Sherman's Travel

It’s been a busy year for Queen Elizabeth II. She celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, hosted the Olympics, and “jumped out of a plane.” You’ll forgive her if she hasn’t been able to fit you into her schedule for a spot of tea or a plate of bangers and mash. She’s a busy woman with places to go and hats to wear. It might be a bit more realistic to just enjoy the company of suitable facsimile of Her Royal Majesty that you can display in your home, office, or automobile dashboard. We’re always looking for more international flair here at SkyMall Tuesday headquarters, so why not find a place for a woman with a taste for opulent jewelry and sensible shoes? Thankfully, SkyMall has just the thing to celebrate the monarch who never says no to a pearl necklace. Rather than trying to meet the Queen, bring her to you with the Diamond Jubilee Queen & Corgi.

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The British monarchy’s first Diamond Jubilee marked Queen Victoria’s 60-year reign in 1897. The second, celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s astonishing six decades on the throne, takes place throughout 2012, with key events centered around June 2-5. Hotels throughout London are getting into the spirit with special promotional packages and discounts, but one of my favorites is at the St. Ermin’s Hotel, an unfussy yet thoroughly dignified (i.e. still delightfully British) 4-star property just five minutes from Buckingham Palace – on foot even, not via swift royal carriage.

Inaugurated last October by actress Kristin Scott Thomas (the MGallery collection’s brand ambassador), the 331-room hotel has a jubilant history of its own. Built upon the site of a 15th-century chapel, the building that now forms the basis of the hotel was built eight years before Victoria’s big bash, in 1889 (needless to say, the architecture is distinctly, um, Victorian). Sir Winston Churchill held secret meetings at the hotel during WWII, and it’s rumored that a tunnel still exists between the hotel’s grand staircase and Parliament. The MGallery renovation retains all of this historic ambiance while introducing contemporary décor and amenities (like the lovely Caxton Grill, where I enjoyed the definitive English breakfast during a recent stay).

View package details and see what the hotel looks like today. Read more