The Crown Jewels

The Crown Jewels,Kings and queens of England have stored crowns in Tower of London
Kings and queens of England have stored crowns, robes, and other items of their ceremonial regalia at the Tower of London for over 600 years.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in London
Tower of London
One of England's first Norman castles, as well as its most feared prison and the home of the Crown Jewels.
Tower Bridge
London's iconic bridge across the River Thames, with two beautiful Victorian towers.
HMS Belfast
An iconic battleship permanently moored on the Thames ,that once served in WW2.
Shad Thames
A historic riverside street besides Tower Bridge. Lined with tall Victorian warehouses.
Boar’s Head Inn
Boar’s Head Inn comprehends a few taverns in London with reference to Shakespeare plays and characters, specially Henry IV.
East India Company
Today's current Lloyd's of London Building occupies what was once the former site of the East India Company - itself famous for the wealth and corruption it brought Englishmen returning from its service.

Related Tours

Tower of London & the Heart of Westminster: Private Half-Day Tour
Explore the home of the British Monarchy in the heart of the city and discover some of Royal London’s most popular landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster, and Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben), including a visit to the Tower of London and seeing the exquisite Crown Jewels. 

On your private half-day tour, you will:

  • Meet your professional Blue Badge tour guide to start your journey at the Tower of London, a 900-year-old historic castle and fortress;
  • Marvel at the magnificent Crown Jewels, some of the most important symbols of the Monarchy still used today by the Royal Family;
  • See stunning views of London’s most popular landmarks from the water including Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the London Eye;
  • Enjoy a walking tour that will take you to Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Parliament and Big Ben;
  • End your tour in Trafalgar Square, where your guide will recommend other must-see sites you don't want to miss.

Your tour will begin at the Tower of London where you will explore this 900-year-old castle and learn about the kings and queens who lived and died in the Tower and its role as a fortress, prison, zoo, and observatory. 

Before entering the Jewel House to see the famous Crown Jewels collection, your guide will tell you all about their religious and cultural significance and the many attempts to steal these beautiful diamonds! Important: Your guide will be accompanying you through the visit but is not allowed to give live commentary while inside the collection.
 
After visiting the Tower of London, you will commute like a true Londoner to Westminster where you will see some of the most popular sights from the water along the way, including Tower Bridge and the London Eye.

Once in Westminster, you will see the Houses of Parliament - the home of the British government, and the magnificent Elizabeth Tower known as "Big Ben". A short walk on, you will come to the exterior of the beautiful Westminster Abbey, where every English king and queen for the last 1000 years has received their coronation, and where Prince William and Kate Middleton were married. 

Walk along the Mall and learn curious facts about British kings and queens, who turned the British Empire into the most dominant power on Earth. 

Your tour finishes in Trafalgar Square, where your guide will show you the best places to spend the rest of your time exploring, dining, and shopping.
Horse Guards Parade, Westminster & Tower of London: Full-Day Tour
Experience a full-day private tour of London's spectacular Royal landmarks with a private and knowledgeable Blue Badge guide and discover the most popular sites including the Tower of London, the best of Westminster and the opportunity to see the Changing of the Guard. 

On your private full-day tour, you will:

  • Visit  Parliament Square and see the famous Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey (from the outside only);
  • Walk through St James’s Park, see the giant marble memorial to Queen Victoria in front of Buckingham Palace and follow the famous Changing of the Guard parade;
  • See St James's Palace and Horse Guards Parade;
  • Walk along Whitehall to see number 10 Downing Street and through Trafalgar Square;
  • Enjoy a scenic boat ride along the Thames with views of St Paul’s Cathedral and the Globe Theatre;
  • Explore the Tower of London, a former royal castle turned traitor's prison;
  • Go round the White Tower, the armoury and mint; 
  • Step inside the dungeons and torture chambers, walk the battlements and visit the Chapel Royal; 
  • Learn about the Princes in the Tower, Henry VIII and the fate of his wives Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, the young Lady Jane Grey, Sir Walter Raleigh, and many others; 
  • Meet the ravens and the Beefeaters or Yeoman Warders who guard the Tower;
  • Admire the dazzling Crown Jewels;
  • End outside the Jewel House where you are free to explore more at your own leisure or exit the Tower with your guide. 

Please note: that the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace happens on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, but can be subject to change and weather conditions. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays you will see the changing of the Horseguards at Horse Guards Parade on Whitehall.
You can check the schedule here: https://changing-guard.com/dates-buckingham-palace.html

Enjoy Royal London on this fantastic day tour that begins in the heart of Westminster, follows the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and ends with the sight of the dazzling Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. 

Meet your guide at Westminster for a tour outside the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. Learn about the political history of Parliament Square and its relationship to The Crown. Westminster Abbey has been the site of 38 coronations since 1066, and numerous royal weddings and funerals, including the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and Her Majesty The Queen's state funeral. 

From Westminster, wander up Birdcage Walk where you will follow the pomp and pageantry of the Changing of the Guard ceremony. Follow the Guardsmen and military band, with their famous red coats and black bearskin hats to Buckingham Palace. Head into Trafalgar Square, via Horseguards Parade, and along Whitehall - the political nerve centre of the UK and the address of 10 Downing Street - home to the British Prime Minister. 

Enjoy a scenic boat ride along the Thames to Tower Bridge. You'll get to see London and Waterloo Bridges, the London Eye, the Globe, the skyscrapers, and St Paul’s Cathedral from the boat. 

Your guide will then accompany you to St. Katherine's Docks for lunch (not included), after which you will enjoy an exclusive private tour of the infamous Tower of London, with reserved tickets included. 

Then it's time to enter the Tower of London! Walk past Traitor's Gate and discover the many stories and scandals hidden within the walls of this ancient building.  It was formerly a moated royal palace, that became an armoury, a royal mint, a zoo... and most famously the traitor's prison! You'll meet the Beefeaters and the ravens who guard the Tower and discover the stories behind some of the Tower's most famous prisoners from the young Princes in the Tower to Queen Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey whose graffiti you can still see in her prison cell. 

Explore the White Tower, the oldest part of the fortress, walk the battlements, enter the torture chambers (if you dare!) and visit the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula, where some very famous queens are buried.  

Best of all, you will be able to admire the dazzling Crown Jewels which are kept behind extensive security in the aptly-named Jewel House. 

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the strict security measures in place and the moving viewing platform, your guide cannot accompany you but will wait for you at the exit.

End your tour inside the Tower to explore more at your leisure - or return to modern life with your guide! 
The Tower of London: Private Half-Day Tour Including Crown Jewels
Explore the UK's royal history, dating back 1000 years and discover one of London’s most recognisable icons, a former royal palace turned prison – the Tower of London. 

On your private Tower of London tour you will:

  • See the famous Crown Jewels,  which are still used for state occasions today; 
  • Visit the Royal Apartments and Prison Cells inside the Castle;
  • See the graffiti left by Lady Jane Grey and Sir Walter Raleigh;
  • Learn about the fate of the Princes in the Tower;
  • Hear about the imprisonment and execution of two of Henry VIII's wives: Anne Boleyn and Catharine Howard;
  • Visit the White Tower - the oldest part of the Tower complex built in 1066;
  • See the impressive armoury and learn about the Royal Mint;
  • Learn the Tower's history and transformation from working Royal Palace to royal mint, to royal prison; 
  • Hear about the moat and the polar bears that no longer exist, and medieval battle techniques;
  • Finish your tour inside the Tower, where you can continue to explore at your own leisure. 
Please note: to minimise your time waiting in a queue for the Crown Jewels, we recommend booking the morning tour, which begins as the Tower opens.

Visit the Tower of London with your private guide, see the dazzlingly magnificent Crown Jewels, and learn about one of the world's most famous castles. For nearly 800 years the Tower was also England’s most dreaded prison, and in its time has held some of the most high-profile names in European history, including three English Queens: Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Lady Jane Grey. 

Despite its grim history, the castle has always been primarily a royal palace. During the Middle Ages, it was a tradition that before the coronation ceremony of a new monarch the next king or queen would spend the night in the Tower of London in preparation for the big day. 

It was also probably the first zoo in England, housing the royal menagerie, which visitors can see wire sculptures of today. The menagerie has been empty since 1835, but there are still seven black ravens - cared for by the resident Raven Master. Legend has it that if the birds leave, the Tower will fall.

Meet the Yeoman Warders - nicknamed the Beefeaters, all of whom served in the Armed Forces with distinction. Visit the Chapel Royal and view the burial site of many of those executed in the Tower Grounds! Visit the White Tower, the armoury, the Royal Mint, walk the battlements and enter the torture chambers - a chilling experience indeed! 

Learn of the historical mysteries associated with the place,  like the Princes in the Tower. The Tower of London is brimming with stories of kingship, romance, murder, imprisonment, and brutal execution. 

From medieval fortress to the guardianship of the Crown Jewels, it remains a vibrant site, and one of England’s most loved castles. 
The Tower of London & Tower Bridge: Private Half-Day Tour
Explore two of London’s most iconic sites – the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, and learn all about the last 1000 years of royal history. 

On your private half-day tour you will:

  • Enjoy a privately guided tour of the Tower of London, with an expert Blue Badge Guide;
  • Admire the dazzling Crown Jewels and learn all about their place in coronations;
  • Visit the Royal Apartments and Prison Cells inside the Castle; 
  • Learn all about the long history of the Tower of London, from royal castle to infamous prison;
  • Visit the White Tower, the battlements, and the Chapel Royal where three executed Queens are buried;
  • Hear the tragic stories of Anne Boleyn and Catharine Howard, wives of Henry VIII who were held prisoner and executed at the Tower;
  • Learn about the mysterious legend of the Princes in the Tower, and walk past Traitor's Gate;
  •  See the famous ravens of the Tower, and meet the Beefeaters in their historic uniforms;
  • Leave the Tower and walk to the Victorian Engine Rooms of Tower Bridge and learn about the history of this famed icon. 
  • Take your tickets to Tower Bridge from your guide who will direct you to and leave you at the entrance; 
  • End by walking the  42 Metre High Walkway and stand on the spectacular glass floor, where you can see the traffic and river below. 
First erected as a safe castle fortress by William the Conqueror, the Tower of London was first and foremost a royal residence. It was built as a defensive castle, with a moat, battlements, and arrow slit windows. Later it became the Royal Mint and Armoury - indeed it was a veritable marketplace. 

During the reign of Henry VIII, it became infamous as a place of imprisonment and execution: Trader's Gate became known as Traitor's Gate! This is where Anne Boleyn and Catharine Howard - the unfortunate wives of Henry VIII, Lady Jane Grey, and Sir Walter Raleigh would have entered the Tower by boat when the Thames water was higher than it is today. 

You'll hear many stories of the Tower's unlucky residents over the years - from the mysterious events surrounding the young Princes in the Tower to poor Lady Jane Grey, an innocent pawn in the power struggles of Tudor England. 

Visit the impressive White Tower, admire heavily polished suits of armour, walk the battlements, and of course gaze on the dazzlingly beautiful, priceless Crown Jewels in the Jewel House. Due to tight security measures, your guide will explain the Jewels and their historic significance outside as you enter alone - there is a moving platform and the jewels are kept behind bulletproof glass. Your guide will meet you at the exit to the Jewel House.

After you tour the Tower of London, your guide will take you to the magnificent Tower Bridge, where you will be given a tour of the Victorian engine rooms, which control the mechanism to raise the bridge, and then left with tickets to ascend to the top of the bridge at your own pace. 

There is both an elevator entrance and stairs, so you may choose how you wish to get to the top of the tower to see the spectacular views below! 
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