The curiously named Royal Children has its part to play in Britsh history. In 1688, when the throne of King James II was in peril, he arranged for Anne. (1646-1723 r. 1702-14) his daughter, to be spirited away to Nottingham.
While ensconsed in Nottingham Castle, Anne endeared herself to the citizens of the city and became popular amongst the locals.
Tradition has it that her children (from her union with Prince George of Denmark) were accommodated in this inn.or because Princess Anne's children used to play with the then Landlords children. Unfortunately none of Anne's children survived into adulthood and it is said that the restless spirits of her offspring still walk in and around the site.
The name The Royal Children is painted on the one piece of whale-bone that was publicly displayed in Nottingham.
They brought the sign inside as it was rotting away but it used to hang outside the front door.
A couple of hundred years ago whale oil occupied the same place in everyday life that paraffin does nowadays, and the whale fisheries of Whitby and the other north-east ports were very prosperous.
Whaling skippers would distribute portions of the skeletons of their gigantic prey as advertisements here and there, hence the whale's shoulder-blade.
The Royal Children holds to this day a license for selling whale oil for lamps, and displays the whale bones that made it famous.
It hasn't kept up with surrounding venues,it is comfortable old fashioned, this is also true of the prices of their drinks, you can purchase a pint in here for a little over £2real ales.
It had a TV programme made about it a few years back. They were going for oldest pub against the Old Trip to Jerusalem. So a piece of history. read more