Platinum ideas to add a royal touch to business events

Windsor-castle

Standing in the Home Park of Windsor Castle, the gardens at Frogmore House have been an enduring attraction for monarchs and their families since the house was purchased by Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III in 1790.

During August 2022, the house and its gardens will be open to pre-booked groups of 15 or more.

Visitors will see a selection of items from the Royal Yacht Britannia; artworks by Queen Victoria's mother, The Duchess of Kent; plus the Mary Moser Room, commissioned by Queen Charlotte to reflect her passion for botany. 

Queen Charlotte also introduced over 4,000 trees and shrubs to create the picturesque gardens Frogmore. An 18th-century summerhouse in the form of a Gothic ruin is covered in wisteria during the summer, and a teahouse made for Queen Victoria are both still standing.

Why not combine a group visit to Frogmore with a meeting or event at Ascot Racecourse? 

This remarkable venue is an inspirational setting for any occasion and has over 300 different spaces for hire, along with a range of day-delegate, banqueting and racing hospitality packages. Ascot Racecourse is home to Royal Ascot, which takes place in June and has been attended by the Queen on every occasion throughout her reign. On the first day, Her Majesty and members of the Royal Family arrive in a magnificent procession ahead of an afternoon of world-class racing. 

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The official residence of the Queen, London is home to Buckingham Palace. Open for individual and group guided tours from July to October, the home of The Queen is the famous backdrop to the regular Changing the Guard ceremony. For the Platinum Jubilee, from 22 July to 2 October, the Palace will feature a display looking at The Queen's Accession to the throne with the series of portraits taken by Dorothy Wilding.

Also at Buckingham Palace, visitors can explore The Royal Mews, home to historic royal carriages and one of the finest working stables in existence. Open from May until October, groups can see the horses, marvel at The Queen's Diamond Jubilee State Coach - first used at the State Opening of Parliament on 4 June 2014, and tour the livery worn by The Queen's coachmen. 

Currently the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Kensington Palace was designed by Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul's Cathedral. It was completed in just six months so that King William and Queen Mary could move in by Christmas Eve, 1689. 

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Groups can walk in the footsteps of royalty with tours of the magnificent King’s State Apartments and Queen’s State Apartments, and discover the story of Princess Victoria, the young girl destined to be queen at age 18, in the rooms where she was born and raised. 

Opened in March 2022, Life Through a Royal Lens is a new exhibition at Kensington Palace, exploring the Royal Family through photography. It brings together some of the most iconic images ever taken of the Royal Family.

Besides group tours to treat delegates and incentivise staff and collaborators, Kensington Palace has seven state apartments to host all sizes of corporate events - from 36 delegates for dinner to 800 guests for a standing reception.

Whilst in London, head to the magnificent Westminster Abbey, where the Queen had her coronation. Open for guided tours, the Royal church and site of coronations since 1066 is also available for corporate hospitality - giving events more than a touch of royal significance.

Planners can host a dinner or reception in one of the unique heritage spaces, set within the Abbey grounds - and offer guests a private tour of the Abbey. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries, housed 52 feet above the ground, in the Abbey’s 13th century triforium - can be hired for a stand-alone drinks reception for up to 100 guests, or in conjunction with a larger dinner event in the Cellarium.

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Sandringham House, one of the royal residences of The Queen, whose father George VI and grandfather George V both died here, stands in a 20,000-acre estate in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

As part of the year-long Platinum Jubilee celebrations, an exhibition will feature objects and photographs demonstrating the 95-year-old monarch's love of horses. Running from April until 13 October, it will also include an audiovisual display showing the Queen's first televised Christmas Day message, broadcast from Sandringham House in 1957. 

Katherine Jenkins and The Military Wives will perform a live outdoor music concert on Friday 3 June and the BBC Platinum Party at the Palace will be shown on a big screen in the Royal Parkland the next day.

Groups can enjoy a private guided tour of Sandringham House concluding in the ballroom with the chance to sample a glass of Sandringham Apple Juice or Sandringham Gin.

Highgrove is the private residence of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire. 

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Since 1980, when Charles first arrived at Highgrove, the Prince of Wales has devoted much energy to transforming the gardens around the house, which are renowned as some of the most inspiring and innovative in the UK. 

Groups of up to 20 people can receive private tours of the gardens on selected dates between April and October each year. For an extra special tour for up to 18 people, Highgrove offers Group Champagne Tea Tours. Your group will explore the Gardens and afterwards enjoy afternoon tea with Highgrove Champagne.

To combine a private tour of the Highgrove estate with a meeting or event, head to nearby Cheltenham.

Cheltenham Ladies’ College opened its doors in 1854 and has outstanding facilities available for corporate hire.

The Lower Hall, one of the oldest rooms at Cheltenham Ladies’ College, can host 200 delegates theatre-style or 150 standing guests for a reception. While the Garden Common Room is surrounded by a beautiful view of the college grounds and can be used for drinks reception, presentations or banqueting space for 100 seated guests to dine.