Gold nanoparticle (Au NP) catalysed reactions in aqueous media are relevant for many clean energy cycles. In order to understand all the underlying factors influencing the outcome of such reactions, specifically the reactions in which water is not just the medium but also a reactant itself, it is necessary to explore the effect of the presence of Au NPs on surrounding water molecules. It is known that the extent of reactivities shown by Au NPs in water is influenced by the interfacial water molecules. In turn, therefore, the interfacial water molecules themselves can also be expected to be influenced by the Au NPs as a result of the prevailing interactions. Given the fact that solvent restructuring takes place at the NP-solute interface, water molecules can also be expected to undergo a certain degree of structural changes while they are close to the Au NPs. In other words, solvation shell water molecules, i.e., the water molecules significantly perturbed by the presence of a solute (here, Au NPs), can be expected to have structural differences if compared to the bulk phase water molecules. In the past, some theoretical reports have concentrated on studying Au NPs surrounded by water. However, experimental studies probing the solvation shell water around Au NPs have been few and far between, and no experimental study has likely been carried out yet, focusing on solvation shell water around Au NPs in a commonplace dispersion. Thus, it is worth experimentally studying the structural changes in water molecules surrounding Au NPs in a usual, commonly used dispersion.