G liding through the streets of London in a Rolls-Royce Phantom, the first thing you notice is the silence. Almost no outside noise penetrates the triple-glazed windows of our luxury wheels.
We’re headed to the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels, and what better way to travel than in such decadent - dare we say it - regal style? It’s all part of a Peninsula Academy programme created by The Peninsula London to offer guests unforgettable cultural, historical and creative experiences during their stay. Our excursion couldn’t be more quintessentially British: a special Crown Jewels guided tour, followed by afternoon tea and a private gemmology masterclass at the opulent hotel’s in-house Garrard boutique. Assembling in the cobbled courtyard of The Peninsula, we jump in a chauffeur- driven “Peninsula Green” Rolls-Royce, part of a fleet of 13 customised vehicles at guests’ disposal. On arrival at the Tower, we’re greeted by an Historic Royal Palaces guide, who ushers us past the queues and into the dimly lit Jewel House, where some of the world’s most famous gems are on display. It’s like entering an Aladdin’s Cave, filled with such celebrated pieces as the legendary Koh-i-Noor diamond, set in the crown worn by the late Queen Mother, and the Black Prince’s Ruby, nestled in the Imperial State Crown.
The room’s relative darkness only serves to enhance the natural sparkle of these extraordinary jewels, guarded in the historic fortress since 1661 and part of a unique working collection of royal regalia still regularly used by the monarch for ceremonies such as the State Opening of Parliament. At the heart of the collection are the coronation regalia, the sacred objects used during the coronation ceremony, denoting the powers and responsibilities of the monarch. It’s quite something to see up-close the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross, which contains the world’s largest colourless cut diamond, the Sovereign’s Orb and the Coronation Spoon – all most recently used at the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Our guide points out the Imperial State Crown and Queen Mary’s Crown, originally made by Garrard, the Royal Family’s first Crown Jeweller, in 1911, and subsequently modified for Queen Camilla.
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