Royal Greenwich: A History in Kings and Queens

Discover the rich royal history of the area where Henry VIII built his first tournament ground, Elizabeth I took daily walks in the Park and Charles II raced early royal yachts against his brother.

In 2012, to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Greenwich officially became a Royal Borough. It was just the third in London, and the honour recognised centuries of royal connections that have shaped the area’s history. From late Saxon times to the present day Greenwich has been the backdrop to many notable royal events, from the birth of Henry VIII, to the first public engagement of the future Elizabeth II. Royal Greenwich traces these links and reveals how, through architecture, pageantry, patronage and more, Britain’s monarchs have been the creators of historic Greenwich as it exists today.