How to Visit Buckingham Palace this Summer

Last updated: 28 June 2023

There’s no doubt that a visit to Buckingham Palace is on the Must Do List for every single visitor to London because let’s face it, it doesn’t get any more fundamentally English than visiting the home of the British monarch.

I can still remember when we first arrived in the UK it was only a couple of days before we joined the mass of people standing outside Buckingham Palace pushing our cameras through the tall black iron gates and snapping as many photos as we could in the hope that we might see Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth waving back from one of the windows (yes, long shot I know but still…)

2020 Update re COVID-19 & Buckingham Palace Summer Opening

The Royal Collection Trust that manages tours at the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, Frogmore House and Clarence House have confirmed these properties will now not open to the public in summer 2020, owing to the operational challenges of social distancing.

Updated for 2020!

The State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, Frogmore House and Clarence House will now not open to the public this summer, owing to the operational challenges of social distancing.

What we didn’t know at the time was that at a certain time in the year, Buckingham Palace is open for visitors! Yes, that’s right. We’d have the option of purchasing tickets and moving past the iron gates to visit the interior of the palace and cast our eyes upon a view that few get to see. Embrace the rare opportunity to explore one of the world’s few remaining working royal palaces, and discover some of the Royal Collection’s great treasures.

What time of year can you visit Buckingham Palace, I hear you asking? Well, the good news is very soon! The Palace is open to the public for 10 weeks a year, and this year the tour window runs from 25 July 2020 – 4 Oct 2020 so get your tickets now!

Want to know a little more about what to expect during your visit? Read on, dear reader

Read More: 12 Hours in London

A Royal Day Out at Buckingham Palace 

We bought the slightly more expensive Royal Day Out tickets because it included entry to not only the Buckingham Palace State Rooms but also to the Royal Mews and the Queen’s Gallery. Sure the tickets were more expensive (more on ticket prices below) but we figured that a visit to Buckingham Palace something just HAD to be experienced when in London.

Here’s how our Royal Day Out unfolded…we started the morning with a couple of cups of coffee (of course) and put on our comfy walking shoes before we took the tube to St James’s Park station and walked with the crowds of people towards Buckingham Palace. Yes, we made the questionable decision to visit on a Sunday DURING school holidays but it was the only real free weekend we had. So we KNEW it was going to be busy but no idea just how busy! Wow…

A Visit to the Queen’s Gallery

Tickets to the State Rooms are timed which meant that we had a couple of hours before we could begin our tour so we decided to head to the Queen’s Gallery first. The Queen’s Gallery is an art gallery featuring an ever-changing display of art curated from the Royal Collection.

The collection currently on display are drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, marking the 500th anniversary of his death, The exhibition brings together more than 200 of the Renaissance master’s greatest drawings, forming the largest exhibition of Leonardo’s work in over 65 years!

Read More: Visit London’s Postal Museum and Ride Mail Rail 

Next stop: The Royal Mews

A Visit to the Royal Mews

Once we finished our visit to the Queen’s Gallery, we headed down to the road to explore the Royal Mews. The Royal Mews is an important function of the royal household as it provides transport for the Queen and members of the royal family in both horse-drawn carriages and road transport.

If you run out of time, just as we did, because we spent too much time at the Queen’s Gallery (ok, who didn’t see that happening…it’s like every museum we’ve ever been to) be sure to speak to the helpful staff at the entrance, who will stamp your ticket turning it into a 12 month pass to enable a return visit at another date.

However, if you manage your time a little better than we did than then here’s some of the things that you can expect from a visit to the Royal Mews;

• The State Gold Coach, an eight horse-drawn carriage originally commissioned in 1760 and has been used at every coronation since King George IV in 1821
• The Diamond Jubilee State Coach, a six horse-drawn carriage created to commemorate the Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, 60 years as the reigning monarch.
• Take a walk through the working stables, the place where the royal horses live. An opportunity to learn about the different breeds and the different occasions they work in.

Read More: Explore London’s Canals by Boat! 

Next stop: The State Rooms

A Visit to the Buckingham Palace State Rooms

Every year, Buckingham Palace’s summer opening features a special exhibition.  2007 was a tribute to Diana, marking the 20th anniversary of her death. 2018 marked the 70th birthday of Charles, the Prince of Wales.  

In 2019 the Palace celebrated the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth, a special exhibition telling the story of how the young queen transformed Buckingham Palace from a private house into a working royal residence.

In 2020, the special exhibition will focus on the Royal Family’s interest in animals, from the reign of George III to the present day. This will be the first exhibition in over 50 years to focus on the topic, it will explore the history of animals in the royal residences, from the giraffe presented to George IV as a gift from Egypt, to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s enthusiasm for pet dogs and the continued importance of horses in modern times, during events such as Trooping the Colour and Royal Ascot.

Be sure to note the timings listed on your ticket, for capacity reasons, timed admission is in operation during the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace and The Queen’s Gallery. And be prepared to queue.

Things to be aware when you join the line; there is no photography allowed inside the State Rooms (only at the end in the Royal Gardens) and there are no toilet stops during the visit.

When it was time to start our tour we were funneled out of the holding area into the security checkpoint where pockets were emptied and metal detectors awaited. If you’ve ever gone through airport security then you’d be familiar with the rigmarole.

Once we cleared security, we collected our audio guides and followed the tour path through the designated path through the palace. As photography wasn’t allowed in the State Rooms I don’t have a series of photos to share but here are some of the highlights that really stood out for us;

• Seeing the Australian State Coach in person. A custom six horse-drawn coach which was presented to Her Majesty on behalf of the Australian people on the occasion of the Bicentennial on 8 May 1988
• Standing on the inside of the Buckingham Palace courtyard and being able to look out and see all the visitors looking in, in the exact same spot where Roma and I stood five years ago

Once you reach the end of the tour you will exit out into the ground of the Palace Gardens which is the very first place you can take photos during the visit to the State Rooms. So we took advantage of the opportunity (who doesn’t love a good selfie?)

Once the selfies were taken we took to the path and followed the directions and took some more photos of the Palace Gardens before exiting the Palace grounds back into the streets of Kensington. And just like that, our time spent exploring one of the last remaining working palaces in Europe came to an end.

Interested in visiting in 2020? Do you want to book your tickets now? Click HERE to check out the available dates.

Ticket Options

Visit Buckingham Palace – Which Ticket To Buy?

Once you’ve decided that you want to get a little closer to the Royal household then the first thing you need to do is decide which ticket you want to buy, there are 3 main choice available.

The State Rooms Tickets

A visit to the State Rooms is the reason to visit Buckingham Palace because you’ll get the opportunity to explore 19 different State Rooms which are all used for various ceremonial functions and celebrations. You’ll be provided a complimentary audio guide at the start of your tour which is ensures that you don’t miss a thing when taking in the extraordinary amount of detail in each of the rooms.

Included in the standard State Rooms ticket is access to the temporary exhibit, The Royal Gifts. This exhibit showcases the many gifts provided to Her Majesty over the course of her reign from countries from all over the world.

Prices:  £26.50 adult | £24 student| £14.50 children | Free for under 5’s

Royal Day Out Tickets

The Royal Day Out tickets include a visit to the State Rooms, The Royal Mews, and the Queen’s Gallery. This ticket is perfect for those who want to maximise their day at Buckingham Palace and see as much as they possibly can.

The Queen’s Gallery features a changing collection of art exhibitions from the Royal Collection and the collection on display at the moment is South Asian Art. The Royal Mews allows you to get up and personal with life at a working royal stable where you can view many different royal coaches and carriages, including the Gold State Coach, which has been at every coronation since 1821.

This is the ticket that Roma and I purchased for our visit to Buckingham Palace, and despite it being considerably more expensive than the basic ticket we figured that how often are we going to visit Buckingham Palace so it made sense to see as much of it as we could.

Plus, did you know that if you purchase your ticket directly from the Royal Collection Trust then it can be turned into a 12 month pass! Perfect for those who may not be able to get through everything in one visit (available for all three ticket types). 

Prices: £49 adult | £42 student| £26.50 children | Free for under 5’s

The State Rooms & Garden Highlights Tour Tickets

If the idea of exploring Buckingham Palace Gardens and learning about its history is of interest to you then the State Rooms & Garden Highlights Tour is the perfect ticket. Combining a visit to the State Rooms with a guided tour of the Palace Gardens, which includes stops at Herbaceous Border, the summer house, Rose Garden, Waterloo Vase, and the Palace tennis court.

The tours run every 45 min between 09:30 and 14:30 so make sure that you plan a tour in the morning otherwise an afternoon garden tour is sure to be crowded.

Note: if you’re keen in seeing the Palace Gardens but perhaps not enough to take a dedicated tour of them then keep in mind that all visited to the State Rooms end with a walk through the Palace Gardens on your way to the exit.

Prices: £36.50 adult | £33 concession | £21 children | Free for under 5’s

Final Thoughts

If you’re planning a trip to London then a visit to Buckingham Palace is an absolute must do! 

We recommend purchasing the Royal Day Out tickets because not only will you get to explore the State Rooms but also the Royal Mews and the Queen’s Gallery too. Plus, if you don’t have time to squeeze in everything on the one day then you have option of turning your purchased tickets into a 12 month pass.  

Do You Have Travel Insurance?

Accidents happen and travel insurance is something you should always have before setting off on an adventure.  It’s almost always cheaper to buy a prepaid annual policy than trip by trip. If you’re hiring a car as mentioned in this post, be sure to check that you’re covered for damages no matter who’s at fault. Should something happen, you want to know you’ll be taken care of and not a burden physically or financially to your family and friends.

Travel Smart. Travel Safe.

Need a SIM Card?

The UK is, for now, still member of the European Union so if you have an EU SIM you should be eligible for free data roaming from your home country.

If you’re needing a SIM card, there are Prepaid or Pay As You Go (PAYG) options.

Order a Prepaid SIM Card for the UK online and have it shipped to you.

Travelling EU as well as the UK?

Three UK currently lets you use your phone abroad at no extra cost.
These Go Roam plans are PAYG/prepaid and let you use your data allowance, text and call from abroad at no extra cost.

Go Roam is available in over 70 destinations including Spain and Australia. If you’re exploring Europe as well as the UK, this SIM card makes staying connected much easier.

Additional Reading

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