Buckingham Palace Balcony Opens to Public: Experience Royal Splendor Up Close

Posted on Jul 22, 2024 at 09:07 PM

The famed balcony chamber at Buckingham Palace, where the queen and other royal family congregate on important occasions before waving to appreciative crowds in the streets below, is becoming public for the first time.

Royal enthusiasts can witness the royal family's fleeting balcony appearances at events like Trooping the Colour, as many have waited in line for hours on The Mall in central London.

Guests will have to use net curtains to access the balcony, as it is not accessible directly.

The Royal Collection Trust has announced that 45-minute guided tours of Buckingham Palace's East Wing, which have been in renovation for over five years, have already sold out, despite the £75 ($97) price tag.

“This room was part of the edition of the East Wing, made by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. And it was Prince Albert who actually suggested the balcony.”  Said Nicola Turner Inman, curator of Decorative Arts at the Royal Collection Trust.

The Royal Collection Trust offers this guided tour, revealing hidden spaces beyond the famous façade. The Centre Room behind the balcony is expected to be the most anticipated part, where Catherine, Princess of Wales, made her first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis.

The Centre Room features a lotus flower-shaped glass chandelier, 18th-century Chinese silk wall hangings, hand-painted Chinese wallpaper, and porcelain pagodas, celebrating Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

The new tour offers visitors the chance to explore the wing's main corridor and admire works by English painters Thomas Gainsborough, Thomas Lawrence, and Franz Xaver Winterhalter.

Asian art's influence on East Wing interior design dates back to 1850 when Brighton Pavilion, owned by George IV, was sold off for royal wing construction.

George IV relocated his Asian art and ceramics collection from his south coast property to the palace, where it remains to this day.

Buckingham Palace, now primarily used for official events, hosted a meeting between Keir Starmer, Britain's new prime minister, and King Charles III, where they discussed forming a new government.

The East Wing renovation is part of a larger, more costly, and anticipated 10-year renovation of the palace.

Floorboards have been removed, new elevators have been installed, and thousands of artworks and artefacts have been temporarily removed for restoration work.

Increasing Public Accessibility to Royal Places

The extensive programme of works, with a budget of £369 million ($478 million), has significantly impacted royal finances.

The royal household spent more than it earned in 2022-23 due to significant renovation work at the palace, according to official figures.

The East Wing tours are fully booked for summer, but tickets to visit Buckingham Palace's state rooms are available from July 11 running seven days a week until September 29. The public is anticipated to get access to it once more in 2025.

Advance purchase of tickets for the state rooms tour costs £32 ($41) for adults and £16 ($21) for youngsters aged five to seventeen.

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