The Monarchy — More Than Gossip

The British monarchy is the oldest continuous monarchy in Europe (since 1066 in its current form) and the most famous in the world. The monarch has no political power (theoretically yes, practically no), but a symbolic significance that is hard to overestimate.

King Charles III. (since September 2022) ascended the throne following the death of his mother Elizabeth II., who reigned for 70 years and was, for many, the epitome of duty, constancy, and British virtue. The monarchy is simultaneously a tourist attraction, an economic factor (the Royal Family "earns" more through tourism than it costs), and a hotly debated topic: Royalists revere the tradition, while republicans consider it outdated.

For tourists: Buckingham Palace (State Rooms open in summer, £30), Changing of the Guard (free, 11:00 AM, varying days), Windsor Castle (the largest inhabited castle in the world, £28.50), Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, and of course the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.