Buckingham Palace Entrance Ticket & Changing of the Guard Tour
Description
Experience London’s royal heritage and pageantry on a 2.5-hour experience that combines a visit to Buckingham Palace with the Changing of the Guard. Enjoy the colorful spectacle of the Changing of the Guard ceremony, and then enter the magnificent palace with a tour host for an independent audio tour of the State Rooms, an experience only available for two months of the year. Admire the lavish rooms that are used by the royals for State and ceremonial events, as you discover the palace’s history from the audio guide. Please note: Buckingham Palace is only open to the public for approx. eight weeks each year. Tickets sell out fast, so book now to avoid disappointment
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your guide in central London near the impressive Duke of York Column, a prominent landmark commemorating Prince Frederick, Duke of York, and marking the gateway to Royal London.
Stroll along The Mall, London's grand ceremonial avenue connecting Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace. Lined with Union Jack flags during royal celebrations, this iconic route is used for state visits, coronations, and royal processions.
Pass these elegant memorials dedicated to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother while learning about their lasting impact on modern British history and the Royal Family.
Enjoy a guided walk through St. James's Park, London's oldest Royal Park. Take in beautiful lake views, seasonal flower displays, and some of the best views of Buckingham Palace while hearing stories of British royalty and royal traditions.
See St. James's Palace, the oldest royal palace in London and an important working royal residence. Your guide will share its fascinating history and continuing role in royal ceremonies today.
Pass Clarence House, the official London residence of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Situated beside St. James's Palace, this historic royal residence has been home to members of the Royal Family for generations and remains an important part of royal life in London.
Pass the magnificent Lancaster House, a lavish 19th-century mansion renowned for its opulent interiors and frequent use for state receptions, diplomatic events, and film productions.
Head to a prime viewing location to witness one of London's most iconic traditions: the Changing of the Guard. Depending on the official schedule, you may see either the Changing of the Foot Guards or the Horse Guards, featuring ceremonial uniforms, military precision, and centuries-old royal traditions. If the ceremony is canceled due to weather or operational reasons, your guide will instead provide an extended Royal London walking tour.
Pass Wellington Barracks, home to the Foot Guards responsible for protecting the monarch and carrying out ceremonial duties at Buckingham Palace and other royal residences. Please note: The Foot Guards can typically be seen at Wellington Barracks only on Foot Guard days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday). On other days, ceremonial guard duties are generally carried out by the Horse Guards instead.
Arrive at Buckingham Palace, the official London residence of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. After an introduction from your guide, enter with your included audio guide and explore independently. Step inside the spectacular State Rooms, open to visitors for a limited season each year, and admire glittering chandeliers, priceless artworks, grand staircases, and lavishly furnished reception rooms used for royal ceremonies and state occasions. Enjoy the freedom to explore at your own pace before your experience concludes at Buckingham Palace.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- On occasional Sundays may be rescheduled to early morning, this will then be replaced with an extended walking tour.
- The Changing of the Guards is subject to changes in date, time and cancellation at the discretion of British authorities. Cancellation due to bad weather or other circumstances is not announced before the morning of the ceremony. When this occurs, you will be provided with a walking tour of Westminster city instead
- There is no Changing of the Foot Guards on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday so you'll be provided with a Walking Tour of Westminster City. You may be able to see the Changing of the Horse Guards at Horse Guards parade but that's not guaranteed.
- On Sundays, a slightly different version of the ceremony takes place, known as the "Sunday Parade".
Reviews(1,932)
An excellent experience-lots of people but well worth it. Sam was a great guide who provided great historical insights
Sophie was lovely but we paid for “the changing of the guard” and that didn’t happen. We are expecting a partial refund.
Cicely was an excellent guide! She has excellent knowledge of history and was good at engaging with us.
Our guide Carla was great, knowledgeable and very engaging. She kept the large group together and took card of us despite the crowds. She helped us get up close and find good sites to view the changing of the guard without getting too caught up in the crowds.
No pictures allowed at all inside the Buckingham Palace and therefore no memory pictures of you being there and very disappointing. Also the changing if the guard or foot horses whatever it is is hardly nothing. Not the one that you expect to see from the postcard. You are better off just buying the postcard instead of paying for this tour.
Dear Grace_P, We’re sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations. We understand your disappointment regarding photography; however, the restriction on taking pictures inside Buckingham Palace is imposed directly by the venue and is outside of our control. Regarding the Changing of the Guard, the schedule and ceremony are also subject to changes or cancellations by the Royal Household, which can affect what guests are able to see on the day. We sincerely apologize that the experience was not what you had hoped for and appreciate you sharing your feedback.
Jo was excellent and very detailed in her history. A must for buckingham to appreciate the history. Highly recommend.
I was very disappointed with this tour for a couple a number of reasons. One was the price we paid of US$195.20 for 2 people (US$97.15 each). Entry to Buckingham Palace is 33 pound each (About 45 USD). That means we paid 52 pounds each for the tour guide. The second thing I was very disappointed in was that the tour guide was an American (I'm from Australia). His interest was connecting with people, namely Americans and saying "Oh yeah I have relatives that live there" or "I know someone where you come from". I would have expected to have an Englishman/woman to do the tour, it just didn't seem authentic or right. He didn't talk to other nationalities much. The other part that that was very annoying was we couldn't get into Buckingham Palace until a 1/4 to 12. We had met him at James Park at 9 am. It was a very slow walk to down to where the changing of the guards was going to be, and to be honest I thought we would've been in a better spot. We were down near Clarence House which is where the guards marched to at one time and each time there was something to see we were on the furthest side of the road. I really wanted to be in the front of Buckingham Palace and wish I'd known that from the beginning. I wouldn't do a tour like this again, I would prefer to just buy my tickets to get in and chance my luck with the changing of the guards. I know there are lots of people but I will never go back so very disappointed. Also, we had planned to go to Greenwich that afternoon so had to cancel as we had to fly home that evening and it didn't leave us enough time.
Our experience was great! Brandon made sure you were on the right spot for the changing of the guard. He assisted us during the whole tour and made sure to tell us all the details for tour.
We had the best time. We did love watching the horse guards before the palace tour. My son loved listening to the audio guide through the palace and we loved having the snacks and drink outside after the tour. It was amazing to see the palace and hear different things about each room on the audio tour.
Excellent tour! Our guide, Vouteu, was very informative, and we walked at a relaxed pace. We stood at great vantage points to see the changing of the guards. The tour of the interior of Buckingham Palace was excellent. After the tour, we ate at the café on the grounds, which had a great selection of food. I would highly recommend this tour.
