donnae_b

If Buckingham's Flag is flying the Queen is home.
What other interesting facts do you know about London?

Deloris

If you were in front of the palace and saw the flag, you were there too!

donnae_b

Deloris, You can see the flag from across the city.

janis

Just how did you see the standard from across the city? B'ham Palace is not a very tall bldg and except for straight down the Mall (and even that would be doubtful since the wedding cake would be in the way) or right in front of the Palace, it isn't very likely you could see it "from across the city". Just too many trees and bldgs in the way . . . .

Intrepid

Sometimes even when the Queen is at "home" I'm not sure she and her immediate family are really "all there."

Scarlett

Intrepid, could that be because the lights are on but no ones home?

obxgirl

OK, I'll play. On our last trip to London we learned that the red Royal Mail boxes originated during Queen Victoria's reign and you can tell the age of any box by the insignia of the monarch on the front. Supposedly the rarest are the boxes with the insignia of Edward VIII which were quickly replaced after his brief reign. We never found one.

ben_haines_london

If Buckingham?s flag is flying the County Council is celebrating something. If the flag is flying over Buckingham Palace the Queen is in Residence.

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KidsToLondon

I believe that the Royal Standard, not the Union Jack, flying over Buckingham Palace, indicates the Queen is in residence.

Other interesting facts about London? Well, numerous books have been written on the subject....but here's two bits of trivia for your collection.

Only a handful of people were executed in the Tower of London--despite its "chopping block" reputation. Executions in the Tower were private--most condemmed prisoners were publically executed on Tower Hill. And a less macabre fact about the Tower: it housed a royal menagerie until the 1800s when the animals were moved to Regents Park--now site of the London Zoo.

David White
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JimSteel

In a flag flying related sort of topic...Did you know that the Union Flag is only flown on Government buildings 19 occasions thoughout the year.
http://www.culture.gov.uk/historic_e...Flag_fying.htm
It very sad that I know this sorry.

keith_l

There are a number of deserted Underground stations which have closed but which trains still pass through. The most recent of these is the Charing Cross station on the Jubilee Line (though the Northern Line station is still open) and the outside of the Strand station on the Piccadilly line is still in existance although it closed (I believe) in the 1950s - it's just opposite the BBC World Service building, Bush House.

Mornington Crescent, though closed for repairs for years, is now open again.

Let's see - Morden....

Kate

Actually, when the Queen is NOT in residence, the Union Jack is seen flying over Buckingham Palace. If she IS there, it is replaced with the Royal Standard (red and blue thing with gold lions and stuff on it)

benatbath

Tube trains don't actually pass through the Jubilee part of Charing Cross station because the whole line was diverted away towards Westminster - and the Aldwych/Strand station was only actually closed in about 1993 - there is lots of information on the different closed stations at http://www.starfury.demon.co.uk/uground/