The Royal Parks celebrated by Green Flag as among the best in UK!

The Royal Parks can wave Green Flags with pride after they retained the highest quality award for parks and green spaces, again, this year.

The Royal Parks charity manages London’s eight Royal Parks along with Brompton Cemetery and other important green spaces in the capital. Greenwich Park, Green Park, St James’s Park, Kensington Gardens and Brompton Cemetery have all been re-awarded their Green Flag status this year.

The Green Flag award is the UK and international quality standard for parks and green spaces. The Royal Parks are judged, or visited, by a mystery shopper every year. The Green Flag judging process includes a review of our Park Management Plans and a site visit to meet park teams. This includes meeting staff across park, landscape, volunteer and biodiversity management to showcase work in the field.

The other Royal Parks – The Regent’s Park, Hyde Park, Richmond Park, Bushy Park - have retained their status and will be judged again in 2024. All Royal Parks have also achieved or retained the Green Heritage Site Accreditation, supported by Historic England, for the management of its historic features.

The awards mark the culmination of an historic twelve months. The central parks were viewed by billions across the globe when the Royal Parks welcomed millions of visitors to major national ceremonial events marking the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the Coronation of King Charles III.Michael Rowland, Head of Park Operations, The Royal Parks, said:

“In recent months we have been proud to have shown the parks at their absolute best, when we welcomed millions of visitors to our central parks, to join in and be part of the most notable national ceremonial events of the century. These Green Flag awards are testament to the hard work, dedication vision and teamwork of our staff, contractors, apprentices and volunteers who maintain these parks at the very highest standards of excellence.”

Any green space that is freely accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award. Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag Award status. A Green Flag Community Award recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups. Green Heritage Site Accreditation is judged on the treatment of the site’s historic features and the standard of conservation.