London Tipton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids London Tipton
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody & The Suite Life on Deck character
London in "Bon Voyage"
First appearance	"Hotel Hangout" (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, 2005)
Last appearance	"Graduation on Deck" (The Suite Life on Deck; 2011)
Created by	Danny Kallis Jim Geoghan
Portrayed by	Brenda Song (regular) Haley Tju (young London)
Information
Nickname(s)	Princess (by Mr. Tipton) Lon (by Sister Dominick, when London called her Sis) Airhead Heiress (by Maddie)
Gender	Female
Occupation	Student (Seven Seas High) Former student (Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow) Heiress (Tipton Industries) Owner/head of "Simply London Cosmetics", Owner of "London's Swimsuit Line", Former owner of "London's Boutique" At The Tipton Owner of "One of a Kind Clothes"
Family	Wilfred Tipton (father) Unnamed biological mother Many stepmothers
Relatives	Rome Tipton (great-great-great-great grandson)
Pets	Dogs: Ivana Prince Percival Persimmon DuLoc (Ivana and Scamp's puppy) Cat: "Cat" (revealed in Club Twin)
Nationality	American (English for tax purposes)

London Leah Tipton is a fun and famous character from Disney Channel's Suite Life shows. These include The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, its spin-off The Suite Life on Deck, and The Suite Life Movie. London also popped up in special episodes of other Disney shows like Wizards of Waverly Place and Hannah Montana.

The character is played by Brenda Song, who got the role without even needing to audition! London Tipton is a playful take on real-life socialites. Brenda Song has said that London is a "fantasy character" because she's so interesting and has many sides to her personality. London is the daughter of Wilfred Tipton, who owns the famous Tipton Hotel chain and the SS Tipton cruise ship. London has appeared in almost every episode of both The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and The Suite Life on Deck.

London Tipton's Story

London Tipton is the only child of a very rich businessman, Wilfred Tipton. Her mother has never been shown or named, but she is from Thailand. Her father is American, but he says he's British for business reasons. London is the future owner of the huge Tipton company, which includes hotels, music companies, and a cruise line. In an episode of The Suite Life on Deck called "A London Carol," we learn that London used to love helping people, especially by volunteering at homeless shelters every Christmas.

Growing Up Rich and Lonely

Even though London was born into a very wealthy family, her childhood wasn't always happy. Her father often seemed too busy for her and got married many times. This made London feel like she never really had a mother figure. In The Suite Life on Deck, it's shown that her father married a woman named Karina because London wanted her out of the way of her relationship with a magician on the ship. London herself has mentioned her father has been married many times. It's also hinted that London struggled with school because she didn't get much education or attention.

London's father rarely attended her special events, even Christmas. This made her feel sad and alone. As she got older, she started to fill this emptiness by shopping a lot. Her friend Maddie noticed that London would buy new clothes to feel better when she was sad. London even admitted this in an episode of The Suite Life on Deck.

In the episode "The Prince & the Plunger", Mr. Moseby tried to get London to go to a father-daughter dance with her dad. London was sure her father wouldn't show up, and she was right. Mr. Tipton didn't come. Moseby found London crying and offered to take her to the dance himself, which made her happy.

When London was 15, she met Maddie Fitzpatrick, who became her best friend. London even went to Maddie's Catholic school for a while. Later, she was kicked out for not going to classes and had to go to a public high school. Eventually, her father made her attend Seven Seas High, a school on the SS Tipton cruise ship. He thought she wouldn't be able to run away from school if she was on a ship!

London's Life at the Tipton Hotel

London is a very spoiled, rich teenager. She has her own fancy suite at the Tipton Hotel in Boston. Her suite has many closets filled with designer clothes and even talking mirrors! Her best friend is Maddie Fitzpatrick. London often gives Maddie gifts, which makes it seem like she's paying Maddie to hang out. She's also good friends with Zack and Cody.

Even though London can sometimes act like a snob, she truly cares about her friends and is very loyal to them. She loves fashion and has worn designer clothes since she was a baby. She almost never wears the same outfit twice! London has a cute Pomeranian dog named Ivana Tipton, who is treated like royalty. Since London doesn't have a nanny, she often asks the Tipton hotel staff, like Mr. Moseby, for help and advice. She doesn't get along with her many stepmothers and often talks to Mr. Moseby, Maddie, and sometimes Carey about her problems. When London is happy, she claps her hands, jumps up and down, and says her famous catchphrase, "Yay me!"

School and Smarts

London has gone to many private schools but doesn't put much effort into her schoolwork. She even transferred to Maddie's school because she wasn't attending her old one. Later, she was kicked out of all her private schools and had to go to public school with Zack and Cody. London finds subjects like reading and writing very difficult. She often gets confused and is easily tricked by others, like Maddie. For example, Maddie once tricked her into doing silly things by changing her horoscope. London's trusting nature can sometimes be helpful in tricky situations. It's also been shown that she has to think very hard about simple actions, like walking.

London's glamorous life means she avoids hard work. Her dad sometimes tries to make her work, especially because she spends so much money. London often struggles because she's used to getting her way easily. However, sometimes she surprises everyone by showing she can be smart and even selfless.

London's Web Show

London has her own web show called Yay Me, Starring London Tipton. Cody Martin was her first producer. After Cody quit because London made him do crazy things, her friend Chelsea Brimmer took over. But Chelsea was a terrible producer, and fans wanted Cody back. London realized she needed Cody and apologized to him on her show. Cody came back and continued to produce her show. When Cody wasn't available, Maddie often filled in and later became the official producer. London still does her web show on the SS Tipton, with Woody Fink as her producer.

London rarely sees her father in person, but they often talk on the phone. London has said that Mr. Moseby appears in her family photo albums more often than her dad or any of his ex-wives.

Even though London is not Jewish, she celebrates Hanukkah. In one episode, she said she gets presents for her birthday, Christmas, and Hanukkah. When Maddie pointed out that London isn't Jewish, London replied, "And miss out on 8 days of presents? Not this girl." London also uses some Yiddish words in her speech, like "Oy Vey" and "Mazel Tov."

London doesn't like to exercise but has shown surprising strength in some episodes. She also can't sing very well, but she still enjoys it. In "Super Twins," it's revealed that she's easily hypnotized.

Life on the SS Tipton

London thought she was going on a vacation aboard the SS Tipton cruise ship. But Mr. Moseby told her she was there to attend Seven Seas High, a school on the ship, so she would actually go to class. London was not happy about this! She saw it as a punishment. At first, London bribed her cabin-mate, Padma, with jewelry to leave so she could have her own cabin. But then Bailey Pickett was assigned to her cabin. London tried to escape the ship by helicopter to Parrot Island, but she ended up in trouble. The ship had to go rescue her. London later paid $10 million to help the island and returned to the SS Tipton.

On the ship, London is treated like a regular student. She often tried to bribe her teachers with money, but she has started to put more effort into her schoolwork. In one episode, she even said she liked the feeling of accomplishing something. London also seems a bit smarter than she was in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, though she still has her ditzy moments. Despite trying to escape the ship often, London has found ways to adapt. Since her cabin has limited closet space, most of her clothes are carried by a special submarine that follows the ship!

London and Bailey slowly became friends. London sometimes treated Bailey badly, like embarrassing her on her web show. But London usually means well as a friend, and Bailey always forgives her. London even reunited with her dog, Ivana, who was flown to the ship by helicopter.

London often tries to do nice things for others, but it doesn't always go well. In "Mom and Dad On Deck," she tried to find the perfect birthday gift for Mr. Moseby but ended up annoying him by following him everywhere. She also tried to nurse him when he was hurt but just made him feel crowded. In the same episode, it was shown that it takes London half an hour to read just one page of a simple book. In "Smarticle Particles," Bailey tricked London into doing well in school by giving her "smart perfume" (which was just regular perfume). London believed it made her smart and was upset when she found out it was fake. This shows that London might be smarter than she thinks, but she lacks confidence.

In "Family Thais," London travels to Thailand and meets her grandmother, Khun Yai. London is surprised to find out her grandmother is a poor rice farmer. London tries to make her grandmother's life more luxurious, but Khun Yai is uncomfortable. After talking with Bailey, London learns to accept her grandmother's simple life, and they form a close bond. Khun Yai also has a pet elephant she can understand, much like London's connection with Ivana.

In "Lost at Sea," London pretends to be crazy and thinks she's on a resort island so she doesn't have to do any work. After they escape the island in a balloon made of her clothes, she reveals her trick. She makes Cody and Bailey admit that she's much smarter than they thought. London is also very good with her hands, like when she fixed a small boat using eyebrow products.

In the final episode, London shows she will miss Mr. Moseby, who has been like a father to her. London's last line in the series is "Little me, off to Paris," which is a fun echo of her very first line in the original show, "Little me, back from Paris."

London's Family and Friends

Family Members

• Yolanda (unseen) - One of London's former stepsisters. London called her once looking for a place to stay, but Yolanda refused.
• Khun Yai (played by Elizabeth Sung) - London's grandmother and her mother's mother from Thailand. London visits her in the On Deck episode "Family Thais." London learns to accept her grandmother's simple farming life, and they become very close. Khun Yai has a pet elephant she understands, just like London understands Ivana.

Her Father

• Wilfred Tipton (voiced by Bob Joles in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody; played by John Michael Higgins in The Suite Life on Deck) - He owns the Tipton hotel and is London's father. His face was not shown for a long time until the "Twister" episodes. He is usually surrounded by bodyguards. It's not clear how he became the owner of the Tipton, as London sometimes says he bought it, and other times it's said his family owned it for generations. Wilfred rarely sees London in person. He often wants London to work harder in school and learn the value of money. He sometimes threatens to take away her inheritance if she spends too much. Mr. Tipton has married many younger women, often without London's approval. Mr. Moseby once joked that the warranties on Mr. Tipton's wedding gifts lasted longer than his marriages!

Her Mothers and Stepmothers

• Mrs. Tipton (unseen) - London's biological mother and Mr. Tipton's third ex-wife. She visited London's sweet sixteen party but was not seen.
• Many Stepmothers (some unseen, some played by actresses like T Lopez and Briana Lane) - Mr. Tipton has been married many times. London often doesn't get along with her stepmothers. Brandi Tipton, one of his ex-wives, showed the most concern for London. Karina Tipton appeared on The Suite Life on Deck as a magician's assistant. London tried to get her dad to "get rid of her," but he married her instead!

London's Friends

• Marion Moseby (Phill Lewis) - He is like a father figure to London. He gives her support and advice and has taken care of her since she was very young. London says he's in her family photo albums more than her own dad! He taught London to walk and drive.
• Maddie Fitzpatrick (Ashley Tisdale) - London's best friend. They are very close, even though London sometimes makes fun of Maddie's clothes or hair because of their different money situations. Maddie often helps London make good choices and sometimes teases her about her intelligence.
• Bailey Pickett (Debby Ryan) - London's close friend on The Suite Life on Deck and her cabin-mate. London didn't like her at first, but they became friends. London sometimes gets jealous of Bailey's large family because London often felt ignored by her own parents.
• Zack and Cody Martin (Dylan and Cole Sprouse) - London is good friends with the twins. Cody helps her with her web show and homework. Zack often gets London involved in his plans.
• Woody Fink (Matthew Timmons) - Cody's cabin-mate on The Suite Life on Deck and London's web show producer.
• Marcus Little (Doc Shaw) - Zack's cabin-mate and a former singing star.
• Nia Moseby (Giovonnie Samuels) - Mr. Moseby's niece and Maddie's temporary replacement at the Tipton. Nia sometimes takes advantage of London's wealth, but London doesn't seem to notice.
• Ivana (voiced by Emma Stone) - London's Pomeranian dog, who is treated like royalty. Ivana can even use a cellphone to contact London!
• Chelsea Brimmer (Brittany Curran) - One of London's wealthy friends, who is also a bit air-headed. She was a guest star and former producer on London's web show.
• Tiffany (Alexa Nikolas) - Another one of London's shallow and diet-obsessed friends.
• Portia Tanenbaum (unseen) - A friend of London's who is mentioned often. She has her own web show and is a bit of a rival to London.
• Francesca Grubman (Georgina Rosso) - One of London's rich friends who sometimes insults London and Maddie.
• Maya Bennett (Zoey Deutch) - Zack's ex-girlfriend.
• Addison (Rachael Kathryn Bell) - A classmate on The Suite Life on Deck.
• Arturo Vitali (Todd Sherry) - London's favorite fashion designer. He is mentioned often but only appears in one episode.

Ivana Tipton

Ivana Priscilla Veronica Tipton-Fitzpatrick is London Tipton's beloved pet dog. She is a Pomeranian breed. Ivana doesn't talk to humans, but she can communicate with Maddie's dog, Scamp. They even have puppies together and get married!

In one episode, Maddie takes care of Ivana and treats her like a real person. Ivana even has subtitles when she "talks" to Maddie. There was also a book about Ivana called Ivana Lives in a Hotel. London copied it for a school assignment and got an 'A'!

When Ivana and Scamp have puppies, Maddie names her puppy Scruffy, and London names hers Prince Percival Persimmon Du Loc. London initially didn't like Scamp and tried to set Ivana up with a fancy Pomeranian duke. But Ivana loved Scamp, and they were found together in a suite. London eventually saw that Ivana was happy with Scamp.

They had four puppies. Ivana seems to know that London isn't always the smartest. She once "thought" (with subtitles) that London believed "one and one is four." Ivana is often seen in the first season of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and returns in "The Kidney of the Sea" on The Suite Life on Deck. She helps clear Zack's name after he's blamed for stealing a valuable jewel. Ivana might have been named after the real-life businesswoman Ivana Trump.

London Tipton's Impact

In 2006, Brenda Song won an Asian Excellence Award for "Outstanding Newcomer" because of how well she played London Tipton. Cosmogirl Magazine even called her the "Queen of Disney" because of her big role in the Suite Life shows. London Tipton was also named the "Most Stylish" character of 2008 by Zap2it and one of "TV & Movie Shopaholics."

See also

In Spanish: London Tipton para niños