Buckingham Palace & Legal London

Sunday 22 August

Leaving Devon we make our way up to London and Buckingham Palace with a stop on route. Recognised around the world as King Charles III official residence and a royal working Palace. Explore the magnificent State Rooms which are open to the public for just a few weeks each summer. The State Rooms are the public rooms in the Palace where The King and members of the Royal Family receive and entertain their guests of State, ceremonial and official occasions. There are 19 State Rooms, which mainly reflect the taste of George IV, who commissioned the architect John Nash to transform Buckingham House into a grand palace in 1825. The Throne Room is used by The King for court ceremonies and official entertaining and was the setting for the wedding photos of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The White Drawing Room serves as a royal reception room for The King and members of the Royal Family to gather before official occasions. The Ballroom was completed in 1855, during the reign of Queen Victoria. It was originally known as the Ball and Concert Room and features a musicians' gallery complete with an organ. Today, the Ballroom is used for official purposes, including investitures and State Banquets. We then head to our hotel near Heathrow where you will have time to relax before dinner.

Monday 23 August

After breakfast, we head back into London for a tour of The Royal Courts of Justice, Lincoln's Inn and a talk outside the Old Bailey. It starts at the RCJ, a stunning historical building where some of the country's most significant legal judgements are made. Find out why barristers wear wigs. The huge sums earned by some lawyers and why barristers working in the criminal justice system went on strike. The good and the bad in our justice system are revealed. This is followed by a wander through the secret alleys and courtyards of the nearby Inns of Court, in the footsteps of some of the country's most renowned legal minds. The tour then moves on to the Old Bailey, the country's leading criminal court, for a talk outside on the fascinating history of the Old Bailey and the trials covered by the guide which shocked the nation. Afterwards we board the coach and make our journey back to Devon with a comfort break on route.

D=Dinner, FE=Full English Breakfast