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The Beefeaters are the rather strangely dressed gentlemen that you see on tourist images and postcards of London. They wear a uniform that has changed little across the centuries and as such they stand out as being part of the history of the city rather than a modern addition. The men that we rather lovingly refer to as ‘Beefeaters’ are actually the Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London. While the main guard duties at the Tower are undertaken by the Foot Guards, the Yeoman Warders serve as a ceremonial…

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Anyone who has seen any kind of programme or documentary about London will no doubt have seen images of men and women dressed in clothing covered in shiny pearl buttons. These are the Pearly Kings and Queens of London, and despite what you may assume there is more than one of each in the city. In one form or another the Pearly Kings and Queens have been around for more than a thousand years. Their origins lie with the original street traders which operated within the city walls; later they…

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When you think of public executions in the city, your mind probably takes you straight to the Tower of London. It would be right of course, but there were many more sites where the condemned were sent to die, here are just a few. Tower Hill and The Tower of London Despite what you may have been led to believe very few heads actually rolled within the grounds of the Tower of London. The public executions all took place over on Tower Hill, the last public beheading taking place in…

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London is famous for its wealth of museums, from the Natural History Museum to the V&A, but there are many more that offer something a little different from ancient relics and period exhibitions. Here are just a few of the more unusual museums that the city has to offer. Greenwich – Fan Museum The only one of its kind in the world and housed in a beautiful grade II listed building, the Fan Museum offers more than 3,500 exhibits. You will find fans of all shapes and sizes from those…

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Pearls have been worn around the necks of powerful women for centuries, from Queen Elizabeth I through to Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. While Marilyn favoured only the simple single string, presented to her on her honeymoon by her new husband Joe DiMaggio, Elizabeth Taylor liked her jewellery on a much larger scale. Included in her vast jewel collection was the La Peregrina Pearl which dates back to the sixteenth century and was at one time part of the crown jewels belonging to the Spanish royal family. Both of these…

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You may tell her every day that she is your little princess, she may even have a dressing up box filled with the costumes worn by all of her favourite Disney princesses, but how can this compete with becoming an ‘actual’ princess for a day? The wonderful people of Disney have now joined forces with the personnel at Harrods and have created the incredible Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, just as you will find in the Disney Park in Florida. With the wave of a glittering magical wand and the swish of…

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There has been an upsurge in themed restaurants in recent years and London has a broad selection to choose from. Not only do they offer excellent food, they also offer an experience that you will remember for years to come. Enjoy a Medieval Banquet Spend an evening at Ivory House on St Katharine’s Dock and take a trip back in time to the city as it was more than a thousand years ago. Located in the vicinity of the Tower of London you will spend your evening in the company…

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You may think that the prospect of sitting out on a rooftop or terrace in the middle of December would put many people off using the facility of an outside space, but in reality they are just as popular during the winter months as they are in the summer. Rather than the late summer sun sinking down over the rooftops of London you instead get to look at the city as it sparkles and twinkles under a canopy of festive lights. Remember to wrap up warm though as when the…

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The London New Years Day Parade is one of the most anticipated events of the year. The parade has become a tradition which marks the beginning of the event calendar of the year for one of the greatest cities in the world. Though it may have sprung from rather humble beginnings, the parade has become a spectacular showcase of music, dance and performance that attracts a worldwide television audience numbered in the millions. All traditions have to start somewhere and for the LNYDP its roots are placed firmly in 1987.…

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The festive period sees lots of changes taking place in the city of London, not only with the addition of the famous Christmas lights and all of the big name stores trying to outshine each other with the most spectacular Christmas window displays.  There are of course bigger changes that take place, including the transformation of many outdoor spaces such as Hyde Park, which becomes a festive winter wonderland attracting visitors in the tens of thousands.  But, if you are looking for something that will be fun for all of…

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