Filed under: architecture, Attractions, Royal, top-feature
The Royal Residences: Buckingham Palace
London has no shortage of Royal venues, but out of all of the, perhaps Buckingham Palace (map) is the most prestigious. And if the long queues in summer are any judge, it is also one of the most popular. But for good reason; my visit to Buckingham was an almost overwhelming set of one amazing, priceless piece of furniture/art/cutlery set after another.
The Palace is the official residence of the monarchy in London, and has been since Queen Victoria took up home in 1937, although this building was erected in early 1700s. The public wasn’t allowed in until as recent as 1993, and even now your access is restricted based on the events going on each day.
It has wonky hours and is really open in August and September, which meant it took many visits for me to finally get in. Inside there are the slightly fickle staff that demand you pay respect and follow their rules (no touching!). But it’s well worth it and I couldn’t more highly recommend it.
Exterior Grounds
You can walk around only about a quarter of the exterior of the building, no doubt due to security concerns. It is simply beautiful, and your best views will be of this easterly section you see above, which is where the changing of the guards takes place.
Changing of the Guard Times
You’ll want to check the Royal Collection website for the latest times and dates on the Changing of the Guard. It happens typically at 11:30 every other day, so be sure to check. It gets CROWDED for this, especially during summer, and it lasts about 40 minutes, so if you’ve got children or folks who might have a hard time standing, temper your expectations accordingly.
Interesting Sights Nearby
If you find yourself waiting for your entrance to the Palace or waiting for Changing of the Guards, there is a ton of green space nearby: Hyde Park (map), one of the largest parks in inner London, as well as the smaller Green Park (map) and St James Park (map).
Interior
The Interiors are simply breathtaking, and I truly hope if you’re visiting you get a chance to see them. I was very lucky to have gotten a special ticket to see one of the State Banquets setup, which was perhaps the most lavish thing I have ever seen in my entire life.
But, on a normal day, the Palace has over 200 rooms, so even if you wanted to you’d probably get lost trying to look through all of them. Alas, only a few of the areas are open to the public. One resource I do love is Wikipedia, as they have a wonderful set of old pictures that show how the Palace used to be decorated – in many cases, the style has been freshened but otherwise remains the somewhat similar. Contrast Wikipedia with the virtual rooms on the official Palace website – it’s very interesting.
Essential Info/FAQ
Visiting Buckingham Palace can be a somewhat patience-trying process, so I’d like to share with you an explanation of how it works so you can spare yourself enough time to enjoy with as minimal hassle as possible.
Is the Palace Always Open?
No!
First thing to check is your dates of visit against the Royal Collection ticketing information. (“Royal Collection” manages the tourism aspects of the Royal Residences, different than the ‘official’ Buckingham Palace page.) The reason you want to check is to make sure that the Palace will be open. It is a working Palace, so if there is an event on, and you aren’t invited (sorry), then you will not be able to tour, and it is only open in the summer while the Queen is in residence at Balmoral in Scotland. So to avoid disappointment, check this before you get to London.
How Much does it cost to get in?
- Adult £17.50
- Over 60/ Student (with valid ID) £16.00
- Under 17 £10.00, Under 5 Free
- Family £46.00 (2 adults and 3 under 17s)
There are passes for multiple Royal Residences (including residences in other British cities), so if you’re going to be in London or the UK for awhile, check it out. Don’t worry – they’ll ask you if you want one, so you can’t miss it.
This includes the audio guide, which you’ll need for much of the tour content.
How do I get a ticket?
The ticket office area is located on the south side of the Palace, so if you’re coming from one of the tube stations to the north you’ll have to walk all the way around the building – not an easy feat with summer crowds.
Getting a ticket is a two step process. You’ll need to wait in a queue to pay for a ticket. This gives you an entrance time – so, on a busy day, you may have a 2 or 3 hour wait before your entrance time (hence the “things nearby” mentioned earlier).
Be sure to arrive a bit before your entrance time as folk start queuing up for the entrance bit quite early. This is where you’ll go through security and get your audio guide and get put into groups. Not all of the Palace is guided – much of it is just your audio – but it’s on a set schedule so you can’t linger as long as you like. This is why they put you into timed entrances.
Which tube stops are nearby?
Victoria, Green Park, St. James’ Park, and Hyde Park Corner. Victoria is probably the closest to the ticketing entrance.
Is it really worth it?
Yes! Absolutely.
Photo Credit: jimmyharris, jimmyharris
