Buckingham Palace & Changing of the Guard
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Buckingham Palace - by ferdinand stohr on unsplash
Description
Buckingham Palace was acquired by the Crown in the middle of the 18th century and significantly enlarged during the 19th when it became the London residence of Queen Victoria and all British monarchs since. It also serves as the administrative centre of the UK monarchy. There are 2 types of tickets (not covered by this review): the first one gives access to the Palace Garden (16ha) and the second one is a guided tour of the States Rooms that also includes access to the Garden. At the time of this review, the States Rooms covered by the tour include the Ballroom, Green Drawing Room, Throne Room, White Drawing Room, Music Room, Blue Drawing Room, East Gallery and the Bow Room.
Access & Transport
Located between Green Park and St James's Park, at the beginning of The Mall, the Palace is a 5-10' walk from three underground stations: St James's Park, Hyde Park Corner and Green Park (Picadilly, Jubilee, Victoria, Circle and District lines). Entrance for the guided tour is through the Royal Mews on Buckingham Palace Road.
Instructions & Recommendations
The Changing of the Guard is free of charge, starts around 10h45-11h00 and lasts about 45'. This activity is best combined with a walk through Green Park, St James's Park towards Westminster or along The Mall
Environmental & Social
Relatively neutral from an environmental perspective. From a social point of view, that looks like an expensive affair to run with tax payers' money.
Conclusion
Walking from The Mall, the views of the Palace is certainly impressive and the Changing of the Guard is part of those quaint British traditions. It might not be the most impressive palace by international standards, but it is certainly worth including in a London itinerary.
Key positive
Worth seeing from the outside for the changing of the guard and "tick the box"
No fee involved
Key negative
Can be crowded at the time of the changing of the guards
Suitability
All ages welcome to enjoy the views of the Palace from the outside. No problem seing the palace for people with mobility issues but securing a decent vantage point for the Changing of the Guard is likely to be more challenging.
About this Rating
TYPE
Onsite
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 25m
est. visit time:1h 15m
Monday10:30 - 11:45
Tuesday10:30 - 11:45
Wednesday10:30 - 11:45
Thursday10:30 - 11:45
Friday10:30 - 11:45
Saturday10:30 - 11:45
Sunday10:30 - 11:45