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2 May 2024 20:16
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  •   Home > News > International

    Tourists get more access to royal family residences with 'exclusive tours' of Buckingham Palace and Balmoral Castle

    The royal residences were open to tourists before, but now visitors will be able to see even more of the historical locations and take private tours with special guides.


    Rooms at Balmoral Castle and Buckingham Palace that were previously off limits will be opened to the public for the first time, giving visitors a sneak peek into royal life.

    The royal residences were open to tourists before, but now visitors will be able to see even more of the historical locations and take "exclusive tours" with special guides. 

    However, it comes at a price.

    Tickets for what's called "The Balmoral Experience" cost 100 pounds ($192).

    Significant royal residences

    Scotland's Balmoral Castle was thought to be Queen Elizabeth II's favourite residence, with the late monarch spending her final days there before her death in 2022.

    It was something of a retreat for the late monarch, who spent almost every summer of her life at the estate. 

    "I suppose Balmoral is a place one looks forward to very much," she said in 1992.

    "I think granny is the most happy here. I think she really, really loves the Highlands," her granddaughter, Princess Eugenie said in 2012.

    Buckingham Palace is in central London and is an administrative hub for the royal family. 

    Its balcony is a centrepiece for mayor royal events, with the royals typically gathering there to wave to crowds below. 

    Balmoral interior opened for the first time

    Before now, access to Balmoral Castle was pretty much restricted to the grounds and the ballroom.

    But a series of limited tours will give visitors a more intimate look at Queen Elizabeth's summer home later this year. 

    Here's how the Balmoral website describes it:

    "For the first time since the castle was completed in 1855, we have been granted permission to take you on a private tour with our experienced guides.

    "They will take you on a historical journey through several of the beautiful rooms within Balmoral Castle.

    "You will learn about the origins of the Castle and how it has been loved by generations of the Royal family. Travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to present day, where you can see how rooms within the castle are used today by their Majesties The King and Queen and other members of the royal family."

    The tours are limited to 40 people per day and will only run in July and August. 

    Tickets cost 100 pounds, with an extra 50 pounds for afternoon tea. 

    Balmoral tickets sell out in a day

    Within a day after local media reported the new tour, all tickets have sold out, according to the Balmoral Castle website.

    On Wednesday, the website was briefly brought down by demand.

    "As we are currently experiencing a high demand of bookings, you have been placed in a queue," the website read.

    General admission tickets, which covers entry to the grounds, gardens, and exhibitions are still available.

    More access to Buckingham Palace

    Before this announcement, the public could tour 19 state rooms at Buckingham Palace.

    But the East Wing — a section of Buckingham Palace which includes the front facade and the famous balcony — has been off limits. 

    In July and August, "expert guides" will lead small tourist groups through the wing.

    It will lead people to a room that leads onto the balcony, according to Royal Collections Trust website.

    But it doesn't say if tourists will be able to go out on the balcony.

    Adults will have to be pay an extra 75 pounds on top of the standard admission ticket to the state rooms — so it will cost at least 107 pounds. 

    There are limited tickets available for these tours, which haven't gone on sale yet. 


    ABC




    © 2024 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

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