The clue
My friend wants to spend the day in a business district three miles south-southwest of here. But I’ve done some research — and detoured to this borough instead. “I’m stoked! Knowing tons of new details about this place has upended my view of it,” I tell him. “It’s full of stories.”
“Convenience stores and traffic lights, more like,” Friend grumbles.
To prove him wrong I show him where a king (father: Henry) was reconciled with a future queen (father: Henry) in a moment that was, ultimately, of considerable dynastic consequence.
“In this sixth-form campus, by a roundabout?” he scoffs.
Of course not — it was in a mansion that once stood here. “How dull,” Friend says. “If you were a professional guide I’d fire you on the spot.”
All right, what about the football club whose ground once stood half a mile east-southeast of here, before it settled across a river and — 79 years ago — changed its name? Maybe that will reorient his perceptions.
It doesn’t. So I take him to a primary school 700 yards northwest of the campus. “Amazing!” he sarcastically gasps. “What’s this? The alma mater of an extraordinary 20th-century boy?”
“Two of them, actually,” I tell him.
One served a musical apprenticeship in a band that included an equally extraordinary girl at the same school. Separately, they went on to top the pop charts.
The other boy became an entrepreneur and TV host.
Friend’s jaw drops. “So if I were a professional guide, would you rehire me?” I ask.
“Woopah oh yeah,” he says.
The questions
1. What was the first name of the king?
2. What is name of the primary school?
The prize
The winner and guest will stay for two nights, B&B, in a Salon room at Montcalm Mayfair, a short walk from Hyde Park and Selfridges. This five-star Autograph Collection hotel reopens next month after a two-year refurbishment that has brought a softer, gentler sense of luxury to the interiors. Guests can expect a garden theme throughout — from the hand-painted Lounge ceilings to the lush plants in Lilli by Akira Back, the hotel’s new restaurant collaboration with the celebrated Korean-born chef.
The prize includes one dinner for two (excluding drinks) to a value of £200 and two 30-minute treatments at the Yatra Signature Spa, whose serene soundscapes were curated by MindFidelity to echo British woodlands. For more, see montcalmcollection.com. The prize must be taken between May 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, subject to availability and excluding public holidays.
How to enter
Answer the questions and complete the entry form above or here by the end of Thursday, April 3. One entry per person.
See here for the full competition terms and conditions from The Times & The Sunday Times. Your information will be used in accordance with our privacy and cookie policy.
Last week’s prize
The answers are Lawrence and Elvaston Castle. Harish Tailor from London wins a Herefordshire break for four at the Sugar Store worth up to £1,661 with Boutique Retreats.
Sign up to the travel newsletter and follow us on Instagram, X and Threads
Become a subscriber and, along with unlimited digital access to The Times and The Sunday Times, you can enjoy a collection of travel offers and competitions curated by our trusted travel partners, especially for Times+ members
