Howdy My Western Hearts! Today I am sharing more about my trip to England and The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace. This post was originally written in 2015, and has been updated at this time. Fun to think I have had a blog for such a long time.

What is The Royal Mews?

As promised in my last post, I would be sharing my visit to The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace. First of all, I had never heard of the Royal Mews until my amazing, well-traveled friend told me about it as were bouncing around on the Big Red Bus in cold, grey, foggy London.

I never had heard of a mews before, let alone a royal mews.

The definitions of a mews, primarily a British noun

1. a row or street of houses or apartments that have been converted from stables or built to look like former stables.

   • a group of stables, typically with rooms above, built around a yard or along an alley.

The Royal Mews is responsible for road transport for The King and members of the Royal Family by both horse-drawn carriage and motor car. Incidentally it is one of the finest working stables still in existence, responsible for the training the horses that pull the royal carriages.

The Royal Mews houses and maintains all state vehicles, including carriages used for royal and State occasions, such as weddings and State Visits. If you would like more detailed information regarding the Royal Mews, please click here.

First Stop at The Royal Mews

When we walked into the Royal Mews the first thing we saw was two the royal carriage horses. A real feast for a horse lovers’ eyes, these beautiful white Windsor Greys stand on average 16.1 hands high (a hand is 4 inches) and they are known for their calm quiet temperament. A good match for pulling royal carriages. 

There are 2 types of horses used to pull the carriages at the Royal Mews: Windsor Greys and Cleveland Bays. 

Windsor Greys

Getting to meet 2 of the royal horses was a trip highlight. Storm and Claudia, beautiful Windsor Greys, greeted us as we started our tour. Storm really seemed to enjoy the attention, he stood so proud as if to say, “hi, I’m a royal carriage horse, nice to meet you!”

Claudia on the other hand seemed a little shy or perhaps bored with the whole greeting process. Both horses were breathtaking and downright dreamy. 

Here is Storm saying "hello and nice to meet you" in his best proper British accent.

Sadly we did not see any Cleveland Bays on our tour, they are used to pick up high commissioners and ambassadors presenting their credentials to the monarch, for other day-to-day activities, and as workhorses. 

Next on the Tour - Carriages of the Royal Mews

I have to say seeing these carriages up close was a thrill! Sure, you see them on the telly but to see them live was really something. The craftsmanship and attention to detail was spectacular, fit for a King. Fancy, elegant and truly amazing pieces of art.

Take a look at some of the photos

Queen Alexandra’s State Coach

This coach is named after King Edward the Seventh’s wife Queen Alexandra, who used it for much of her life.

Queen Alexandra's State Coach was built around the year 1865, initially as a plain 'town coach'. Approximately 30 years later it was glazed and converted into a State Coach for the use of the Princess of Wales (later Queen) Alexandra.

The Irish State Coach

And last but not least the...(insert royal music and fanfare) Ta da!

The Gold State Coach

The Gold State coach has been used at every coronation since that of George IV in 1821. Amazing!

The Gold State Coach is a dazzling, living part of British history. The quintessential carriage which was featured at Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee pageant and at the Coronation of King Charles III, is on display at the Royal Mews.

Some more facts on The Gold State Coach

• Built in 1762 to transport British kings and queens
• Designed by William Chambers and
• Made by the coachmaker Samuel Butler

The coach is quite huge and measures seven meters long, 3.6 meters tall, weighs four tons, and needs eight horses to draw it. Due to it's advanced age and weight, it is only ever used at a walking pace.

Queen Elizabeth II used it on her Coronation Day in 1953, traveling from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, and then back again. It has been reported that Royal Mews staff strapped a hot water bottle under the seat, apparently it was unseasonably cold and wet. Oh boy I can relate! I would have loved a hot water bottle strapped under my seat on the Big Red Bus.

The Tour at The Royal Mews

The tour is a self guided tour, you can rent head phones and get all the information that you want…or not.

Here is me, looking a little soggy after our Big Red Bus tour in the rain, but none the less having a fantastic time.

There were also other coaches, autos and a fabulous indoor riding arena. Sorry I can't find those pictures but it was spectacular. The riding arena even smelled amazing.  

Shopping At the Royal Mews Gift Shop

We ended our tour at the Royal Mews Gift shop. The items in the shop, as you can imagine, were very fancy, full of tea and deliciousness.  I decided to purchase this cute little guy, we named him Storm.

Storm made his way all through London after our tour of the Royal Mews but sadly, I left him in the taxi at the end of the evening and he has not been seen since…He was meant for a very special someone waiting patiently for me at home…ah the disappointment. Really quite sad…I was in a panic as I knew we did not have time to head back to the Royal Mews Gift Shop

So, I did what any mama would do…I went online and ordered a new one... luckily for me,  Santa swung by the Royal Mews on Christmas Eve and the new Storm found his new home all the way back in sunny So Cal. 😉

If you are a horse lover or horse enthusiast, visiting The Royal Mews is a must however, if you are planning a trip to England now and want to see the Royal Mews, it won't reopen until 1 March 2024

Until next time, happy healthy trails! See ya next time!

Lisa

Have you been to the Royal Mews? Would you like to? Drop a comment below and let me know ♥