If there’s one thing we love about the royals, it’s their clothes. From The Queen’s unending range of hats, to the Duchess of Cambridge’s maternity wear, we’re fascinated by what the other half wear. With the news that Princess Diana’s most famous dresses are to be auctioned for thousands of pounds this month, we’re looking at some of the places in London where you can see attire worn by the royal family - from recently worn clothes to much older garments.

Kensington Palace

One of the best places to view generations of female royal fashions is at Kensington Palace, where a wealth of garments are on display. You can, for example, see a magnificent collection of royal wedding dresses, or marvel at the clothes included in the Victoria Revealed exhibition (including the dress pictured above). Adult tickets are £15.

Buckingham Palace

This summer, Buckingham Palace is the perfect place to begin your exploration of royal fashions through the ages. From 27 July to 29 September, the palace’s State Rooms will host a celebratory display to mark 60 years since The Queen’s coronation. This will feature a range of dresses, robes and uniforms worn by those involved on the day, as well as the chance to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the historic occasion. Keep an eye out for the charming outfits of Prince Charles and Princess Anne, which provide a pleasing contrast to the adult costumes on display. Adult tickets are £19.

Hampton Court Palace

It may not be strictly an item of royal attire, but the replica of King Henry VIII’s crown at Hampton Court Palace is undoubtedly worth a look. Made by the crown jeweller, this stunning piece is on display in the Royal Pew and is crafted to the specifications set out in the King’s servants’ inventories. The original was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell after the English Civil War. Adult tickets to Hampton Court Palace are £16.

Museum of London

As you walk through the many galleries of the Museum of London, you’ll notice various displays of clothing that provide extra context to the eras under scrutiny. Some of these garments belonged to the royal family of the time and within the museum’s collection are royal clothes ranging from the  mid-17th century to the mid-20th. The most intricate items in their collection, however, may sadly never be on display.  Entry is free.

The Tower of London

The most compelling exhibit at the Tower of London is undoubtedly the Crown Jewels. An important symbol of the British monarchy, they are regularly worn by The Queen in state ceremonies and include some of the world’s most beautiful diamonds. Alongside these spectacular adornments you can also view royal armour in the White Tower and King George V’s military uniform in the Fusilier Museum. Entry costs £21.45 for adults.

Kew Palace

Visitors to Kew Palace can see George III’s (1738-1820) waistcoat on display. Made from pale blue damask, the waistcoat was designed for the monarch towards the end of his life and was especially crafted with his comfort in mind. You can check out the long sleeves and fine workmanship on this garment from 2 April when the Palace re-opens. Adult tickets are £6.

More royal attractions in London

Here’s a great video of the Kensington Palace tree. From 1 December 2012, Kensington Palace is transformed into a palace-size advent calendar, with a daily programme of exciting events, music and activities, all inspired by the young Princess Victoria’s Christmas diaries.

Did you spot the elf?

In Covent Garden, there’s a unique 26ft (7.9m) tall Barrel Tree in the East Piazza. Interested in how it got there? Here’s a video explaning all:

Have you spotted any more amazing Christmas Trees in London? Make sure you add any photos you take to our flickrpool.

London’s famous double-decker buses are an ideal way to see the city if you’re on a budget. Buy a Travelcard for the day and take a self-guided city tour on London’s best bus routes. These five cover most of the major sights in the city. Their routes are described from west to east and the return journey passes the same sights in reverse.

Number 74
Starting in Putney, this route travels past London’s museums hub in South Kensington where the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum sit side by side. It then passes luxury department store Harrods and the boundary of one of London’s largest green spaces at Hyde Park Corner. You can catch a glimpse of The Dorchester hotel just after, followed by the famous haunt of public rhetoric – Speaker’s Corner at Marble Arch. The final stop is Baker Street, home to both the Madame Tussauds waxwork museum and the Sherlock Holmes Museum, at the site of the fictional detective’s residence.

Number 9
The number 9 is one of only two routes operating the old-style Routemaster buses on part of its route. Leaving from Hammersmith, it passes Kensington Palace (you’ll have to get off to see it) followed by the beautiful Royal Albert Hall and the monument to Queen Victoria’s husband which sits opposite it. Like the number 74, the 9 passes the museums in Kensington, Harrods and Hyde Park corner. It takes a different route afterwards to visit St James’s Palace, Trafalgar Square, The Savoy hotel and arts and cultural centre Somerset House.

Number RV1
The RV1 is a favourite route for us here at VL Towers! Despite being a single decker, it still passes through some of the best parts of London, giving you a great cultural tour of the city. Soak up some shops and street theatre at Covent Garden before taking the RV1. Hopping on it will take you to the South Bank where you’ll see the London Eye and Royal Festival Hall. The London Bridge stop is metres from the London Dungeon and City Hall is the next sight on the route, which crosses Tower Bridge to finish up at the Tower of London.

Number 24
The 24 sets off from Camden Town which offers alternative fashion and food. The bus then heads to the more mainstream Leicester Square in the centre, calling in at Trafalgar Square and Horse Guards Parade. The political heart of London is next as the bus passes Parliament Square where you’ll find Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, as well as the nearby Westminster Abbey where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were married last year. The final site is the city’s policing headquarters at the iconic New Scotland Yard building.

Be aware that some bus routes might change during the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games – read our top tips for Olympic travel here

If you’ve always longed to learn the polka or fancy a bit of umbrella jousting, the event line-up in London this weekend is looking peachy.

The Chap Olympiad
If you’d rather be stroking your pipe and adjusting your moustache than running the 100 metres, Bedford Square in Bloomsbury is the place to be this weekend. Gentleman’s magazine The Chap invites well-mannered men (and ladies) to its seriously silly event, The Chap Olympiad. The “celebration of athletic ineptitude and immaculate trouser creases” will see contestants throwing cucumber sandwiches instead of the discus and battling in Ironing Board Surfing, Umbrella Jousting and the Pipathlon. 7 – 8 Jul

Hampton Court Flower Show
Look out for energetic scarecrows at the annual flower show at the majestic Hampton Court Palace. The well-loved scarecrow competition has adopted a ‘porting Champions theme this year to reflect – what else? – the Olympic Games. Green-fingered experts will be on hand, along with displays like this year’s central feature which is focused on community gardening. A topical addition to the line-up is the ‘low cost/high impact’ gardens, showing how a much you can do with a limited budget. Until 8 Jul

The London Open at The Whitechapel Gallery
Spot the art stars of the future at The Whitechapel Gallery‘s open submissions exhibition which showcases current London art trends. The 35 contributors were chosen by a panel of experts and their pieces range from a directory of fictitious telephone numbers by conceptual artist Martin John Callanan to a print of Saddam Hussein’s gold bath taps on an imitation Versace silk scarf by Pio Abad. Until 14 Sept

Soane Museum’s new spaces
This little-known museum is a hoard of treasures kept by architect Sir John Soane at Lincoln’s Inn Fields in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The first phase of the £7 million restoration of his neoclassical townhouse is now complete, and this weekend is the first chance to poke around parts of the building never seen before such as the geometric staircase painted to look like the walls of a Roman catacomb. There’s also a brand new gallery with an exhibition exploring the design of Olympic venues. Exhibition until 22 Sept

The Kensington Palace Party
All abilities are welcome at these free outdoor dancing lessons and demonstrations in the gardens of Kensington Palace. This year’s workshops pay tribute to the two Queens who have celebrated a diamond jubilee: polka and Morris dancing reflect trends in Victoria’s reign, while a rock and roll class led by the London Swing Dance Society will honour us “new Elizabethans” and today’s queen. Head to the Gold Gates to find a spot – it’s first come, first served. 7-8 July

I was lucky enough to have a sneak preview of the newly refurbished Kensington Palace, ahead of its opening on Monday.

The entrance to the Palace has been transformed. You now enter the building through a new light green loggia, inscribed with the details of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, and into a new Entrance Hub decorated with a light sculpture called Luminous Lace.

From here, you can choose to explore the Palace through four different routes, each signposted through different colours and pointers:

• Victoria Revealed - 10 lavishly decorated rooms tell the story of Queen Victoria’s life, in her own words from letters and diaries, from her birth in the Palace, through her childhood, ascension, marriage, periods of mourning and her own Diamond Jubilee
• The King’s Apartments - grand, imposing architecture telling the stories of the courts of William and Mary, George I and George II in the 17th and 18th centuries
• The Queen’s Apartments - more intimate rooms, lifting the curtain on the private lives of Mary II and Anne and the decline of the Stuart dynasty
• Diana: Glimpses of a Modern Princess - a selection of five dresses work by Diana Princess of Wales at different points in her life

The section on Diana is small, but very beautifully put together. It’s fascinating to see her dresses next to photos of her wearing them, and drawings from the sketchbooks of the designers. It’s also nice to see how Diana’s style changed, from the black, strapless evening gown by Emanuel (which has never been on display before) to a shocking pink Catherine Walker dress.

Victoria Revealed is a fantastic new permanent exhibition. Told through Victoria’s letters, diaries and other writings, the rooms and objects on display paint a wonderful picture of this endlessly interesting monarch. You can see her first pair of black silk booties, her wedding dress made of Spitalfields silk and her oldest surviving mourning dress. As well as traditional portraits and objects in display cases, Victoria Revealed has a quirkier, inventive side. Mirrors are engraved with snippets from Victoria’s diaries; text appears woven into carpet, scrawled on desks, and doodled into walls. With inventive lighting, soundscapes and some gorgeous modern installations, the result is personal, creative, feeling-based storytelling, rather than a fact-heavy, traditional museum. I loved it.

I spent less time in the Kings and Queens Apartments, but am determined to go back. Fully restored, these two sections of the Palace have been taken over by theatre-makers Coney, with a series of exciting and playful installations. In the Queen’s Apartments, I saw cabinets of love letters, ships in bottles, and magnificent trees, all telling the stories of the different monarchs who’ve lived in these rooms. In the King’s Apartments, you can see rare court dress from the 18th century, and learn about the mix of celebrity, fashion, politics and treachery that defined life in the King’s court during this era.

As well as the new entrance, there’s a lovely new shop and café, and beautiful new landscaped public gardens to explore. All these wonderful developments have really improved the Palace putting it firmly back on my list of must-see attractions in London.

Kensington Palace reopens to the public on Monday 26 March. Check out more photos from the Palace here

Yes, we’re all excited about the Olympics. And the Queen’s Diamond Jubliee. And the London 2012 Festival.

But that’s not all we have to look forward to in London next year! Just when you thought London was already chock-full of thousands of exciting attrations, we bring you news of a few more… (And a couple which, while not new, are being revamped and restored in time for next year.)

1.    Cutty Sark Reopening, Spring 2012
The world’s last tea clipper will reopen in Spring next year. If, like me, you’ve been following the amazing diaries of the conservation of this incredible vessel, you’ll be pleased to know there’s not long to wait! You can get a sneak peek of things to come on their website.

2.    Kensington Palace Reopening, 26 March 2012
Another reopening I’m really looking forward to in 2012 is Kensington Palace. Again, I’ve been following developments at the site on their fantastic blog, and I can’t wait to see the revamped palace in all its glory come March. The gardens will be improved, as will accessibility, and they’ve got an exciting calendar of exhibitions and events  for 2012 to celebrate all the changes.  

3.    Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour, from 31 March
Another piece of excitement for London next year is the new Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. Book now, and you can go on a behind-the-scenes walking tour of the film studios where the Harry Potter series was made.

4.    Emirates Air Line, from Spring 2012
Whether it’s used as a genuine transport link, or more of a tourist attraction, the cable car across the Thames, (called the Emirates Air Line), will also be ready next year. Linking The O2 and ExCeL, with the promise of stunning views across London, this will be one of the coolest new ways to travel in London next year…

5.    Tate Modern’s Oil Tanks, from Summer 2012
If Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall isn’t enough for you, then this summer you can get even more art at the iconic riverside gallery as Tate opens its newest space. Part of the London 2012 Festival, the Oil Tanks are two 30-metre wide and seven-metre high concrete chambers. Inside, there’ll be space for installations, performance art, films, lectures and more.

What attractions are you looking forward to seeing in 2012? Let us know in the comments below.

Enjoy unlimited access to some of London’s finest buildings with an annual Historic Royal Palaces family membership.

As a member, you and your family can visit London’s five Historic Royal Palaces for free, all year round, including The Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace.

As well as discounts in HRP catering outlets, you’ll also have the chance to meet the curators, gardeners and celebrity members behind London’s Historic Royal Palaces.

Prize winners will  also be invited to the exclusive members-only Ceremony of the Keys in January 2012.

Enter now for your chance to win this fantastic family prize.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are making Kensington Palace their London home and looking at this picture of the pretty sunken garden by VT_Professor, you can see why!

Add your photos to the Visit London Flickr group to share the lovely places you’ve visited in London.

There’s an extra reason to visit Buckingham Palace this summer as Kate Middleton’s Royal Wedding dress will be on display from 23 July to 3 October 2011.

The famous dress, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, is made of ivory and white satin-gazar and features a 2.7 metre (9 ft) train.

The Buckingham Palace display will be the first chance for the public to see the dress up-close and appreciate the intricate embroidery detail; it’s covered in lace appliqué flowers, some of which are as small as 5p coins!

Kate’s wedding shoes, veil, diamond earrings and Cartier tiara lent by the Queen will be displayed with the wedding dress. The couple’s wedding cake will also be on display.

This year’s summer opening also features an exhibition of The Queen’s Faberge collection.

In other Royal Wedding news, it was revealed today that Kensington Palace will be the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s temporary London residence.

Buckingham Palace Summer Opening runs from 23 July to 3 October 2011. Book tickets here

Fancy a peek inside the royal palaces? With the royal wedding approaching, we’re giving away two tickets to Prince William’s former home, Kensington Palace.

The historic building has been transformed into an Enchanted Palace, with displays by top fashion designers Vivienne Westwood, Bruce Oldfield, Paul Costelloe and Zandra Rhodes.

After you’ve explored the exhibition and wandered around the royal rooms, you’ll enjoy champagne afternoon tea in the palace’s Orangery restaurant. The perfect end to a royal day out!

Enter for a chance to win Kensington Palace tickets and champagne afternoon tea