How To Tour Buckingham Palace In Style

The following is an article that I wrote in 2012. It holds some very special memories of a unique trip with my family and I want to share them with you.

A VISIT TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE

i have had the pleasure of visiting London many times, and as a travel professional, it is my most favorite destination to sell. I never every do everything on my list; there’s always a reason to go back. A tour of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace was at the top of my list a long time. The reason for that is, I was never there at the right time of year. Until 2012.

A couple of years ago I traveled to London with my family; two parents in their 80’s and my sister. A trip with my mother had been a desire for a long time, and the opportunity finally presented itself. It happened the end of August. the right time of year to visit Buckingham Palace! The State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to the public only when the Queen is not at home during the hot summer months.

Walking Thru The Front Door!

A visit to Buckingham Palace is a special experience for any guests of any age. It was especially treasured for us because of our unique circumstances. My father has some mobility issues, and we knew walking that long tour was going to be impossible. Consequently, I arranged for a wheelchair and special access for him as well as us.  As a result of the wheelchair access, instead of going through the tour entrance with everyone else, we were met by a shuttle at the front gate. 

And then we drove to the FRONT DOOR!  After a few minutes of routine security procedures we were off on our royal adventure. A small lift (elevator) had been set up to take the guests in wheelchairs up the to first level.  My sister and I walked in the front door and up the massive staircase, the same one dignitaries, family and friends walked through. The staff had thought of everything and each person worked to make our experience amazing.  We even went behind to ropes to take the lift to the next levels.

SPECIAL EXHIBITS EVERY YEAR

Every year there is a special exhibit inside the palace, that changes every year.  This was that same year that Prince William and Katherine had married.  Kate’s gorgeous wedding dress was on display,  along with jewelry, shoes, veil, and photographs.  Because picture taking wasn’t permitted, I have nothing to show you and being tossed out of Buckingham Palace on my ear didn’t really sound appealing.   This year, 2016, is the Queen’s 90th birthday, and the special exhibit will be clothes that she has worn over the last 90 years.  Especially wonderful to see is her wedding dress and Coronation dress.  The exhibit in 2017 was called ‘Fashioning A Reign’  90 years of style from the Queens Wardrobe. In 2019 look for topic to be the 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria.

As a travel professional, I always recommend booking your tours in advance to save time.  In this case, booking a Buckingham Palace tour in advance is a must!  The wheelchair accessible tour is available for one wheelchair every 15 minutes.  Advance planning with a travel expert to make your way smooth will allow the best use of your time and provide memories that will last a lifetime!

Do you need more hints, tips and help on planning your trip to London? This is the high season for London, and there’s a lot going on there not to be missed. Contact me today to set up a complimentary consultation. So easy to do so. Click here to see my on line calendar, or you can just pick up the phone an call.