacationers from September 11 till September 28. Guests are requested to not depart flowers or tributes.
All Historic Royal Palaces websites, together with the Tower of London, Hampton Court docket Palace and Kensington Palace will likely be closed on September 9 and the day of the funeral.
The Imperial Conflict Museum will shut on the day of the funeral.
London Zoo is closed on September 9 however its automobile park will likely be unavailable for guests after reopening in the intervening time.
Websites closing on September 9 and that are more likely to shut once more on the day of the funeral embody:
- St Paul’s Cathedral (closed Sep 9 to arrange for a memorial service)
- The Nationwide Gallery (closed to Sep 10)
- Kew Gardens (closed Sep 9)
- Sir John Soane’s Museum (closed Sep 9)
- Chelsea Physic Backyard (closed till Sep 11)
- Legoland Windsor (closed on Sep 9)
Occasions will even be cancelled, whereas outlets alongside the funeral procession route are more likely to shut on the day of the funeral itself.
The place to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in London with children
Ceremonial gun salutes are deliberate at 11 saluting stations throughout the nation, with 96 rounds anticipated to be fired at Hyde Park and at Tower Hill on September 9, and a nationwide minute’s silence held.
A memorial service will likely be held at St Paul’s cathedral, with restricted areas obtainable for the general public to attend. The service will even be broadcast on the BBC.
There are additionally anticipated to be tributes at London’s railway stations for these arriving into the capital, whereas flowers are being left exterior palaces and church buildings.
There will likely be books of condolence at websites round London: numerous household points of interest such because the Museum of the Residence and the Imperial Conflict Museum have already introduced they’ll have them.
On the ninth day after Her Majesty’s dying, the Nice Bell of Massive Ben is because of chime at 9am, with a layer of leather-based masking the hammer to muffle the sound.
The Queen’s coffin will lie in state for not less than three three days at Westminster Corridor after returning to London from Edinburgh, with a ceremonial procession from Buckingham Palace down the Mall, by Horse Guards Parade and previous the Cenotaph, anticipated to be early within the week of September 12.
Westminster Corridor will likely be open to the general public for 23 hours a day to ensure that the general public to pay their respects. Big crowds are anticipated for this, with queues stretching for miles.
On the mendacity in state of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mom, 200,000 individuals waited to pay tribute with queues of as much as six hours, whereas 300,000 individuals attended the mendacity in state of King George VI.
If you happen to’re planning to take kids to the mendacity in state, be ready for very lengthy waits to take action and anticipate a a lot increased safety presence round central London, in addition to Westminster itself.
There’s extra element on the exact occasions main as much as the funeral on the BBC information web site.
The place to observe the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
The state funeral will likely be held at Westminster Abbey – the primary of a British monarch since 1760. The date is to be confirmed, however is more likely to be round September 18-19.
There will likely be a procession from Westminster Corridor to the abbey for the one-hour service, earlier than a ceremonial procession to accompany to coffin to Hyde Park.
From this level, it is going to journey to Windsor for an extra procession by the city and a committal service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Fort.
Full particulars of the route are nonetheless to be introduced, however large crowds are anticipated within the capital and in Windsor the road the streets – bollards will likely be faraway from The Mall to make further house.
The funeral will even be televised with plans to indicate this on massive screens across the capital, and the day is predicted to be a nationwide vacation.
Rail strikes deliberate for September 15-17 have been referred to as off however trains and public transport are anticipated to be extraordinarily busy and there could also be extra restricted timetables on the day of the funeral
Key websites from the Queen’s life
If you happen to’re visiting London with children and trying to have a good time the Queen’s lengthy life and reign as a tribute to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, these are among the key websites related to Elizabeth II. Many will likely be closed within the days main as much as the funeral, some will shut for half or the entire remainder of 2022.
145 Piccadilly
Born on the Mayfair townhouse belonging to her maternal grandparents in 29126, Princess Elizabeth of York – as she was then – moved from 17 Bruton Avenue to 145 Piccadilly a 12 months later.
Bombed within the Second World Conflict, the constructing has been changed right now by the InterContinental London Park Lane Resort.
Clarence Home
Clarence Home was the Queen’s London residence when she was first married, till her accession – it’s right here that Princess Anne was born.
Later residence to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mom, it additionally turned the official residence of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
Constructed by John Nash for the Duke of Clarence, later William IV, it’s usually open to the general public throughout August when you’ll be able to take a 45-minute guided tour of 5 rooms on the bottom flooring.
The Imperial Conflict Museums London
The Imperial Conflict Museum has additionally been internet hosting an exhibition to honour the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this 12 months, exploring the function of the Royal Household in battle.
On account of run till January 2023, the exhibition seems at The Queen’s private expertise of warfare and her function as Head of the Armed Forces, together with shows of images and gadgets from the museum’s collections.
The museum has introduced that it will likely be closed on the day of the Queen’s funeral
Buckingham Palace
The monarch’s personal official residence has been residence to Queen Elizabeth II for over 70 years and it’s one of many key websites in all royal ceremonies.
If you happen to’re visiting London with children, you may get a glimpse of the outside of Buckingham Palace year-round, however there’s solely the possibility to go indoors for just a few months of the 12 months.
The State Rooms are usually open from July to October (plus occasional unique excursions throughout the winter and spring), with a timed admission system while you e book with slots each quarter-hour.
The State Rooms have now closed for the rest of 2022.
Royal Mews
Residence to historic royal carriages, the Royal Mews can be a working stables the place you’ll discover horses named by the Queen.
You may spot the brown Cleveland Bays and white Windsor Gray horses throughout your go to, in addition to miniature carriages designed to be pulled by smaller animals together with canines, plus a sleigh.
Children may comply with a 45-minute multimedia tour, with a household model geared toward children aged 7-11, telling them every little thing from what it’s like to coach the horses to the way it feels to journey in a type of fairytale carriages or drive a Rolls Royce. The Little Trekkers exercise path is designed for underneath fives.
The Royal Mews has now closed for the rest of 2022
Westminster Abbey
Each king or queen of England has been topped right here, besides two – Edward V, who was deposed and presumed murdered earlier than his coronation, and Edward VIII who abdicated earlier than his might happen.
The coronation was televised for the primary time in 1953 when the Queen was topped right here, and it’s additionally the place the then Princess Elizabeth was married – the tenth member of the royal household to be married right here.
It’s additionally the ultimate resting place of 16 English and British monarchs in addition to a lot of their consorts: after George II, British monarchs have been buried at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
For the reason that reign of Queen Victoria, state funerals have normally seen the coffin conveyed to Westminster Corridor in a gun carriage, the place it lies in state for a number of days, earlier than a procession to Windsor for the funeral service.
Westminster Abbey is closed to vacationers from September 11 till September 28
Tower of London
For an opportunity to see the Queen’s crown in all its glittering glory, it’s one of many unmissable components of a go to to the Tower of London. Gun salutes are additionally fired from Tower Hill.
Each royal residence and royal jail since William the Conqueror first had the White Tower constructed within the 11th century, the crown – together with different royal regalia and gadgets from the royal treasury – are on show right here.
Residence to the Superbloom flower set up celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this summer time, Queen Elizabeth has additionally visited lately, together with to see the ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Pink’ poppy set up in 2014, paying tribute to these killed throughout the First World Conflict.
The Tower of London will likely be closed on the day of the Queen’s funeral
Kensington Palace
Though the Queen by no means lived at Kensington Palace, it was residence to her sister, Princess Margaret, in addition to her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.
It’s additionally been internet hosting a particular exhibition this 12 months, set to run to October 30, referred to as Life By means of a Royal Lens exhibition, iconic photos of the Royal Household from Queen Victoria to the current day.
Kensington Palace will likely be closed on the day of the Queen’s funeral
St Paul’s Cathedral
The particular Jubilee exhibition working at St Paul’s Cathedral till December is the proper place to relive the celebrations from throughout Queen Elizabeth’s reign.
The exhibition, Jubilee: St Paul’s, the Monarch and the Altering World seems at Jubilee celebrations from throughout the centuries, together with for her Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees, in addition to these of George III, George V and Queen Victoria.
A service of prayer and reflection is deliberate at St Paul’s cathedral
Windsor Fort
If you happen to’re visiting London with children, it’s solely a brief journey to Windsor – one other of the Queen’s childhood houses, when the Duke of York and his household would spend weekends at York Lodge on the property, it was famously one in all her favorite residences.
The working fortress, the oldest and largest occupied fortress on the planet, was based by William the Conqueror within the 11th century and has been residence to 39 monarchs, together with a weekend retreat for Queen Elizabeth II.
The fortress additionally homes St George’s chapel, relationship again to 1475, which has been the positioning of a variety of royal weddings, in addition to housing the tombs of 10 monarchs together with Edward IV, Henry VI and VIII, Charles I, Edward VII and George V.
Windsor Fort is closed to vacationers in the intervening time
St Paul’s Cathedral copyright MummyTravels, all different pictures courtesy of Depositphotos
