Step inside one of the last working royal palaces in the world and walk through 19 State Rooms where the King still receives heads of state.
Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch and has been since Queen Victoria moved in during 1837. For most of the year the palace is a working building, closed to the public. But each summer, when the King is at Balmoral, the State Rooms open for visitors, and for a few weeks you can walk through the same rooms used for investitures, State Banquets, and diplomatic receptions. It is one of the most popular ticketed experiences in London.
Buckingham Palace Tickets
The State Rooms open to visitors only during the summer, roughly mid-July to late September. Tickets are timed and sell out quickly, so book well in advance. These are the main ways to experience the palace:
🏛️ State Rooms Admission with Audio Guide
The bestseller. A self-guided tour of all 19 State Rooms with a free multimedia guide in nine languages, plus access to the palace gardens.
💂 Changing of the Guard: Guided Tour
See the famous ceremony with a guide who positions you at the best viewing spots and explains the history behind the pageantry.
ℹ️ Why book in advance
- The State Rooms open for only about 10 weeks each summer and tickets sell out
- Timed entry means you cannot simply turn up and queue on most days
- Guided tours and Changing of the Guard walking tours have limited group sizes
ℹ️ Good to know
- Children under 5 enter free but still need a booked ticket
- Tickets include access to the palace gardens
- A free multimedia guide is included with State Rooms admission (nine languages)
- Large bags and suitcases are not permitted inside the palace
- Photography is not allowed inside the State Rooms
Highlights
Quick Links:
Plan Your Visit
Buckingham Palace is not a free attraction. The State Rooms need a paid, timed ticket and open only during the summer, typically mid-July to late September. The King’s Gallery and Royal Mews are open for more of the year with their own separate tickets.
- State Rooms tickets include garden access and a free multimedia guide
- Arrive within your timed 15-minute window or you may not be admitted
- Photography is not permitted inside the State Rooms
- Large bags and suitcases are not allowed; there is a cloakroom for smaller items
For complete details on ticket types and where to buy: Buckingham Palace Tickets Guide →
The State Rooms open during the summer only, typically mid-July to late September. Hours vary through the season: generally 09:30 to 19:30 in July and August, and 09:30 to 18:30 in September, when the palace opens Thursday to Monday only.
The King’s Gallery and Royal Mews have their own opening schedules and are open for more of the year.
For seasonal schedules, best times to visit, and holiday closures, see our Buckingham Palace opening hours guide →
Buckingham Palace sits at the western end of The Mall, between Green Park and St James’s Park.
- Tube: Green Park is the nearest station (Piccadilly, Victoria, Jubilee lines), about an 8-minute walk through the park. St James’s Park and Victoria are also within walking distance.
- Bus: Routes 11, 211, C1, and C10 stop on Buckingham Palace Road.
- On foot: Easy walking distance from Westminster, Trafalgar Square, and Hyde Park Corner.
- By car: Not recommended. There is no visitor parking at the palace and the area is inside the congestion charge zone.
For step-by-step directions, nearest stations, and accessibility, see our guide on how to get to Buckingham Palace →
Buckingham Palace has wheelchair access to the State Rooms, but visitors needing step-free access should contact the Royal Collection Trust’s Specialist Sales team when booking.
- Wheelchairs are available to borrow free of charge, with advance booking
- Companion tickets are available free of charge for carers
- The nearest step-free Tube station is Green Park (Jubilee, Piccadilly, Victoria lines)
- Blue Badge parking must be pre-booked through the Specialist Sales team
- The multimedia guide has audio description and subtitled options
What to See and Do
Tour the State Rooms
The 19 State Rooms are the centrepiece of any visit to Buckingham Palace. These are the rooms where the King receives foreign ambassadors, hosts State Banquets, and holds investitures. They are not museum recreations: they are working rooms, used for real events, and opened to the public only when the King is not in residence.
The route takes you through the Grand Staircase, the Throne Room where coronation and wedding photographs are taken, the Picture Gallery (a 47-metre hall hung with masterpieces from the Royal Collection), the Ballroom (the largest room in the palace, completed for Queen Victoria in 1855), and the White Drawing Room, where a concealed door in a mirror is used by the Royal Family for their entrance at State occasions.
A free multimedia guide is included with your ticket and is available in nine languages. Most visitors spend around two to two and a half hours inside.
Explore the Palace Gardens
Your State Rooms ticket includes access to the palace gardens after the indoor tour. This is the 39-acre private garden that stretches behind the palace, home to more than 350 species of wildflower, a 156-metre herbaceous border, a rose garden, a wisteria-clad summer house, and a lake.
The garden walk gives you views of the famous West Front of the palace, the side that most visitors never see. On a good day, this is one of the most peaceful spots in central London. Allow around 30 to 45 minutes, and look out for the seasonal cafe and ice cream kiosk during the summer opening.
Watch the Changing of the Guard
The Changing of the Guard is the most famous military ceremony in London and takes place in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. It is completely free to watch and no tickets are required.
The ceremony typically happens on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 11:00, though the schedule varies and can be cancelled at short notice due to weather or operational reasons. Always check the official Household Division website on the day of your visit.
Visit The King’s Gallery
The King’s Gallery is a dedicated exhibition space within Buckingham Palace that displays rotating selections from the Royal Collection, one of the largest and most important art collections in the world. Unlike the State Rooms, the gallery is open for much more of the year and has its own separate ticket.
Exhibitions change regularly and have featured works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Canaletto, and Leonardo da Vinci, alongside decorative arts, jewellery, and photography. The gallery itself was originally the palace chapel, destroyed by a bomb during the Blitz in 1940 and rebuilt as an exhibition space in 2002 for the Golden Jubilee. Allow about an hour.
Discover the Royal Mews
The Royal Mews is the working stables and coach house of the royal household, on Buckingham Palace Road. It has been the home of royal road transport since 1760 and houses the collection of historic coaches, carriages, and cars used for State occasions.
The star attraction is the Gold State Coach, built in 1762 and used for every coronation since George IV. You will also see the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, the Glass Coach used for royal weddings, and the fleet of Rolls-Royce and Bentley State Limousines. The horses themselves are stabled here and are sometimes visible during your visit. The Royal Mews stays open for more of the year than the State Rooms, so it is a good option outside the summer window. Allow about an hour.
Explore Buckingham Palace
Five of the experiences that make Buckingham Palace worth a visit. Tap through for the full guide to each.
Insider Tips for Visiting Buckingham Palace
Book State Rooms tickets early
Summer tickets go on sale months ahead and the best dates sell out fast. Book the moment they are released.
See the gardens, not just the rooms
Your ticket includes the 39-acre garden and the West Front view most visitors miss. Allow an extra 30 to 45 minutes.
Check the Guard schedule on the day
The Changing of the Guard is cancelled more often than you would think. Check the Household Division site before you travel.
No photography indoors
Photography is not permitted inside the State Rooms. Save it for the gardens and the exterior.
Use the Victoria Memorial steps
The raised steps give the best unobstructed view of the palace. Arrive early on ceremony days, as it fills up fast.
Gallery and Mews run off-season
Outside the summer opening, The King’s Gallery and Royal Mews stay open and make a solid half-day.
Nearby Attractions
Buckingham Palace sits at the junction of some of London’s most famous landmarks, making it easy to combine with other stops.
- St James’s Park – the royal park directly in front of the palace, with views of the lake and pelicans
- Westminster Abbey – the coronation church, a 10-minute walk down Birdcage Walk
- Hyde Park – one of London’s great open spaces, directly north through Green Park
- The Shard – visible from The Mall and reachable in 30 minutes by Tube for the best views in London
- Kensington Palace – another royal residence open to visitors, a 25-minute walk through Hyde Park
Many visitors combine Buckingham Palace with Westminster Abbey and a walk through St James’s Park into a single royal London morning.
Did You Know? (5 interesting facts!)
Some of the most surprising details about Buckingham Palace are the ones that don’t make it into the guidebooks. Here are a few worth knowing.
- The palace has 775 rooms, including 19 State Rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms.
- During the Second World War, the palace was bombed nine times. The most serious attack, on 13 September 1940, destroyed the palace chapel (later rebuilt as The King’s Gallery).
- The palace balcony, famous for royal appearances, was first used by Queen Victoria in 1851 to greet crowds celebrating the Great Exhibition.
- Buckingham Palace receives around 100,000 letters and over 50,000 emails addressed to the King each year.
- The palace gardens contain a lake, a tennis court, a helicopter landing pad, and more than 350 species of wildflower, making them one of the most biodiverse private gardens in London.
History
1703
The Duke of Buckingham builds a large townhouse on the site, known as Buckingham House. It faces The Mall and sits on land that has been in royal hands since the reign of James I.
1761
George III acquires Buckingham House as a private residence for Queen Charlotte. It becomes known as the Queen’s House and is used by the royal family while the official court remains at St James’s Palace.
1826
George IV commissions architect John Nash to transform Buckingham House into a palace. Nash designs the grand State Rooms and adds the triumphal Marble Arch as the main entrance, later moved to its current location near Hyde Park.
1837
Queen Victoria becomes the first monarch to use Buckingham Palace as the official royal residence, moving in just weeks after her accession to the throne.
1847
Architect Edward Blore completes the East Front, enclosing Nash’s courtyard and creating the facade that faces The Mall. This is the front of the palace that the public sees today.
1855
The Ballroom is completed, becoming the largest room in the palace. It is still used for investitures and State Banquets.
1913
Sir Aston Webb redesigns the East Front in Portland stone, creating the neoclassical facade we recognise today. The Victoria Memorial is completed at the same time.
1940
The palace is bombed during the Blitz, destroying the chapel. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth remain in residence throughout the war, famously declaring they would not leave London.
2002
The King’s Gallery opens on the site of the former chapel, rebuilt as an exhibition space for the Royal Collection’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Present
Buckingham Palace remains the administrative headquarters of the monarchy and the venue for State occasions, garden parties, and investitures. The State Rooms open to the public each summer.
Want the full story? Read our complete Buckingham Palace history guide.
FAQ
Can you go inside Buckingham Palace?
Yes, but only during the annual summer opening, typically mid-July to late September. The State Rooms, palace gardens, and a seasonal exhibition are open to visitors with a timed ticket.
How much are Buckingham Palace tickets?
Ticket prices vary by age and are subject to change, so check the current rates before you book. Children under 5 enter free but still need a booked ticket.
How long does a visit to Buckingham Palace take?
Plan for around 2 to 2.5 hours for the State Rooms and gardens combined. Add an hour each if you also visit The King’s Gallery or Royal Mews.
Is the Changing of the Guard free?
Yes, the Changing of the Guard is completely free to watch and no tickets are needed. It takes place in the forecourt of the palace, usually on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 11:00, though the schedule varies. Check the Household Division website before your visit.
Can you take photos inside Buckingham Palace?
Photography is not permitted inside the State Rooms. You can take photos in the palace gardens and from outside the palace.
When is the best time to visit Buckingham Palace?
Early in the summer opening in mid-July and weekday mornings tend to be the quietest. The final weeks in September are also less crowded. Avoid weekends and the first few days after tickets go on sale, which are always the busiest.
Is Buckingham Palace wheelchair accessible?
Yes, but step-free access must be arranged in advance by contacting the Royal Collection Trust’s Specialist Sales team. Wheelchairs are available to borrow free of charge with advance booking.
What is the nearest Tube station to Buckingham Palace?
Green Park (Piccadilly, Victoria, Jubilee lines) is the closest, about an 8-minute walk through the park. St James’s Park and Victoria stations are also within walking distance.