Anna of London

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Anna of London

Presenting the most wonderful city in the world. Join with me as I guide you around London - discover its history, its hidden corners and its quirkiness.

During this tricky travel period I am also guiding online. Do join me for a virtual tour of london.

13/06/2024

A fabulous fashion exhibition at Blenheim Palace this summer… dresses by Zandra Rhodes, John Galliano, Stella McCartney, Alice Temperley and Vivienne Westwood. Detracts a little from the beautiful rooms but the couture is fantastic!! ❤️

10/05/2024

A truly amazing thing - and it is 460 years old!! An automaton… in the form of a galleon which would be used to announce the start of a masque or ball… it would play music and then advance across a table and then the front cannon would fire, lighting a fuse to fire the other cannons. Incredible! The figures on the top are the Holy Roman Emperor and several Electors (princes). Sadly it no longer works but just looking at the detail is so rewarding and fascinating… ❤️

09/05/2024

Incredible to imagine the thoughts of Michelangelo… as written down on paper in his very own hand. He wrote phonetically and this occasionally had to be translated into his own language by friends… but his writing was incredibly neat. He wrote many letters… here are fragments from his later years. Fascinating exhibition at the British Museum with many texts on loan from the Royal Family. ❤️

30/04/2024

This house is all that remains of the marvellous tapestry works set up here by the future King Charles I in 1623. On the banks of the Thames in Mortlake it was located in this damp spot so that the threads would not get too dry and snap, and also for ease of supply via the river. This workshop became a centre of excellence and many wealthy families had new tapestries created here or embellished old tapestries with elegant borders. Set up on the estate of Elizabeth I’s adviser, John Dee, we can see references to both in places names and memorial stones. Dee has faded in history but was a great ‘scientist’ of his time and a real pioneer of astronomy and mathematics as we would call it today. He is buried just opposite the tapestry works in the church of St Mary the Virgin. Sadly the tapestry works were fairly short lived as the civil war of the mid 17thC led to a lack of demand and it did not survive. ❤️

04/04/2024

My eyes were drawn to a corner of Botticelli’s painting and I easily identified Tobias and the Angel. This was so familiar because I am well aware of Verocchio’s version of the same where a young Leonardo da Vinci is probably the artist of the dog at the angel’s feet. I just love the colours in Botticelli’s image… so vibrant… they pop out of the painting… although looking at the full image his colours are stunning! Quite unusual to see the dying Christ being held by his father behind… all this in the Courtauld Gallery… what a treasure trove of fabulous art… a small collection with so many highlights. ❤️

02/04/2024

What an AMAZING museum! The Imperial War Museum really is fabulous! So many galleries, so much information… and presented in a myriad of ways so that it appeals to everyone… read, listen, watch, marvel at… We gazed up at a Spitfire and a Harrier Jump Jet. We sat in an Anderson shelter, heard tales of heroism and watched past heroes confront huge trials… even the teens were captivated… for a short while!!! 🤣🤣🤣 ❤️

01/04/2024

The Treasury at Waddesdon is spectacular… so many precious items in glass, gold, crystal, ceramic, and of course, my favourite… jewels! The tiaras, necklaces, earrings etc are stunning. Makes me want to throw on my ballgown! There are even Roman and Egyptian earrings on display here too! What a wonderful place to visit! ❤️

26/03/2024

Gates… and guards…. A very secure area of London… home of Embassies, the super wealthy and Royalty. Two private roads with a lot of security. Barriers, bollards and even armed police … yes, we are very close to Kensington Palace where some members of the Royal Family still make their homes. The street parallel is the most expensive street in the country… Kensington Palace Gardens…also known as Billionaires Row! No… I’m not jealous… this is too exclusive for me… I like to have a bit of gossip and banter with my neighbours… not sure that happens much here! 😂😂😂 ❤️

22/03/2024

Kate… beautiful inside and out… thinking of you and your family. Wishing you a speedy recovery and great future happiness!

20/03/2024

Sometimes, as Tour Guides, we get asked to do some fun things. Today I had my TV moment… I’ll reveal what we were filming and what we talked about when the programme airs… but as you can see I am proudly wearing my Blue Badge from the Institute of Tourist Guiding. ❤️

19/03/2024

I’m convinced these birds were showing off… playing to the crowd… and of course my guests loved it! Pelicans have graced this park for centuries… first given to King Charles II in 1664 by the Russian Ambassador, there have been over 40 pelicans that have made St James’ Park their home. In the wild their life span might be up to 25 years, in a protected environment they can live to double that age. They are certainly treated very well here in London! ❤️

16/03/2024

Definitely one to see whilst it is in London… at the Royal Academy. Flaming June is one of those unforgettable paintings… and normally resides in Puerto Rico. It will be here throughout 2024. Amazing how Lord Fredrick Leighton managed to pull off the perspective of this very difficult sleeping pose… she is so languorously beautiful… and the vibrant orange is warm and welcoming… it draws you in … not to a single point, but to gaze across the whole image. Delightful! One of my all time favourites. ❤️

15/03/2024

Some days London Tour guides have to do research for specific walking tours…… Leadenhall Market is the most wonderful Victorian structure where in the past traders sold their goods and then retired to the pub afterwards… we took our research very seriously… 🤣👍 ❤️

15/03/2024

What a stunning chapel… and only 5 minutes walk from Oxford Street! The Fitzrovia Chapel was originally part of a hospital which no longer exists. Built as a quiet space for worship and contemplation it has hosted weddings and a wide variety of services. The architect John Loughborough Pearson started building in 1892 and it was finished around 25 years later by his son. The influence is clearly from Europe with Byzantine style mosaics. Compare to those of St Marks Basilica in Venice (last image). It is truly impressive … and I love the lamps… North African influence maybe? Well worth a detour to lap up its beauty. ❤️

14/03/2024

Loved this small exhibition in the Fitzrovia Chapel. A photoshoot with David Bowie from one day in 1992. He was at the height of his fame… some images were used to promote the album Black Tie White Noise and then forgotten about … for 30 years! Photographer Kevin Davies found the negatives during Covid and this exhibition is a result of his ‘clearing out’ in a quiet period… lucky us!! ❤️

12/03/2024

Look out for the royal crest on shops and buildings around London … or even on delivery vans sometimes. The Royal Warrant is like a seal of approval … it gives customers assurance of quality. If it’s good enough for the king it must be good enough for me! Here are a couple I spotted on Jermyn St near St James’s Palace… the first a boutique selling fragrances and then at Fortnum & Mason… fabulous place for biscuits, pickles and of course, tea! It is a pleasure to window shop but you must also go inside and see the beautiful goods on offer. I defy you not to buy! Yum!! ❤️

07/03/2024

Today is a Buckingham Palace day… specifically… the Royal Mews. This is the area of the palace where many carriages are kept… others are in Windsor. This is the Diamond Jubilee State Coach. The most recent addition to the Mews and introducing such basic conveniences as suspension, heating, air conditioning and electric windows… things we take for granted in our modern vehicles. But it has more than that… it is a time capsule of British history… wood sections from the royal yacht Britannia, HMS Victory, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral… and it even has a section of cloth from Florence Nightingale’s dress. The handle is studded with diamonds and sapphires… and there are crowns everywhere… but also symbols on the roof of the four nations… Rose, Thistle, Leek and Flax for England, Scotland, Wales and N Ireland respectively. A gift to the Royal Family from Australia … it was delivered in 2014. By far the most comfortable of all the carriages and used by the king on his way to the Abbey last year for his coronation… beautiful! ❤️

01/03/2024

A few idiosyncrasies of India… I love that is so completely different to Europe. It is crazy, poor in the most part and beautiful….such lovely people! Here we didn’t drink CocaCola we drank from fresh coconuts picked from the tree and sold from a boat. What a supercool Life guard! And who would have thought I’d find the Pieta near the beach!! Love this country! ❤️ ❤️ 💕

28/02/2024

The palace of the Maharaja of Travancore… beautiful carving in teak and rosewood everywhere. Known as the Palace of the Horses because of its carvings. It took only 4 years to build in 1840’s by an army of 5000 workers! Look at that ceiling! It would sit happily in a renaissance palace with an exquisite Victorian chandelier too! But you know it’s India when you see these figures … dancers of the local Malayalam tradition. ❤️

23/02/2024

Here is an Ivory throne… a precious heirloom for India, created in the early 1800’s when southern India and the Malabar Coast was the realm of the Maharajas of Travancore. Ivory carving was the specialty of this state. Look at the exquisite detail on the side panel of this throne. The Maharaja decided to offer a similar throne to Queen Victoria which became one of the central exhibits of the World’s first Great Exhibition of 1851 in London. It is now in the Garter Throne Room of Windsor Castle. In the palace at Thiruvananthapuram there is also this marvellous Crystal Throne. Wow! I am bowled over by these amazing pieces! The British Influence in India was immense! ❤️

18/02/2024

Wow! … the City Palace in Udaipur! What an amazing place. Interesting to see the British influence slowly edging in as each new section of the palace was completed. Started 450 years ago and modified every century by successive Maharanas, you can see the Victorian touches… look at the lights and that chandelier! Stunning! ❤️

18/02/2024

St Thomas’ Cathedral, Mumbai. One of the oldest churches in India consecrated over 300 years ago. It is the resting place of many important characters from the East India Company and British Raj. King George V and Queen Mary attended a mass here during their visit in 1911. The memorials are just as impressive as those of Britain… with the odd nod to India. What is heartbreaking is the plaque to a young company man who died aged 21 less than 4 months after his arrival… this was not unusual… so many succumbed to disease on their arrival in this strange land. This was a fascinating spot in the heart of Victorian Mumbai. A UNESCO world heritage site like so many other places around it. ❤️

16/02/2024

Seriously? I’m wondering which British city I’m in? It doesn’t feel like India does it? So much Victorian architecture! Not surprising as India was the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. We imported tea plants from China to India as we were desperate for tea in Britain… our climate was too harsh for tea… but India’s was perfect… and the rest is history as they say. Hard to imagine India without tea now! So much wealth generated here and hence the British style government buildings. The Police Headquarters, a wonderful museum, banks, offices… the heart of Mumbai is quite impressive! ❤️

12/02/2024

Can I introduce you to Lucky George… one of a pair of dragon sculptures… why Lucky? Because his twin went down with the Titanic! Here he sits on the staircase of the Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel… formerly the Russell Hotel in Russell Square. Gorgeous old building … worth a visit also for the Palm Court … strikingly similar to the ballroom on the Titanic too! Yet another hidden treasure! ❤️

09/02/2024

The Royal Academy… Impressionists on paper… what a delightful exhibition… For me Degas and his ballet dancers really stand out, but I also love the way women were captured in very natural positions … unposed. This was one of the reasons why the impressionists were not understood at first… they were influenced by the new medium of photography which would easily capture everyday moments… ❤️

08/02/2024

It’s a Connaught day today… but we are heading out into the grey and rain… in style! My ride today is a RR Phantom! ❤️

07/02/2024

Two aspects of the Tower of London… one like a village green… cobbled streets, neat houses… the other foreboding, ominous, grey and unwelcoming. I know which one I prefer. Yet near that colourful green three queens are buried, each one beheaded for spurious reasons. There is so much to see and discover in this fascinating place! ❤️

06/02/2024

Twickenham Church St in February… anticipating the Six Nations Rugby tournament. A wonderful festival which livens up our dull February days. So much hope for our home nation… for me that’s England, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 closely followed by Wales and Italy. On rugby days this area is teeming with people and all pubs within 2 miles of the stadium are heaving ….large amounts of beer being consumed. Go England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 !!

05/02/2024

Always entertaining to go up Tower Bridge.. not only does it have great views up and down the river but you can also look down to the road and up to the ceiling for a bit of fun! ❤️

03/02/2024

The oldest bookshop in the country. Hatchards was founded in 1797 by John Hatchard on Piccadilly, close to the wealthy, learned and royalty. It still holds the Royal Warrant, hence the royal coat of arms over the door. Modern and oozing age at the same time, it’s book offering is fantastic. Looking for something a little different? You’ll find it here. Many celebrities have held book signings here including Bette Davis and Dirk Bogarde amongst many others.. what a joyous hour can be spent here perusing the shelves! ❤️

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Twickenham… Not just the home of England Rugby! The cutest shopping street… bars, restaurants and great shops too… bring the family! #annaoflondon #englandrugby #twickenham #twickenhamchurchstreet #guidelondon #britainsbestguides #bluebadgetouristguides #lovemyjob❤️

Did you know that you can view Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper here in London? Ok, it is a copy, but as this original is one of the most difficult pieces of art to view in a world museum, this is a good second best. The original is housed in the refectory of the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy, but due to its very delicate condition only 100 people per hour can view it … and they get 15 minutes precisely… including entrance and exit. Come and spend as long as you like examining the detail of Leonardo’s masterpiece in the Royal Academy…. and because hardly anyone knows it is here you have all the time in the world! #leonardodavinci #royalacademyofarts #thelastsupper #lastsupper #annaoflondon #guidelondon #britainsbestguides #bluebadgetouristguides #lovemyjob❤️

This week is Golden Week in Japan where the beauty of nature, spring and the Cherry Blossom will be observed and appreciated. Flags in the shape of fish and in bright red and orange will fly near temples and other beautiful spaces. Here at Kew Gardens it feels like Golden Week… with the bright red azaleas surrounding the Japanese temple, with bright red orchids around the Pagoda… artist, Mark Quinn is celebrating nature too with his dramatic statues. #goldenweek #japanesetemple #pagoda #kewgargens #royalbotanicgardenskew #guidelondon #annaoflondon #britainsbestguides #lovemyjob #japanesegarden

Syon House is not only beautiful but it is a working house… used occasionally by the family - The Duke & Duchess of Northumberland - it is lived in at certain times of the year. Whilst open to visitors, it is frequently off limits for filming, functions and parties including extravagant weddings. You can even stay overnight in the Hotspur suite. As a fabulous example of Robert Adam architecture and design, it’s most opulent rooms were styled by him in a neo-classical style with Italian influence in clear evidence. Just delightful! #syonpark #syonhouse #brentford #isleworth #annaoflondon #guidelondon #bluebadgetouristguides #lovemyjob❤️

The Nelson Stair at Somerset House is both practical and beautiful! So elegant. It is an interesting thought that Horatio Nelson would have come here to pick up his pay packet! He climbed these very stairs, designed by William Chambers… eminent architect of the late C18th. This was the home of the Navy Board… maybe Nelson even sailed up the Thames and moored his boat under the entrance of the building… you can’t do that today… the Embankment is in the way…! #nelsonstair #somersethouse #annaoflondon #guidelondon #britainsbestguides #tourlondon #bluebadgetouristguides #lovemyjob❤️

Waddesdon, home of the English branch of the Rothschild family, is quite stunning! No expense spared on construction and furnishings for this 150 yr old French Chateau in the heart of the Buckinghamshire countryside. Sevres porcelain, inlaid marquetry, Gainsborough, Reynolds and Romney paintings… it is so opulent. Several treasures which once belonged to French royalty were snapped up by the family and can still be seen inside the house. What a wonderful day out!! #waddesdonmanor #rothschildfamily #nationaltrust #historichouses #annaoflondon #guidelondon #britainsbestguides #bluebadgetouristguides #lovemyjob❤️

Today I visited the train station of downtown Mumbai. The Victorians truly left their mark here… but this section of the station was guarded… I could go no further… these are the offices. But the interior was accessible and just as beautiful. This is where the final scenes of the film Slumdog Millionaire were filmed. #Mumbai #victorianarchitecture #amazingindia #loveindia❤️ #lovemytravels

Mumbai… a feast for the senses! So colourful, so loud, so pungent! The people are delightful… and there are a LOT of them! Mumbai population is 21million! I am here on an adventure and am overwhelmed by the British influence here in the heart of the old city. Now to taste the food… yum!!! #annaoflondon #indianadventure #lovemytravels❤️

I’m just here for a meeting at the Palace. The Royal Mews is the one place where you can visit the Buckingham Palace complex for much of the year. For 8 months it is open 5 days a week and royal carriages can be viewed including the Gold State Carriage which was last seen on the streets in May ‘23 for the coronation of King Charles III. I am here to get an update on plans for visitors, to organise extra educational visits for our London Blue Badge Guides and to see if we can be of any help to the Palace. I always try to find a bit of gossip but my contacts are so professional… they never divulge anything that is not in the public domain! 🤣 #annaoflondon #bluebadgetouristguides #guidelondon #britainsbestguides #buckinghampalace #royalmews #lovemyjob❤️

If you ever find yourself in Leicester Square at midday or late afternoon look out for this ‘performance’. The Swiss Tourist Office used to be here. They have now closed their office but the Swiss monument still remains! So lovely and a wonderful surprise for unknowing visitors. #switzerland #swisscentre #leicestersquare #legostorelondon #m&msstorelondon #annaoflondon #guidelondon #britainsbestguides #bluebadgetouristguides #lovemyjob❤️

Lasts from Lobbs

So whose feet were these wooden moulds made for? Answer: some very famous people! Find out who on our Fashionable St James’s Virtual Tour. This Thursday 27th Aug at 6pm BST. Book in advance on www.virtualtourslondon.co.uk. I look forward to showing off some fascinating hidden corners of London.#london #hiddensecretsoflondon #FascinatingFacts #LondonOnline #anglophilia

RAF 100 - marching to Buckingham Palace

Nice to see the RAF marching to Buckingham Palace this morning.... we then saw the Queen and Prince Charles arriving at Westminster Abbey for the RAF 100 service. A very exciting morning!

Anna of London

13/06/2024

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30/04/2024

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RAF 100 - marching to Buckingham Palace

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