Buckingham Palace’s balcony room to open to public for first time
Fans of the royal family can now have their own viral Prince Louis moment.
For the first time ever, Buckingham Palace in London will allow visitors to take guided tours of the royal residence’s east wing — including the famed balcony room where the family gathers to wave at citizens on the Mall during special occasions.
Royals have waved on the palace balcony for decades for occasions like weddings and jubilees, and King Charles’ coronation in May 2023.
A limited number of East Wing Highlights Tours go on sale on April 9.
Running daily from July 15 to August 31, the East Wing Highlights Tours will take visitors through the principal rooms of the wing, including the Centre Room which then leads onto the palace balcony, which was first used by Queen Victoria.
Sadly, tourists will not be allowed to step foot on the famous overhang.
Other highlights of the balcony 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.
Visitors will also be led through the principal corridor, which runs the length of the wing, where paintings by artists such as Thomas Gainsborough are hung.
There are over 3,000 artifacts from the Royal Collection in the east wing alone, so visitors will have plenty to look at during the 45-minute tour.
The wing’s principal floor will be open to the public in July and August after more than five years of renovations. The palace’s 10-year plan to update its electrical cabling, plumbing and heating system will be on display.
After the east wing excursion — which is limited to 20 spots per tour and costs $95 per adult — visitors can embark on a self-guided tour of the State Rooms.
