Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch and one of the few remaining working royal palaces in the world. The most important fact for planning: the State Rooms are only open to the public for ten weeks each summer — from 9 July to 27 September 2026. For the rest of the year, the palace interior is not accessible to general visitors.
This guide was updated in May 2026. The 2026 advance adult price is £33.00; on-the-day tickets cost up to £4 more and frequently sell out. Photography is not permitted inside the State Rooms — a rule that surprises many visitors who discover it only on arrival. You can book on Viator to secure your timed entry slot.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | Buckingham Palace, London, SW1A 1AA |
| 2026 summer season | 9 July – 27 September 2026 |
| Hours (9 Jul–31 Aug) | 09:30–19:30 (last entry 17:30) |
| Hours (Sep, Thu–Mon only) | 09:30–18:30 (last entry 16:30) |
| Closed in September | Tuesdays and Wednesdays |
| Adult advance ticket | £33.00 |
| Adult on-the-day ticket | £37.00 |
| Young person (18–24) | £21.50 advance / £24.50 on the day |
| Child (5–17) | £16.50 advance / £18.50 on the day |
| Under-5s | Free (ticket required) |
| Nearest Tube | Victoria (10-min walk); Green Park (12-min walk) |
| Typical visit | 2–2.5 hours |
Opening hours
The State Rooms are only open for ten weeks in summer. Outside 9 July to 27 September 2026, the palace does not open to standard visitors. Winter and spring visits are only possible on selected dates for small-group exclusive guided tours at significantly higher prices.
July 9 to August 31: Open daily, 09:30–19:30. Last entry 17:15.
September 1 to 27: Open Thursday to Monday only. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays in September. Hours 09:30–18:30, last entry 16:15.
Five great things to do in London
- 🚖 Take a private black cab tour around London’s highlights – with hotel pick-up.
- 🧙 Discover Harry Potter filming locations – and spots that inspired the books – on a wizarding walking tour.
- 🍴 Taste the best of British cuisine on a food tour through Borough Market.
- 🚲 Combine landmarks, pubs and street art – on a guided bike tour.
- ⛴️ Take a sightseeing cruise along the Thames from Westminster to Greenwich.
Ticket prices
All prices include VAT and a complimentary multimedia guide. Booking in advance is strongly recommended — on-the-day tickets cost up to £4 more per person and frequently sell out.
| Ticket type | Advance | On the day |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (25+) | £33.00 | £37.00 |
| Young person (18–24) | £21.50 | £24.50 |
| Child (5–17) | £16.50 | £18.50 |
| Disabled person | £16.50 | £18.50 |
| Access companion | Free | Free |
| Under-5s | Free | Free |
Children (5–17) are approximately half the adult price, consistent with Royal Collection Trust’s general pricing policy.
Royal Day Out (combined ticket for the State Rooms, The King’s Gallery, and the Royal Mews): Advance adult £65.70; on-the-day adult £69.30. Available 9 July to 27 September 2026 — the only period when all three venues are open simultaneously.
Your ticket can be converted to a 1-Year Pass for unlimited standard readmission (a £2 transaction fee applies to pre-booked return visits). The Garden Highlights Tour add-on costs an additional £15.00 and covers key garden features with a guided walking tour.
Book on Viator to confirm your timed advance entry.
Why visit Buckingham Palace State Rooms?
- 👑 One of the world’s few remaining working royal palaces: The State Rooms are the actual ceremonial spaces used by The King for state banquets, investitures, and receptions — not reconstructions, but living parts of an operational palace.
- 🖼️ Treasures from the Royal Collection: The State Rooms contain works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, van Dyck, and Canaletto, alongside Sèvres porcelain, Regency furniture, and sculpture — one of the most significant art collections in the world, in its original setting.
- 📅 Only accessible for ten weeks a year: The State Rooms open for ten weeks each summer only. Visiting during this narrow window is the sole opportunity for most people ever to see the interior of Buckingham Palace.
- 👗 Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style: The 2026 summer season coincides with this exhibition at The King’s Gallery, covering royal dress from the Royal Collection — included in the Royal Day Out combined ticket.
- 🌿 The palace garden: The west terrace overlooks the 39-acre palace garden, one of London’s great private green spaces. The optional Garden Highlights Tour (£15 add-on) covers the Herbaceous Border, the Waterloo Vase, and the tennis court where King George VI played with Fred Perry.
How to get there
By Tube: Victoria station (Victoria, District, and Circle lines) is approximately 10 minutes on foot. Walk north up Buckingham Palace Road or via Grosvenor Gardens. Green Park station (Jubilee, Victoria, and Piccadilly lines) is about 12 minutes via The Mall and the Victoria Memorial.
By bus: Routes 11, 211, C1, and C10 stop on Buckingham Palace Road. Victoria Coach Station is a 10-minute walk from the palace.
By train: London Victoria is the nearest mainline terminal, 10 minutes on foot.
Visitors exit the Palace onto Grosvenor Place after the tour. Coaches can collect passengers from Grosvenor Place; there is no coach parking near the palace.
Parking
There is no car park at Buckingham Palace for visitors. Street parking in the area is extremely limited and subject to strict central London restrictions. Public transport — particularly the Tube to Victoria or Green Park — is the practical option for all visitors.
Why book The London Pass?
- 🎟️ Access 90+ Attractions: Visit London’s most legendary landmarks, including the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and The View from the Shard.
- 💰 Substantial Savings: Save significantly on total admission costs compared to purchasing individual tickets at the gate for each site.
- 🚌 Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: Includes a 1-day sightseeing bus ticket, making it easy to navigate between major districts and see Big Ben and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
- 📱 Instant Digital Pass: Download your pass directly to your smartphone for quick, paperless entry at every attraction throughout the city.
- ⏱️ Ultimate Flexibility: Choose a pass for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 10 days, allowing you to explore the capital at whatever pace suits your schedule.
How long to spend
Allow two to two and a half hours for the standard State Rooms self-guided tour. Visitors who add the Garden Highlights Tour should allow three to three and a half hours in total. The tour concludes outdoors via a gravel path through the garden — wear comfortable shoes and check the weather. On hot summer days, arrive early; the palace can become warm indoors.
Accessibility
Step-free access is available but must be pre-booked directly with the Royal Collection Trust — it cannot be arranged online and Viator tickets for the standard route do not include step-free access. The standard route is not fully step-free. An access companion ticket is free of charge. Pushchairs must be checked in at the beginning of the visit and cannot be taken into the State Rooms — complimentary baby carriers and hip seats are available. Accessible toilets are located inside the palace at the end of the route and in the garden. Registered assistance dogs are welcome.
What to see in the State Rooms
The visit is self-guided through 19 State Rooms on two floors, with a complimentary multimedia guide narrating each space. Photography is not permitted anywhere inside the State Rooms.
The Grand Entrance and Marble Hall set the ceremonial scale of the building immediately — vast proportions, marble columns, and sculpture from the Royal Collection. This is the route used by state visitors arriving at the palace.
The Throne Room houses the twin thrones used by The King and Queen Camilla. Draped in crimson velvet under a proscenium arch, the room is used for royal investitures and formal photographs on state occasions.
The Picture Gallery runs the length of the central palace and contains one of the finest concentrations of Old Master paintings in Britain — works by Rembrandt, Rubens, van Dyck, Poussin, and Canaletto, hung as they would have been in the 19th century.
The White Drawing Room and Music Room are among the most lavishly decorated interiors in Britain — Regency and Victorian state rooms furnished with Sèvres porcelain, marquetry furniture, and gilded plasterwork. The bow window of the Music Room overlooks the garden.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| No photography inside | Photography is strictly prohibited in the State Rooms. Visitors who attempt it will be asked to stop. Plan to experience the rooms rather than photograph them, and reserve that energy for the garden and exterior. |
| Pushchairs cannot enter | Pushchairs must be checked in at the start of the visit. The RCT provides complimentary baby carriers and hip seats. Plan this before arriving if you are visiting with very young children. |
| Book in advance — on-the-day tickets cost more and sell out | The advance price is £33 adult; on-the-day is £37. During July and August, on-the-day tickets frequently sell out entirely. Book on Viator well ahead for peak-summer dates. |
| Step-free access must be pre-booked separately | The standard Viator ticket is for the standard route, which is not fully step-free. Visitors requiring step-free access must contact the Royal Collection Trust directly before booking. |
| September means Tuesday/Wednesday closures | In September (1–27), the State Rooms close on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This is not flagged on most third-party booking platforms at the point of selection. Check the day of your intended visit carefully. |
FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I visit Buckingham Palace all year? | No. The State Rooms open for ten weeks only — 9 July to 27 September 2026. Outside this period, the palace interior is not accessible to general visitors. Winter exclusive guided tours exist but at £93–£100 per person for small groups. |
| Can I take photographs inside? | Photography is not permitted in the State Rooms. This is a firm rule and applies throughout the interior. |
| Is the advance price worth it? | The advance price of £33 saves up to £4 over the on-the-day price — and on-the-day tickets sell out on busy summer days. Book tickets in advance on Viator to guarantee entry at your chosen time. |
| What is the Royal Day Out ticket? | It combines the State Rooms, The King’s Gallery, and the Royal Mews at a 10% discount. Available 9 July to 27 September 2026 — the only period when all three are open simultaneously. Advance adult: £65.70. |
| Are pushchairs allowed? | Not inside the State Rooms. They must be checked in on arrival. Baby carriers and hip seats are provided free of charge. |
Things to do nearby
The Royal Mews (entrance on Buckingham Palace Road) is open from 5 March to 1 November 2026 and houses the Gold State Coach and the royal carriage and car collection. A Royal Day Out combined ticket covers both the Mews and the State Rooms at a 10% discount during the summer overlap.
St James’s Park is immediately east of the palace — London’s oldest royal park, free to enter, with the famous lake, the resident pelicans, and the footbridge offering one of the best views of the palace facade in the city.
Westminster Abbey is about 15 minutes on foot via Birdcage Walk and Parliament Square. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the coronation church since 1066, it is the natural extension of any visit focused on British royal history.
The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square is about 20 minutes on foot via The Mall. The UK’s national collection of Western European painting from 1250 to 1900 is free to enter and a compelling companion to the Royal Collection seen in the State Rooms.
Clarence House is a short walk along the Mall and is the official London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales. It opens to the public on selected summer dates; check the Royal Collection Trust website for the 2026 schedule.
What to visit tomorrow
Windsor Castle (~1 hour by train from London Waterloo or Paddington): The world’s largest occupied castle and the Royal Collection Trust’s flagship visitor experience outside London. Windsor covers 900 years of royal history, with St George’s Chapel (burial place of ten monarchs), the State Apartments, and the Changing the Guard. It is the most natural follow-up to Buckingham Palace.
Kensington Palace (30 min by Tube, High Street Kensington): An Historic Royal Palaces property in Kensington Gardens, formerly the home of Princess Diana. Changing exhibitions focus on royal fashion and personal history — the contrast with Buckingham Palace’s formal ceremonial character is instructive.
Hampton Court Palace (~30 min by train from London Waterloo): Henry VIII’s Tudor riverside palace, managed by Historic Royal Palaces. The Great Hall, the Chapel Royal, the Tudor Kitchens, and the Maze offer a full day’s exploration. The contrast between a working Tudor palace and a working modern royal palace is one of the most interesting comparisons in English royal history. I’ve written a guide to parking at Hampton Court Palace.
Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire (~1.5 hrs from Paddington + taxi): The only English palace outside the royal family — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Vanbrugh’s baroque architecture, Capability Brown’s landscaping, and the Churchill connection make it the grandest country house experience within comfortable reach of London.
Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh (~4.5 hrs by train or 1 hr 30 min by air): The King’s official Scottish residence, managed by the Royal Collection Trust. The same operational-palace feel as Buckingham Palace, with the dramatic addition of the ruined Holyrood Abbey and Mary Queen of Scots’ apartments.
More London travel
Other London travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Underrated London attractions: Apsley House, Jewel Tower and the Postal Museum.
- Maritime Greenwich: The Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark.
- Bloomsbury and Holborn: The Foundling Museum, the Charles Dickens Museum and Sir John Soane’s Museum.
- The cultural treasure of Hampstead: Kenwood House, the Freud Museum and Keats House.
- Away from the centre: Eltham Palace, Charles Darwin’s Down House and Marble Hill.
