One in every of London’s most iconic sights, there’s solely a 10-week interval annually when you will get a glance contained in the monarch’s official London residence – so I’ve pulled collectively the following tips for visiting Buckingham Palace with youngsters (or with out) to profit from it.
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The East Wing of Buckingham Palace may also be open to guests as soon as once more this summer season, when particular guided excursions may also be accessible in July and August, providing you with an added incentive to e book, for those who’re planning to take the tour of the Buckingham Palace state rooms.
The house of the British royal household since Queen Victoria moved in in 1837, it’s nonetheless a working palace with the ornate rooms used for state occasions and a uncommon probability to glimpse the gilded splendour behind the well-known facade. So for those who’re planning to go to Buckingham Palace with youngsters, right here’s all the pieces you’ll want to know.
Do you have to go to Buckingham Palace with youngsters?
A tour of the State Rooms isn’t the most affordable factor to do in London with youngsters, so the primary query to reply have to be, is Buckingham Palace family-friendly?
And you’ll completely go to Buckingham Palace with youngsters – with a couple of provisos.
Personally I believe that is someplace that’s higher for varsity age youngsters and older. There’s an important free household multimedia tour and household actions within the gardens however in any other case it’s (understandably) not very arms on.
For older youngsters, attending to see inside a palace and its spectacular rooms, imagining kings, queens and mischievous corgis as they go, it’s incredible. However the considered chasing a bored toddler who needs to run off, whereas surrounded by priceless artwork and furnishings makes my blood run chilly.
Having mentioned that, there’s nothing to cease you bringing youthful youngsters in and I did see one younger toddler throughout my go to, so it’s actually attainable – simply be ready to go spherical quicker than you may like.
Do try the interactive map on-line earlier than you go to, to provide youngsters a style of what they’re going to see as properly, and discover the palace just about. There’s additionally a listing of 10 highlights to identify, which makes a enjoyable treasure hunt.
You may’t use your individual buggy/stroller – these must be checked initially of the tour and picked up on the finish – whereas bogs and child altering amenities are solely accessible on the finish of the tour.
You may’t eat or drink contained in the palace (apart from bottled water), though you possibly can breastfeed anyplace, and there are benches in among the rooms.
Do you must prebook tickets?
You don’t must, tickets could also be accessible on the day, however because the Buckingham Palace state rooms are solely open for a part of the 12 months, it’s normally an excellent concept to e book upfront.
There’s additionally a reduction for those who prebook tickets on-line – at the moment from £32 for adults, £16 for youngsters aged 5-17, underneath fives go free.
You too can convert tickets right into a one 12 months cross, for those who suppose you may return inside 12 months.
Tickets have a 15-minute time slot, and also you’re requested to reach on the time proven in your ticket.
When are the Buckingham Palace state rooms open?
The principle public opening runs for 10 weeks from mid July to late September. This 12 months’s opening dates are July 10-September 28, 2025.
The Palace is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout September however in any other case open seven days every week. Opening time is 9.30am and final entry is 17.30 through the summer season months (with the palace closing at 19.30), and at 16.30 in September (with the palace closing at 18.30)
When you’re visiting London exterior these dates, scroll down for extra particulars of the guided excursions which occur on choose dates between November and Could
The place’s the doorway to the Buckingham Palace tour?
You received’t get to undergo the grand gates on the entrance, sadly. As a substitute the doorway for the summer season opening of the Buckingham Palace state rooms is on Buckingham Palace street.
When you’re standing trying on the entrance of the palace, merely head spherical to the left, comply with Spur Highway to Buckingham Palace Highway, and also you received’t be capable to miss the doorway, with workers checking tickets earlier than safety.
The closest underground stations are Victoria, Inexperienced Park and St James’s Park. When you’re strolling from Victoria station, simply comply with Buckingham Palace Highway from the station previous the doorway for the Royal Mews and the King’s Gallery and also you’ll see it on the left.
Be ready for safety
You’ll must cross via airport fashion safety with bag searches and X-ray, though this was very fast and environment friendly.
When you’re visiting with Buckingham Palace with youngsters, you possibly can’t carry a buggy/stroller into the state rooms, so might want to go away that initially of the tour and accumulate it on the finish within the gardens.
You may’t carry giant luggage (or numerous different gadgets together with bikes, folding bikes and rollerskates) in in any respect, whereas another gadgets must be left and picked up after the tour, reminiscent of giant umbrellas (smaller fold-up ones that go in your bag are wonderful).
Test the full checklist of safety restrictions right here – nevertheless it’s largely widespread sense.
Do get the audio information
The audioguide is included in your ticket, in 9 languages, plus British Signal Language (in addition to a descriptive tour for the blind and visually impaired). There may be little or no info within the rooms in any other case, so with out the information, you’ll miss a lot of the element.
You may select the grownup model or the household multimedia tour (and it’s straightforward to flick between the 2 for those who do need to hear bits of each).
I began off alternating between the completely different choices, however switched to the household audio a couple of rooms in, because it did an important job of bringing the state rooms to life, choosing out quirky particulars and including some enjoyable parts.
Picture: Derry Moore
The tour is narrated by footman Alice, together with Rex the corgi, and is aimed toward youngsters underneath 12. Having mentioned that, it nonetheless packs in comparable quantities of data to the grownup tour, simply in a extra simply digestible vogue.
There are additionally some enjoyable video games for teenagers to play – I’m ashamed to say it took me three makes an attempt to appropriately set a desk – in addition to particulars to identify within the rooms, challenges and different interactive enjoyable.
One spotlight was being requested to identify the key door within the White Drawing Room: closed throughout our go to (it’s usually ajar), it actually wasn’t straightforward to identify however led to an important dialog with the member of workers within the room – and likewise the invention that one different set of extra apparent doorways are fakes, designed to stability the room, with nothing however wall behind them.
You received’t be capable to take pictures inside
For as soon as, you possibly can put telephones and cameras away, as pictures aren’t permitted contained in the state rooms – solely within the gardens on the finish of the tour.
We have been additionally given permission to {photograph} the Coronation Exhibition and Diamond Jubilee coach which was within the courtyard however ordinarily that wouldn’t be allowed both.
Don’t be tempted to sneak a couple of snaps – workers have been protecting an in depth eye on all guests and reminding them if that they had telephones out, so for those who’re caught, you could be escorted out.
Enable loads of time
There are 14 rooms with multimedia information commentary through the tour of the state rooms at Buckingham Palace, fairly aside from the prospect to discover among the gardens.
Enable no less than two hours on your go to, extra if you wish to benefit from the actions within the household pavilion on the finish, or go to the cafe.
You may go at your individual tempo although, so for those who really feel inclined to linger – or in case your youngsters are going to get bored after round an hour – you possibly can pace up and decelerate as you need.
What are you able to see within the state rooms at Buckingham Palace?
The tour of the Buckingham Palace state rooms takes you thru 14 separate rooms with audioguide commentary.
Beginning within the Grand Corridor and climbing the Grand Staircase, you’ll go to the Inexperienced Drawing Room, the Throne Room, the Image Gallery, the East Gallery, the Ballroom, the State Eating Room, the Blue Drawing Room, the Music Room, the White Drawing Room, the Marble Corridor and the Bow Room.
Evidently, it’s inconceivable to seize each element in a weblog submit, particularly one centered on ideas for visiting Buckingham Palace; you’ll want to go on the tour to essentially admire it. However count on enormous rooms, priceless artwork, plenty of gold and ornamentation, and spectacular decor as you go!
To select a couple of highlights, you possibly can spot all the pieces from a fragile pot pourri holder within the form of a ship, one in every of solely 12 ever made by Sevres (and one in every of solely 10 nonetheless in existence) proper as much as the thrones embroidered with the King and Queen’s cyphers and a few faux marble columns.
The artwork within the image gallery is only a small fraction of the million works within the royal assortment – which additionally consists of sculpture, furnishings and different artworks – together with all the pieces from Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer to Canaletto and Van Dyck.
There are additionally some insights into royal household life as you stroll via the lengthy East Gallery, whose fastidiously positioned mirrors make it appear to stretch on endlessly.
Constructed for Queen Victoria, together with the ballroom, to permit her to host balls for as much as two thousand company, the partitions are coated with portraits of the Queen and her household – with a reminder within the household audio information that Victoria was solely 19 when she was topped, a 12 months after she inherited the throne.
Or the jaw-dropping info that the desk within the state eating room might be prolonged till it’s so long as a cricket pitch – and the spare leaves are saved in one of many many secret rooms and cabinets within the palace, tucked away behind mirrored doorways.
There’s modern-day trivia too – seeing the room the place the present Prince of Wales was baptised, or studying the right way to clear a chandelier – in addition to details about the palace itself, from the variety of workers (round 800) to the variety of lightbulbs (round 40,000).
My favorite was maybe the White Drawing Room (truly much more gold and yellow), which has faux doorways, actual doorways and that secret door to search out…
What’s the Coronation exhibition at Buckingham Palace?
EDIT: Now closed The brand new Coronation exhibition included the outfits worn by King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the coronation in Could 2023.
Staged within the ballroom – which was used for Coronation rehearsals – the grand robes with their embroidered trains have been joined by different gadgets of regalia, in addition to the Throne Chairs and the Anointing Display screen used through the ceremony.
There was additionally the prospect to see sketches for the invites, alongside one of many completed creations, plus different symbolic gadgets together with the Coronation glove and girdle, to not point out the diamond necklace worn by the Queen Consort.
It was fascinating to get probability to see among the gold embroidery up shut, hand embroidered by the Royal Faculty of Needlework at Hampton Court docket Palace, with private touches in addition to extra symbolic emblems – one thing even the most effective TV protection of the day couldn’t present.
The exhibition ran till September 24, 2023, when the State Rooms closed to the general public. The Diamond Jubilee State Coach was even be on show as you enter the courtyard earlier than heading contained in the state rooms themselves however can now been seen within the Royal Mews.
When you add entry to the Royal Mews to your Buckingham Palace state rooms ticket, you possibly can see the historic Gold State Coach – amongst different royal coaches and carriages – which carried the King again to Buckingham Palace from Westminster Abbey
Will you see the royal household?
Sadly not – or not until you’re very fortunate. Historically, the royal household heads to their Scottish house of Balmoral for the summer season, in order that they’re away from London whereas the state rooms are open – and King Charles has confirmed he’ll be persevering with the custom, as Queen Elizabeth did.
In any case, the tour takes you although the general public state rooms quite than the personal rooms, so even when members of the royal household are in residence, they’ll be elsewhere within the enormous palace.
You may verify earlier than you go in: if the monarch is in residence, the royal commonplace will probably be flying, in any other case you’ll see the union flag above the palace, if the royal household is at one other residence reminiscent of Windsor Citadel or Sandringham.
Don’t miss the household pavilion
When you’re visiting Buckingham Palace with youngsters, do save time to take a look at the household pavilion within the gardens.
You’ll discover it simply after the purpose the place you come back the multimedia guides and there are some nice actions for teenagers.
There’s a small gentle play space for the youngest guests, in addition to tables with crafts and actions. You’ll additionally discover a dressing up field, plenty of possibilities to pose for pictures, and different video games and quizzes to check youngsters on their royal information.
You too can discover trails, plsu colouring and drawing actions whereas there are typically extra occasions for households.
Save time to benefit from the gardens
The trail from the palace to the exit on Grosvenor Palace leads via the gardens, with a view again to Buckingham Palace over the lake.
You might be restricted to the place you possibly can discover within the gardens nevertheless – the lawns are roped off, for instance – so you possibly can’t spend lengthy wandering and also you do must hold to the paths.
What amenities are there at Buckingham Palace?
Many of the amenities for guests are in direction of the top of the tour, together with bogs and child altering within the gardens.
If you’re visiting Buckingham Palace with youngsters, it’s value discovering bogs earlier than you head inside – there are public bogs at Victoria station – because it’s more likely to be over an hour earlier than you attain the gardens (and you may’t go away and retrace your steps). And no, you possibly can’t use the king’s toilet on the way in which!
In the primary block within the gardens, there are household bogs and really good handwash although. Preparations might be made for guests with disabilities, however you’re requested to contact the specialist gross sales workforce upfront.
There’s additionally a restaurant within the gardens, in addition to stands serving ice cream and drinks – hold a watch out for the coronation ice cream (which is crimson, white and blue), though sadly it wasn’t on sale throughout our go to.
There’s no consuming and consuming contained in the palace (aside from bottled water).
You’ll additionally discover the store alongside the trail via the gardens in your manner out if you’d like a particular memento of your go to – fluffy corgis are an possibility!
Are you able to go to the state rooms at Buckingham Palace at another time?
Sure, there are restricted possibilities to discover the Buckingham Palace state rooms exterior the primary summer season opening, with guided excursions working on chosen dates from November to Could.
These price £100 per individual, or there are additionally Household Guided Excursions accessible the place tickets for adults and youngsters aged 5-17 price £65, and underneath 5s are free.
If you’re becoming a member of a guided tour, you’ll enter via the Royal Mews and there are rest room amenities accessible initially in addition to the top of the tour. You’re additionally requested to reach half-hour earlier than the entry time in your ticket, and should undergo the same safety course of because the self-guided tour.
Excursions normally take round 90 minutes to 2 hours, and the opposite restrictions (reminiscent of no pictures inside) stay the identical. The household excursions lasts one hour.
Aside from that, you’d want a private invitation from a member of the royal household or be invited to an official occasion to get in!
What else is there to do close to Buckingham Palace with youngsters?
You’re in straightforward strolling distance of each St James’s Park, with its pelicans (and a stunning view of the palace from the Blue Bridge) and of Inexperienced Park in case your youngsters must run off some power.
You could possibly additionally mix a go to with the Altering of the Guard ceremony, or an opportunity to see the guards at Horseguards Parade.
There are additionally two different Royal Assortment Belief points of interest on the Palace – the Royal Mews, which homes the Gold State coach, amongst different historic carriages, and the King’s Gallery. There’s a reduction for those who e book utilizing my hyperlink and the code MUMMYTRAVELS6.
For extra royal locations in London with youngsters, try my decide of the most effective for households who love historical past (or mini monarchists)
Westminster Abbey and the Homes of Parliament are round a 15-minute stroll from the doorway to the State Rooms, and the household points of interest on the South Financial institution are solely a brief stroll additional on.
Or obtain this Royal London Strolling tour, designed to take round 50 minutes, introducing you to among the historical past round Buckingham Palace and Westminster. For extra royal locations in London, try my picks from historic heads of state to trendy monarchs.
Disclosure: My entry to Buckingham Palace was free for the needs of evaluate – all opinions and ideas for visiting Buckingham Palace are my very own. This submit accommodates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee
Foremost picture/Buckingham Palace gates courtesy of Depositphotos; Throne Room courtesy Royal Assortment Belief/© His Majesty King Charles III 2023; White Drawing Room courtesy Royal Assortment Belief/© His Majesty King Charles III 2023/Derry Moore; all different pictures copyright MummyTravels