St James's Park

Overview

St James's Park is incredibly beautiful, manicured, and the oldest of the eight Royal Parks. It occupies an impossibly central, majestic location surrounded tightly by three royal palaces.

Highlights

• The Blue Bridge: Walk directly to the center of the lake bridge for an absolutely unrivaled, framed view straight towards the magnificent facade of Buckingham Palace.
• The Pelicans: The famous, incredibly large resident pelicans that have lived famously on the park's lake ever since a Russian Ambassador gifted them to King Charles II in 1664.
• The Flower Beds: The flawlessly maintained, vibrant formal flower beds running spectacularly along the edges of the lake, bursting with color in spring and summer.

History

Originally marshland acquired by Henry VIII, it was spectacularly redesigned by the French landscape genius André Le Nôtre specifically for Charles II. He reshaped it explicitly in the strict formal French style to deeply impress his royal guests.

Visitor Tips

• Pelican Feeding: Exactly at 2:30 PM every single day, the park keepers feed the massive pelicans huge fresh fish next to Duck Island.
• Horse Guards Parade: The massive, sweeping sandy parade ground directly on the eastern edge frequently hosts incredible royal military ceremonies.
• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.