London Things to Do

On February 6, 1952 King George VI died (the king featured in the film The King’s Speech) and his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, became Queen. 60 years later we are celebrating her Diamond Jubilee.

On June 3rd there will be a flotilla of a thousand boats sailing along the River Thames. A new state barge, the Gloriana, will transport the Royal Family and will be rowed by former Olympic rower, Sir Steve Redgrave who will join 17 of the Queen’s oarsmen. It will be decorated with £4,000 of gold leaf and its design is based on a Viking craft and resembles the boat used by the Lord Mayor in the early 1800s. The Lord Mayor’s Show used to take place on the river which is why we have “floats” in processions!

2012 marks 50 years since The Beatles first single was realeased, Love Me Do on October 5th, 1962. This was also the year that they signed to EMI records and Ringo joined the band. 1962 was a landmark year for a band that went on to change music.

The Beatles began their career in Liverpool in England’s North but they soon moved to London, the city synonymous with their fame and Beatlemania. London was also the home to the Swinging Sixties which The Beatles famously kicked off with their musical and fashion innovations. Although there were rumors of a reunion for the 2012 London Olympics these have been pretty well quashed but here are a few suggestions of what to do to mark the anniversary.

On April 15, 1912, the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank–claiming more than 1,503 lives. It was the world’s largest ship and it was said to be unsinkable, but it sank, shocking everyone and becoming the most famous shipwreck in history. This year–the 100th anniversary of the tragedy– there are exhibitions and memorials happening in many places. In London these include:

It’s just one of those things: when you’re walking in one of London’s huge parks, you think of all the people who have been here before you, and it always turns my mind to the days when people got around on horseback. I’ve always wanted to ride a horse around Hyde Park or Richmond Park, and it’s actually not that difficult to organize. Many stables offer riding lessons for both adults and children, intensive learn-to-ride-in-a-day courses, and also morning and afternoon ‘hacks’ which are a ride around the park for those who have been on a horse before.

The upper reaches of the Thames River were once the playground of the rich and landed who built large elegant riverside houses. Of course the grandest and earliest of these is Hampton Court Palace, but there are many smaller houses.