A London tour guide has revealed that his American guests are obsessed with the Royal Family and there are two members they are constantly asking about – but it’s not Prince William or Kate Middleton
Robin Cottle Assistant Editor Trendswatch
12:53, 29 Dec 2025
Kate Middleton and Prince William are not the favoured topic of conversation for US visitors(Image: PA)
A London tour guide says American tourists always ask about two members of the Royal Family in particular – and neither of them are Prince William or Kate Middleton.
When people from the USA cross the pond to visit the UK, the royals is one of their favourite topics to talk about thanks to the institution’s enduring popularity Stateside.
Will Hide, who is also a travel writer for the Daily Telegraph, qualified as a Blue Badge Tourist Guide in London and says there are two royals in particular who people from American are particularly interested in – or should that be former royals?
He said: “The Royal Family inevitably dominates conversation with US visitors, overwhelmingly (Prince) Harry and Meghan, though few of my guests seem to be fans of the latter.
“So far, not a single question about Andrew – perhaps it is still too raw a topic.”
American tourists love talking about the Royal Family (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The tour guide says that most of his guests since gaining his Blue Badge have been Americans. This tallies with statistics that shows the US consistently sends more tourists to the UK than any other country with a total of 5.59 million visiting in 2024, according to Statista.
Will says they are “an absolute joy to guide,” describing them as “polite and curious”. Americans also don’t hesitate to let you know when something is wrong, far removed from the ‘stoic’ approach taken by many British people if they have a problem.
And while everyone seems keen on a traditional meal of fish and chips, there is enough classic UK treat which seems to have become more popular across the pond – the Greggs sausage roll.
Will went on to say there is almost universal acclaim for the London Underground – which for anyone who has ever used the New York Metro, it should perhaps not come as a huge surprise.
American tourists often ask about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (Image: MLB Photos via Getty Images)
It comes after a former London tour guide for Jack the Ripper has revealed the harrowing moment she decided to quit after she came face-to-face with a sex worker.
Student Jessica O’Nelil replied to a job advertisement to be an evening tour guide back in 2014. With the ability to combine her academic pursuits with a part-time job, she jumped at the opportunity. She would lead tourists ranging from “10-40” people through the creepy streets of London, recounting the horrendous tales for entertainment.
She would share infamous stories of Jack the Ripper, who was the unidentified murderer who horrifically killed at least five women, predominantly sex workers, in Whitechapel during the autumn of 1888.
While the exact number of his victims remains unconfirmed, he is known to have killed Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly.
Jessica would retell stories she had read about Jack the Ripper in front of crowds. However, she felt “uncomfortable” when tourists dressed as the killer. And one night prompted her to stop conducting the tours.
She was recounting the death of Polly Nichols to tourists, based on what she had read, when she was abruptly yelled at and accused of “misrepresenting” Polly as a sex worker.