The Execution of Charles I: A History Hit Audio Tour (opens in a new tab)
1 h – 1 h 30 min
Few moments in history match the drama of January 30th, 1649, when a reigning king was publicly beheaded by his own subjects. On this self-guided walking tour with historian Dan Snow, you'll retrace Charles I's final journey through London, from his last night in a royal palace to the scaffold outside his own home. You'll hear how political paranoia, religious conflict, and one king's unshakeable belief in his divine authority brought a monarchy to its knees. The tour starts at the corner of Piccadilly and St James's Street, walking down to St James's Palace, where Charles spent his final night saying goodbye to his two youngest children. You'll cross St James's Park – the same route the king walked on the morning of his execution, flanked by 1,200 soldiers – before heading toward the seat of Parliament.
