208 High Holborn
Holborn
London
WC1V 7EP
020 7405 8816
The Princess Louise has a spectacular Victorian interior dating from 1891 with exceptional original features such as tiled panels, gilded wall mirrors, stained glass windows (photo 2) and a large mahogany island bar and bar back. In 2008 owners Samuel Smith took the very unusual step of replacing lost wood and glass panels to restore the long entrance corridor (photo 1) and seven small rooms and snugs. They have since refitted other pubs in a similar way including the Fitzroy Tavern not far away in Fitzrovia.
The pub exterior has an elegant but relatively unpretentious frontage built in 1872 before the the ornate interior was developed (photo 3).
Princess Louise was the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and this is the only UK pub named after her. She became a sculptor and her statue of Queen Victoria still stands outside Kensington Palace.
The pub is owned by Samuel Smiths and sells their very good value beers, and food is available lunchtimes and evenings except on Saturdays and Sundays.
