Tea With The Queen
How many times have Americans joked
about going to Buckingham Palace for
tea with the Queen?
I mean, personally, I've heard it
at least 100 times
since we moved to England.
The worldwide total would be a number
that rivaled the number of girls (and their mothers)
who dream of winning Prince Harry's heart.
Seriously though,
it's a silly statement
because
-obviously-
the notion of having tea
at Buckingham Palace is simply ludicrous.
Except for the fact,
you actually can have tea at Buckingham Palace.
{Who knew?}
While the Queen is away for the late summer
exploring her castles in Scotland,
Buckingham Palace opens to the public
for a 1.5 hour tour of the state rooms.
Apparently, visiting the palace
must be a well-kept secret
within the English geriatric community...
as 90% of the guests were females over 75.
{I suppose a girl's dreams of being a princess are timeless.}
This summer, the Duchess of Cambridge's dress was on display.
I got to see it even closer up than
from my abbey-side perch
at
It was displayed in the Ball Room
that the wedding reception was held in,
and designer, Sarah Burton,
was featured on video
discussing the design features
of Kate's iconic dress.
Most of us have been to the White House or a castle on a trip at some point,
but I have to say-
no home I have ever seen
begins to rival the opulence of Buckingham Palace.
That place is no joke.
{Though no pictures are allowed inside so you'll just have to trust me.}
Bravo, England.
Not only do you let a commoner marry into the Royal Family,
but you let schleppy folk like myself
tour your home
and have tea on your back porch.
the cafe overlooking the garden. too gorgeous to explain.
we had to break the rule, and order a mid-day cappucino.... just for the crown.
Made me feel right at home...
in fact,
I could get used to living in a place like that.
The other great thing
was the gift shop in her backyard.
Basically,
the nicest yard sale...
ever.
Seriously, look at the crowd here. It could rival an Alaskan cruise.
The store offers some really great merchandise:
china, lotions, soaps, towels, ornaments & chocolates.
I bought myself really posh
(but disappointingly unused by HRH)
shower cap.
{I'm not kidding.}
The walk out the to the back gate
felt like a stroll through Central Park.
Pinkies up!
If you are looking for a place
that almost feels as fancy & nice as Buckingham,
head to my friend, Debby's blog
and check out
for fall!
Debby's
is great,
and I highly recommend it for your daily blog reads!
For more information on taking your own tour of Buckingham Palace,
for openings & dates when the palace is open to the public.
Pre-ordering your tickets is recommended and simple.