LONDON, June 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
London has long been one of the world's greatest tourism destinations - but this year it has an extra special atmosphere as the city celebrates Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday.
Her Majesty's 'official' birthday is coming up this weekend, on 12 June. But for visitors throughout the year, a really great way to learn all about Queen Elizabeth's London is with a London Pass (www.londonpass.com). This is a popular sightseeing card that has been used by more than 3 million visitors over the years. It includes more than 60 attractions, and many have strong links to the Queen.
Westminster Abbey
This world-famous icon was the site of Queen Elizabeth's Coronation on 2 June 1953. In front of a worldwide TV audience of millions, the Queen took the Coronation Oath in the beautiful Gothic church which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Abbey has also witnessed the weddings of the Queen's children Princess Anne and Prince Andrew, as well as the wedding of her grandson Prince William to Kate Middleton in 2011.
Normally priced at £20 per person, entry to Westminster Abbey is included with the London Pass.
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle plays an important role in the monarch's life. The Queen uses the castle both as a private home, usually spending weekends here, and as a Royal residence in which formal duties are undertaken. Each year she takes up residence at Windsor Castle for a month over Easter, while she also stays for a week in June, during which time she attends the world-renowned Royal Ascot race meeting.
Normally priced at £20, entry to Windsor Castle is included with the London Pass.
Kensington Palace
It was at Kensington Palace on 5 May 2015 that the Queen came to meet her latest grandchild, Princess Charlotte, for the first time, staying for just 30 minutes before returning to Buckingham Palace for more official duties! For the fashion enthusiast, Kensington Palace is currently playing host to 'Fashion Rules Restyled', an exhibition which includes a number of the Queen's dresses, as well as others from the collections of Princess Diana and Princess Margaret.
Normally priced at £16.30, entry to Kensington Palace is included with the London Pass.
The Tower of London
The Tower of London is the place to get a really good look at the Crown placed on the Queen's head at her Coronation in 1953. St Edward's Crown, named after Edward the Confessor, is part of the Crown Jewels collection on display at the Tower. Also containing the Sovereign's Sceptre and the Imperial State Crown, which is worn by the Queen annually at the State Opening of Parliament, the current Crown Jewels Collection was opened by Her Majesty in 1994.
Normally priced at £22.50, entry to the Tower of London is included with the London Pass.
The Royal Mews
The Royal Mews is one of the finest working stables anywhere in the world and is home to the Royal collection of historic coaches and carriages. In fact, to this day the stables are responsible for all road travel arrangements for the Queen - even the non-horsedrawn journeys! But the big attractions for visitors are the Glass Coach (used by Royal brides including the Queen in 1947) and the dazzling Gold State Coach, used at every coronation since 1821 and by the Queen on Golden Jubilee celebration in 2002.
Normally priced at £9.30 per person, entry is included with the London Pass.
Visitors using the London Pass to enjoy these and other London attractions save money on the cost of paying individually at each site. And at some of the most popular sites, like the Tower of London and Kensington Palace, they also save time with fast-track entry.
A one-day London Pass costs £59 per adult and £39 per child, but two-, three-, six- and even 10-day passes are also available.
Share this article