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AUTUMN 2026

AMERICAN IN BRITAIN Celebrating Serving The American Community In The UK For 30 Years WINNER: Best American Expat Support Media Platform 2025 WINNER: Excellence in Transatlantic Community Engagement 2025 WINNER: Best Online American Expat Information Resource 2026

FEATURES INCLUDE: American Expatriate Clubs’ News • Christmas Markets In The UK • Eating Out Education • Golf In The UK • Hotel Review • Legal Matters • Taxing Issues Thanksgiving Recipes From Top Chefs • Theatre • Travel • Wealth Management A D V I S O RY PA N E L

AMERICAN IN BRITAIN

AUTUMN 2026

CONTENTS 3 18 14 22 28

Eating Out

Taxing Issues

Wealth Management

Legal Matters

Travel

Hotel Review

Education

Theatre

Golf In The UK

Thanksgiving - Traditional Recipes From Top Chefs

Christmas Markets In The UK

American Clubs' News

Useful Numbers

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Helen Elliott

Ben Everson

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EATING OUT

Tower House

11 Bridge Street, Richmond Upon Thames, TW9 1TQ Richmond is a town to the South West of London and was founded following King Henry VII’s building of Richmond Palace, so named after his Earldom of Richmond, North Yorkshire. It is now a thriving picturesque town on the banks of the River Thames full of wonderful pubs and up-market shops. Up until now, what Richmond has lacked slightly is a few really good restaurants, but I think I have found one such place which not only serves lovely food, it does so in a beautiful location. Tower House is the new offering from the team that own Gold in Notting Hill, and has taken over the prime location on Hill Street where the Pitcher & Piano used to be, just next to Richmond Bridge and right on the banks of the River Thames. Before that, the property used to be a very affluent Victorian home, and has been cleverly re-designed to provide a number of different options for diners to enjoy. On the top floor there is an ornate bar and restaurant, with candelabras and plants along with a doorway leading to a balcony with stunning views over the River Thames which offers an intimate section, and down the stairs there is more of a buzz with the open fire kitchen, a low counter bar and a garden room restaurant which has a glass roof which opens to provide a real alfresco dining experience all year round. The final space is the spectacular garden area, where tables intermingle with trees and plants giving a real mediterranean feel right in the heart of Richmond, and if that wasn’t enough, you also get truly breathtaking views along the River Thames, especially at sunset, with the fading sunlight twinkling on the water. The British Summer has been remarkable this year, with day after day of brilliant sunshine, and it is hard to think of WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM

a better place to eat and drink on a sunny day than on the terrace at Tower House. The concept is that dishes are to be shared and will come when ready, and I know I say this many times, but do bear this in mind when ordering, and do order piecemeal, and if you really want a few dishes at the same time stress this when ordering as some do go better together than eating them individually. The menu helps with ordering as it is listed in order of the speed they will be prepared, so at the top are the raw dishes. You can select from Beef Carpaccio (£16), Tuna Carpaccio (£20) or a Sea Bass Ceviche (£19), and although tempting on such a warm day, my companion selected the Buratta, Chargrilled Peach, Parma Ham and Balsamic (£20), and I opted for the Iberian Coppa, Smoked Piparras (£21). Buratta is a rich and creamy cheese, and the one here didn’t disappoint, as it was fresh and creamy and worked perfectly with the sweetness of the peach, the texture of the crunchy salad and the sharp hints of the balsamic vinegar. Iberica Coppa is essentially an extension of the pork loin and is highly marbled and full of tasty fat, and as the Iberico pig frequently uses its shoulder muscle (where the cut is taken from), it makes it super tasty. To accompany this prime cut were some mild and tangy Piparras peppers, a Basque style picked pepper known for its tender texture and gentle sweet-spicy flavour, and these complimented the coppa well. I personally would have liked the dish to have had a small serving of sourdough as well, but you can order some separately. After a short break and a few moments to look around and enjoy that contented hum you hear when diners around you are also enjoying their meal, we turned our attention to the Vegetables and Plates sections of the menu. Vegetarians are well catered for at Tower House with a wide range of choices with many choices tempting even a die-hard meat eater!

We chose the Roasted Artichoke Ravioli, Mascarpone, Pea Gremolata (£22), the Chargrilled Picanha, Chilli, Balsamic, Rocket and Parmesan (£37.5) and their signature dish, the Wood Roasted Half Free-Range Chicken, Nduja, Parma Ham and Sourdough (£29.5) along with Roasted Cauliflower, Tarragon Dressing, Pomegranate and Walnuts (£13). The ravioli pasta was fresh and cooked to give it a slight crunch, just as it should, and was bathing in an indulgent butter sauce. The filling was spectacular, with the earthy and nutty complex flavour of the artichoke and the smoothness of the mascarpone going well with the sauce, especially as that nuttiness of the artichoke becomes butterier when cooked. Picanha steak is a Brazilian favourite, and comes from the same cuts of meat as the top sirloin steak, namely the upper rear leg near to the hip of the cow. The marbling is generous and when cooked on an open fire is delicious and goes perfectly with the chilli. The chicken is Tower House’s signature dish, and it is clear to see why it has rapidly become one of its firm favourites, as the succulent chicken and generous slices of sourdough are smothered in a nduja enriched creamy sauce creating a warming and tasty dish all served in a pan (indeed the sauce is so good don’t forget to order an additional portion of sourdough to ensure you mop up every drop!). Cauliflower cooked on an open fire provided the texture to our meal and when sweet pomegranate is added along with the subtle anise-like flavour of tarragon tastes wonderful. If you have space for a dessert I suggest the rich and creamy Chocolate Mousse with Olive Oil and Salt, or the Baked Cheesecake, as both are light and airy and are delicious. When you go to a restaurant you want the location, stylish décor and top-quality food, and Tower House has each one, and I am already planning my next visit to this leafy London suburb to enjoy that ravioli again! www.thisistowerhouse.com WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK

Benares Restaurant

12a Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6BS There are some addresses that elicit a hushed breath from people when mentioned as they are well known and very exclusive, and Berkeley Square is one such address. High end shops rub shoulders with a casino and exclusive restaurants, and one of these exclusive restaurants is Benares. The name Benares comes from the name of one of the seven sacred cities in Hinduism and is one of its holiest cities, revered as a spiritual centre where Lord Shiva resides greeting devotees seeking liberation and bestowing on them divine blessings, and without wanting to belittle this story, the restaurant is aptly named, as diners also receive ‘divine blessings’ when they visit in the form of wonderfully crafted dishes that are bursting with flavour and visually stunning. Benares was established in 2003, and was deservedly re-awarded a Michelin star in 2021 under the guiding hand of Executive Chef Sameer Taneja, and has retained it ever since. Sameer’s style is innovative and pushes the boundaries of Indian cuisine by blending it with fresh British produce and his love for European cookery, constantly reinventing the menu whilst still keeping a few popular old favourites, keeping it fresh and relevant. On leaving the bustle of Berkley Square you are greeted at the foot of the stairs and escorted up a candle lit stairway into a buzzy bar. The lighting is subdued giving a sophisticated, almost moody atmosphere, with one side dominated by a zen-like flower

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filled pool with crystal birds hovering above, and the other a number of private rooms. The bar is adorned with vibrant flower decorations and serves wonderful cocktails with an Indian twist. Our favourite was the Passion Fruit Chutney Martini which packed a spicy punch to juxtapose the richness of the passion fruit and a perfect entrée to our Indian culinary journey. The restaurant is a mix of rich textures and colours, with its walls adorned with intricate wall panels and low ceilings creating a stylish and intimate feel despite the formality of the crisp white tablecloths adorning the well-spaced tables. There are a number of options for diners with à la carte options, along with two or three course Thali menus (£46 or £52 respectively), or my personal recommendation, the Tasting Menu, at £139. Benares has been at the forefront of Indian cooking since it opened 23 years ago, and so when visiting there is just so many dishes you want to try, so what better way than having a thoughtful selection created for you so you experience all that Benares has to offer. The first selection on our Benares journey was the intriguingly named Street Food. This dish may sound a little underwhelming, but don’t be fooled, as it is actually one of the dishes that has been on the menu for years as it is that good! This is a tribute to the Indian street food vendors and consists of two skewers of delicately fried potato fritter sheltering under the branches of a Bonzai tree (symbolising where the traders rest to avoid the midday sun). The flavours packed into this potato are incredible,

and it is not hard to see why this dish has remained a firm favourite for so long. To accompany this is the more exotically named Bird Seed Quail, a combination of chicken, duck and guinea fowl meat speared with a guinea fowl feather, which was equally delicious and served with a mint and apple chutney, that provided a texture and taste combination which is hard to surpass. Our next dish was the Samosa Ragda Tartlet, another taste and visual triumph, with the crisp pastry encasing spicy potato and chickpea all sitting on a mint and tamarind sauce giving that balance of sweetness and sourness that tamarind is known for, combined with the freshness of the mint. The fish course on the Tasting Menu included my favourite fish, Halibut, served with a summer vegetable curry. Halibut is such a wonderful fish and its mild and slightly sweet flavour and firm meaty flesh is perfect for using in a curry, as it coped expertly with the spice and flavours added here from the shellfish oil, mango, chickpea and asparagus accompanying it. The delights just kept coming, with a Chicken and Foie Gras Momo which was as indulgent as it sounded bathing in a fiery turmeric, lime and lemon grass chicken broth which was as rich as it was flavoursome. The next course was the Hiran Boti Tikka, which was perfectly cooked venison, all pink and succulent, marinated with green chillis and moringa leaves. Moringa leaves are a nutrient-dense superfood which supports antioxidant defence, bone health and blood sugar regulation, so how perfect and rare that something so delicious is also really good for you! My only gripe was there wasn’t enough of it! Our final meat dish was again a classic, namely a Tandoori Lamb Chop served with Good Old Indian Staples. These were cooked expertly and nicely charred and were served along with a black lentil dahl, rice and a mushroom sauce along with a light and fluffy paratha and were a fitting end to the savoury dishes. For dessert we were served Rasmalai, which is a sweet originating in the Bengal region and literally means ‘sweet sap of clotted cream’. It certainly lived up to its literal name, and was delicately flavoured with rose and cardamon. Everything about Benares oozes class and style and the service is no exception. It is warm, welcoming and very efficient, and it is clear they all know the whole menu and what each dish tastes like, helping to steer you to dishes you will enjoy. There are many restaurants in London, but extremely few that can hold a candle to Benares. It does all of the simple things well, as well as all of the hard things. Its Michelin star is richly deserved, and I suspect will remain for many more years to come. www.benaresrestaurant.com

EATING OUT

Crust Bros, Covent Garden

29 Bedford Street, London, WC2E 8JF Pizza is probably one of the UK’s most popular meals, either as a takeaway or to eat in, and so when another pizza restaurant starts up it is entering a very crowded market and so needs a strong unique selling point to be able to stand out. At Crust Bros this unique selling point is their ingredients, as a great pizza starts long before it reaches the oven. I am not as much of an expert as those at Crust Bros, but I have religiously watched every episode of Great British Bake Off, and so along with not wanting a soggy bottom, I know that dough needs to be treated with care to get the best out of it, and the dough at Crust Bros is treated with almost reverence as it is slow fermented for 48-72 hours which gives its pizzas a lighter and more flavoursome taste, and the flour is from one of Italy’s premier flour mills and retains more of the grain which also enhances the dough’s flavour. Once this fermentation is completed the dough is ready to be cooked, and at Crust Bros this is its other plus point, as it’s done in two enormous pizza ovens at the back of the restaurant at 450 to 500 degrees C. This high temperature also enhances the lightness of the crust, and ensures there is that wonderful crispy texture and smoky flavour on each pizza which is impossible to recreate at home. Covent Garden is a part of London where almost every other street seems to promise a Neapolitan crust, a wood-fired oven or a vaguely Italian dining experience, but Crust Bros has distinguished itself with a more playful proposition whilst being respectful of familiar Italian foundations, as it offers exciting toppings and an atmosphere designed as much for a night out as a quick slice. The setting certainly helps. Housed in a characterful building, the restaurant retains original details including stone floors, wood panelling, vintage mirrors and ornate ceiling features, making it feel lively rather than formal, with the kind of buzz that makes sense in this particular corner of the West End. The pizza is, however, the main event, and Crust Bros is not interested in keeping things entirely traditional. The base is special as explained above, but what takes its pizzas up another notch is the topping combinations including the PEP, with pepperoni, spianata piccante, oregano and hot honey; The Calabrexican, which brings together tequila tomato sauce, ’nduja, pepperoni and pickled jalapeños; and Carbo, a carbonara-inspired creation with béchamel, mozzarella, Parmesan, confit egg yolk and guanciale. That spirit of invention is what makes the menu more interesting than a standard list of pizza-house greatest hits. The Reigning WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM

Champion, for example, combines harissa tomato with spiced lamb, whipped feta, pistachios, pomegranate and zhoug. It is a lot to put on a pizza, but that is rather the point. Crust Bros is aiming for big, contrasting flavours rather than slavishly following tradition. This innovation stretches to even teaming up with Black Bear Burger to create a hybrid of a pizza with a beef burger where the pizza is topped with a San Marzano burger sauce base, fior di latte, smashed beef patty, guanciale, pink pickled onions and Red Leicester for just £17.50. Pizza is perfect to share, and so Crust Bros has recently expanded its sharingplate offering, with options including meatballs (£14), burrata and grilled carrots (£12), alongside cold meat cuts and cheese (£12) and other snacks and sides. We tried the Crispy Crushed Potatoes with Whipped Garlic Feta and Crispy Leeks (£7), and Permagena Crackers also with Garlic Whipped Feta (£5). The potatoes were warming and lightly seasoned with salt, going well with the creamy whipped feta with only slight accents of garlic. My wife selected the PEP and I chose the Calabrexican and both were as light and tasty as promised, both with a generous amount of toppings, but be aware the Calabrexican (a mixture of the words and flavours of Calabria and Mexico) does have a real spicy punch! For theatre-goers, Crust Bros has an obvious advantage, its location. Its current

pre-theatre menu is £25 per person, available daily from 3pm to 6pm, and includes sharers followed by a full pizza, making it a practical option before a West End show. Desserts are limited, but after a filling pizza what better than a few scoops of the wonderful Nutella and Pizza dough ice cream, the Italian version of Cookie Dough! What Crust Bros does particularly well is avoid taking pizza too seriously. There is obvious attention paid to the dough and ingredients, but the menu is happy to experiment. The result is food that feels contemporary and distinctly London rather than an attempt to recreate a pizzeria in Naples. That makes Crust Bros a good fit for diners who want their pizza with a little personality. Traditionalists or those looking for restrained, quiet dining should probably look elsewhere. But for a group of friends, a casual date or a pre-theatre meal where the pizza is supposed to be the fun part of the evening, this is your place all at a very good price. No restaurant can re-invent pizza, as it is iconic and should never be trifled with, and Crust Bros doesn’t attempt to, but what it does do is takes a familiar format and adds imagination, quality and West End energy to make it feel fresh and current. It delivers exactly what a pizzeria should, namely excellent pizza, bold flavours and a lively room that makes you want to order one more thing for the table. www.crustbros.co.uk WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK

Ukai

240 Portobello Road, London, W11 1LL Few London neighbourhoods have quite the same atmosphere as Notting Hill. Famous for its colourful houses, elegant streets and lively market culture, and a classic rom com film of the same name, it manages to combine the charm of a traditional village with the energy of one of the boroughs of one of the world’s great cities. The architecture is one of the neighbourhood’s greatest attractions. Rows of pastel-coloured townhouses line leafy streets, with grand white terraces sitting alongside more modest homes. The result is an area that feels effortlessly photogenic without seeming designed purely for visitors. Notting Hill also has a strong cultural, almost Bohemian identity, and is steeped in its history of immigration, music, art and community, which has helped shape the character of the neighbourhood, with the annual Notting Hill Carnival that has become one of London’s most celebrated events. Throughout the year, however, there is a more relaxed rhythm to everyday life, with locals enjoying the area’s restaurants,

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coffee shops, boutiques and traditional pubs, and it is this ‘formal informality’ that makes Notting Hill so special. At the heart of the area is Portobello Road, where independent shops, cafés, antiques stalls and market traders create a constantly changing scene (and on market days, the streets become particularly vibrant, with visitors browsing everything from vintage clothing and unusual collectables to fresh produce and street food), and it is on the corner of this iconic road, and Lancaster Road, that you can find Ukai, a contemporary Japanese restaurant. Ukai is not your standard Japanese restaurant, as it is an eclectic mix of contemporary Japanese influences and modern London sophistication, creating a stylish space to eat or just enjoy, some of the live music available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. There are no bold designs here, just refined décor providing sophistication by being simple and understated rather than brash and in your face, and the subdued lighting enhances that relaxed atmosphere making it a place you want to linger over dinner rather than simply a place to eat. There are even a few tables outside for those diners who enjoy watching the people enjoying all that Portobello Road has to offer. Japanese food was historically influenced by Chinese cuisine, but in the last decade or two it has emerged from the shadows of this more famous cuisine, and in 2013 Japanese cuisine was added to the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List, recognising its cultural importance. All Japanese meals really should start with a bowl of edamame, and ours at Ukai was no exception, and the Edamame with Truffle at Ukai (£7.50) was the perfect start. Truffle adds a real rich and indulgent flavour and when added to the nutrient rich crunchy edamame are delicious. Our next dish is a personal favourite of mine, namely Salmon Tartare (£12), as it is silky and tastes so fresh. At Ukai the

smooth salmon was lightly flavoured with a spicy mayonnaise, but what made it so special here is that it is served on a crispy rice patty which has been gently fried adding a lovely contrasting crunch to the smooth salmon. Japanese food prides itself on its freshness, and our next dish, the Ceviche Classico (£15), epitomised this perfectly, with large chunks of succulent tuna and hamachi served with a light and crunchy crisp, in a bold ginger, garlic, chilli and citrus sauce. Following this delight we selected the Sashimi Mix (£25), where generous slices of salmon, tuna and hamachi were presented on a bed of ice - all ultra fresh and bursting with flavour. Rice is one of the staples of Japanese cuisine, and when lightly vinegared and seasoned and used to surround a variety of ingredients, creates wonderful sushi mouthfuls (indeed sushi in this style was considered fast food in the Edo period for the Chonin class). There is a large selection to choose from at Ukai and our choices were the Tiger Roll, with vibrant avocado and tempura prawn, and the Crispy Tuna Roll with its novel light tempura batter surrounding the rice and tuna giving that crispiness in the title of the dish. Our mains were the Black Cod in Miso Sauce (£34), and the Beef Short Rib in Red Wine Sauce (£29), and a Baby Spinach Salad (£8.5). Black Cod is a classic Japanese dish, and was so light and delicate it fell apart when cut into, showing it had been perfectly cooked. Black Cod’s lovely flavour is created by marinating it for long enough for the miso to caramelise in the oven, which wraps the fish in sweet, umami rich flavours. Short ribs are packed with a rich, beefy flavour and are well marbled, and here they just melted in your mouth, and demonstrated the western influences that are now in Japanese cooking, as it was served with a red wine sauce right out of French cuisine. The Baby Spinach salad was the perfect addition to these dishes as it was nicely seasoned with a sesame dressing with some crispy shallots that added texture. The service at the restaurant is efficient and friendly, with waiters who welcome you as if you are a long lost friend. Our visit to Ukai was a delight, and maybe its appeal is tied in with the appeal that Notting Hill has for visitors, namely it is fashionable without being entirely formal, historic without feeling oldfashioned, and lively without losing its sense of community. Whether visiting for the food or simply a drink, Ukai offers a stylish experience on one of the most iconic roads, and like the borough it is in, offers a distinctly London experience – colourful, characterful and full of surprises. www.ukai.co.uk

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TAXING ISSUES The Royal Tax Break? Why Six Years Abroad Could Matter for Harry and Meghan After more than six years living in California, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have returned to live in the United Kingdom. Most headlines have focused on family reunions, royal intrigue and their children’s education. In the world of tax, the consequences are worth exploring. The move raises interesting issues regarding cross-border taxation: their timing may have helped them avoid a potentially expensive UK tax rule.

Why Six Years Matters

Harry and Meghan left for California in early 2020. It has been well reported that they returned to our shores at the end of August. In the UK there is a ‘temporary nonresidence’ rule, often described as the five-year rule. The rule was introduced to prevent short-term tax planning, whereby individuals leave the UK temporarily, realise gains while non-resident and then return once those gains have fallen outside the UK tax net. Under the rules, an individual may be temporarily non-resident if, broadly, they were a UK resident in at least four of the seven tax years preceding their last tax year of residence and their period of non-UK residence is five years or less. Certain gains and income arising during that period may then be treated as arising in the tax year in which they return to the UK. In short, if you leave for a quick tax break, beware: the taxman may still come knocking on your door on your return.

Did Harry And Meghan Beat The Clock?

Harry and Meghan left the UK for California in early 2020. The key question is whether their period of non-UK residence is sufficiently long enough for the temporary non-residence rules not to apply. Broadly, an individual who meets the prior residence condition would need to be non-UK resident, or treaty non-resident, for at least six complete tax years, or for five complete tax years together with a split year on either departure from or return to the UK, to fall outside the rules. Whether they satisfy this test will depend on their precise UK residence position, including whether split-year treatment applied on departure or applies on their return. If the relevant conditions are met, 8

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the temporary non-residence rules may not apply to certain gains and income arising while they were living in California. It does not necessarily mean they have saved any tax. Nobody will truly know what assets they may or may not have sold during their time in America. But if they did make certain gains while living outside the UK, staying away for sufficiently long enough to fall outside the temporary non-residence rules could be very beneficial to them. Whether the timing of their return was carefully planned or simply a coincidence is impossible to say.

Before Anyone Gets Too Excited...

However, being outside the five-year rule is not a magic ‘get-out-of-tax-free’ card. Once Harry and Meghan become UK tax residents again, they are firmly back within HMRC’s tax net and their worldwide income and gains going forward will generally be subject to the UK tax regime. In a nutshell, any tax advantages relate only to what may have happened during their time away from Britain while living abroad. Returning to Britain means re-entering the UK’s tax net.

Did They Stay Long Enough, Or Was This A Wasted Opportunity?

Ironically, from a tax perspective, staying away even longer might have been more beneficial for them. Britain introduced a new Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime from April 2025, aimed at attracting qualifying international residents. To qualify, a person generally needs to have been non-UK resident for at least ten consecutive tax years before becoming UK resident. Those who meet the criteria can potentially claim relief in respect of qualifying foreign income and gains for the first four years of UK residence. The Sussexes have been away for about six years, falling short of the required ten years. As things stand, if they become UK residents in 2026/27, they would not appear to satisfy the ten-year non-residence condition required to claim relief under the FIG regime.

So, on one hand, while they may have cleared one tax hurdle, they appear to have missed out on a potentially larger opportunity.

Meghan’s US Challenge

There is another complication for Meghan: her US citizenship, a problem that most Britons will not have. The US and UK have two very different tax systems, which do not always align and require careful thought, planning and balancing. This often results in significant complexity for US expats. As a US citizen, she remains in the American tax net regardless of where she lives. America taxes its citizens based on citizenship, not residence. While UK resident, Meghan will generally be subject to UK tax on her worldwide income and gains. She will also remain subject to the US tax regime in respect of the same income and gains. This means that, if she becomes UK resident again, she will potentially face tax exposure in both America and the UK. Although the US–UK income tax treaty and domestic foreign tax credit rules can often mitigate double taxation, they do not necessarily eliminate every mismatch. The interaction between the two systems can still create significant compliance burdens, timing differences and planning complexities. The administrative burden of filing in both jurisdictions and managing the interaction between the two very different tax regimes can therefore be significant. Some Americans decide to renounce their citizenship to leave the US citizenship-based tax regime, but this has its own consequences, which need careful consideration. Of course, whether Meghan would go as far as taking this step is unknown. Unless she does so, however, the complexities associated with US citizenship-based taxation are likely to remain relevant to her. For wealthy Americans living abroad, cross-border tax planning becomes an important ongoing part of life. For internationally mobile families, one of the recurring challenges is that different parts of the tax code operate over very different time horizons. The temporary nonresidence rules look both backwards and forwards across periods of UK residence and non-residence, while the FIG and

TAXING ISSUES long-term residence regimes focus on longer periods of residence history. As a result, a move that appears sensible under one regime may produce a very different outcome under another.

The Future: Inheritance Tax Could Become A Bigger Headache

The UK’s inheritance tax (IHT) system has also recently undergone fundamental changes. The UK’s IHT rules changed dramatically on 6 April, 2025. The longestablished concept of domicile was largely replaced for IHT purposes by the concept of long-term residence (LTR). A person’s exposure to IHT now depends on whether they are a ‘long-term resident’ and on the ‘situs’ of their assets. Under the new rules, an individual is generally LTR if they have been UK resident for at least ten of the previous twenty UK tax years immediately preceding the tax year in which the relevant chargeable event occurs; otherwise, they are non-LTR. If they are non-LTR, their non-UK assets will generally be outside the scope of UK IHT, although their UK assets will remain within scope. If they become LTR, their UK IHT exposure can expand significantly because their worldwide assets may come within the scope of UK inheritance tax. In practice, this means that internationally mobile US citizens may need to monitor carefully the number of years for which they have been UK resident if they wish to avoid becoming subject to UK IHT on their worldwide estates. Harry may already satisfy the conditions for LTR status, although that would depend on his precise residence history. Based on publicly available information, Meghan may not yet have accumulated sufficient UK residence to be considered LTR. This may create another potential issue. Normally, when a spouse dies leaving their estate to the surviving spouse, there is no IHT in the UK because of the spouse exemption. However, the spouse exemption can be restricted where the transferring spouse is LTR and the recipient spouse is not LTR. On that assumption, if Harry were to die leaving everything to Meghan while she remained non-LTR, the available spouse exemption could be limited to £325,000, potentially giving rise to a significant IHT liability. An election in a will may be available for Meghan to be treated as long-term resident (LTR) for IHT purposes, which could secure the full spouse exemption. However, this would also bring her worldwide estate within the scope of UK IHT. Even if they were later to leave the UK and reside abroad, they would also need to be mindful of the LTR ‘tail’. WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM

An individual may continue to be treated as LTR, and therefore remain within the worldwide scope of UK IHT, for a number of tax years after ceasing UK residence. The length of the IHT tail depends on how long the LTR was UK resident in the previous twenty tax years. If they were UK resident for twenty years or more, the IHT tail is a maximum of ten tax years. The tail will be shorter for those who, before leaving the UK, were resident for fewer than twenty tax years. For example, an individual who is UK resident for between ten and thirteen tax years will continue to be LTR for three tax years after ceasing UK residence. For each additional year of residence, up to the maximum ten-year period, the IHT tail increases by one tax year. The practical impact of this IHT tail is that US citizens returning to the US, or leaving the UK to live elsewhere, may continue to be exposed to IHT in respect of non-UK assets during their tail period, both on death and in respect of certain lifetime transfers. For Harry and Meghan, that means the longer they decide to remain living in Britain, the more relevant these rules may become to their future estate planning.

Our private client team advises individuals and families on UK residence, cross-border tax planning and succession matters, helping them navigate complex rules and plan effectively for the future. If you would like to discuss how a change in residence could affect your tax or estate planning position, please contact: Julie Man, Partner Julie.Man@russell-cooke.co.uk +44 (0)20 8541 2040 Julie advises high-net-worth individuals, families and business owners on UK and cross-border tax and estate planning. She is widely recognised for her client service and expertise in complex international trust and succession matters. Her practice covers wills, trusts, estate planning and administration, with a particular focus on business succession and domicile issues for internationally mobile clients. She regularly advises on multi-jurisdictional estates and works closely with clients and their advisers to deliver practical, tailored solutions aligned with their long-term objectives.

The Bigger Lesson

The Sussexes’ position highlights the reality for globally mobile families: • Timing can make a huge difference to tax outcomes, particularly where residencebased regimes operate over different periods • Tax rules change constantly • American citizenship adds an extra layer of complexity regardless of where you live • Personal and family decisions are often more important than tax planning, but overlooking the tax consequences can be costly.

The Bottom Line

Whether by careful planning or pure coincidence, Harry and Meghan’s return to Britain after an extended period of non-UK residence may place them outside the scope of the UK’s temporary non-residence regime, depending on their precise residence history. But the real financial impact remains unknown because it depends on transactions and other facts that are not publicly available. What is certain is that a return to the UK means a return to the British tax system going forward and, for a transatlantic family like the Sussexes, navigating the tax consequences will remain anything but simple.

How We Can Help

Moving to or from the UK can have significant tax implications, particularly where international assets, overseas income or multiple tax jurisdictions are involved. WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK

WEALTH MANAGEMENT Reconsidering LLCs: A New UK Tax Landscape For Americans Moving To Britain The United Kingdom is in the middle of its most significant overhaul of international tax rules in a generation. Two reform streams are running in parallel, and both have direct consequences for Americans - whether they are individuals relocating to Britain or US companies operating through UK subsidiaries. The first and most structural change affects individuals. From 6 April, 2025, the UK’s centuries-old non-domicile (“non-dom”) regime was formally abolished. Under the Labour government’s 2024 Autumn Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed the removal of the “outdated concept” of domicile from the tax system, with the stated principle that everyone who makes their home in the UK should pay their taxes here. In its place, the government has introduced a new residence-based system: the Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime. (1) The second stream affects corporations. The UK published a sweeping reform of its transfer pricing, permanent establishment, and Diverted Profits Tax (DPT) rules through the Finance (No.2) Bill in December 2025. Most of these measures take effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January. The headline change: the standalone DPT regime is being repealed and replaced with new Unassessed Transfer Pricing Profits (UTPP) rules, folded into mainstream corporation tax. The government has also relaxed the UK-to-UK transfer pricing rules and committed to align the regime more closely with OECD principles changes aimed directly at simplifying life for multinationals, including US parent groups with UK trading subsidiaries. (2) The most recent development - and the one generating significant attention among internationally mobile Americans - is a fresh consultation published by HMRC on 10 June, 2026, addressing the UK tax treatment of US Limited Liability Companies (LLCs). The problem is well established among US/UK practitioners but has never been cleanly resolved. A US LLC is treated as transparent for US tax purposes (its profits pass through to members and are taxed in their hands), but HMRC has generally treated LLCs as opaque for UK tax purposes - meaning the UK taxes the LLC’s profits as if it were a company and then taxes distributions to UK-resident members again as dividends. The result is effective double taxation with no relief, because UK-resident members of a “reverse hybrid” entity of this 10

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kind do not qualify for the standard double tax credit mechanism. The effective tax rates this generates can be severely punitive. (3) ICAEW reported that the government is explicitly concerned that these high effective tax rates may be deterring “talented globally mobile individuals” from relocating to the UK - a striking admission that the current rules are costing Britain talent. (4) The proposed fix would likely allow UK-resident individual members to treat a US LLC as transparent for UK tax purposes, aligning the UK treatment with how the IRS already sees it, and thereby enabling normal double tax relief to apply. The consultation also extends to any other “reverse hybrid” entity transparent in its home jurisdiction, opaque in the UK - not just US LLCs specifically. (5)

There are complications There are complications. Paul Hastings notes that challenges could arise where a US LLC has both individual members (who would benefit from transparent treatment) and corporate members (for whom no change is proposed). Businesses that have already built structures to manage the existing double taxation problem will need to ensure the new rules do not inadvertently disrupt those arrangements. The consultation closes on 31 July, 2026, and legislation, if it follows, would not be expected before the next Finance Bill cycle. (6) For Americans considering a move to the UK who hold interests in US LLCs - whether as founders, partners in US-based funds, or participants in carried interest structures this development is material. It is not yet law, but the direction of travel is clearly toward resolution of a long-standing anomaly that has made the UK a less attractive destination for American business talent than it should otherwise be.

Why This Is Good News For Americans Moving To The UK

For an American arriving in Britain, the FIG regime offers a genuinely attractive

window. Under the new rules, individuals who have been non-UK tax resident for at least 10 consecutive tax years before arrival can claim 100% relief on foreign income and gains for the first four UK tax years of residence even if those funds are remitted to (brought into) the UK. This replaces the old, complex non-dom remittance basis, which relied on an individual’s domicile status and was increasingly under political attack. (7) In practical terms, this means a newly arrived American executive can, during that four-year window, bring offshore assets or income to the UK without triggering UK tax on those amounts. For someone relocating from the US with significant investment portfolios or deferred compensation, this grace period is substantial. On the corporate side, the simplification of transfer pricing rules removes friction for US companies with UK operations. The exemption from domestic UK-to-UK transfer pricing requirements, and the alignment with OECD standards, reduces compliance overhead and regulatory uncertainty. For Americans who own or run UK subsidiaries, the integration of the former DPT into standard corporation tax also provides a more predictable enforcement environment than the old parallel-track system. (8) Meanwhile, the fundamentals of the US-UK double taxation treaty remain in place. The UK’s 25% corporation tax rate exceeds the GILTI high-tax exception threshold of approximately 14% for 2026, meaning most UK-based corporations qualify for exemption from additional US tax on their UK business profits. For Americans with UK companies, this means the UK subsidiary’s profits are typically subject only to UK corporation tax - not a second layer of US tax on top. (9)

What Americans Still Have To Watch Out For

The FIG regime’s benefits come with conditions that Americans, in particular, must read carefully. The FIG personal allowance trade-off. Electing into the regime forfeits the standard personal allowance (£12,570 for 2025/26) and the capital gains annual exempt amount UK-source income - employment, UK rental property, UK dividends - remains fully taxable regardless. The FIG election must be actively made on your UK Self-Assessment

WEALTH MANAGEMENT return each year; miss the filing deadline and you lose it for that year with no retrospective route back. (10) You never stop filing US returns. Moving to London does not end your IRS obligations. Americans must file a US Form 1040 reporting worldwide income regardless of where they live and must navigate the interaction between UK tax paid and the Foreign Tax Credit or Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE). Getting this wrong - for example, by using the FEIE when the Foreign Tax Credit would generate more usable credits - can result in either overpaying or inadvertently triggering self-employment tax. (11) UK savings vehicles are not US-equivalent. The Individual Savings Account (ISA) is one of the most common sources of compliance failure for Americans in Britain. The UK taxfree wrapper is invisible to the IRS. Interest, dividends, and capital gains inside an ISA must be reported on your US return. More seriously, non-US collective investment funds (including standard, retail ETFs) held inside a Stocks & Shares ISA are almost certainly classified as Passive Foreign Investment Companies (PFICs) under IRC Section 1297. PFIC treatment carries punitive default tax rates on gains and mandatory reporting on Form 8621 and covers any collective investments outside the US, and within a transparent account (including ISAs or brokerage accounts). Many Americans discover this exposure only years after opening a foreign account, by which point multiple tax years may remain open under the extended statute of limitations. (12) FBAR and FATCA apply to virtually every UK account. Any American with more than $10,000 aggregate across all foreign financial accounts at any point during the year must file FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR). The $10,000 threshold is an aggregate test, not a per-account test - five accounts each holding £1,500 may still trigger full reporting. A separate obligation under Form 8938 (FATCA) applies at higher thresholds, and filing an FBAR does not satisfy it. (13) The inheritance tax cliff. Americans who reach 10 out of 20 UK tax years of residence become “Long-Term Residents” under the Finance Act 2025 framework, exposing their worldwide estate to UK Inheritance Tax. This is a new and significant risk for Americans who build long careers in Britain. Planning around the timing of UK residence - and ensuring proper use of the US-UK estate tax treaty - is now critical before that 10-year trigger is reached.(14) The changing landscape requires continued focus and proactive consideration to your planning and financial affairs. Working with a dual US and UK qualified Wealth Manager and Tax Adviser will allow you to be well positioned to address your needs in a way that will provide not only optimal solutions but also comfort and peace of mind. WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM

• Certain products which may be used within a portfolio in order to give exposure to particular investment strategies may not be regulated in the UK and therefore will not have the benefit of the protections afforded by the UK regulatory regime.

Ollie Cutting, Partner / Wealth Manager E: ollie.cutting@masecopw.com

The Legal Stuff

• The information contained herein is subject to copyright with all rights reserved. The document may not be copied, forwarded or otherwise distributed, in whole or in part, to any other party without our written consent • Nothing in this document constitutes investment, tax or any other type of advice and should not be construed as such • MASECO is not a tax specialist and we recommend that anyone considering investing seeks their own tax advice • The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of MASECO as a whole or any part thereof • This document is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice • This document does not constitute a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any products or to adopt an investment strategy.

Risk Warnings:

• All investments involve risk and may lose value. The value of your investment can go down depending upon market conditions and you may not get back the original amount invested • Any impact from the actual or speculative tax changes contained in this document will depend on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future • Information about potential tax benefits is based on our understanding of current tax law and practice and may be subject to change. The levels and bases of, and reliefs from, taxation are subject to change. The tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each individual and may be subject to change in the future

MASECO LLP (trading as MASECO Private We a l t h and MASECO Institutional) is established as a limited liability partnership under the laws of England and Wales (Companies House No. OC337650) and has its registered office at The Kodak Building, 11 Keeley Street, London, WC2B 4BA. For your protection and for training and monitoring purposes, calls are usually recorded. MASECO LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for the conduct of investment business in the UK and is registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission as a Registered Investment Advisor. References: 1) https://www.macfarlanes.com/ insights/102jvct/the-finance-act-2025implementation-of-the-reforms-to-thetaxation-of-non-uk-do/ 2) https://www.ey.com/en_gl/technical/ tax-alerts/uk-transfer-pricing-finance-billchanges 3) https://www.paulhastings.com/insights/ client-alerts/hmrc-publishes-consultationon-reform-of-taxation-of-us-llcs 4) https://www.icaew.com/insights/ tax-news/2026/jun-2026/tax-changesproposed-for-uk-resident-members-ofoverseas-entities 5) https://www.simmonssimmons.com/en/publications/ cmq9isse700c0vek0p32pubj7/uk-taxtreatment-of-us-llcs-consultation 6) https://www.paulhastings.com/ insights/client-alerts/hmrc-publishesconsultation-on-reform-of-taxation-ofus-llcs 7) https://www.bdo.co.uk/en-gb/insights/ tax/private-client/changing-rules-for-nondom-status-what-to-do-now 8) TaxScape | Deloitte | UK Tax Landscape: Key Changes for 2026 9) https://www.greenbacktaxservices.com/ blog/uk-taxes-vs-us/ 10) https://www.alto-accounting.com/ insights/fig-regime-uk-expats 11) https://www.taxesforexpats.com/countryguides/uk/us-tax-preparation-in-uk.html 12) https://www.jungletax.co.uk/jungle-taxnews-updates/pfic-rules-us-expats-ukfunds-2026-guide 13) https://www.jungletax.co.uk/jungle-taxnews-updates/fbar-filing-for-us-citizens-inthe-uk-complete-2026-compliance-guide 14) https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/ en/knowledge/publications/648e7a24/ abolition-of-the-non-dom-regime WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK

LEGAL MATTERS THE MANSION TAX -

Considerations For US Property Owners And Investors Of Premium Residential Property Following significant press speculation, it came as little surprise when the Government announced, in the Autumn Budget 2025, the introduction of a new High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS) on residential properties in England valued at more than £2 million. The surcharge does not apply in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. It is due to take effect from April 2028. The new surcharge will apply in addition to existing council tax liabilities leading to additional annual charges ranging from £2500 to £7500, depending on the property’s value. The surcharge will be capped at £7500 for properties valued at more than £5 million. It is the responsibility of legal owners rather than the occupiers (a notable difference from Council Tax), to pay to the surcharge. This achieves the Government’s aim of taxing the wealth in property rather than the occupancy of the property. The introduction of the Mansion Tax is a significant development in the taxation of high-value residential property reflecting a broader policy trend towards increasing recurring taxes on premium homes. For both domestic and international property owners, the changes may have important implications for wealth preservation, succession planning and their long-term property investment strategies.

How The Mansion Tax Will Operate

Residential properties in England valued at more than £2 million will attract an additional council tax charge each year. The amount that is charged will be based on updated 2026 property valuations, with higher-value properties attracting higher annual charges. The Government has indicated that the purpose of this new tax is to ensure that property owners of the most valuable residential properties contribute more towards local government funding. While further details regarding the practicalities of the administration and implementation are still awaited, the new surcharge will be on top of existing council tax obligations, it does not replace them. The introduction of the Mansion Tax may also signal an indication and wider willingness by the Government to revisit the taxation of high-value residential property, leading to the possibility of further reforms in the future. 12

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Why This Matters To US Property Owners

For both domestic and international property owners, the changes may have important implications for wealth preservation, succession planning and their long-term property investment strategies

A significant number of overseas individuals, including many US-based families, own residential property in England for a variety of reasons, including employment opportunities, relocation, education, global investment diversification, retirement planning and personal use.

Key Takeaways

Owners of property worth over £2 million and subject to the Mansion Tax will see an increase in the annual cost of holding highvalue UK residential property. Depending on individual circumstances, the additional expense may influence decisions around their appetite to continue owning the property, future property improvements which will increase the property value, future acquisitions and disposal strategies. The impact of the new surcharge is likely to be felt most acutely in areas where residential property values frequently exceed the new threshold, for example, central London, parts of the South East and other prime residential markets across England. Further guidance is still awaited before the surcharge is introduced, including confirmation of valuation methodologies, collection procedures and other administrative requirements. Property owners would be wise to keep an eye on developments in the reforms.

Estate And Succession Planning Implications

For US individuals and families, the new surcharge needs to be considered alongside existing UK tax exposures, including inheritance tax, capital gains tax, stamp duty land tax and, where relevant, the taxation of properties held through companies, trusts or other ownership structures. The increased cost burdens of ownership may prompt some individuals to review whether their current arrangements remain appropriate. In certain cases, there may be opportunities to restructure ownership in a way that better helps support wider wealthplanning and succession objectives, while reflecting changing tax and regulatory considerations.

LEGAL MATTERS US taxpayers should also consider the interaction between UK and US tax rules to ensure that any planning remains effective and tax-efficient in both jurisdictions.

Looking Ahead

Owners of high-value residential property should prepare for higher annual holding costs once the surcharge comes into force. Although a number of details are yet to be confirmed, the overall direction and message of policy is clear: owners of premium residential property are likely to face increased recurring tax liabilities in the future. A timely review of ownership structures, estate-planning arrangements and future acquisition strategies can help those affected understand the potential impact of the new regime and identify appropriate planning opportunities.

How We Can Help

If you own, or are considering acquiring, residential property that may fall within the new high-value property tax, now may be an appropriate time to review your estate-planning arrangements, ownership structure and long-term objectives. If you would like to discuss how these developments could affect your broader succession, tax and wealth-planning strategy, please contact us.

WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM

Matthew Radcliffe Partner Direct: +44 (0)20 7440 4817 Matthew.Radcliffe@russell-cooke.co.uk Matthew advises US-connected and internationally mobile clients, including families, trustees and family offices, on UK tax and estate planning. He takes an integrated approach that combines tax efficiency with clients’ wider objectives. His work covers succession planning, cross-border structuring, pre-immigration planning, and UK residence and domicile issues. He has particular expertise in US-UK matters, including trusts, estate tax exposure and the UK treatment of US entities, and regularly speaks on these topics. russell-cooke.co.uk usenquiries@russell-cooke.co.uk

Julie Man Partner Direct +44 (0)20 8541 2040 Julie.Man@russell-cooke.co.uk Julie advises high-net-worth individuals, families and business owners on UK and cross-border tax and estate planning. She is widely recognised for her client service and expertise in complex international trust and succession matters. Her practice covers wills, trusts, estate planning and administration, with a particular focus on business succession and domicile issues for internationally mobile clients. She regularly advises on multi-jurisdictional estates and works closely with clients and their advisers to deliver practical, tailored solutions aligned with their long-term objectives.

WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK

TRAVEL We Are Delighted To Have Recently Partnered With Steppes Travel Who Over The Next Few Issues Will Guide You With Potential Travel Plans. This Issue They Are Discussing: Planning The Perfect Safari Go Bespoke. You’ll Love It When The Plan Comes Together…

There’s no such thing as the perfect safari. At least not one that I can prescribe. I could tell you: go to Botswana for the extraordinary wilderness of the Okavango, Kenya for the drama and scale of the Mara and the migration, Zambia for walking, Zimbabwe for its guides, Rwanda for gorillas or to Namibia, for landscapes that will make you feel as small as it’s humanly possible to feel. I could give you a list of the finest camps in Africa; there are plenty of them; some are truly exceptional. But that would be missing the point. Because, when planning a safari, the most important question isn’t ‘where do you want to go?’ It’s ‘what is the experience that you seek?’. 14

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That distinction matters. More than the country, more than the lodge, and, I’d argue, considerably more than whether you see the Big Five. A safari can be a checklist of sightings, shared with strangers, measured only by how many animals you’ve photographed before breakfast. Or it can be something deeper; visceral; private; more enduring. I’ll always argue for the latter.

Start With You, Not Africa

The travel industry is very fond of the phrase ‘tailor-made’. I’m suspicious of it. Too often it means taking an existing itinerary and just ‘changing it’. Add a night here, upgrade a room there, substitute one camp for another and perhaps bolt on a few days at the beach. Perfectly good holidays can be created that way.

But aren’t both tailor-made and off-theshelf travel, to some degree, simply the purchase of a second-hand experience? Somebody else has already decided what the journey should be: where you should go, how long you should stay, what you should see. You’re simply buying your version of it. Bespoke travel starts somewhere else entirely. With you. Why do you want to go on safari? Do you want to walk? Ride? Take photographs? Learn? Spend time with family? Understand conservation? People? Yes or no? Switch off and relax? Or simply experience the profound pleasure of being somewhere properly wild? Unknown to you, unknown to expectation. How much comfort do you need? How much adventure? Prepared to be up before dawn? Interested in birds? Would you happily spend two hours watching elephants or would you become restless after twenty minutes?

TRAVEL Do you want private dinners for two or to sit around a table, drinking beer and swapping stories with guides and other travellers? Do you want to see as much as possible, or do you seek sensation? These aren’t incidental questions. They’re where your safari should naturally begin. That’s why we talk about matching people to places, not packages. Planning should be part of the pleasure: a conversation rather than a transaction. Only when we understand the person should we start discussing the itinerary.

You Can’t Google Judgement

There’s more information available than ever before. You can research virtually every safari camp in Africa without leaving your sofa. You can see the bedrooms, menus, swimming pools and wildlife photographs, read hundreds of reviews and produce a perfectly plausible itinerary in minutes. Information is abundant. Judgement is not. That’s where the specialist earns their keep. I’ve always believed the value of expertise lies not simply in knowing where to send somebody, and when, but knowing when not to send them there. The camp on everybody’s lips may be entirely wrong for you. The famous reserve may be crowded at precisely when you want to visit. The property with the most seductive photographs may have indifferent guiding. The rather unassuming, tented camp you would normally scroll straight past may have one of the finest guides in Africa and access to an extraordinary piece of wilderness. That sort of knowledge isn’t available to download. Our Africa specialists have spent decades travelling, living and working their patch. Illona Cross spent ten years as a ranger, guide and lodge manager before joining us more than 25 years ago. Her experience stretches from crocodile research and conservation management to guide training, from the Serengeti to the Kalahari. And, in all her years arranging safaris, she says she’s only offered the same itinerary twice. I rather like that statistic. No two people are the same. Why should their safaris be? The job of a good specialist isn’t simply to know where to go. It’s to know how to be there.

The phrase comes from hunting, referring to the animals considered particularly difficult and dangerous to hunt on foot: lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo. It was never a list of Africa’s five most interesting animals yet, somehow, we’ve inherited it as a measure of safari success. It shouldn’t be. If your guide is racing from one radio call to another because you still haven’t ‘got a leopard’, you may, technically, be having a successful safari. But you may be missing the safari itself. Fresh tracks in the dust. An alarm call that causes your guide to stop mid-sentence. A dung beetle engaged in its task. Wild dogs chittering before a hunt. The flash of a lilacbreasted roller. Or watching elephants for long enough that you stop seeing ‘elephants’ and begin noticing individuals, relationships and behaviour. The best guides don’t simply find wildlife. They teach you how to see. Which is why I’d choose a brilliant guide and a simple camp over a fabulous suite and an average guide. Every time. But that’s me. Sometimes we recommend more than one camp within the same national park, precisely because the obvious answer isn’t necessarily the best one. Some areas provide exceptional wildlife but attract more

visitors; others offer seclusion. The skill is balancing the two. And on a walking safari, where the guide becomes the prism through which you understand almost everything around you, we favour camps known for their guiding rather than the thread count of their sheets. It sounds obvious. Oddly, it isn’t.

Get Out Of The Vehicle

For many people, safari means ‘four-wheel drive’, and they’re useful things; but some of my favourite safari experiences began when I left one behind. In a vehicle you’re protected. Elevated. An observer. On foot, your senses sharpen quickly. You notice tracks, smells, sounds and wind direction. You become fascinated by the little things you’d have driven past without a glance. And, trust me, you become considerably more interested in where the buffalo are! Zambia is particularly special for this. South Luangwa is one of the great homes of the walking safari. Follow a good guide into the bush and the objective changes. You’re no longer driving around looking for something spectacular to happen; you are trying to understand what’s happening around you.

Forget The Big Five

I don’t care. I’m going to commit safari heresy. Forget the Big Five. Not completely, obviously. Seeing your first lion in the wild is thrilling. A leopard appearing almost silently from the grass can stop conversation in an instant. Elephants are endlessly fascinating, rhinos extraordinary. But the Big Five have become the bucket list within the bucket list. And bucket lists are dangerous things. WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM

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Canoeing does similar. In Mana Pools, on Zimbabwe’s side of the Zambezi, you can move through a landscape of river frontage, islands, sandbanks and floodplain on foot or from the water. Elephants swim to reedcovered islands. Hippos provide a rather more immediate reminder that you’re a visitor. Next door, the vast Sapi Concession, once hunting land, is now given over to conservation and tourism. There are just two small camps. You may not see another vehicle. That’s beginning to sound rather luxurious.

Real Luxury Is Enrichment

Luxury is another word the travel industry has managed to diminish through overuse. Safari has acquired many of its conventional trappings: private pools, enormous suites, spas, tasting menus, extraordinary wine cellars and increasingly elaborate bathrooms. There’s nothing wrong with any of them. Indeed, some lodges are a marvel in themselves and, after a long, hot, dusty day in the bush, the importance of a good shower and a cold drink are not to be underestimated. But I don’t think that’s real luxury. It is opulence; luxury defined by what has been provided, polished, poured or placed in the room. And that has its place. But, for me, real luxury is enrichment. It’s returning knowing more than when you arrived; having met somebody you would otherwise have not; having learnt something about an animal, a landscape or a culture that you didn’t understand before. It is perspective. Curiosity. Connection. Occasionally having your assumptions challenged. Safari can deliver all of these in abundance.

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The material things become strangely less important when an exceptional guide has just spent an hour teaching you to read a landscape you previously thought was empty. Or when you’ve walked with a ranger responsible for protecting the rhino you saw that morning. Or sat talking to someone whose family has lived alongside elephants for generations and begun to understand that conservation looks rather different when the wildlife we fly thousands of miles to admire also eats your crops or kills your cattle. You don’t need to manufacture luxury in places like these. Africa has already provided it. Space. Time. Privacy. Access. Expertise. And the freedom to stop. Imagine watching a leopard. Your vehicle is alone, the engine switched off. Nobody is talking. The leopard is relaxed and you have nowhere else you need to be. Now put twelve other vehicles around it, radios crackling, engines running and drivers manoeuvring for position. Same leopard. Not the same experience. That’s why exclusivity matters. Not exclusivity as status, but exclusivity as intimacy. The ability to follow fresh tracks with no other vehicle in sight. To spend an hour with an amimal because nobody is moving you on. To stop because you find something interesting. To move, as far as possible, at nature’s pace rather than your itinerary’s. A private vehicle can therefore be a greater luxury than a private pool. A brilliant guide is worth more than a chandelier. A small family-run camp with access to private land can often provide something more than the smartest place around. Sometimes the greatest luxury of all is simply nobody else being there. But none of this is an argument against comfort. I like a beautiful room as much as

the next person. It is an argument for putting comfort in its proper place. The purpose of a great safari lodge isn’t to insulate you from where you are. It is to help you experience it better. If you return home talking principally about the size of the suite, something has probably gone wrong. If you return talking about the guide you met, the conservationist who changed your understanding, the hour you spent watching elephants when nothing much appeared to be happening, or the extraordinary sensation of walking through the bush at first light, then something has gone right. You have been enriched. And that, surely, is luxury.

Africa Isn’t An Empty Wilderness

There’s a tendency to imagine safari as an escape from people. It isn’t, nor should it be. People are fundamental to the story of Africa’s wild places. The guide sitting beside you may have grown up on the land you’re travelling through. Rangers protect it. Researchers are trying to understand it. Communities live alongside wildlife and bear the costs as well as the benefits of conservation. Ignore those people and you understand only half of what you are looking at. This is where safari becomes more interesting. At Borana Conservancy, on the foothills of Mount Kenya, guests can meet the rhino patrol team and learn what protecting black and white rhino actually entails. Suddenly the rhinoceros is no longer simply another sighting for the camera. There’s a story behind how it’s there at all. At Musekese in Zambia’s Kafue National Park, time can be spent understanding the work of the conservation and anti-poaching

TRAVEL teams. Again, the experience takes you behind the wildlife documentary and into the less glamorous realities of protecting wild places. Conservation is a word that’s easily printed on the back page of a lodge brochure. It’s rather more interesting to meet the people actually doing it. The same applies to culture. Take time with Maasai or Samburu people and another layer of the landscape reveals itself: livestock, land ownership, education, tradition, employment, tourism and the complicated business of living alongside animals that visitors find beautiful, but which may eat your crops, kill your cattle or threaten your family. It needs to be handled properly. Culture should never become theatre arranged for tourists; any more than conservation should become virtue signalling. Done well, however, these encounters become some of the most memorable parts of a safari. Animals are only part of the story.

Geography Is Part Of The Wildlife

So is the landscape. Consider an elephant; an elephant crossing open plains beneath Kilimanjaro is one experience. An elephant wading through the Okavango is another. An elephant appearing beneath the ana trees beside the Zambezi is something else again. Same animal. Different safari. Geography determines how animals live and how we experience them. The waterways of Botswana invite you into a mokoro. The Luangwa Valley encourages you to walk. Mana Pools puts you in a canoe. Kenya might put you on horseback. Namibia might put you in a light aircraft because only from above do you begin to comprehend the scale of the desert. These shouldn’t be activities bolted onto an itinerary because there’s a vacant afternoon. They change your relationship with place. My strongest memories of Africa involve no headline wildlife sighting at all. The smell of rain hitting dry ground. Dust hanging behind a vehicle. Frogs after a storm. Crabs erupting through the sand. The extraordinary darkness of the night. Horizons far away. That’s safari too.

Don’t Confuse Expense With Experience

There are some astonishingly expensive safari lodges in Africa. Some are worth every penny. Others are simply astonishingly expensive. Price is not a reliable measure of experience. A property should earn its place in a journey. What becomes possible because you stay there? Does it provide access to a particular landscape, an exceptional guide, private land, conservation work or a community? Does it belong where it is? Or could it have been built anywhere? WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM

A good lodge looks after you. A great one changes the way you see the place around it. That’s a much more useful measure of luxury than the size of your room.

Leave some space

Another enemy of perfection is enthusiasm. Once you start planning, Africa presents an almost irresistible problem: you want to do everything. The Mara, then Laikipia, then the Serengeti. Perhaps gorillas. Could we add Zanzibar? Victoria Falls isn’t that far away, is it? Before long you have created an expedition that would exhaust Livingstone. Slow down. Africa rewards time. A safari needs rhythm. Early mornings, certainly, but perhaps not every morning. There should be excitement and anticipation, but also time to absorb what you’ve seen. Some of the best moments happen when nothing has been planned. Sitting outside your tent with coffee. Listening to the bush at night. Watching elephants arrive unexpectedly at a waterhole. Talking long after everyone else has gone to bed. This matters for families. The perfect safari for an eight-year-old, a 45-year-old and a 75-year-old is unlikely to involve everybody doing precisely the same thing at precisely the same time. One can walk. Another can photograph. Someone else can have a late breakfast.Then everyone meets that evening with stories to tell. There’s no prize for fitting the most into a safari.

What Do You Bring Home?

People often return from their first safari surprised by what’s affected them most. They remember the lions, the elephants. They have their photographs, but often something else has happened. Their pace. Their attention. They’ve spent a week looking properly at things. Listening. Waiting. Being outside. They’ve rediscovered the strange pleasure of having no idea what comes next. Safari gives you perspective. It reminds you that the world is bigger, older and considerably less interested in your diary than you might have imagined. Perhaps that’s why Africa has such a hold on people. A safari stays with you, not just in memory, but in mindset. It can give you a renewed sense of awe and a different connection to the natural world. You return changed.

comfort zone? And what does luxury actually mean to you? Answer those questions and the country, the camp, and, most importantly, the people, begin to reveal themselves. Perhaps you will end up drifting through the Okavango. or walking in Zambia. or canoeing the Zambezi with elephants on the bank. Perhaps it will be gorillas in the mist; but in Uganda, not Rwanda. Or South Africa, or the wild coast of Mozambique. Or, maybe on the Serengeti, with the migration, but far from the Mara, welcoming a new generation of wildebeest into the world. Perhaps sitting with that conservationist in Kenya, sipping that Tusker, learning why the rhinoceros in front of you is there at all. Perhaps you’ll see the Big Five. Perhaps you won’t. It really doesn’t matter. Because the perfect safari isn’t the one with the most sightings, the most famous lodge or the highest price tag. It’s yours. The one that feels as though it could not have been designed for anybody else. And that, to me, sounds kinda perfect. Steppes Travel has been creating extraordinary journeys for over 35 years, drawing on first-hand knowledge of over 100 countries and a worldwide network of guides, experts and local connections. Recognised by Condé Nast Traveler for its specialist expertise, Steppes designs bespoke holidays and expert-led group tours for travellers who want to go beyond the ordinary, travel deeper and have the details taken care of. Steppes offers knowledge, access and experience that are difficult to find elsewhere. Giles Cross is a traveller in search of perspective. Through essays, expeditions and long-distance motorcycle journeys, he explores the idea that the greatest value of travel lies not in the places we visit, but in the people we become because of them. Marketing Director at Steppes Travel, he lives in the Cotswolds with his wife, and is happiest when dusty; and slightly lost. www.steppestravel.com enquiries@steppestravel.com

So How Do You Plan The Perfect Safari?

Not with a list of countries. Not with the Big Five. And please don’t begin with a photograph of somebody else’s infinity pool. Begin with a conversation. Why do you want to go? How do you want to spend your days? Who are you travelling with? What do you want to learn? How about pushing your WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK

HOTEL REVIEW Bovey Castle North Bovey, Dartmoor National Park, Devon There is something about castles that illiicits the feeling of class and majesty, and although Bovey Castle actually isn’t a castle, it will still create that feeling when you pull up outside its impressive entrance. The house was built in 1890 by William Henry Smith, the founder of the well-known retailer WH Smith, on the 5,000 acres of land he had bought, and this lavish Neo Elizabethan Manor House has remained perched on a hill side with amazing views over the mystical Dartmoor countryside to the present day, with only a few sympathetic changes to the building to incorporate a spa and swimming pool. It finally became a 5-star hotel in 2004, and was purchased in 2014 by The Eden Hotel Collection, and has undergone extensive refurbishment winning numerous awards and accolades and is now recognised as one of the most outstanding hotels in the British Isles. 18

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It is not only Bovey Castle that is special, it is also the area it is in. There is something wonderfully timeless about Dartmoor, and it has a beauty which it is hard to match in the rest of the UK, with its vast open moorland, granite tors and winding valleys creating a landscape that feels both wild and welcoming. Scattered around these wild and mystical moors are small villages such as Lustleigh, Widecombe-in-the-Moor, Chagford and Moretonhampstead, that are full of traditional stone cottages, village greens, historic churches and welcoming pubs, and Bovey Castle is the perfect place to stay to sample everything Dartmoor has to offer. Bovey Castle is an imposing building with its grand features and stately large windows, and as you approach through the sweeping grounds and the manicured fairways of its golf course, you catch the first glimpse of

its stone façade and can palpably feel the grandeur, and once the valet has taken your car you are then met with a warm welcome from their staff. The décor is as you would expect, wooden panels, large fireplaces and deep armchairs, but they are not there for show as they are to be used and enjoyed, giving a lovely lived in feeling. Bovey Castle offers its guests a large number of options with regards to rooms, with 60 rooms in the main house and mews, and 22 in self-catering lodges in the grounds. Every room is unique and luxuriously decorated, so whatever your choice you will be spoilt, but for that little bit of extra pampering, I would recommend the state or grand state rooms as they have wonderful views over the rolling Dartmoor Hills and offer that extra bit of luxury everyone needs

HOTEL REVIEW in their life. The ceilings are high, the bathrooms are spacious and the beds just envelop you, ensuring a good night’s sleep. The self-catering lodges are specially designed for families and larger parties and are set within the estate. and include open plan lounges and dining rooms with fully equipped kitchens and private terraces with moorland views. Luxury meets seclusion. Service at Bovey Castle is one of its strongest assets. Staff strike a rare balance: attentive without hovering and friendly without slipping into informality. From the moment you arrive, there’s a sense that the team genuinely wants your stay to feel special and they are delighted you are there, and they are always available to suggest what walking routes and activities would suit, and even the best times to visit the spa. It’s the kind of hospitality that makes you feel you are known, even if it’s your first visit. Bovey Castle also has an elegant Spa with a large family leisure pool (with large windows providing lots of natural light as well as amazing views over the valley below), a whirlpool, sauna and steam room to ease the stresses of the day, along with a gym

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if you still feel active. There are also lots of treatments on offer for those looking for extra pampering and it is advisable to book these before you come to avoid disappointment. Along with the wonderful walks around the moors, Bovey Castle also offers a wide range of activities, including archery, falconry, or a round of golf on their wonderful golf course, so whether you want to discover your inner ‘Lord of the Manor’ and try falconry, or your inner ‘Tiger Woods’ on the golf course, everything is expertly catered for. The golf course is so much more than a hotel course and it is equally as challenging as it is scenic. It is a rare course that can challenges every level of golfer from the low handicapper to the not so high one!, but be warned, the River Bovey meanders its way through a number of the front 9 holes, so bring a few balls! Food at Bovey Castle is not forgotten either, and the estate’s restaurants showcase both technical skill and a deep respect for local ingredients. The Great Western Restaurant offers a fine dining experience, with dishes that are rooted in the Dartmoor’s landscape utilising the seasonal

produce on offer, and produces tasty and elegant dishes without being overly fussy. Smith’s Brasserie offers a more relaxed dining experience, with lots of comforting classics, and when the sun shines offers an alfresco option on its large outdoor terrace. If you fancy something quintessentially ‘English’ why not treat yourself to a Bovey Castle Afternoon Tea in one of its grand, but relaxing lounges. Fresh scones, delicate pastries, and well-balanced sandwiches make it a memorable experience, especially when enjoyed by the fire on a cool Dartmoor afternoon. Many hotels misunderstand what luxury is. They think that it is all about the amenities, but that is only half the story. Luxury is about creating a place where you feel at home, where you feel relaxed, and the pressures of the world disappear, and if you agree with me and that is your definition too, then you will love Bovey Castle, as here time can stand still and you can take a step back and reflect, and once you have experienced this you will certainly return again and again, as finding a place where you can truly unwind is extremely rare. www.boveycastle.com

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EDUCATION Beyond The Blazer: What Traditional British Education Should Offer At 7.15am one morning, I saw a young child in a London coffee shop completing an examination paper. Everyone involved presumably believed this early preparation was helping to secure a successful future. I wondered what it might be teaching the child about success in the present. For many American families, a British education carries a powerful romance, immortalised in novels and films: the child in a smart blazer or pinafore entering a world of ceremony, continuity and high standards. The fancy hat is doing quite a lot of work here. It is an attractive picture. But if we are not careful, ‘traditional’ quietly becomes ‘good’ without anybody asking what traditional actually means. Traditional is an evasive word. Some of what it covers is worth keeping: strong subject knowledge, intellectual discipline, high expectations and community. It can also cover passive learning, conformity and examination pressure. I once heard tradition described as peer pressure from dead people, which made me laugh and then think. Old is not automatically excellent. Tradition should be a resource, not a teaching method.

What Rigour Really Looks Like

We all bring our own experience of school with us. If school meant sitting still, listening and producing plenty of neat, correct work, that is what serious education looks like in our heads. So when children appear happy and comfortable with their teachers, some adults become suspicious. Are they really being stretched? Apparently, proper learning ought to look a little more miserable. It needn’t. This is where happiness gets misunderstood. I am not talking about a school that avoids difficulty, entertains children all day or praises them for breathing. A child can be happy and still be properly challenged. In fact, feeling secure makes it far easier to attempt something difficult, get it wrong and have another go. For that to happen, the relationship with the teacher matters. A teacher who knows a child can tell when to press, when to pause and when a careless answer might be the beginning of an interesting thought. Children admit confusion sooner when they are not frightened of looking foolish. They attempt more too. You can get compliance 20

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without warmth, of course, but you rarely get a child’s best thinking. Knowing the child also means meeting them where they are. That does not mean leaving them there. It means working out what they understand, filling the gaps and choosing the next challenge carefully. Giving every pupil the same harder worksheet, or racing into older content, may look ambitious. Moving each child forward from their actual starting point requires rather more skill. We are also terribly reassured by things we can count. A thick pile of homework has a satisfyingly academic heft, but that does not make it useful. The Education Endowment Foundation finds a smaller positive effect for homework in primary than in secondary schools, with limited evidence overall. The quality of the task matters more than the quantity. Perfect work can be misleading too. Learning is untidy, so books should contain revisions and mistakes that led somewhere useful. I would rather see a wrong answer supported by interesting reasoning than a correct one repeated without understanding. If every answer is right every time, I would wonder whether we had asked enough of the child.

Preparing Children For An Unknown World

Knowledge still matters enormously. Children need vocabulary, number fluency, historical understanding and scientific knowledge. A search engine can find information; it cannot understand it for you. And there is no point asking children to judge a claim when they know nothing about the subject. The world around that knowledge has changed. When I was growing up, my influences were largely family, school, friends, magazines and films. Today’s children encounter global perspectives, social comparison and very convincing misinformation before they necessarily have the judgement to navigate any of it. So I want to hear teachers asking questions that do not produce an instant tick. Why do you think that? What would someone who disagrees say? Is there another way? What might change your mind? Children need to explain their reasoning and listen well enough to reconsider it. Grammar and multiplication matter, of course. But a child can know a

great deal and still wait helplessly for the adult at the front to tell them what to think. That worries me.

The London Pressure Cycle

London, frankly, makes all of this much harder. A small group of senior schools are spoken about as if they are the academic schools and admission to one of them is the surest route to success. Parents worry that their child will fall behind, so preparation begins earlier. Other families see it and do the same. Prep schools are judged by their destination lists and can feel pushed towards particular names, even when another school would suit the child better. The maddening thing is that most people caught in this cycle are trying to do the right thing. The problem is that each perfectly understandable decision makes the next family more anxious. Tutoring, homework and examination practice multiply, and schools can end up narrowing the curriculum because the next test is easier to measure than whether a child is becoming an interesting, adaptable thinker. Children notice. They hear adult conversations, absorb changes of tone and learn which school names produce admiration. For many, senior-school applications are the first time something important appears to be on the line and rejection is a real possibility. Adults may be familiar with selection. The children are not. Challenge matters. Children should get stuck sometimes and discover that effort can take them further than they expected. The trouble begins when ‘you can grow’ starts to sound like ‘who you are now is not enough’. Even after the coveted place is secured, the pressure does not necessarily disappear. A child who has learnt that every stage is preparation for the next may arrive at senior school believing another test has already begun. No child reaches their full potential at ten or eleven. There is, thankfully, no academic sell-by date. One admissions result cannot settle a child’s future, and the best destination is not necessarily the hardest school to enter. It is the place where that child is most likely to be known, challenged and able to flourish. It might be a famous school. It might be somewhere the family had never considered.

EDUCATION

Looking Beyond The Brochure

Parents choosing a school are confronted by polished websites, impressive facilities and persuasive heads. You will learn more from five unscripted minutes among the children than from five pages of prospectus. Do they seem at ease with adults? Do they ask questions? When somebody offers an incorrect answer, are they shut down, or does the teacher want to know how they got there? Ask pupils what happens when they make a mistake and what they do when work is difficult. Listen carefully to the answer. I would rather hear a child explain how their thinking changed than simply list what they achieved. Whether the classroom was silent when I walked past matters far less to me. Look beyond headline examination results too. Highly selective schools begin with pupils who already excel at the skills being measured, so results alone cannot show how much the school contributed. Consider progress, breadth and whether different kinds of children can feel successful. I once spoke to someone who spent their school years believing they were unintelligent because they were in the bottom sets of an exceptionally selective school. In reality, they were near the bottom

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of a tiny, unusually high-performing group. That comparison distorted their sense of themselves long after school. The same applies to tutoring. It can be invaluable when a child has missed school, moved between education systems, needs focused support or wants to study something their school does not offer. But it should answer a real need, not an outbreak of playground panic. Before joining the queue, ask what it is actually for and what the child will give up to make room for it.

What Tradition Should Preserve

There is plenty in traditional schools worth preserving. Assemblies, celebrations, stories, songs and service bring people together. They create shared memories and give children a sense that they belong to something beyond their own achievements. I would happily lose the version of tradition in which authority silences questions, neatness proves learning and more work must mean more progress. I would also lose the idea that an elevenyear-old’s future can be read from one set of examination results. At eleven, children need to know they are enough. They are not finished, obviously;

none of us is. They still have to work hard, recover from mistakes and discover what they can do. But a result should not determine their worth. Their lives should feel as though they are opening up, not narrowing to the next test and the one after that. We adults need to be careful not to close them down too soon.

Written by Ms Nicola Swales, Deputy Head (Academic). Notting Hill Prep is an independent day school in West London for boys and girls aged 4 to 13. The school’s ethos combines academic rigour with the joy of childhood, nurturing confident, wellrounded pupils who are encouraged to explore, question and develop a genuine passion for learning. Notting Hill Prep is an Advanced Thinking School, accredited by the Cognitive Education Development Unit at the University of Exeter, and places a strong emphasis on teaching children how to think, not just what to think. Pupils leave Notting Hill Prep with a strong academic foundation, combined with confidence in their abilities and an eager anticipation of the challenges ahead. Contact: Rhonda Qually E: admissions@nottinghillprep.com

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THEATRE

Sinatra The Musical. Featuring Joel Harper-Jackson. Photography by Birgit and Ralf Brinkhoff

Sinatra The Musical Aldwych Theatre, 49 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4DF

When you start thinking of the most famous and iconic singers in the world you would immediately first think of Elvis, but very close behind would be Frank Sinatra. Indeed, Fank Sinatra was so much more than just a singer, as he was also an accomplished actor, so when there is an opportunity to see a musical about his life you really must go. Sinatra The Musical, is playing at the Aldwych Theatre, and arrives with the swagger and bravado you’d expect from a show built around one of the most mythic figures in American entertainment. It’s glossy, high energy, and packed with big band bravado - a biography that instead of concentrating on all of his success focuses more on the turbulent years when his career nearly collapsed. The musical focuses on a pivotal period in Sinatra’s life: the late 1940s and early 1950s, when the once unstoppable “King of the bobbysoxers” found himself losing record deals, film contracts, and public favour, helping people to understand that Sinatra’s rise was not a straight line, but a jagged climb marked by insecurity, stubbornness, and reinvention. 22

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A character as complex and larger than life as Frank Sinatra needs a leading man who lives up to the great man, and in Joel HarperJackson’s performance as Sinatra they have found their man. His vocals are on point with the same style and effortless cool as the great man, and his phrasing, posturing, and swagger evoke Sinatra without slipping into caricature or shallow imitation. He plays the role honestly, showing Sinatra’s flaws, and even when his actions are hard to support, like when he continues to cheat on his wife, you can’t help but slightly root for him as he oozes charisma, and whatever his flaws, you can’t help but love his voice. Harper-Jackson’s presence is so strong that, at times, it feels like the show is actually a showcase for his talent rather than a fully realised portrait of Sinatra. But if you’re going to build a musical around Ol’ Blue Eyes, having a magnetic lead is half the battle - and here, the production unquestionably succeeds. The women in Sinatra’s life, Nancy Sinatra and Ava Gardner, are given more colour than one might expect in an autobiographical musical. Phoebe Panaretos’s Nancy is dignified, emotionally clear, and shows a real strength despite all that she is put through, and Ana Villafañe’s Ava Gardner

brings bombshell glamour and sharpness, although I always thought her and Frank’s relationship was far more turbulent than shown, but maybe their fights were just too graphic for a West End show! Jenna Russell, as Sinatra’s mother Dolly, steals scenes with minimal dialogue, which is a testament to her comedic timing and emotional grounding. The unsurprising real star of the show is the music, and the show is packed with all of the well-known hits along with a few lesser known gems, and the production is slick with an orchestra recreating that iconic big band sound supported by inventive use of technology and video projected newspaper clippings. As you would expect, Sinatra The Musical is a highly entertaining, musically rich, and visually ravishing tribute to an iconic talent, and although it does focus on the darker times of Frank’s life rather than his triumphs, this enables the audience to understand better the man behind the legend. If you’re looking for a stylish, bigband celebration with heart, humour, and a knockout lead, this show is absolutely worth seeing. www.aldwychtheatre.com

GOLF

GOLF Playing Golf In The UK: A Guide For The Experienced Golfer For the experienced golfer, playing golf in the UK is about far more than simply finding a course and booking a tee time. Britain offers an extraordinary golfing landscape, from historic seaside links and private members’ clubs to championship venues, luxury resorts and exclusive golf experiences that combine exceptional sport with outstanding hospitality. Often, the attraction is often the opportunity to play somewhere genuinely special. The UK is home to some of the world’s most respected courses, many of which have hosted The Open Championship and other major tournaments. There are also private clubs where access is highly restricted, creating an experience that cannot simply be purchased through a standard green fee. Whether you are planning a golfing holiday, looking for prestigious clubs to join or simply want to experience Britain’s finest courses, the UK provides exceptional opportunities.

The Appeal Of British Golf

Britain is where the modern game of golf developed, and its golfing heritage remains one of its greatest attractions. Scotland is particularly important, with links golf deeply embedded in the country’s sporting history. Courses such as St Andrews, Carnoustie and Royal Dornoch offer the opportunity to experience golf in landscapes where the game has been played for generations. England has its own impressive collection, including Royal Birkdale, Royal St George’s, Wentworth and Sunningdale. Wales offers spectacular coastal courses such as Royal Porthcawl, while Northern Ireland is home to internationally acclaimed venues including Royal County Down and Royal Portrush. For an experienced golfer, these courses offer something that many modern resort courses cannot replicate: character, history and the challenge of playing in landscapes shaped by nature rather than simply designed by architects.

Alternatively, joining a prestigious private members’ club can provide access to a course and community that become part of your regular golfing life. The decision often comes down to whether you want access, exclusivity or variety. A private club provides continuity and relationships. A luxury golf tour offers variety. A specialist golfing trip can provide access to courses that might otherwise be difficult to experience.

Scotland: The Essential Golf Destination

For serious golfers, Scotland remains the ultimate pilgrimage. The Old Course at St Andrews is perhaps the most recognisable golfing venue in the world. Playing the Old Course is an ambition for countless golfers, although securing a tee time requires planning. St Andrews also provides an excellent base for a luxury golfing holiday because several exceptional courses are located close together. Kingsbarns, Carnoustie and other Fife and Angus courses can be incorporated into an itinerary, creating several days of world-class golf without excessive travelling.

Further north, Royal Dornoch Golf Club provides one of Britain’s great links experiences. Its Championship Course has achieved legendary status among golfers, combining natural dunes, firm fairways and spectacular views. For those seeking luxury alongside golf, Scotland also offers high-end resorts such as Trump Turnberry, where the famous Ailsa course sits on the Ayrshire coast.

England’s Premier Courses

England provides an extraordinary selection of golf for experienced players. In Surrey, Wentworth Club is one of Britain’s most recognisable private golf clubs. Its West Course has hosted major championships and is closely associated with professional golf. Nearby, Sunningdale Golf Club offers two outstanding heathland courses and is widely regarded as one of the country’s finest golfing destinations. For links golf, the north-west coast of England is difficult to beat. Royal Birkdale is one of the country’s most famous championship venues, while Royal St George’s in Kent provides a very different links experience.

Choosing The Right Golfing Experience

At the top end of the market, you can arrange bespoke golfing itineraries incorporating several of the UK’s most prestigious courses, stay in luxury hotels and travel between venues by chauffeur or private aircraft. WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM

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These clubs are not simply about course quality. They offer traditions, clubhouse culture and levels of service that appeal particularly to experienced golfers who appreciate the heritage surrounding the game.

Private Membership

For golfers who play regularly, membership can make more sense than repeatedly paying premium visitor fees. The UK’s leading private clubs can offer exceptional courses, practice facilities, dining and networking opportunities. However, joining is not simply a matter of paying an annual subscription. Some clubs have waiting lists, nomination procedures or membership requirements. Reputation and relationships can be important, particularly at the most exclusive establishments. It is, therefore, worth considering membership as a long-term commitment rather than a purchase. The right club should offer not only an outstanding course but also a social environment that suits you.

Luxury Golfing Holidays

A bespoke golfing holiday can be one of the best ways for an experienced golfer to explore the UK. Rather than staying in one location, an itinerary can be designed around a collection of prestigious courses. Luxury accommodation, private transfers, caddies, restaurant reservations and sightseeing can all be arranged around tee times. A Scottish itinerary might combine St Andrews, Carnoustie and Royal Dornoch. An English trip could focus on Surrey’s heathland courses before heading towards the Kent coast. For couples or groups where not everyone wants to play golf every day, the itinerary can include fine dining, whisky experiences, historic attractions, spa treatments and other activities. This is where the UK’s compact geography becomes an advantage. Several world-class courses can be combined without the long transfers associated with some international golfing destinations.

The Importance Of Caddies

For experienced golfers, taking a caddie can transform the experience at a challenging links course. 24

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A good caddie offers far more than carrying your clubs. They understand the course, local conditions, wind, greens and strategic options. At unfamiliar courses, local knowledge can be invaluable. A seemingly straightforward hole may have hazards that are difficult to appreciate from the tee, while the correct approach to a links green can be very different from what instinct suggests. For a premium golfing experience, arranging a caddie in advance is therefore well worthwhile.

When Should You Visit?

The UK golfing season generally extends well beyond the summer months, although weather remains an important consideration. Late spring and summer provide longer daylight hours and generally more favourable conditions. However, experienced golfers should not automatically dismiss the shoulder seasons. Playing links golf in autumn can be spectacular, with fewer visitors and a completely different atmosphere. Spring can also offer excellent conditions, although weather is never guaranteed. For affluent golfers, flexibility is an advantage. If your schedule allows you to choose your playing days around weather forecasts, you can potentially enjoy the courses at their best.

More Than Golf

The finest British golf trips are about more than the scorecard. Scotland offers whisky, castles, historic towns and exceptional restaurants. Surrey combines golf with London’s cultural attractions, while the south coast provides country-house hotels and fine dining. Northern Ireland can combine Royal County Down or Royal Portrush with Belfast and the Causeway Coast. Wales offers rugged scenery, historic properties and excellent local cuisine alongside its golf courses. This makes the UK particularly attractive for couples and groups. A luxury golf holiday can be designed so that the non-golfing elements are every bit as memorable as the rounds themselves.

The Ultimate UK Golf Experience

For the experienced and affluent golfer, the UK offers something few other destinations can match: heritage combined with genuine sporting quality. You can play on courses that have challenged generations of professionals, stay in historic hotels, enjoy Michelinstarred dining and have every aspect of your trip arranged around your preferences. The key is to look beyond simply booking expensive green fees. The most rewarding experiences come from choosing the right courses, arranging knowledgeable caddies, staying at exceptional properties and allowing enough time to appreciate the destinations themselves. Whether your ambition is to play the Old Course at St Andrews, experience the great links of Northern Ireland, explore England’s finest heathland courses or build a bespoke tour around Britain’s golfing icons, the UK remains one of the world’s premier destinations for serious golfers. For those who have the means and the experience to appreciate it, this is golf at its most authentic - and, quite possibly, at its most memorable.

As an keen golfer herself, Helen, the Publisher of American in Britain, has created a unique golf product – Stormarker – that can be used as a marker should a storm break out whilst you are playing (you simply place the marker in the ground, pick up your ball, and then you can easily find where to replace your ball once the storm has passed and your competition then continues), and can also be used as a nearest the pin marker, longest drive marker, or a locker key ring that can be attached to your bag. Available in 5 colours (red, white, orange, yellow and pink), they are great stocking fillers for the golfers in your life, and are only £9.99 each, or £30 for all five colours. For further information and to order these great gifts, please email helen@theamericanhour.com and put Stormarker in the title.

The Only Ball Marker for Golfers in Stormy and Inclement Weather Not only can it be used to mark balls in bad weather, it can also be used as a Nearest the Pin Marker, a Longest Drive Marker and a Locker Key Ring Looking for a New, Fun and Innovative Golf Gift for the golfer in your life? Tired of buying novelty golf presents they won't use? Why not buy a gift that he/she can use over and over again, but also has that fun factor? Be the first to buy the golfer in your life Stormarker, the New, Unique, Innovative and Exciting Multi-Purpose Marker, designed and created by Helen Elliott, Founder & CEO of American in Britain! Stormarker’s main purpose is to mark your ball if you have to leave the course mid-round due to bad weather, but it can also be used as a Nearest the Pin and Longest Drive Marker, and when not being used on the course its striking design make it a fun Locker Keyring. Stormarker is lightweight and easily portable, and as it is 20cm in height and distinctively shaped as a lightning bolt (with its own name tag attached) will clearly mark the place of golf balls if golfers have to leave the course. Because it is so visible from a long distance, it can also be used as a Nearest the Pin or Longest Drive marker. It is available in five bright, attractive, vivid colours - Red, Yellow, Pink, Orange and White. Golfers love nearest the pin and longest drive challenges, and if groups of friends, societies, charity days etc., want to add a bit of extra fun to the round, then all they need are Stormarkers, rather than the large, unwieldly, heavy metal markers that damage your golf bags when carried. Stormarker will provide a fun and useful alternative to golf balls, towels and tees for those looking for stocking fillers as well as Birthday, Christmas, Father's Day and Mother's Day presents. They are also great for charity day, golf day and society day gifts and prizes.

Price: £9.99 For further information, or to purchase these markers, please email helen@theamericanhour.com

The recipient of your gift will be delighted with this product, as it has only just been created, so they will be the first to own one and will be the envy of their golf friends.

Great Christmas Stocking Filler For The Golfers In Your Life

THANKSGIVING TRADITIONAL RECIPES FROM TOP CHEFS Thanksgiving is one of those occasions when food is every bit as important as the celebration itself, and while the basic menu has remained remarkably consistent, some of America’s bestknown chefs have developed their own approaches to these classics. Chefs such as Ina Garten, Gordon Ramsay, Martha Stewart and Ree Drummond have demonstrated that traditional Thanksgiving cooking does not have to mean old-fashioned or predictable. The beauty of the Thanksgiving feast is that the dishes can remain recognisable while small changes in technique and ingredients make them considerably more memorable.

The Thanksgiving Turkey

At the heart of the traditional Thanksgiving table is, of course, the turkey. Cooking a whole turkey for a large group can be intimidating, but professional chefs tend to focus on the same fundamentals: seasoning, moisture and careful cooking. 26

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Ina Garten’s approach to Thanksgiving turkey has become particularly popular for its emphasis on straightforward, reliable cooking. Food Network’s collection of Thanksgiving recipes includes her Perfect Roast Turkey alongside recipes from other leading chefs. One of the most important decisions is whether to brine the bird. Brining seasons the meat and can help produce a moist result. Ree Drummond, for example, uses a brine as part of her Thanksgiving turkey method, while other chefs favour butter, herbs and careful roasting. For an impressive centrepiece, rub softened butter beneath the skin and over the outside of the turkey before roasting. Add herbs such as sage, thyme and rosemary, along with onion, garlic and citrus to the cavity. The result is a classic combination of flavours that immediately evokes Thanksgiving. For a smaller gathering, a turkey breast can be a sensible alternative. Geoffrey Zakarian’s turkey breast recipe, featured by Food Network, uses dried apricots and cherries to create a more sophisticated accompaniment while avoiding the need to cook a whole bird.

Traditional Stuffing

Stuffing is arguably the dish that divides Thanksgiving tables almost as much as turkey. Traditional versions generally combine bread, onion, celery, herbs and butter, with sausage, chestnuts, nuts or dried fruit often added for additional flavour. Food Network’s test kitchen version combines sausage and mushrooms with onion, celery and herbs and recommends baking the stuffing separately in a casserole dish. For a more luxurious version, add goodquality pork sausage, plenty of fresh sage and a handful of chopped chestnuts. Dried cranberries can provide sweetness, while pecans add texture. Another interesting approach is cranberry and pecan stuffing. One Food Network recipe combines cranberries and pecans with celery, onion and herb-seasoned stuffing, demonstrating how relatively simple additions can make a familiar side dish feel much more celebratory.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

No Thanksgiving table is complete without mashed potatoes.

CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN THE UK The secret to great mash is surprisingly simple: use good potatoes, season the cooking water properly and avoid overworking them. Ina Garten’s version has recently been praised in a recipe comparison for its straightforward technique. Her method uses salted cooking water, warmed milk and butter, producing a creamy but distinctly potato-forward result. For an indulgent Thanksgiving dinner, Yukon Gold potatoes are an excellent choice. Their naturally buttery texture means they require relatively little additional flavouring. Boil until completely tender, drain thoroughly and mash while hot. Add warm milk and generous amounts of butter gradually, seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. The important thing is not to use a food processor. Overworking potatoes can release too much starch and leave you with a gluey rather than fluffy texture.

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce provides the essential sweet-tart contrast to rich turkey, stuffing and gravy. Making it from scratch is remarkably easy. Fresh or frozen cranberries can be simmered with sugar and orange juice until the berries burst and the mixture thickens. Food Network’s test kitchen recommends adding citrus peel for brightness and even seasoning the finished sauce with salt and pepper to bring out its fruitiness. Ree Drummond offers another useful shortcut, adding maple syrup, orange zest and thyme to prepared cranberry sauce. For a more sophisticated version, try adding orange zest, a little cinnamon and a splash of port. The sauce can also be made a day or two in advance, making it one less job to worry about on Thanksgiving Day.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are another Thanksgiving staple, and they provide an opportunity to introduce a little sweetness to the savoury side dishes. Traditional American versions can involve brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and pecans, sometimes finished with marshmallows. However, professional chefs often take a more restrained approach. Roasted sweet potatoes tossed with maple syrup, butter and warming spices can provide all the sweetness required without becoming overwhelmingly sugary. Food Network’s Thanksgiving collections include everything from slow-cooker sweet potatoes to Bobby Flay’s smoked-chile scalloped sweet potatoes, demonstrating just how much variation is possible within the traditional format. WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM

Green Bean Casserole

For many American families, green bean casserole is an essential Thanksgiving dish. The classic version combines green beans with a creamy mushroom sauce and crispy fried onions. It is a comforting dish that works particularly well alongside turkey and mashed potatoes. You can make it more sophisticated by using fresh green beans and making the mushroom sauce yourself. Add sautéed mushrooms, garlic and thyme, then finish with cream before combining with the beans. Crispy fried onions provide the essential contrast in texture.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts may not be the first vegetable associated with Thanksgiving in Britain, but they have become increasingly popular on American holiday tables. Ina Garten’s balsamic Brussels sprouts are among the chef ’s Thanksgiving recommendations, while Food Network’s current collections also feature slow-cooked Brussels sprouts. Roasting is an excellent way to prepare them. Halve the sprouts, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast until the edges are deeply browned. For a restaurant-style finish, add crispy bacon or pancetta, toasted hazelnuts and a little balsamic glaze.

Homemade Gravy

Gravy might appear to be a supporting player, but it can make or break the Thanksgiving dinner. The best version begins with the juices from the turkey roasting pan. Combine these with stock and a carefully prepared roux, then simmer until thickened. Ina Garten’s homemade gravy is among Food Network’s featured Thanksgiving recipes, while make-ahead gravy is another popular approach for reducing pressure on the big day. For deeper flavour, add roasted turkey wings or a good-quality chicken or turkey stock. A splash of Madeira, sherry or white wine can also add complexity.

Cornbread

Cornbread is particularly associated with Southern Thanksgiving tables. It can be served alongside the main meal, used as the basis for stuffing or simply eaten warm with plenty of butter. Food Network’s Thanksgiving chef collection includes cast-iron skillet cornbread from Alex Guarnaschelli and homemade cornbread from Kardea Brown. Cooking cornbread in a preheated castiron skillet gives it a crisp, golden exterior while keeping the centre soft.

The All-Important Pumpkin Pie

After turkey and all those rich side dishes comes perhaps the most famous Thanksgiving dessert: pumpkin pie. Food Network’s Thanksgiving collection includes several variations, including pumpkin pie with whipped cream and cinnamon, while Martha Stewart’s collection of popular Thanksgiving recipes includes pumpkin and pecan pies among its classics. For an elegant presentation, serve thin slices with lightly whipped cream rather than an enormous mound of cream. A little freshly grated nutmeg over the top adds a professional finish.

Pecan Pie

Pecan pie is another classic and particularly rich Thanksgiving dessert. Its combination of toasted pecans, caramel-like filling and buttery pastry makes it an ideal conclusion to a substantial meal. Ree Drummond’s collection includes a bourbon-infused pecan pie, with bourbon contributing smoky caramel and vanilla notes to the filling.

Make Thanksgiving Like A Chef

The biggest lesson from the recipes of America’s leading chefs is that a memorable Thanksgiving does not require reinventing the entire menu. Instead, start with the classics and concentrate on quality ingredients and good technique. Brine or carefully season the turkey. Make the stuffing rich with herbs and sausage. Give mashed potatoes plenty of butter. Balance the richness of the meal with sharp cranberry sauce and well-roasted vegetables. Make the gravy from the roasting juices and finish with a beautifully spiced pumpkin or pecan pie. The Food Network currently has hundreds of Thanksgiving recipes, including traditional American dishes alongside vegan, Italian-American and Mediterraneaninspired interpretations. Ultimately, Thanksgiving is about generosity and bringing people together. The food should feel abundant, comforting and familiar, but there is nothing wrong with borrowing a few tricks from the professionals. Whether you follow Ina Garten’s straightforward approach, take inspiration from Bobby Flay’s bolder flavours, explore Ree Drummond’s comforting recipes or turn to Martha Stewart for traditional entertaining ideas, the best Thanksgiving cooking is food that encourages everyone to sit down, share a plate and stay at the table a little longer. Wishing you, your family and friends a very Happy Thanksgiving, with very best wishes, Helen and Ben. WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK

CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN THE UK A Guide To The Best Christmas Markets In The UK There is something wonderfully nostalgic about visiting a Christmas market in the UK. As winter settles in, city centres and historic squares are transformed with twinkling lights, wooden chalets, Christmas trees and the unmistakable aromas of cinnamon, roasted chestnuts, gingerbread and mulled wine. The UK’s Christmas markets have grown considerably over the years. While many were inspired by traditional German and European markets, British cities and towns have developed their own distinctive festive identities. From the huge celebrations of Manchester and Birmingham to the atmospheric medieval streets of York and the grand Georgian setting of Bath, there is a Christmas market to suit almost every taste. For 2026, markets are expected to take place across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with most major events running from November into December and some continuing into January. Exact dates can vary, so it is worth checking individual organisers before travelling. Here is our guide to some of the best Christmas markets across the UK.

Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market West Midlands

If you are looking for a traditional German-style Christmas market, Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market should be high on your list. Held in the heart of Birmingham city centre, particularly around Victoria Square and New Street, the market brings a distinctly European atmosphere to the West Midlands. It is widely recognised as one of the UK’s largest German-style Christmas markets, making it particularly popular with visitors looking for bratwurst, pretzels, German beer, sweet treats and traditional Christmas gifts. The market is as much about atmosphere as shopping. Illuminated stalls, festive music and busy city-centre streets make Birmingham an excellent choice for a Christmas shopping day or weekend break. Best for: German food, festive atmosphere and a big-city Christmas experience.

Manchester Christmas Markets - North West England

Manchester has one of the UK’s most 28

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extensive Christmas market experiences, with festive stalls spread across several locations in the city centre. Rather than being one single market, Manchester ’s celebration effectively turns the city centre into a Christmas trail. You can wander between different areas, discovering food stalls, independent traders, decorations, gifts and plenty of places to stop for a festive drink. The scale is one of Manchester’s biggest attractions. VisitBritain lists the Manchester markets among the UK’s major Christmas destinations for 2026, with the event running during November and December. Manchester is also a particularly good choice if you want to combine Christmas markets with shopping, restaurants, museums, nightlife and other attractions. Best for: Groups, food lovers and a full Christmas weekend.

backdrop. Visitors can expect market stalls, food and drink, festive entertainment and additional attractions such as rides and iceskating experiences. Unlike many UK markets, Edinburgh’s festivities extend beyond Christmas itself, with the wider winter programme continuing into January. VisitBritain currently lists Edinburgh’s Christmas markets as running from November 2026 into January 2027. Edinburgh is also ideal for a longer winter break. You can combine the market with Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and the city’s famous restaurants and pubs. If you stay into the New Year, you can also experience the city’s famous Hogmanay celebrations. Best for: A spectacular city break, families and New Year travellers.

York Christmas Market Yorkshire

Bath offers something completely different. Instead of the huge, sprawling atmosphere found in Manchester or Birmingham, Bath’s Christmas Market benefits from an elegant historic setting. The stalls are positioned around the city centre, with Bath Abbey and the city’s distinctive golden Georgian architecture providing the backdrop. The market has developed a strong reputation for handmade gifts and independent producers. VisitBritain describes it as an eco-conscious shopping experience, while current 2026 listings put the market at 26 November to 13 December. Bath is particularly appealing for couples. After browsing the stalls, you can explore the Roman Baths, admire the architecture or enjoy a relaxing visit to the city’s spa facilities. Best for: Couples, artisan gifts and a sophisticated Christmas getaway.

For a traditional Christmas atmosphere, it is difficult to beat York. The city’s historic streets provide a spectacular backdrop for Christmas shopping, with traditional chalets appearing around areas such as Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square. The medieval architecture, city walls and famous Shambles make York feel almost tailor-made for a festive break. One of the market’s biggest strengths is its emphasis on local traders. Previous reporting has highlighted the high proportion of Yorkshire-based businesses taking part, giving visitors the opportunity to buy locally made food, crafts and gifts. A trip to York also gives you plenty to do away from the market. You can visit York Minster, walk the medieval streets, explore independent shops or settle into a cosy pub before returning to the Christmas lights. Best for: Couples, traditional Christmas shopping and historic surroundings.

Edinburgh Christmas Markets - Scotland

Scotland’s capital takes Christmas seriously, and Edinburgh’s Christmas is among the UK’s most spectacular festive experiences. The main Christmas market in Princes Street Gardens is particularly impressive, with Edinburgh Castle providing a dramatic

Bath Christmas Market - Somerset

Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market Hampshire

For atmosphere and setting, Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market is another standout. The market takes place in the cathedral’s historic surroundings, creating a wonderfully traditional backdrop for Christmas shopping. The combination of historic architecture, festive lights and carefully selected stalls gives Winchester a more intimate feel than the UK’s largest city markets.

CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN THE UK The focus tends to be on handmade products, artisan food and independent businesses rather than simply rows of identical Christmas merchandise. Winchester also works particularly well as an overnight trip. The city itself is packed with history, while its compact centre makes it easy to combine sightseeing and Christmas shopping. Best for: A romantic day trip and highquality crafts.

Cardiff Christmas Market - Wales

Christmas markets are not just an English tradition. In Wales, Cardiff Christmas Market brings a distinctly local character to the festive season. Located in the city centre, Cardiff’s market focuses on handmade products, arts and crafts and festive food. VisitBritain currently lists the 2026 market as running from 12 November to 23 December. Cardiff is a great option for visitors who want to combine a market with a lively city break. You can explore the shopping areas, visit Cardiff Castle and enjoy the city’s restaurants and bars before heading back to the market. The city’s compact centre also makes it easy to explore several attractions in one day. Best for: Welsh crafts, city breaks and Christmas shopping with friends.

Newcastle Christmas Market - North East England

Newcastle is another excellent choice for visitors exploring the north of England. VisitBritain lists Newcastle’s 2026 Christmas Market as featuring around 40 stalls, with food, drinks, gifts and decorations from traders in the North East. While it may not have the sheer scale of Birmingham or Manchester, that can actually be part of its appeal. Newcastle provides a manageable festive experience that can easily be combined with the city’s shops, restaurants and nightlife. The friendly atmosphere associated with Newcastle makes it particularly well suited to groups of friends. Best for: Food, social trips and exploring the North East.

Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market Devon

If you are based in the South West, there is no need to travel hundreds of miles for a great Christmas market. Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market brings festive stalls to Cathedral Green, creating an atmospheric setting in the heart of the city. VisitBritain highlights local traders and WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM

Devon-inspired Christmas shopping among the attractions. The cathedral provides an impressive backdrop, while Exeter itself offers plenty of independent shops, cafés and restaurants. It is a particularly good option for people who prefer a smaller-scale market with a strong sense of place. Best for: Local products and a South West Christmas trip.

Bristol Christmas Market - South West England

Bristol is another strong choice for a festive city break. The city’s Christmas market is located in the centre and combines shopping stalls with entertainment and seasonal activities. VisitBritain describes it as featuring unique stalls, live entertainment and Santa, making it an appealing option for families. Bristol’s independent character also makes it an interesting destination for Christmas shopping. Beyond the market, visitors can explore the city’s harbourside, street art, restaurants and independent shops. Best for: Families and visitors who want a lively modern city atmosphere.

London Christmas Markets - Greater London

London deserves a category of its own. Rather than one Christmas market, the capital offers a huge variety of festive experiences. The Southbank Centre Winter Market is a popular riverside option, while Hyde Park Winter Wonderland combines Christmas stalls with rides, food and entertainment. Other options include markets at Greenwich, Kingston, Leadenhall Market and Old Spitalfields. Visit London’s current 2026 guide highlights the range of markets available across the capital. London is ideal if you want to combine Christmas shopping with theatre, museums, restaurants and sightseeing. Best for: Variety, entertainment and a Christmas weekend in the capital.

festive day out. You can shop, explore the grounds and enjoy the Christmas light trail. Best for: Families, special occasions and a luxurious Christmas experience.

Planning Your UK Christmas Market Trip

With so many markets available, choosing where to go can be difficult. The best destination depends largely on the type of Christmas experience you want. For traditional German-style markets, Birmingham is an obvious choice. For scale and variety, Manchester is hard to beat. York and Bath are excellent for atmospheric historic settings, while Edinburgh offers one of the most spectacular overall winter experiences. If you prefer smaller, more intimate markets, Winchester and Exeter are worth considering. For a family day out, Cardiff, Bristol and Blenheim Palace all offer plenty beyond shopping. It is also worth thinking about timing. The busiest weekends in December can become extremely crowded, particularly at the most famous markets. Visiting during November or on a weekday can provide a more relaxed experience. Always check the official market website before travelling because dates and opening arrangements can change.

The Best Christmas Markets Across The UK

From Scotland to Northern Ireland and Wales to the South West of England, there are festive markets within reach of almost every part of the country. Ultimately, the best Christmas market is the one that matches your idea of the perfect festive day. Whether that means shopping for handmade presents, sampling seasonal food, enjoying an ice rink, taking photographs beneath thousands of lights or simply wandering around with a hot chocolate in hand, the UK has plenty of destinations capable of delivering Christmas magic. And perhaps that is what makes a Christmas market visit so appealing: for a few hours, ordinary city streets become somewhere completely different.

Blenheim Palace Oxfordshire

Finally, for a Christmas market experience that feels particularly grand, head to Blenheim Palace. The UNESCO-listed palace provides a magnificent setting for seasonal events, with Christmas shopping combined with festive attractions and an illuminated trail. National Geographic has highlighted Blenheim’s Christmas experience as a standout destination for getting out of the city. Rather than simply visiting a collection of market stalls, Blenheim works as a complete WWW.AMERICANINBRITAIN.CO.UK

AMERICAN CLUBS’ NEWS AWC London

The American Women’s Club (AWC) of London has a full line-up of activities, events, and volunteer opportunities for a wide range of interests this fall. From pub mixers to book clubs to outdoor adventures, there’s something for everyone at AWC, and all nationalities are welcome! If you are interested in joining AWC, please sign up on the website at https:// awclondon.wildapricot.org/New-MemberSession sign up New member information sessions will take place in central London on the following dates: • Tuesday, October 20th at 10:30 am • Thursday, October 22nd at 6:30 pm • Tuesday, November 17th at 10:30 am • Wednesday, November 18th at 6:30 pm • Tuesday, December 15 at 10:30 am For general membership information, please email membership@awclondon.org, or check out our website at awclondon.org. Also, visit our social media to see what we’re up to: https://www.facebook.com/AWCLondon.

Junior League Of London Mahjong mornings, padel matches, London adventures, pub lunches, countryside hikes, supper clubs, pottery, book clubs, guest speakers at our club mingles, and sometimes just a really good coffee and chat. AWSurrey has been bringing internationally minded women together since 1975. And if you’re picturing a traditional American expat club, we’re probably not what you have in mind. We’re women from all over the world, mostly living across Surrey (with quite a few Londoners in the mix too), and we put on 100+ events across Surrey and London every year. Our members are at all different stages of life. You might have landed in the UK six weeks ago or have been here for 15 years. You might have kids at home, a new career, or just be at the point where you’d quite like to meet some new people and do some interesting things. And there is A LOT to do. Play padel. Finally learn mahjong. Go into London for a tour you’d never think to book yourself. Join a hike, try pottery, have lunch at a great pub or turn up to a supper club where you barely know anyone. You’ll probably join for the activities. But the friendships are what make members stay. Guests are welcome at our Club Mingles, and you can join at any point during our September– June club year. Come see what we’re up to. awsurrey.org Instagram: @AWSurrey

Interested in joining a community of women building the skills, connections and confidence to create lasting change in London? The Junior League of London is currently recruiting new members! Whether you’re looking to develop your leadership skills, make a difference in your community, or simply meet new friends, there’s a place for you in the League. As a community of women from across the world, we connect members with opportunities to volunteer, lead and make an impact across London. Find out more and see our upcoming New Member events: london.jl.org/join-us

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