Welcome to The Green Park

The smallest Royal Park – and the best kept secret

Whatever you need to take a break from – whether it’s sightseeing, or the four walls of your office, The Green Park is the perfect place to do it.

Today, London’s The Green Park is one of the most peaceful of all the Royal Parks but in the 18th century it was the scene of royal firework spectaculars and crowd-pleasing festivals. Discover the hidden history of the The Green Park.  

It’s the smallest Royal Park, and quite possibly the greenest – you’ll notice that there are no flower beds in The Green Park. This is another clue to the park’s colourful history – and it’s a tale of royal revenge. Queen Catherine, wife of King Charles II, was outraged that her husband had dared to present a bunch of flowers to another woman. She ordered that every flower in the park be pulled up – and no more planted. 

Today The Green Park is home to flowering meadows, and a popular place to visit in the spring, when around one million daffodils suddenly transform the green lawns.

A place to remember – the statues and memorials of The Green Park

The Bomber Command Memorial, the Canada Memorial and the Memorial Gates all have a special, human significance. They’re each dedicated to men and women who lost their lives in the two World Wars. Over 55,000 Bomber Command pilots and officers, one million Canadians and over five million Indian, African and Caribbean troops are commemorated in this peaceful green setting. Canada Gate, the ornate gilded iron gates that opens to the flower beds of Buckingham Palace, was a dedication to Queen Victoria from the people of Canada.

Take a break and gaze on green

Taking time out in a natural green setting is said to make us calmer, more focused, and more creative. The wide, tree-lined paths and avenues of The Green Park are a favourite space for many Londoners who work close by to take a lunchtime stroll, or sunbathe, particularly in the summertime. If you’re making an afternoon of it, feel free to hire a deckchair.

In August, The Green Park feels like the countryside – in the past we’ve even welcomed sheep to graze the meadow during Sheep Week! This was once a regular sight in the park, right up until the 1940s.

You’re more than welcome to picnic here, as you enjoy the quiet. We just ask that you respect the surroundings and the wildlife and take your litter home or pop it in our bins. If you’re thirsty, the Watering Holes Fountain has fresh water at three different heights, so everyone can easily have a drink – including your dog. 

Big events at the smallest Royal Park

Occasionally, the quiet of The Green Park is interrupted by the sound of gunfire. The Royal Gun Salutes that mark important royal occasions take place here, and in Hyde Park. A salute taking place in a Royal Park automatically means 41 shots are fired, instead of 20.

The Green Park is also one of the backdrops to the London Marathon and Royal Parks Half Marathon. If you’re thinking of taking part, we’d be very grateful if you’d run on our behalf. As a charity, we rely on kind people like you to help us care for the Royal Parks.