vr tour of buckingham palace

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New virtual tour of Buckingham Palace takes public inside royal residence

Now anyone can take a peek inside the regal rooms of Buckingham Palace without stepping foot in London — or even the airport.

A collaboration between the British monarchy and Google Expedition has yielded a virtual reality tour of the royal palace, allowing visits inside some of the state rooms that have welcomed dignitaries from around the world, as well as up-close look at the art collection, furniture and fixtures inside Queen Elizabeth’s official residence.

The tour can be accessed on a computer through the official British Monarchy YouTube channel , but is perhaps best viewed on a smart phone, where a mere swipe of the screen provides full panoramic views of each room.

RELATED: Man who sent Queen Elizabeth Christmas cards for 60 years gets royal reply

Photos for the tour were taken last week by 16 cameras placed in circle, each taking a different shot at the same time and then pulled together to provide 360-degree images of the palace.

The tour lasts just under 10 minutes and is guided by Tony Johnstone-Burt, the "Master of the Household,” or chief operations officer, for the queen, and royal art curator Anna Reynolds.

The official tour was launched at an event featuring students from a school in east London.

"We asked them, if you could go anywhere in the world where would you want to go and they replied — Buckingham Palace," said Jennifer Holland, Google Expedition's program manager.

Other virtual tours using the Google Expedition program have allowed viewers to tour places Japan's Mount Fuji and the Borneo rainforest, among other locations around the world. The program often is used by teachers as an education project for students.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

Now You Can Tour Buckingham Palace From Anywhere in the World

By Brooke Bobb

Never been inside the home of Queen Elizabeth II before? Thanks to Google, you can finally “walk” the royal halls. Mere commoners can head over to YouTube to watch the tour, but for the full experience, you’ll need to add a piece of cardboard to the mix. Google’s cardboard virtual reality headset allows viewers to use their smartphones to download and watch 3-D videos as part of the Google Expeditions Pioneer Program —a tool created specifically for teachers that allows them to distribute the headsets to their students and take them on virtual trips around the globe. Google polled schoolchildren and found that Buckingham Palace was their most desired place to visit, landing the royal residence a spot on the ever-growing roster of journeys. The existing 150 trips include sites like Yosemite, Mt. Fuji, and the Great Barrier Reef.

buckingham palace

The new tour takes viewers on a “stroll” through seven staterooms, including the Green Drawing Room and the Picture Gallery, with accompanying commentary from the queen’s Master of the Household and Curator of Paintings. The tour also features the White Drawing Room and its secret door leading to the queen’s private apartments. Thrones, grand ballrooms, silk wall coverings, and ornate chandeliers—quite the regal experience for a $20 piece of cardboard.

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You can now take a virtual tour of Buckingham Palace and the Royal Collection

Clearly there are no tours of Buckingham Palace happening at the moment. Heck, even the Queen herself has got the hell out of Dodge and is holed up in Windsor Castle, no doubt washing her royal hands fastidiously and scrupulously taking a single piece of exercise per day in the extensive grounds.

However, there’s another, fairly simple way to take a mooch around London’s seat of royal power: do it digitally! There’s a full-on tour of Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms available via the Royal Collection Trust, and while sadly that doesn’t let you peep into even a virtual version of Her Majesty’s bedchamber, you do have the considerable upside of being able to take a leisurely perusal of more than 250,000 works in the Royal Collection, one of the most spectacular stashes of art on the planet. 

You can also take a look at the recent ‘George IV: Art & Spectacle’ exhibition, a look at the tastes of the extravagant regent-slash-monarch, and ‘Prince & Patron’, which gathers up some of the art of choice of everybody’s favourite self-isolating heir, HRH Prince Charles. 

There are also about a gazillion other things – want to read up to 43,000 pages Queen Victoria’s personal journal from the comfort of your laptop? You can! Want a game for kids where they can pretend to defend Windsor Castle from attack by an invading army? They can! (It’s called ‘Bring on the Battle’). Basically now is pretty much the most perfect time in history to spend a day or two have a full-on home-based royalty binge, and boy does the Royal Collection have the goods to distract you.

Access Buckingham Palace and the Royal Collection online here .

Take a look at some haunting photos of London’s busiest landmarks now they’re totally empty here .

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Take a virtual tour of Buckingham Palace

Members of the public can now take a tour of Buckingham Palace from the comfort of their own living room after a new online virtual reality experience was launched this week.

The new initiative allows people to take a look at some of the most famous rooms in the palace, including the impressive state rooms.

The virtual tour is like no other, as users can go right into the heart of the Royal Family’s London residence and examine the 360-degree views.

In the virtual reality experience, users can stand at the bottom of the grand staircase, visit state rooms and even make a stop at the Green and White drawing rooms and the ballroom where investitures take place.

Grand pieces of art are also on display in the picture gallery at the Old Masters, including Canaletto and other masterpieces.

The search engine Google is behind the initiative, where they set up sixteen cameras placed in a circle to capture the stunning images.

The cameras work to create a 3D effect, meaning the experience is, even more, realistic with the size and depth of rooms coming to life.

The Royal Collection Trust collaborated with to make the project some to life. Jemima Rellie from the trust said: “For schoolchildren, Buckingham Palace is one of the most iconic, magical buildings in the world.

“We’re terrifically excited that, thanks to the virtual reality potential of Google Expedition, children, their teachers and families can visit the palace wherever they live.”

Alongside Buckingham Palace, Google has also created other experiences, including the White House, Great Barrier Reef and the Borneo rainforest.

If you want to be one of the first to go on the virtual tour the virtual tour, click here to go to the British Monarchy Youtube Channel. You must be watching on a smartphone for the concept to work properly.

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Live the life of luxury through this virtual tour of Buckingham Palace

While you’re confined to your own personal palace, why not discover how the truly affluent live through a virtual tour of Buckingham Palace?

The 317-year-old palace is a focal point of London and the residence of the Queen of England and her family.

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Buckingham Palace has also been the venue for many national celebrations, including Jubilees and weddings, and serves as a facility for various social events, including garden parties and inaugurations.

The palace is also a massive tourist attraction with onsite tours available during certain times of the year. Visitors also enjoy watching the ceremonial Changing of the Guard outside.

Now you can take a virtual tour of the stunning Buckingham Palace for yourself without even having to leave the house!

Screenshot of the Throne Room in Buckingham Palace (The Royal Family website)

The Royal Family website offers multiple tours that take you throughout various rooms and corridors of the palace, including the Grand Staircase, the White Drawing Room, the Throne Room, and the Blue Drawing Room.

As you maneuver your cursor to navigate the rooms virtually, you will see little i’s next to particular pieces of furniture or art.

Screenshot of the White Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace (The Royal Family website)

Upon clicking, you are provided with more information regarding what it is, its history, and how it was acquired.

Digitally walk in the footsteps of a royal and uncover the rich and diverse history of one of the most notable, if not one of the most important, buildings in the United Kingdom.

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Virtual reality tour of Buckingham Palace launched

The general public can now go on an online virtual reality tour of the UK’s iconic Buckingham Palace.

The immersive experience, which allows visitors to explore the heart of the Royal Family’s London residence, was created by Google as part of its Expeditions Pioneer Program.

With a virtual tour, you can  show off your business  and what you believe makes you different from the rest.

The tour takes users on a trip through some of the Palace’s State Rooms and highlights works of art from the Royal Collection that furnish them.

Visitors are not able to move but can do 360-degree turns to view the Palace in all its glory.

Jemima Rellie, from the Royal Collection Trust which collaborated with Google as part of the project, said:

“For schoolchildren, Buckingham Palace is one of the most iconic, magical buildings in the world.

“We’re terrifically excited that, thanks to the virtual reality potential of Google Expedition, children, their teachers and families can visit the palace wherever they live.”

Starting at the Grand Staircase, visitors can learn about the history of the Palace as a royal residence and find out how the State Rooms are used today by The Queen for official events.

Google set up sixteen cameras placed in a circle – known as a Jump camera rig – to capture images inside the Palace – creating a realistic 3D effect with a high level of depth.

The Buckingham Palace Expedition:

To experience the tour in VR (virtual-reality) or 360 format, view through the YouTube app on a smartphone.

The tour can be viewed in 360 format or in virtual reality (VR).

Other experiences that Google has created include the White House, the Great Barrier Reef and the Borneo rain-forest.

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Buckingham Palace Virtual Tour

Buckingham Palace , the Queen's London home, is one of the most recognisable buildings in the world, but few people have seen the magnificent interior of Buckingham Palace .

The Buckingham Palace Virtual Tour gives you the chance to see inside for yourself!.  View the stunning State Apartments containing some of the world's most valuable furniture and gaze at works by the world's greatest painters in the Picture Gallery. 

The Queen's Private Apartments are off-limits to the public, but you can explore them in the Buckingham Palace Virtual Tour, along with many other magnificent rooms.

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Content includes:

• Photographs and descriptions of all of the State and Semi State Apartments
• Photographs and descriptions of much of the furniture and many paintings
• Photographs and descriptions of the Private Apartments of the Royal Family
• Colour photographs of some of the Principal State Apartments
• Colour paintings of some of the State Apartments
• Panoramas of the Grand Staircase and the White Drawing Room (requires Internet access)
• Historic engravings showing many of the rooms as they were when in use by Queen Victoria and her family
• Many extremely rare photographs of the interior of the Palace from Queen Victoria's reign
• Detailed floor plans of the ground and principal floors of Buckingham Palace

Virtual Tour Features

All Virtual Tours include these features:

• Zoom in on all photos
• Fulltext search to be able to find what you want
• Always be able to see where you are on the floor plan
• Picture tool tips on the floor plan allow you to see the room you are wanting to explore
• Highlighting of rooms as you move over them in the floor plan
• All groups of pictures (e.g. of a room) can be played in a slide show
• All groups of pictures are displayed in thumbnail format so you can easily display the one you want
• Buttons to move to the next and previous room or furniture item
• Room and furniture are separated to allow better descriptions
• Detailed, visual index makes it easy to move to what you want
• Furniture and works of art are organised into collections to make them easier to access
• And much much more...

System Requirements

Get an access all areas virtual tour of Buckingham Palace

Ever fancied an access all areas glimpse at the Queen 's residence Buckingham Palace ? While the royal palace is typically the preserve of guests and paying visitors, now anyone can get a peek inside the landmark from the comfort of their own home with Google's new virtual tour.

The online virtual reality experience takes viewers into some of the palace's lavishly decorated rooms including the state rooms, which provide the setting for ceremonial occasions, and the ballroom, where investiture ceremonies are carried out by the Queen and other senior royals .

The tour begins at Buckingham Palace's Grand Staircase

Starting at the Grand Staircase, the tour gives an insight into the history of the palace, as well as offering a 360⁰ view of the landmark's ornate décor and incredible artwork. The tour continues through the Throne Room, the Picture Gallery and the Ballroom, before concluding in The White Drawing Room – where a secret door leads to the Queen's private apartments.

School children will also be able to get a similar insight into how the Queen both lives and works in the palace via the Google Expeditions app, which allows teachers to take students on a virtual field trip from any classroom in the world.

Viewers will also get a glimpse inside the Throne Room

Jemima Rellie, Director of Content and Audiences, Royal Collection Trust, said: "For schoolchildren, Buckingham Palace is one of the most iconic, magical buildings in the world. We're terrifically excited that, thanks to the VR potential of Google Expedition, children, their teachers and families can visit the palace, wherever they live."

Buckingham Palace is not the first iconic landmark to be given the virtual reality treatment; the Google Expeditions app includes more than 150 trips to locations around the world including the White House and the Great Barrier Reef. However the royal palace was chosen after thousands of schoolchildren selected it as the number-one destination that they wanted to visit.

Thousands of schoolchildren said they most wanted to visit Buckingham Palace

The virtual Buckingham Palace experience can be viewed on The British Monarchy YouTube channel using a tablet or smart phone.

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A virtual tour of buckingham palace?

Buckingham Palace has been the London home of Britain’s monarchy since 1837 and is today one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. A virtual tour of the palace gives visitors a chance to see the opulent state rooms and art collections, as well as the royal family’s private apartments. It is also a rare opportunity to see inside one of the world’s most famous buildings.

Buckingham Palace is the London home and administrative headquarters of the monarchy of the United Kingdom. This stunning palace is the work of many architects, with the most recent being John Nash, who completed the building in its present form in the early 19th century. Despite its long and rich history, the palace is still very much in use today as both a residence for the royal family and a venue for formal and state occasions. Visitors can take a virtual tour of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, which are open to the public during the summer months.

Can you do a virtual tour of Buckingham Palace?

The Buckingham Palace virtual tour is a great way to experience the palace without having to travel there in person. The tour is available in both VR and 360 format, so you can choose the experience that best suits your needs. The tour is also accompanied by audio, so you can learn more about the history and architecture of the palace as you explore it.

Buckingham Palace is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and a guided tour is the best way to experience it. You’ll be able to walk through an array of rooms that will take you through years of British Royal history, and see some of the most incredible art and architecture in the world.

What is the best way to see Buckingham Palace

If you’re planning on taking a hop on, hop off bus tour of London, be aware that they will all stop at Buckingham Palace after the Changing of the Guard. However, you may have a long wait to get a seat on the bus, so it’s best to walk to Victoria or Trafalgar Square instead.

We suggest that you wear comfortable shoes as the visitor route in summer includes a fairly long walk through the garden to the exit, along a gravel path.

How much does a ticket to Buckingham Palace cost?

Buckingham Palace will be open to the public for the summer season in 2023! Tickets will go on sale in advance, and prices are as follows: Adult £3000, Young Person (18-24) £1950, Child (5-17) £1650, Disabled £1650. Make sure to plan your visit in advance and enjoy all that the Palace has to offer!

If you have the opportunity to meet the Queen at the races, it is important to follow the proper etiquette. First, make a short bow or curtsy. Then, address her as “Your Majesty.” After that, you can address her as “Ma’am.”

What month is Buckingham Palace open to the public?

Buckingham Palace is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. Each year, from July to October, visitors can tour 19 of the magnificent State Rooms and explore the Palace’s grounds. For the rest of the year, Buckingham Palace serves as the London residence and office of The Queen. It is a working palace, and often the scene of official events and ceremonies.

summer is the busiest time of year for tourism in London, and Buckingham Palace is one of the most popular attractions. If you want to visit the Palace and see the Changing of the Guard, summer is the best time to go. The weather is usually better in summer, and there are more days when the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors.

Do servants sleep in Buckingham Palace

positions like these are not easy to come by, and those who are lucky enough to snag one are required to perform their duties to the utmost standards. After all, they are responsible for the care and upkeep of one of the most well-known residences in the world.

The live-in housekeeping assistant position at Buckingham Palace is a highly coveted one. Not only do you get to live and work in one of the most iconic buildings in the world, but you also get to help maintain it to the highest standards. If you are lucky enough to be chosen for this role, you will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work at the heart of the British monarchy.

Can you walk around Buckingham Palace for free?

If you’re interested in visiting the Palace during summer, you can tour the State Apartments (for a fee) and see the Queen’s expansive gardens and art collection. You can alsoWitness the Changing of the Guard for free at 11:30AM every morning during summer and every other morning during winter.

Green Park tube station is the nearest tube station to Buckingham Palace. It is located on the edge of Green Park, at only 04mi (6min walk) from the King’s Residence. It is on the Piccadilly, Jubilee and Victoria Lines, and has an entrance on both sides of Piccadilly Road.

What does Buckingham Palace ticket include

The entrance tickets to Buckingham Palace State Rooms provide access to the gardens for a small additional fee. This involves a short stroll through the wooded area and past the lake, as you make your way to the exit on Grosvenor Street. Tickets do not offer access for visitors to freely wander the grounds.

Queen Elizabeth II is known for her love of lavish residences. She has several throughout the year that she retreats to. Up until her husband Prince Philip’s passing in April 2021, the monarch primarily lived in private quarters at the famous 775-room Buckingham Palace in London during the week. The palace is full of beautiful gardens, art, and history, and the queen has always enjoyed spending time there. However, she also has several other residences that she enjoys, including Balmoral Castle in Scotland and Sandringham House in Norfolk, England. These homes offer her a chance to get away from the public eye and enjoy some privacy. Each one is beautifully decorated and full of amenities, making them the perfect place for the queen to relax.

Does The Queen sleep in Buckingham?

The Queen spends most of her time living in Buckingham Palace, which is located in central London. The palace is made up of 775 rooms and is currently being refurbished. The Queen also spends weekends and Easter at Windsor Castle, which is located in Berkshire.

If you are meeting the queen, there are a few important rules to remember. First, you should never touch the monarch. Second, you should only shake her hand if she offers it. Following these simple rules will help you have a successful meeting with the queen.

Do foreigners bow to the Queen

It is not expected for foreign nationals to bow or curtsey when they meet The Queen. A bow is from the neck and a curtsey is just a short ‘bob’. If The Queen offers to shake hands, you should reciprocate with a gentle handshake.

There is no one right way to behave when meeting The Queen or a member of the Royal Family. Some people prefer to observe traditional forms, such as bowing or curtsying, while others simply shake hands. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide what they are comfortable with.

A virtual tour of Buckingham Palace is a great way to see this historic building without having to travel to London. You can explore the state rooms, which are used for official events and receptions, and learn about the history of the monarchy. You can also take a look at the art collection, which includes works by Rembrandt, Van Dyck, and Hogarth.

Buckingham Palace is the London residence of the monarchy of the United Kingdom. The Palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality, and has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.

Helen Lawrence

Helen Lawrence is an avid traveler who loves exploring the famous monuments and sights around the world. She has a knack for discovering hidden gems and often shares her unique experiences with others through her blog posts, photographs, and videos. Helen enjoys learning about different cultures and their histories.

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The Room Behind the Iconic Buckingham Palace Balcony is Opening to The Public for the First Time

The Place’s East Wing is set to be be available to tour this summer.

Buckingham Palace’s East Wing will be open to the public for special guided tours during July and August. The tours will include the Centre Room, which leads out on to the balcony and, as such, is where the family gathers before and after balcony appearances. Tourists will not, however, be able to stand on the balcony itself.

“Led by expert guides, small groups of visitors will be able to visit spectacular rooms on the Principal Floor, furnished with highlights from the Royal Collection,” the Royal Collection Trust said in a statement. “Visitors will discover the history of the Wing, first occupied by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children and still used by the Royal Family today for official meetings and events.”

It was Prince Albert who suggested to architect Edward Blore that a balcony be added when Buckingham Palace’s East Wing was created. Queen Victoria then became the first royal to step onto it during the Great Exhibition in 1851, starting the great royal tradition of balcony appearances.

Royals have waved from the Palace balcony over the decades for occasions such as weddings, jubilees and, perhaps most memorably, during VE Day in 1945. Balcony appearances have come to be symbolic of the royal family’s connection with the public. Particularly poignant was Queen Elizabeth’s final appearance during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 when she was unable to make many of the festivities but still managed to wave from the balcony to the crowds.

Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing a 10-year refurbishment which is costing the British public £369 million. The extensive work includes replacing cabling, plumbing, and heating. It commenced in 2017.

The Royal Collection Trust says that a limited number of East Wing Highlights tours will run daily in July and August and must be booked in addition to the standard State Rooms admission ticket. For more information visit rct.uk .

Town & Country Contributing Editor Victoria Murphy has reported on the British Royal Family since 2010. She has interviewed Prince Harry and has travelled the world covering several royal tours. She is a frequent contributor to Good Morning America. Victoria authored Town & Country book The Queen: A Life in Pictures , released in 2021. 

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Buckingham Palace’s Famous Balcony—Where Prince William and Kate Middleton Shared Their Iconic Wedding Kiss—Will Open to the Public This Summer

For the first time in history, guests will be able to take in the balcony's epic view for themselves.

Getty Images / Chris Ison - PA Images / Contributor

We all remember that picture-perfect moment on April 29, 2011: Minutes after Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot in Westminster Abbey , they stepped out onto Buckingham Palace’s balcony, where they shared a few sweet kisses and waved to the thousands people below and beyond. This resulted in some of their wedding’s most iconic images—and starting this July, royal fans will be able to see the site of that epic kiss in person for the very first time in history. The palace’s East Wing will officially be open to visitors this summer after a major restoration project, the Royal Collection Trust revealed in a new press release. “The East Wing encompasses the front façade of the historic building and features the famous central balcony, where the Monarch and members of the Royal Family have gathered for public appearances during special occasions or historic moments since 1851,” the release shared.

These special guided tours, which will run through July and August, have been half a decade in the making. “Access this year has been made possible due to the conclusion of more than five years of improvement works to the East Wing,” palace officials reported in the release. “The essential works are part of the Buckingham Palace Reservicing Programme to upgrade the historic building’s infrastructure, improve access, and preserve it for future generations.”

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Though seeing the balcony—where the royal family gathers for wedding announcements, coronations, the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony, and more—will undoubtedly be the highlight of guests’ tour of the property’s Principal Floor, there will be plenty of other sights, rooms, and objects to take in. “Led by expert guides, small groups of visitors will be able to visit spectacular rooms on the Principal Floor, furnished with highlights from the Royal Collection,” read the press release, which notes that the balcony will be the final point of the tour. “Visitors will discover the history of the Wing, first occupied by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children and still used by the Royal Family today for official meetings and events.”

Getty Images / Tim Graham / Contributor

The wing itself is nearly 200 years old, and has been a key part of royal life since its completion in 1849. “At the request of Queen Victoria, the architect Edward Blore was commissioned to draw up plans for alterations to Buckingham Palace, in order to increase the accommodation for her growing family,” noted the release. “Between 1847 and 1849, the East Wing was added, enclosing what had previously been an open, horseshoe-shaped courtyard, following George IV’s conversion of Buckingham House into a Palace to the designs of John Nash.”

If you’re planning a trip to London this summer, you’ll want to add this once-in-a-lifetime tour to your itinerary—and you’ll need to act fast, since space is limited. “A limited number of East Wing Highlights Tours will run daily in July and August, from Monday, 15 July,” explained the release. “Tours must be booked in addition to the standard admission ticket to the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace. The Palace will be open for seven days a week during July and August for the first time since 2019, returning to five days a week during September.”

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How to get tickets to the hidden quarters of Buckingham Palace

This summer the East Wing of Buckingham Palace will open to the public for the first time.

The East Wing forms the front of Buckingham Palace , meaning the general public will have the chance to see the famous balcony where members of the Royal family greet crowds during jubilees, coronations and other ceremonies. Previously, only the State Rooms were open to the public.

The opening of the East Wing comes after five years of works, part of a wider renovation programme across the palace designed to update the building’s infrastructure, improve access and to preserve its treasures for future generations. The introduction of East Wing tours comes as the Balmoral Estate in Scotland announced guided tours of its interiors for the first time.

The new Buckingham Palace tours will take place from mid-July to the end of September. Only a small number of tickets will go on sale, but royal fans can increase their chances of securing them by signing up to an exclusive (free) mailing list.

Here’s everything you need to know about visiting the East Wing of Buckingham Palace this summer, plus information on other ways to explore the royal residence including the State Rooms, the Royal Mews and the King’s Gallery.

What will you be able to see on the tour?

The East Wing of Buckingham Palace is the front section of the building, as viewed from the main gates, incorporating the famous balcony where members of the Royal family have appeared for special occasions since 1851.

Led by a tour guide, visitors will learn about the history of the East Wing, which was commissioned by Queen Victoria to make space for her growing family; previously, the plot was a horseshoe-shaped courtyard. The construction of the East Wing was financed through the sale of George IV’s Royal Pavilion in Brighton, in 1850, after which some of its Chinese-inspired furnishing and decorations were transferred to the new wing.

The tour will lead visitors to rooms on the Principal Floor including the Principal Corridor, which runs the length of the wing. Many artworks and antiques from the Royal Collection decorate the rooms, including paintings by Thomas Gainsborough and Sir Thomas Lawrence. There is also a spectacular painting by John Charlton showing Queen Victoria arriving at St Paul’s Cathedral during her Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

In the Yellow Drawing Room, decorated with restored hand-painted Chinese wallpaper dating from the 18th century, visitors can peruse fine features including the Kylin clock, featuring two Chinese lions, and two hexagonal, nine-tiered porcelain pagodas.

The tour concludes in the Centre Room, which leads to the famous balcony where some of the most iconic royal photographs have been taken. Within the room there are two Chinese 18th-century imperial silk wall hangings, presented to Queen Victoria by Guangxu, Emperor of China, to mark her Diamond Jubilee, plus a newly restored glass chandelier shaped like a lotus flower and a set of beautiful Chinese porcelain vases.

What happens on a State Rooms tour?

The State Rooms are the public areas of the palace where the Royal family entertain guests during state or ceremonial occasions. There are 19 rooms in total, featuring treasures from the Royal Collection, fine English and French furniture and artworks by Van Dyck and Canaletto. Visitors can roam these rooms – including the White Drawing Room (the royal reception room), the Throne Room (the work of architect John Nash) and the Ballroom, where state banquets take place – on a self-guided tour.

Visitors to the State Rooms can buy a combined ticket incorporating the highlights of the Palace Gardens (described as a “walled oasis in the middle of London”), led by an expert warden. 

When will the East Wing tours take place?

Self-guided tours of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace will run from July 11 to September 29. The East Wing Highlights Tours will start from July 15. For the first time since 2019, Buckingham Palace will be open for visitors seven days a week in July and August but only five days a week (Thursday to Monday) during September.

How do I book tickets to Buckingham Palace?

Tickets for the East Wing Highlights Tours will go on general sale on April 10. However, subscribers to the Royal Collection Trust newsletter will be given priority access to tickets 24 hours before general sale, on April 9; you can subscribe to the mailing list here .

Admission to the State Rooms costs £32 in advance or £35 on the day. A State Rooms and Garden combined ticket costs £47 or £50 on the day. The East Wing Highlights Tour must be purchased alongside a visit to the State Rooms, costing £75 in total for adults. You can book tickets on the Royal Collection Trust website.

Other things to see at Buckingham Palace

One of the most popular (free) royal attractions in London is the Changing of the Guard, also known as the Guard Mounting, which takes place outside Buckingham Palace every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 10.45am, lasting 45 minutes. 

You can also visit the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace (£17 for adults). Here you can witness what happens behind the scenes at the working stables, and take a close-up look at the 260-year-old Gold State Coach, used during jubilees and coronation ceremonies.

The King’s Gallery (formerly the Queen’s Gallery) has changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection (£19 for adults); the current exhibition is Holbein at the Tudor Court , which ends on April 14. The next exhibition, Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography , begins on May 17 and charts the evolution of royal portrait photography since the 1920s.

Where to stay nearby

There is an entire suite of top-class hotels within a mile of Buckingham Palace. The pick, naturally, is The Goring , where Catherine, Princess of Wales and her family stayed on the night before the royal wedding in 2011. A fleet of footmen provide a butler service for suites, and all rooms come with complimentary do-it-yourself cocktails – much more fun than boring old champagne (rooms from £623).

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Janine Henni is a Royals Staff Writer for PEOPLE Digital, covering modern monarchies and the world's most famous families. Like Queen Elizabeth, she loves horses and a great tiara moment.

King Charles is inviting you in for a new view of Buckingham Palace !

On April 4, the royal family's social media pages posted a video about the reopening of the East Wing amid the royal residence's 10-year restoration , including the Centre Room leading out onto the royal residence's iconic balcony. Highlights included the royal family’s two major appearances on the terrace last year, from King Charles and Queen Camilla ’s coronation in May 2023 and Trooping the Colour , the annual public celebration of the monarch's birthday, the following month.

The clip shared on X panned into the ornate Centre Room as a voiceover explained the reopening follows five years of refurbishment.

"While all this incredible work is being carried out, the working palace continues to operate as usual throughout for guests, staff and the royal family," they said.

"As it enters its final three years, this ambitious program carries on with more work to be done to protect the historic building from risk of fire or flood, and to ensure it is fit for purpose for generations to come," the voiceover concluded, cutting to a shot of Prince George , Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis animatedly waving as they stood before their parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton , on the balcony during Trooping the Colour last year.

The new peek into the palace came the day after the Royal Collection Trust announced that the East Wing of Buckingham Palace will open to the public for the first time ever through tours this summer.

The East Wing includes the front façade and balcony synonymous with royal celebrations like coronations and weddings since 1851, and tours of its Principal Floor will take viewers into the Principal Corridor, Yellow Drawing Room and Centre Room. The East Wing Highlights tours kick off July 15 and will be held daily through August, accessible through standard admission to the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace ($95 for adults) for an undisclosed extra charge.

The Royal Collection Trust, which is an official Royal Household department tasked with looking after several royal residences, added that Buckingham Palace will also be open to the public seven days a week in July and August for the first time since 2019. The reservicing began in 2017 and is due to be complete in 2027, explained by Royal.UK as "a complete overhaul to prevent long-term damage to the building and its contents."

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The royal palace welcomes nearly 100,000 guests and 15 million tourists each year, but King Charles and Queen Camilla don't actually live there. Though the King, 75, and Queen, 76, host many meetings and audiences at the monarchy’s hub, the couple has called Clarence House their London home for years and apparently like it so much that they broke a 900-year tradition by sleeping there the night before their coronation.

The new access at Buckingham Palace comes on the heels of the update that Balmoral Castle in Scotland is opening to the public for the first ever. While the royals previously permitted tours at their cherished summer sanctuary in Aberdeenshire, access was limited to the grounds, gardens and castle ballroom. During a limited run from July to August, tourists are invited inside for the first time — and royal watchers couldn’t resist! According to Sky News , both the general castle tours and tours with tea sold out 24 hours after the access went live. 

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Royal biographer Robert Hardman speculated in his latest book The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy that King Charles would grant greater access to Balmoral as he modernizes the monarchy. 

"Balmoral is private property. However, it needs public footfall not just to help pay the bills but to bring benefits to the wider community and to remain in step with other stately homes," he wrote in the text, published in January.

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Buckingham Palace’s balcony room to open to public for first time

• Buckingham Palace
• Royal family
• Wednesday 3 April 2024 at 4:20pm

Buckingham Palace’s famous centre room where the royal family gather before appearances on the balcony is to open to the public for the first time.

Visitors will be able to take guided tours of the royal residence’s east wing, the front facade which faces The Mall where crowds assemble on major occasions to see the monarchy.

The palace’s east wing was built between 1847-49 to accommodate Queen Victoria’s growing family, and the development enclosed the former open horseshoe-shaped royal residence.

The wing’s principal floor will be open in July and August following more than five years of improvements, which were part of the ongoing £369 million reservicing programme to update the palace’s electrical cabling, plumbing and heating system over 10 years.

King George IV’s opulent oriental-style seaside palace, the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, was sold to finance the building work and its contents, some of the finest ceramics and furniture in the Royal Collection, were moved to the east wing and inspired the Chinese-themed decor of its principal rooms.

East wing tours are available only as part of a visit to the palace’s state rooms costing £75 for adults. Admission to state rooms only is £35, with a £3 discount if booked in advance.

Tours will take visitors through rooms and spaces including the principal corridor, which runs the length of the wing, where paintings by artists such as Thomas Gainsborough are hung.

They will conclude in the centre room which leads on to the balcony but the public will not been able to step onto the famous open-air space.

Highlights in this room include a newly restored glass chandelier, shaped to resemble a lotus flower, and two Chinese 18th century imperial silk wall hangings, presented to Victoria by Guangxu, emperor of China, to mark her Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

Tickets for a limited number of East Wing Highlights Tours, which will run daily from July 15 to August 31, go on sale from April 9.

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Buckingham Palace tour for public: Here's how to book

London: In a historic move, King Charles has opened the doors of Buckingham Palace and the iconic Balmoral Castle to the public. Visitors can enter some parts of the eastern wing of Buckingham Palace. The tours have been scheduled from July to August this year. Interestingly, the public could see a few significant spots in the Palace, including the room where the royal family members gather before making public appearances on the balcony. Meanwhile, Balmoral Castle, the royal family’s home in Scotland, was thought to be former monarch Queen Elizebeth’s favourite residence. The ticket rates begin from $ 120 onwards.

How to book? The tour, named 'East Wing Highlights,' will be led by an expert guide and it will last 45 minutes. The tourists can also visit the Garden Shop and Cafe on the premises. Each tour will have 20 slots. The tour can also be experienced on wheelchairs if it is pre-booked through email. However, it won't be available between 10.45 am and 12.15 pm as the 'Changing of the Guard' ceremony takes place around that time. For details on the phone numbers, booking slots and more, check this website .

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