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  3. William and Kate's Guide to London

William and Kate's Guide to London

By Mark Ellwood and Yvonne Yorke
March 18, 2011
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Credit: Courtesy of The Goring
Prince Charles and Lady Diana’s wedding in 1981 was as much of a landmark event as the Moon Landing—everyone remembers where they were when the shy young girl married the stiff heir to the British throne (and whether or not they thought the union would last).

This year, it’s their elder son’s turn down the aisle, as the most eligible royal bachelor in the world—Prince William— marries his long-term girlfriend, “Waity” Kate Middleton, at Westminster Abbey on April 29. British tourism chiefs expect it will lure 600,000–1,000,000 extra visitors to London. And the whole city, it seems, is offering a slew of promotions and gimmicks riffing off the royal pair.

On the wedding day itself, the Ritz Hotel—where grandma Elizabeth II celebrated her 80th birthday—is hosting a champagne brunch for royal-watchers ($244 per person), while chic One Aldwych hotel offers a Kate & Will champagne cocktail, mini wedding cakes upon arrival to every guest checking in on wedding weekend, and even Union Jack flags to wave as the procession passes nearby. (One artist even recently staged a show with a Tussauds-style wax statue of William where would-be Kates could be photographed, arm in arm, complete with a replica ring.)

But the real way to celebrate the wedding of the century is by following directly in William and Kate’s footsteps. With our handy cheat sheet, it’s easy to hit the royal lovebirds’ favorite haunts around their hometown of London—from Automat, a boho Mayfair diner known for its comfort dishes like burgers and mac-and-truffled-cheese, to Boujis, a South Kensington nightclub whose signature cocktail is the terrifyingly named Crack Baby, to the Richard Ward Salon, where literally anyone could find themselves sitting alongside the princess-to-be. Will and Kate aren’t the only ones who can enjoy the royal treatment. —Mark Ellwood
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Turnbull & Asser

Credit: Holmes Garden Photos / Alamy

Prince William dresses in typical understated but expensive upper-class style, buying suits and shirts from Turnbull & Asser (71–72 Jermyn St.; 44-20/7808-3000). —Yvonne Yorke

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Jigsaw and Reiss

Credit: Courtesy of Jigsaw

Kate, too, has a less-is-more aesthetic, shopping for blazers, riding boots, and discreet jewelry at affordable-chic chains such as Jigsaw (The Chapel–Duke of York Square; 44-20/7730-4404), where she briefly worked as a buyer, and Reiss (114 Kings Rd.; 44-20/7225-4912). —Yvonne Yorke

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Fenwick

Credit: Courtesy of Fenwick

The blue silk-jersey wrap dress by Issa that she wore at the couple’s engagement announcement was bought off the rack at Fenwick department store (63 New Bond St.; 44-20/7629-9161). —Yvonne Yorke

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Garrard

Credit: Courtesy of Garrard

A rare touch of flash: Kate’s 18-carat sapphire-and-diamond engagement ring, originally Diana’s, which came from Garrard (24 Albemarle St.; 44-20/7518-1070). Diana reportedly chose it because it was the largest on the tray. —Yvonne Yorke

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Tom’s Kitchen

Credit: Courtesy of Tom's Kitchen

Although Prince Charles took his sons to Christmas parties at the Ritz London (doubles from $560), Will and Kate like casual restaurants such as Tom’s Kitchen (27 Cale St.; 44-20/7349-0202; dinner for two $121), in Chelsea. (That said, Will prefers the private dining room to the communal tables.) —Yvonne Yorke

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Archipelago

Credit: Courtesy of Archipelago

They’ve also tried more offbeat places, including Archipelago (110 Whitfield St.; 44-20/7383-3346; dinner for two $105), which specializes in exotic fare such as kangaroo (Will’s favorite) and chocolate-covered scorpions. —Yvonne Yorke

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Mahiki

Credit: Courtesy of Mahiki

Tiki-themed Mahiki (1 Dover St.; 44-20/7493-9529) is a longtime royal favorite; it’s where both Will and Kate showed up—separately—during their brief 2007 hiatus. —Yvonne Yorke

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Whisky Mist

Credit: Ewan Munro

Another upper-crust hangout is Whisky Mist at the Hilton Park Lane (35 Hertford St.; 44-20/7208-4067), where in 2008 Paris Hilton reportedly made an unsuccessful advance toward William. —Yvonne Yorke

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Ship

Credit: Courtesy of The Ship

Sunday nights you might find Will drinking a house ale or Prince Harry dancing on a table at the Ship (41 Jews Row; 44-20/8870-9667), a gastropub on the Thames. —Yvonne Yorke

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Brunello Cucinelli

Credit: Courtesy of Brunello Cucinelli

Fashion photog Mario Testino whipped off his Brunello Cucinelli sweater so William could wear it for the engagement photo, and almost certainly the prince asked to keep it as a souvenir of the special day—after all, every one of the luxe Italian label’s sumptuous two-ply cashmere pieces is handmade in a small town near Perugia. (3-5 Burlington Gardens; 44-20-7287-4347.) —Mark Ellwood

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Katherine Hooker

Credit: Courtesy of Katherine Hooker

Forty-something fashionista Hooker produces preppy outerwear with a twist—think Gossip Girl–ready plaid or tweed. Her flirty coats are proudly made in London and popular with double-barreled girls: Kate wore one of Hooker’s herringbone coats for her first public engagement, naming an RNLI lifeboat in Anglesey, Wales. (19 Ashburnham Rd.; 44-20-7352-5091; katherinehooker.com.) —Mark Ellwood

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Polistas

Credit: Courtesy of Polistas

Canadian financier and polo pro Johnny Lynn launched his menswear line, aiming to out-Lauren Ralph—its name Argentine slang for “polo players.” Lynn’s credibility meant that soon equestrians, from the Queen’s Life Guards to heartthrob Nacho Figueras, were wearing his three-pony logo—as well as William, Harry, and father Prince Charles. (19 Shepherd Market; 44-20-7495-4525; polistas.co.uk.) —Mark Ellwood

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Austique

Credit: Courtesy of Austique

Both Middleton sisters, Pippa and Kate, are regulars at this funky clothing store, run by Australian siblings Katie and Lindy Lopes, who fled TV careers in Sydney to open their dream shop in London. The selection is heavy on pretty and girly down under brands, from Karen Walker separates to Love Kylie underwear. (330 King’s Rd.; 44-20-7376-4555; austique.co.uk.) —Mark Ellwood

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Richard Ward Salon

Credit: LondonPhotos - Homer Sykes / Alamy

It wasn’t celebrity crimper Ward himself who was responsible for making over Kate’s hairstyle five years ago into the chic, effortless, and princess-worthy style she now enjoys—it was his top lieutenant, stylist James Price. Book a $168 session with Price’s scissors, and maybe he’ll start texting dirty jokes to you, as he apparently does to regulars like Kate and future sister-in-law, the Countess of Wessex. (82 Duke of York Sq.; 44-20-7730-1222; richardward.com.) —Mark Ellwood

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Automat

Credit: Courtesy of Automat American Brasserie

Deliberately downscale amid the tony spots of Mayfair, this bistro-diner will be eerily familiar to New Yorkers, since its design and menu make it a near-clone of Keith McNally’s boho hangout, Schiller’s Liquor Bar. Keep an eye on the wooden booths that line one wall of the slender space, where Kate and William are regularly spotted enjoying comfort food. (33 Dover St.; 44-20-7499-3033; automat-london.com.) —Mark Ellwood

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Dans le Noir

Credit: Courtesy of dans Le Noir?

Choose from the menu in the dimly lit bar, then walk to a table in the pitch-black dining room, led by one of the servers here—all of whom are blind or partially sighted. No wonder Kate and William came here for a romantic dinner à deux—this is one of the few places in the world they could eat undisturbed. (30-31 Clerkenwell Green; 44-20-7253-1100; danslenoir.com/london.) —Mark Ellwood

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Boujis

Credit: VIEW Pictures Ltd / Alamy

Nowhere is more synonymous with good-lifing for Will and Kate than Boujis, the South Ken club/lounge whose signature cocktail is a Crack Baby (raspberry liqueur, champagne, vodka). In honor of the wedding, the club has created Faboujis Crown eggs—essentially a pitcher of cocktails for 10 served in a glittering egg topped with a crown ($560 with Moët et Chandon, $880 with Dom). (43 Thurloe St.; 44-20-7584-6678; boujis.com.) —Mark Ellwood

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St. Luke’s Church, Chelsea

Credit: Courtesy of St Luke’s & Christ Church Chelsea

Soon after the engagement, Kate was spotted attending a carol service here in honor of William and Harry’s late friend Henry van Straubenzee. It’s one of the anchor churches on the Fulham Road, and popular with the Sloaney A-list: come for a Sunday service, and you might spot Kate & Co. in the front pews. (Sydney Street at Cale St.; 44-20-7351-6133; chelseaparish.org.) —Mark Ellwood

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Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ

Credit: Image courtesy of the Saatchi Gallery, London ©Sam Drake, 2010

Two years ago, Kate was chairwoman of a $160-a-head fundraiser here for Starlight, the Make-A-Wish–like kids’ charity set up by actress Emma Samms. The entire Middleton clan attended, ambling through the collection of edgy contemporary art (Damien Hirst is a favorite) racked up by British advertising guru Charles Saatchi. (King’s Rd.; 44-20-7811-3085; saatchi-gallery.co.uk.) —Mark Ellwood

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The Goring

Credit: Courtesy of The Goring

Strong rumors suggest that the Middleton family has commandeered this entire 71-room, five-star hotel for the week of the wedding, and that Kate will spend her last night unmarried in one of its suites. Minutes’ walk from Buckingham Palace, the century-old pile has long been royally favored: it’s where King George VI (and a teen Elizabeth II) came for breakfast to celebrate the end of WWII. Doubles from $658. (15 Beeston Pl.; 44-20-7396-9000; thegoring.com.) —Mark Ellwood

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Everything in This Slideshow

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1 of 20 Turnbull & Asser
2 of 20 Jigsaw and Reiss
3 of 20 Fenwick
4 of 20 Garrard
5 of 20 Tom’s Kitchen
6 of 20 Archipelago
7 of 20 Mahiki
8 of 20 Whisky Mist
9 of 20 Ship
10 of 20 Brunello Cucinelli
11 of 20 Katherine Hooker
12 of 20 Polistas
13 of 20 Austique
14 of 20 Richard Ward Salon
15 of 20 Automat
16 of 20 Dans le Noir
17 of 20 Boujis
18 of 20 St. Luke’s Church, Chelsea
19 of 20 Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ
20 of 20 The Goring

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William and Kate's Guide to London
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