From Bentley to Bollinger, the list of brands that are proud holders of Royal Warrants resembles a roll call of superior retailers from Britain and beyond. Not every company with a Royal Warrant has a glamorous image (everyday examples include the pharmacy Boots and Twinings, producer of the famous Earl Grey tea), but they all excel in their chosen fields. Continue reading “A Guide to Royal Warrants – Marks of Distinction”
“Nothing ordinary ever happened here, nor could it.”
That’s the motto of Cliveden House, the famous five-star hotel in Berkshire. Cliveden is no stranger to the headlines; most recently, it captured the media’s attention when Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, stayed there on the eve of her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. Moreover, it has its own documentary series, A Very British Country House, on Channel 4. Continue reading “Cliveden House – Britain’s Most Aristocratic Hotel?”
Living in a historic, prestigious property without the burden of a mortgage or rent sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? But for hundreds of years, this has been the reality for a chosen few: the inhabitants of Britain’s grace-and-favour homes. The properties range from flats to sprawling estates that rival the National Trust’s country houses.
Grace-and-favour residences are typically owned by the Queen. Their name points to the fact that they’re leased at her discretion to notable, favoured individuals. A grace-and-favour home might be an official residence for someone whose work is of national importance or a reward for services to the monarchy or state (for a retired member of the Queen’s household staff or military veteran, say). The widowed spouse of a distinguished individual can also be housed in this way. Continue reading “Looking through the Keyhole at Britain’s Grace-and-Favour Homes”
