Local Rotary Club enjoys a right royal outing!

Lasting around an hour, the tour showcased many of the Royal Family’s historic royal carriages, including the world-famous Gold State Coach, and also the stables where the royal horses are kept, all of which are personally chosen and named by the Queen herself.

The current Royal Mews was built in the gardens of Buckingham Palace in 1825.  However, the history of the institution goes back much further, to the King's Mews in the reign of Richard II in the late 14th century. For around 100 years until the reign of Henry VII, the King's Mews was at Charing Cross on the present site of the National Gallery in London.

After George III bought the then Buckingham House in 1762, he moved some of his horses and carriages to the grounds and commissioned the architect Sir William Chambers to create a riding school.  However, the main royal stables housing the ceremonial coaches and their horses remained at Charing Cross.

John Nash, who was in charge of rebuilding Buckingham Palace for George IV, also built the present Royal Mews. The buildings were completed in 1825 at a cost of over £65,000. Nash built grand stables for 100 horses around the riding school, a Doric-style arch, surmounted by a clock tower, leading into the quadrangle of the Mews, as well as coach houses and harness rooms. For further information about The Royal Mews, please visit www.rct.uk/visit/royalmews.