We love welcoming American and Canadian tourists to Secret Cottage on our Cotswolds guided tours.
There are many reasons our visitors love England so much and one of them is our Royal Family!
It’s said that when Prince William and Kate Middleton walked down the aisle, two billion people watched; 60 million of them in America.
And there are plenty of Royal connections right here in the Cotswolds.
Princess Anne (HRH Princess Royal) is the only daughter of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. She lives at Gatcombe Park in the southern Cotswolds which you’ll find between Minchinhampton and Avening.
Gatcombe Park is a Grade II listed building built in the late 18th century and set in steep-sloping grounds. The house and farming estate were bought for Anne, the Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips by the Queen in 1976.
The grounds are used to host the Festival of British Eventing and incorporates the British Open, Intermediate and Novice Championships. As well as a weekend of top class eventing there is a shopping village, arena attractions and entertainment for all the family.
Six miles away from Princess Anne, close to the market town of Tetbury, lives Prince Charles – at Highgrove House.
Highgrove House was purchased by the Duchy of Cornwall in 1980 and is a late 18th century property. The home is most famous for its stunning organically managed gardens which are open to the public from April to October. The gardens receive more than 30,000 visitors a year and you have to book well in advance because tickets sell out.
Princess Anne enjoys shopping in Cirencester and Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry often play polo there.
In Cirencester, you’ll find Catherine Zoraida – Award winning British Luxury Jewellery designer – who designed a pair of earrings worn by Kate Middleton. The earrings were inspired by a couple of ash seeds Catherine picked up when walking through the town.
Having worn her Cotswold-inspired earrings twice on a Royal tour in 2012, the Duchess of Cambridge helped Catherine’s business really take-off.
In Tetbury, Highgrove Shop was opened in 2008. Tetbury shops have served the Royal Household for many years with some gaining the prestigious Royal Warrant.
Although we can’t promise you’ll be shaking hands with Royalty on our Cotswolds guided tours, we’ll certainly treat YOU like Royalty by doing all the driving, serving you food and drinks throughout the day and letting you simply relax and enjoy the view!