Royal London

You cannot go far in London without being aware of the city's close connection with the Crown. There are royal palaces, royal parks and colourful ceremonies; if you look at the souvenirs you can see how important royalty is to the capital's tourist industry.

The most important building, but not the most beautiful, is Buckingham Palace, which is the official residence of the Queen.

It overlooks St James's Park where the previous royal residence, St James's Palace, can be found. Running through the park, from Trafalgar Square to the front of Buckingham Palace is The Mall, a wide tree-lined avenue designed for royal processions on ceremonial occasions.

St James's Park is one of ten royal parks in and around London which are owned by the Crown but are open to the public free of charge. They make a special contribution to city-living because their existence has ensured that there are areas of green between the flats, office blocks and other buildings, and that there is somewhere quiet and attractive to escape to, away from traffic jams, crowded shops and congested pavements.

Each park has its own character. Hyde Park, for example, was originally a hunting forest and is still popular with horseriders. People who enjoy a good argument can go to Speakers' Corner (near Marble Arch tube station), where they can listen to people giving their views on a variety of topics to anyone who will listen.

Regent's Park, which was also originally a hunting park, is now the home of London Zoo, and an open air theatre which delights summer audiences with performances of Shakespeare's plays.

Not all the parks are in the centre of London. Greenwich, where the Maritime Museum is, and Richmond, famous for its beautiful trees and wild deer, are both in the suburbs.

Susan Sheerin, Jonathan Seath, Gillian White: Spotlight on Britain; Oxford University Press, 1985, page 27