These items and many more are part of a special exhibition that coincides with the Summer Opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the modern Commonwealth, headed by the Queen. Canada is one of the 53 member nations.
The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, has made more than 170 official visits to Commonwealth countries. She has visited Canada 22 times and it was recently announced the Royal couple will visit in 2010.
The exhibition -- Queen & Commonwealth: The Royal Tour -- recalls many of the most important Commonwealth tours undertaken by the Queen during her reign and features film footage, photos, 28 dresses, as well as more than 100 gifts presented to Her Majesty.
The display includes: A totem pole from B.C., a whale's tooth from Fiji, a carved wooden throne from the King of the Ashanti, and a silk scarf from Nelson Mandela. Jewelry includes a Maple Leaf diamond brooch and a diamond Wattle brooch from Australia.
Stunning designer dresses include a blue and white evening dress she wore in Ottawa in 1967, and a blue and silver evening dress with Olympic-inspired rings worn in Montreal in 1976.
The annual summer tour of the State Apartments at Buckingham Palace is very popular. Visitors marvel at the paintings, sculpture, ceramics, clocks, silver and textiles in the extensive Royal Collection. Rooms open to visitors include the Picture Gallery, the richly embellished Throne Room and the Grand Staircase.
Summer Opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace/Queen & Commonwealth: The Royal Tour: Open daily till Sept. 30 (9:45 a.m. to last admission at 3:45 p.m.). Admission is by timed ticket: L16.50 ($30) for adults; L15 ($27) for over 60 years of age and students; L9.50 ($16.50) for children under 17; and L44 ($80) for a family (two adults, three children). Advance tickets available through royalcollection.org.uk.
With the British pound at a fairly favourable exchange rate (about L1 = $1.80), your money will go further than usual in the U.K. And there are ways to save even more on transit, entertainment and attractions. These include:
- Tour like a local: The Visitor Oyster Card is a reusable transit pass for buses, the Tube, trams, Docklands Light Rail, London Overground and some National Rail services in London. You buy them pre-loaded with L10-L50 worth of credits ($18-$90). Go to visitbritaindirect.com/en-ca/detail.aspx?ProductCode=TV105 to purchase the Oyster Card before leaving Canada.
- Free culture: Many of London's galleries and museums offer free admission to their permanent collections, including the British Museum, Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and Museum of London.
- London Sightseeing Pass: This is terrific way to visit more than 50 of London's top attractions including the Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle and London Zoo. Adult one-day pass is $74, children $46. Book at visitbritaindirect.com/en-CA/detail.aspx?ProductCode=TP7.
- Great British Heritage Pass: With four, seven, 15 and 30-day passes available, you can access properties belonging to all the main U.K. heritage organizations such as the National Trust and English Heritage, as well as many private establishments. A four-day adult pass is $74; a seven-day pass is $105. Order online and receive a free guide. See visitbritaindirect.com/en-CA/detail.aspx?ProductCode=TP1.
- More deals: See visitbritain.com and visitlondon.com.
New York minutes2010 Ford Taurus and Designer Earl Lucas
