Beyondships Cruise Destinations
  • Cruise Destinations and Ports
  • Cruise Ship Profiles
  • Cruise Travel News
  • Beyondships Cruise FAQs
  • What's New
  • Cruise Articles
  • Cruise Interviews
  • Cruise Links
  • Cruise Home Page
  • Canada New England Cruise Destinations
  • Caribbean Cruise Destinations
  • Cruise Ship Tours
  • Notices
  • Beyondships Art
  • Privacy Policy
  • Althorp
  • Blenheim Palace
  • Broadlands
  • Stratfield Saye
  • Hever Castle
  • Hatfield House
  • The Vyne
  • Osterley Park
  • Chatsworth
  • Highclere Castle
  • Beyond Downton Abby
  • Chiswick House
  • Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
  • Kew Palace
Dover cruise port
Harwich cruise port
Portland cruise port
Southampton cruise port
England travel index
​
London travel index

CRUISING TO ENGLAND:



VISITING
THE
ROYAL MEWS 
by
Richard H. Wagner

The Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace, London, England
Buckingham Palace series

Buckingham Palace
The State Rooms
Changing of the Guard
The Queen's Gallery
The Royal Mews
Windsor Grey, Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace, London
The Royal Mews houses the horses, carriages and motor vehicles that are used by the Royal Family during state occasions. These vehicles are used by other people from time to time such as chauffeuring visiting heads of state to ceremonies and bringing newly-appoint ambassadors to the Palace to present their credentials.

On a visit to the Royal Mews, guests see the ornate carriages that feature in the State Opening of Parliament, royal weddings and other such occasions. You may also get to see some of the four-legged residents of the Mews. They include 10 Windsor Greys and 20 Cleveland Bays.


Stables, Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace, London

History of the Mews

The original Royal Mews was adjacent to Whitehall Palace where the present-day Trafalgar Square is located. It began as a place to keep the king's falcons when they were molting or mewing. The name “mews” was carried on even after the area became a stable and place to store carriages.

When George III moved into Buckingham House, he brought a few horses and carriages with him. However, since this was to be more of a private residence, he left the bulk of his horses and carriages at their traditional location.

But when his son George IV decided to transform Buckingham House a palace, he closed the old Royal Mews and brought the horses and carriages to the new palace. His architect John Nash built the new mews around a riding school which had been built in George III's time. The chief feature of his design is an arch topped by a clock tower that leads to the Mews quadrangle. It also provided for stables for 54 horses, a forge, and harness rooms.

Queen Victoria expanded the mews. At one time, she had 200 horses stabled there. She also built new and accommodations for the staff and commissioned a school for their children.

With the coming of the 20th century, the Mews also took on the role of garage, housing limousines used by the Royals. During World War II, the horses were evacuated to Windsor Castle. However, the Mews was revived after the war.
Riding school, Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace, London
limousine, Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace, London
When Prince Charles and Princess Anne were young, the Queen would often take them to the Mews to see the horses. The Queen also used to practice riding sidesaddle in the Riding School in preparation for the annual Trooping of the Colour.

Today, the Royal Mews is part of the Lord Chamberlain's office.
Carriage, Buckingham Palace, London
Each day a carriage from the Mews distributes the post between Buckingham Palace and St. James Palace.
Next, we take a look at some of the coaches

Click here to continue

For more about cruising to England:


Click here for our index of England travel features
Click here for a walk through Whitehall and Westminster
Click here for our feature on Kensington Palace
Click here for our article on Maritime Greenwich
Click here for our page on the City of London
Click here for our article on the Tower of London
Click here for our article on the Changing of the Guard
Click here for our article on the Banqueting House
Click here for our article on Windsor Castle
Click here for our article on Leeds Castle
Click here for our article on the New Forest
Click here for our article on visiting Exbury Gardens
Click her for our article on The Beatles' Liverpool
Cruise destination guide - England - London - Buckingham Palace - The Royal Mews
Beyondships Cruise Ship Profiles
​
(Information about cruise ships)
BeyondshipsArt.com
(Museum profiles, Art reviews, and Original art)
Beyondships LLC
Notices
Privacy Policy
Beyondships Cruise Ship Pictorials and Reviews
(Photos, videos and reviews of cruise ships)