Buckingham Palace has a heated indoor swimming pool. It’s been there since 1938, which means it’s older than your grandma’s favorite armchair. King George VI—the current King’s granddad—had it installed.
Why, you ask? So he could swim for his health. The guy had a bad back and a serious cigarette habit. A daily dip was his prescription. Talk about a doctor’s note with style.
The pool is tucked away in the palace’s basement. It’s long, narrow, and shockingly simple. No gold-leaf tiles. No jewels in the deep end. Just clean, blue water and a very serious “no splashing” vibe.
But Wait—Can You Use It?
Here’s the part that’ll make you laugh. The royal family does use it, but not like a public rec center. Prince Charles (now King Charles III) was famously a regular. He’d swim laps every morning, rain or shine.
Even better? Princess Diana used to take young William and Harry for swims. Picture a tiny Prince Harry doing underwater handstands while his mum watches from the edge. It’s a cute image, right?
King Charles turns the pool temperature down at Buckingham Palace in
The Queen Mother, bless her, was not a fan. She called the pool “too chilly” and preferred a hot bath. Priorities, people.
