Day Five: A Royal Day Out

After my late night updating my blog, getting up this morning was extra hard. I think the only reason I made it out of bed by 9 AM was the fact that bright sunshine and a cool breeze were streaming in from the window, advertising another perfectly gorgeous day going to waste! However, after arising we were confronted with the unfortunate fact that the sewer had backed up during the night.
 So no showers for us-I just slapped on new make-up over old while Richard chatted up the neighbors and they all discussed the situation.

“You too, eh?"
"Oh but you’re not overflowing?"
"Well I know a chap who…” etc etc.

We stayed long enough to disclose whatever pertinent information was necessary and then hit the road, headed off on our Royal Day Out-seriously, that’s what the tickets said.  We started off at the Royal Mews, where all of the ceremonial carriages and cars of state are kept, as well as the royal carriage and riding horses. 

All of the royal household's cars are painted a special color exclusive to the House of Windsor, a dark purple that appears black until closely examined, known as 'Royal Claret.' In addition, the royal vheicles do not have license plates. The Bentley's in the Queen's fleet of cars were custom-built with a very high roof, to allow the queen to stand fully before exiting the vehicle.

Mews is a term for the place in which falcons are kept, or ‘mewed up’ while they are moulting.  However, horses have also traditionally been kept in the Royal Mews as well. Originally located at Charing Cross, (now known as Trafalgar Square) King George the IV moved the Royal Mews to their present location adjacent Buckingham Palace in the 1820s, a remarkably prescient decision, given the state of traffic in London today.The carriages kept here were absolutely one of the coolest things I have ever seen!

Unless I mixed my pictures up, this is the 'glass coach' in which all the royal princesses ride to their wedding.

The open Landau carriage that William and Kate rode in from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace following the wedding ceremony.

They even have little baby coaches for the miniature princes and princesses when they are children

 After seeing all the cars and coaches, you enter a big long room in which the State Coach of England is. Only used for coronations and very special royal occasions (like the Queen’s Silver Jubilee) it weighs almost four tons, must be braked 30 yards before its intended destination to come to a full stop, and is older than the United States of America.

The intricately detailed paintings which are painstakingly kept preserved on the door panels of this coach are only one indication of it's extravagance (in case all the gold didn't tip you off).

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Originally the driver was intended to sit up on that little thin bar..(ouch!) and rest his feet on an ornamental seashell.  However, it soon became obvious that the coach could not be controlled by a driver in that traditional position due to it's size and weight. Instead, it is driven 'postilion' meaning that the driver(s) ride the left-most horse in a series of harnessed teams and controls the horses and the coach from horseback. See Picture Below.

The coach is so massive, that to get it out of the stables, an entire wall is dismantled. It takes a team of men working for two days to move the coach into the courtyard prior to it's use.

 One of the coolest things about the Royal Mews was the fact that it is also a small village.  The grooms, postilion riders, chauffeurs, carriage artisans, wheelwrights, coach drivers, harness makers etc etc that still operate the royal cars and carriages all still live on the second level of the mews, which are shaped around a large open courtyard.  Most of them have been serving the royal family in the same or similar capacity for generations. In fact, at Christmastime, the royal sleigh makes it’s appearance through the grand archway into the mews, bells ringing, bearing Father Christmas, who then dispenses gifts to the children who live in the mews, whose families are ‘in service’ to the royal family. (A position of considerable pride).

The horses were absolutely, stunningly beautiful, some of the most incredible examples of well-bred, healthy horseflesh I have ever seen. You don't realize that there's such a thing as horse royalty as well until you see these beauties!

Next we toured the state rooms of Buckingham Palace, which are opened to the public during August and September when the Queen  goes on her annual visit to Ireland. The collections of art and sculpture were absolutely breathtaking, it was so overwhelming ornate and beautiful, but not exactly what one would call a comfortable place to live. Rich and I joked that the flatscreen TVs and playstations were all stashed in the royal families private quarters. No photos were allowed inside the palace, but in addition to the one from the other day outside the gates, here are some taken from the back lawn and Queen's gardens.

Inside the ballroom of the palace the wedding dress of the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate is not a princess...she is a Duchess now b/c Harry is a Duke, when Prince Charles inherits the throne and becomes King Charles, Harry will inherit his father's title of Prince of Wales, and then Kate will be legally a Princess of Wales, in addition to be Duchess of Cambridge. Her daughters and sons will be entitled prince and princess. (When Diana married Charles, he already held the title Prince of Wales, hence her commonly being referred to as the Princess of Wales-a title now held by Charles 2nd wife, who does not use it publicly.) I know the royals don't really serve a purpose--but I find them totally absorbing!

In the ballroom where the dress was displayed there was also a short video about the creation and construction of the wedding dress which was absolutely fascinating, as was the replica of the gorgeous wedding cake.  The dress was on display, along with the shoes, earrings, tiara etc. etc. It really was sooo interesting.  Okay, so Richard got a little bored, but he was very sweet and patient while I went gaga.

Our next stop was the Queen's Gallery, where her private collection of paintings by Dutch Landscape artists was on display thru the end of this week. Here it was my turn to be sweet and patient while Richard enjoyed a stunning collection of art. I'm an ignorant savage when it comes to appreciation of great art-I'm more of a sculpture, photography type gal. But Richard loves them, so I sat quietly on a bench and dozed while he admired the Masters. The visit to the Queen's Gallery concluded our Royal Day Out, and it was back to the house to change before attending a McKinsey Consulting presentation at the school tonight. It looks like I might actually get to bed before midnight. Tomorrow-shopping, work and laundry! So sad, as it's supposed to be another fabulous day, but Richard really has to go to class ALL day, and we REALLY have to wash some clothes.

Lessons Learned: 

1. English sewers smell just as bad as American sewers when they back up into your kitchen sink

2. I want to have my own horse and carriage, just for special occasions

3. Most of Buckingham Palace is newer than the White House, purpose built for King George IV by John Nash in the 1840s

4. Almost everything inside Buckingham palace is older than the United States of America

5. I have no interest in famous Dutch landscape paintings

6. My tennis shoes actually hurt my low back more than any other walking shoe I own. Very, very strange. But explains a lot… I know this because I switched shoes at home after all day walking, and then walked and stood at the presentation tonight, and, voila, tired feet still, but back pain was gone!