To mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, Greenwich became a Royal Borough on 3 February 2012, due in part to its historic links with the royal family, but also to its UNESCO World Heritage Site status as home of the Prime Meridian.

From 1856 the area was governed by the Metropolitan Board of Works, which was established to provide services across the metropolis of London.

From 1856 until 1900 the lower tier of local government within the metropolis comprised various parish vestries and district boards.

[8] In 2012, to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, the borough was given the additional honorific status of being a royal borough, in recognition of the area's historic links with the Royal Family and its status as home of the Prime Meridian and as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Greenwich is bounded by the London Boroughs of Bexley to the east, Bromley to the south, Lewisham to the west and across the River Thames to the north lie Tower Hamlets, Newham and Barking and Dagenham.

Since 2000, for elections to the London Assembly, the borough forms part of the Greenwich and Lewisham constituency.

Greenwich Community College is the main publicly funded provider of further education in the borough, offering a range of academic and vocational courses and qualifications.

The University of Greenwich main campus is located in the distinctive buildings of the former Royal Naval College.

There are several rugby clubs, most notably Blackheath F.C., who played at Rectory Field for 158 years, moving to Eltham in 2016.

A cable car crossing linking Greenwich Peninsula to the Royal Docks opened on 28 June 2012.

[23] The Thames Clippers commuter ferry service runs from Woolwich to Canary Wharf and the City.

The DLR serves Greenwich more extensively and a list of the stations is below: In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were driving a car or van, 17.5% of all residents aged 16–74; train, 10.2%; bus, minibus or coach, 10.2%; underground, metro, light rail, tram, 9.7%; on foot, 4.1%; work mainly at or from home, 2.5%; and bicycle, 1.5%.

Apart from the many museums and historic buildings in Greenwich town and Greenwich Park, the main tourist attractions are the Cutty Sark, The O2 Arena, the London Cable Car, Eltham Palace (which expected over 100,000 visitors in 2015), Charlton House and the Thames Barrier.

It includes an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, piazzas, bars, and restaurants.

Arms were originally granted to the London Borough by letters patent dated 1 October 1965.