Buckingham Palace is the Queen’s official residence in London. Originally it was built as a townhouse for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703, before being acquired by George III in 1761 for his wife Queen Charlotte, and called The Queen’s House.
Extensively modernised and extended by John Nash and Edward Blore in the 19th century, it became known as Buckingham Palace in 1837 when Queen Victoria ascended to the throne and made it her London residence. The last major modifications date back to the end of the 19th and start of the 20th centuries, which includes the East Front with its balcony where the monarch greets gathering crowds.
It has 775 rooms, and although closed to the public for much of the year, in the summer months, guided tours of Buckingham Palace take you to see the State Rooms, including the Throne Room and White Drawing Room, or you can visit the largest private gardens in London and even have a picnic.
However, you don’t have to enter the building to admire the property. At the front of Buckingham Palace is the Queen Victoria Memorial, which was between 1906 and 1924 to commemorate the monarch’s death in 1901. It includes memorial gardens and a central 25-metres-high monument made from Carrara marble and designed by Sir Thomas Brock.
When is Buckingham Palace Open?
July to September, 10am to 6pm (last admission 6pm).
How much does it cost to visit?
Tickets: £16.50, £15 (students / over 60s), £9 children and disabled, infants free. To buy tickets click here.
Getting to Buckingham Palace
Victoria Station is the nearest main line and tube station (Victoria, Circle and District lines).
Nearby Attractions
You can easily combine a trip here with a visit to Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, all of which are a short walk away through the beautiful St James’s Park, one of the great central Parks in London.
