Royal Arcade, London

The Royal Arcade was not always known by its regal name. When it first opened in eighteen seventy-nine, it was simply called The Arcade. The prestigious title was earned a few years later after Queen Victoria became a regular customer of the shirtmaker H. W. Brettell, who operated out of number twelve. This connection transformed the passage into a destination for the city's monied class, cementing its status as a site of Victorian luxury.