In front of you, you’ll spot a grand, sandy-colored gateway topped by a large clock, with two stone figures perched on pillars beside black iron gates-just walk towards the majestic archway at the center to discover the Royal Mews.
Welcome to the Royal Mews-where the Queen’s horses always seem to have the right of way, and the carriages are shinier than a freshly-polished crown! Imagine yourself stepping back in time, the gentle clip-clop of hooves echoing down the cobblestones, the air thick with the scent of hay and the soft murmur of stable hands at work. This is no ordinary stable. Since the 1820s, the Royal Mews has been the nerve center for all things equestrian and carriage-related for Buckingham Palace.
But if you hop into the way-back machine, you’ll find the story actually begins not here, but up by Charing Cross, in a place where in 1377, royalty didn’t keep horses, but hawks. And why ‘Mews’? Well, it comes from the French word "muer," which means to molt-this used to be where the royal hawks came for a feather makeover, not a horse haircut! Only after Henry VIII’s stables burned down in 1534 did he move the horses in, keeping the old name just to confuse future historians.
The Mews evolved over time, with riot and revolution swirling outside its gates. In 1820, even the Guards themselves mutinied here, rattling sabers in support of a queen spurned by her husband. Imagine the tension in the air: angry shouts, the metallic scrape of swords, and the thunder of boots on flagstones. It’s like something out of a blockbuster-except this was real royal drama, right where you stand now.
When George IV transformed Buckingham Palace into the ultimate “fixer-upper,” the Royal Mews trotted down here, right into the palace grounds, with designs by the famous John Nash. By then, the Mews was like its own bustling little village: stables on one side, coach houses on the other, and accommodation for everyone from the Crown Equerry to the families of the grooms. There was even a Royal Mews School for the children-proving the royals know early start times aren’t just for the horses.
Here, you’ll find some of the grandest rides this side of the monarchy-gold-trimmed state coaches used for coronations, jubilees, and, on really special days, trips to Tesco (just kidding-but imagine the fuss at the carwash). The dazzling Gold State Coach, the glass coach, the Irish State Coach, and regal landaus, barouches, phaetons, and the legendary state sledge, all lovingly maintained and, remarkably, still in use today.
And before you think it’s all strictly “Downton Abbey with horses,” don’t forget the royal motorcars! Edward VII ushered in the age of engines here, installing a hot water-heated, lantern-lit garage. Now, you’ll discover everything from classic Rolls-Royces and Bentleys in royal claret, to gleaming Jaguars and eco-friendly vehicles. The five main state cars have no number plates, just royal swagger. They say if those Bentleys could talk, they’d probably ask for a knighthood.
If you stand here long enough, you might just spot the Windsor Greys or Cleveland Bays-descendants of the horses that used to pull state carriages for centuries-being exercised in full regalia. Their majestic manes blowing in the wind, you can practically hear the orchestral soundtrack swelling as they pass by.
Behind these regal gates, more than just tradition is kept alive. Today, the Royal Mews is still a living workplace: stables for about 30 horses, beautifully maintained carriages, flats for coachmen, grooms, and chauffeurs, and-no fooling-a compost bin, because all that royal manure gets recycled straight to the palace gardens. Even the most prestigious horses know: reduce, reuse, regality.
It really is a place where the past and present trot along side by side. So listen out for the soft whickers and creak of carriage wheels next time there’s a royal procession. You’ll know the magic began, and still lives on, right here at the Royal Mews!
