What Is It Like to Tour Buckingham Palace?

The following is an article I originally wrote after I had the opportunity to tour Buckingham Palace with my family in 2012. It holds some very special memories for me, so I have chosen to preserve the story as I experienced it. Buckingham Palace changes the visitor route and special exhibition from year to year, so some of the details of our visit—including the accessible entrance and route we used—may be different today.

I have had the pleasure of visiting London many times, and it remains one of my favorite destinations. I never manage to do everything on my list, which is probably one of the reasons I always have an excuse to go back. For a long time, one thing I especially wanted to do was tour Buckingham Palace.

Seeing the State Rooms was near the top of my list. The problem was timing. I was never in London during the summer opening.

That changed in 2012, when I traveled to London with my family. My parents, who were both in their 80s, came along with my sister. Taking a trip with my mother was something I had wanted to do for a long time. Finally, the opportunity presented itself. We traveled at the end of August, which meant that this time we could tour Buckingham Palace.

What I didn’t know was that the arrangements made for my father would make our visit even more memorable.

Walking Through the Front Door

A visit to Buckingham Palace is a special experience, but ours was particularly memorable because of our circumstances. My father had mobility issues. We knew that walking the entire tour would be impossible, so I arranged for a wheelchair and accessible entry for him.

A shuttle met us at the front gate instead of the usual visitor entrance. And then we drove to the front door of Buckingham Palace.

After going through security, our royal adventure began.

Staff had set up a small lift for guests using wheelchairs. My mother accompanied my father in the lift. My sister and I walked through the front door and up the grand staircase, the same entrance used by dignitaries, family and guests.

The staff had thought of everything. At different points, we even went behind the ropes to reach the lifts that took my father between levels. Everyone we encountered seemed determined to make the experience as easy and enjoyable as possible for our family.

A Different Special Exhibition Every Year

Each year during the summer opening of Buckingham Palace, there is a special exhibition, and the subject changes from year to year.

When we were able to tour Buckingham Palace in 2012, the special exhibition featured Catherine Middleton’s wedding dress. Her shoes, veil and other items from her marriage to Prince William the previous year were also on display.

Photography wasn’t permitted, so I have no pictures to share. And being tossed out of Buckingham Palace for taking one didn’t seem like a particularly good way to end our royal visit.

Because the special exhibition changes each year, it’s worth checking what will be on display when you’re planning your visit.

Buckingham Palace Is Not the Same Visit Every Year

When I had another opportunity to tour Buckingham Palace a few years ago, I discovered just how much the visitor experience can change.

The lift my father had used in 2012 was no longer there. Because of an exhibition at the entrance, we couldn’t have entered through the front door as we had before.

That’s important to remember, particularly if someone in your party has mobility concerns. Our experience in 2012 was wonderful, but it shouldn’t be taken as a description of the accessible route you’ll encounter today. Check the current accessibility information and make any necessary arrangements before your visit.

If you’re planning a summer visit, you may also want to read about a different way to experience the Changing of the Guard in London.

For me, though, that 2012 visit will always be about more than seeing the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace. It was about being there with my parents and my sister—and having an experience together that none of us would ever forget.