Has anyone toured Buckingham Palace?
 

We will be arriving in London September 29th and I see that the 29th is the last day to get a ticket this year. There's a chance we could get to London a day earlier so we don't have to rush around to get a tour on our arrival date. I'm anxious to hear what you think if you've done the tour. Thanks.

I've toured the Palace 4 times, gardens once, and an evening champagne small group tour once. The East Wing was just opened up this summer for the first time so I haven't seen the balcony that faces down the Mall. (I'm not sure if the East Wing is included in the general tour)

Whether it is 'worth it' to modify your flights is up to you. I've really enjoyed the tours - but then I'm about as avid an Anglophile as you'll find ;)

You're an Anglophile? I had no idea. 😀

I knew you would be the first person to answer. Thanks.

We toured the palace about ten years ago and thought it interesting but not fantastic (my grandmother would be horrified that I'm not raving about it).

That's interesting, thanks dreamon.

We did a late afternoon tour with a small group. That was a while ago. I loved it and would do it again if I had the opportunity. Seeing the palaces and stately homes, such as Blenheim and Chatsworth, is a favourite thing to do if I'm ever in that part of the world.

We happened upon the ticket office in 2000 and were thrilled to get same-day tickets. Loved the tour and would gladly do it again!

Do you visit London somewhat regularly or is there a pretty good gap between visits? If you're there every year or so, I don't know how much trouble I'd go to just to see it; it will still be there next time. On the other hand, if it's going to be another, say, 5 years before you return, you might want to make the extra effort. It also depends on how much of an aficionado you are, how long of a trip it is for you, etc. We went on an evening Champagne visit and liked it very much. It's historic. You've seen the queen's vehicle drive up to that "porte cochere" and enter that way. That's the entrance we used for the visit. When we left, it was out the front gates. You have to know all those people there taking their pictures were wondering "Who are they? What were they doing there?" lol.

"it will still be there next time." . . . IF next time is between mid- July and late Sept

Thanks for all input. I'm aware it's only open about two months per year and I wish I had thought of this before booking our plane tickets and Air bnb. I think it will be too much trouble to change that. London is a city I love and I hope to return much sooner than later.

Like dreamon, it's been many years since we toured the Palace, and, like dreamon's grandmother, my British-born mother was more excited we'd been than we were.

We got much more out of our guided tour of Parliament.

https://www.parliament.uk/visiting/visiting-and-tours/

If you are interested in the Royal Opera House they have a new tour while you are in London that includes a posh afternoon tea.

https://www.rbo.org.uk/tickets-and-e...d-tour-details

We actually were there in March during Easter week 2015; so, you never know. Presumably it was during a time when we wouldn't be bumping into the queen in her bathrobe and slippers? (... or anyone else for that matter...) Now that the king doesn't live there, more dates may open or not?

I wondered about that... Charlie needs to up the revenue, so perhaps the tour date calendar will open up.

If anyone wanted to get the train to Brighton, on the coast, the Royal Pavilion is worth a visit. A huge amount of money must have been poured into the unusual exterior and lavish interior, at the time it was built.

I also visited once in March -- that was the evening, small group champagne tour. Until Charles decides to open it to the public more, the general opening is still just the two summer months. But I'm sure he will open it up more since he has already opened the East Wing and also opened up Balmoral for the very first time. The Balmoral tickets all sold out the day they went on sale! He and Camilla don't live in the Palace and its really only an 'office' now, probably by next year there will likely be a lot more access

Very similar experience some years back, in 2017 I believe. I greatly enjoyed the tour and the icing on the cake was going in/out through the porte cochère and exiting through the front gates of Buckingham Palace. Come on guys, how often do you get to do that?! 😉

We enjoyed our tour of Buckingham Palace along with the Garden. After seeing photos of it during ceremonies it was interesting to see the same places. We liked that we could tour at our own pace which was faster than what the tour had predicted.

We intend to do a day trip to Brighton. I'm looking forward to seeing the Royal Pavillion and the town.