Royal fever is at an all-time high today, on the eve of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day. All things royal and all things British are trending worldwide, with millions of people to turning their attention to London tomorrow for the wedding of the decade.
The former US actress is less than 24 hours away from making her grand entrance down the aisle of George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle to marry her prince.
It’s no secret that the Royal Wedding is a significant driver of people to the UK, but what is it about royals that grips our attention? Perhaps it’s their fantasy-like lives played out in castles while wearing amazing gowns and priceless jewellery?
Look beneath the surface, and there are also some more unexpected aspects to Royal Britain. Here are five lesser-known facts about the royals and how visitors to the UK can give themselves a royal-fix.
1. Every weekday morning, the Queen wakes to the sound of by bagpipes playing outside her bedroom window
The Sovereign’s Piper was first appointed by Queen Victoria in 1843 after she took a trip to the Highlands, and the 15-minute morning ritual has continued ever since.
If you want to experience the sounds of bagpipes playing for yourself, head to The World Pipe Band Championships held in Glasgow each August. The event draws more than 8000 pipers and drummers to the UNESCO City of Music.
2. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms, including 19 Staterooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms
While visitors can’t spend the night in Buckingham Palace, they can experience the splendour of The State Rooms on one of their daily tours, when the doors officially open for the summer season between 21 July and 30 September 2018.
3. The largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, Windsor is one of the Queen’s favourite royal residences.
You can live out your ultimate royal fantasy and reserve a room at one of these regal castles (when the Royals aren’t home of course!): Balmoral Castle, Hever Castle, Warwick Castle, Hampton Court Palace, Sandringham and Llwynywermod in Wales.
4. Elizabeth I loved hats so much that she made it mandatory for all females over the age of 7 to wear one on Sundays and holidays.
When visiting Britain, you can pick up a beautiful hat created by British milliners, the ideal souvenir of your trip to wear again and again. For the gentlemen, Lock & Co is the oldest milliner in the world and a Royal Warrant holder. For the ladies, Rachel Trevor-Morgan also holds a Royal Warrant and has been making the Queen’s headwear since 2006. Both are located a stone’s throw from St. James’ Palace in London.
5. The Queen keeps corgis and dorgis, which are a cross-breed between a corgi and a dachshund.
The Queen is also an accomplished horsewoman. Visitors can enjoy horse-riding experiences in Richmond and Hyde Park in London, or travel down to the New Forest in southern England.
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