Buckingham Palace State Rooms: A Guide to the Summer Opening

For most of the year, Buckingham Palace keeps its secrets. The famous balcony, the gilded railings, the sentries in their bearskins — all are familiar from a thousand postcards, yet the rooms behind that long Portland-stone façade remain firmly the King’s working headquarters. Then, for a few weeks each summer, the great doors open, and anyone with a ticket may walk where ambassadors are received and monarchs are crowned in conversation if not in fact.

The summer opening of the Buckingham Palace State Rooms is one of the loveliest things London offers between July and autumn. Managed by Royal Collection Trust, it lets visitors follow a self-guided route through nineteen of the Palace’s grandest rooms, the same spaces used for state banquets, investitures and royal receptions. It is, quite simply, the closest most of us will ever come to the everyday theatre of the monarchy.

This is a guide to what awaits inside, when to go, what it costs, and how to make a day of it.

Why the Palace opens its doors each summer

The tradition is more recent than the grandeur suggests. The State Rooms first opened to the public in 1993, when Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II agreed to admit visitors during the weeks she was away at Balmoral, with proceeds helping to fund the restoration of Windsor Castle after the fire of 1992. What began as a practical arrangement quickly became a beloved fixture of the London summer.

The reasoning still holds today. The Palace is a living royal residence and a working office, so it can only welcome large numbers when the King and his household are away over the late summer. That narrow window — roughly July to late September — is precisely what makes the visit feel like a privilege rather than a simple sightseeing stop. You are being let in while the family is out.

Royal Collection Trust, the charity that cares for the Royal Collection and opens the royal residences to the public, runs the whole operation. Ticket income supports the conservation of the art, furniture and interiors you will see along the way, so every visit is also a small act of preservation.

Walking the State Rooms: what you will see

The route is generous and unhurried, taking in nineteen rooms designed by John Nash for George IV and finished under Queen Victoria. It is a sequence built to impress visiting heads of state, and it has lost none of its power to do so.

You begin at the foot of the Grand Staircase, a sweep of white marble beneath a glazed dome, its gilded bronze balustrade among the finest in any English house. From there the route moves through the Throne Room, with its pair of chairs beneath a proscenium arch, and into the eighteen-metre Picture Gallery, hung with masterpieces by Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Canaletto and Vermeer from one of the greatest private collections in the world.

The high point for many is the Ballroom, the largest room in the Palace, where state banquets are laid and investitures held. The White Drawing Room, the Blue Drawing Room and the State Dining Room complete the grand enfilade, each more sumptuous than the last, with silk-hung walls, chandeliers and cabinets of porcelain. A multimedia guide, included with the ticket and available in several languages, fills in the stories as you go.

The 2026 special exhibition: The King’s Tour Artists

Each summer opening is anchored by a special exhibition, and for 2026 it is a quietly personal one. Staged in the Ballroom, The King’s Tour Artists brings together more than seventy works chosen by His Majesty The King from his own collection, many shown publicly for the first time.

The display marks the fortieth anniversary of a tradition the King began as Prince of Wales. In 1985, ahead of a royal visit to Italy, he invited the artist John Ward to travel with him at his own expense, with the simplest of briefs: to draw or paint whatever inspired him. Forty years on, the official tour artists represented in the exhibition — forty-three of them in all — have between them captured ninety-five countries and regions across some seventy royal tours.

What makes the show so engaging is its difference from a photographic record. A camera freezes a moment; a watercolour catches the light, the heat, the colour and the feeling of a place. Taken together, the works offer an unusually intimate glimpse of royal travel, seen through the eyes the King himself chose to take with him.

Stepping out into the garden

One of the great pleasures of the visit comes at the end, when the route delivers you out of the Palace and into the garden — a forty-acre oasis hidden in plain sight behind the building, screened from the traffic of central London by a wall of mature trees.

This is the largest private garden in the capital, home to a three-acre lake, a celebrated rose garden, hundreds of trees and a famous herbaceous border. It is the setting for the King’s summer garden parties, where thousands of guests are received each year, and on an open day it is yours to wander at a gentle pace.

A path leads along the south side of the lawn, with one of the finest views of the west front of the Palace along the way. There is usually a garden café and a shop where the route ends, making it easy to linger over a pot of tea and a slice of cake before stepping back out onto Grosvenor Place. Comfortable shoes are wise; the garden rewards those who slow down.

Dates and opening times for 2026

For 2026, the State Rooms are open from 9 July to 27 September — the window does shift slightly from year to year, so it is always worth confirming the current dates on rct.uk before booking.

Through to 31 August, the Palace welcomes visitors every day, typically from 9.30am, with last admissions in the early evening and the rooms open until around 7.30pm. From 1 September to 27 September, opening narrows to Thursday to Monday, generally 9.30am to about 6.30pm, with the Palace closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays as autumn approaches.

A self-guided visit through the nineteen State Rooms and the garden usually takes around two to two and a half hours, so it is worth setting aside half a day and arriving at the start of your timed slot. As ever with royal residences, opening arrangements can change at short notice, so check the official Royal Collection Trust site close to your visit.

Tickets, prices and how to book

Tickets are best booked in advance through Royal Collection Trust, both to guarantee entry and to choose a timed admission slot that suits your day. A limited number are sometimes released on the day, but these sell out quickly and tend to cost a little more.

As of 2026, standard admission to the State Rooms is around £33 for adults aged 25 and over, £21.50 for young adults aged 18 to 24, and £16.50 for children aged 5 to 17. Under-fives go free, though a (free) ticket must still be booked for them. Family tickets are usually available, and prices are reviewed periodically, so treat these as a guide and confirm the current figures on rct.uk before you book.

One detail worth knowing: a Royal Collection Trust ticket can often be converted, free of charge, into a 1-Year Pass at the end of your visit, allowing return trips within twelve months. If you think you might come back, ask before you leave.

A few tips for a perfect visit

A little planning turns a good day into a memorable one. Book the earliest slot you comfortably can — the morning light through the Picture Gallery is glorious, and the rooms feel calmer before the afternoon crowds build.

The Palace is largely step-free and accessible, with lifts and a route designed for wheelchair users; accessible tickets and companion arrangements can be arranged through Royal Collection Trust, and it is worth contacting them in advance to confirm what you need. Large bags are not permitted, and there is no cloakroom for big luggage, so travel light.

If you are making a royal day of it, the State Rooms pair beautifully with the Changing of the Guard in the morning forecourt, or with the concurrent Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style exhibition at The King’s Gallery next door, running from April to October 2026 and gathering more than 300 items of the late Queen’s fashion. Allow time between the two, and you have a day of pure royal pleasure.

A summer worth waiting for

There is something quietly moving about being admitted to Buckingham Palace at all. These are not museum rooms built to be looked at; they are working spaces, dressed for the most important occasions in the national calendar, lent to the public for a few golden weeks while the household is away.

To stand at the foot of the Grand Staircase, to walk the length of the Picture Gallery, to step out into that vast hidden garden — it is to feel, however briefly, like a guest of the monarchy rather than a spectator of it. That is a rare and lovely thing, and well worth the summer wait.

Browse our Royal Places & Events stories to discover more of the palaces, gardens and great occasions where Britain’s royal heritage comes beautifully to life.

Frequently asked questions

When are the Buckingham Palace State Rooms open in 2026?

The State Rooms are open from 9 July to 27 September 2026 as part of the summer opening. The Palace welcomes visitors daily until 31 August, then Thursday to Monday through September. Confirm current dates on rct.uk before booking.

How much do Buckingham Palace tour tickets cost?

As of 2026, adult tickets (25 and over) are around £33, young adults aged 18 to 24 pay about £21.50, and children aged 5 to 17 about £16.50, with under-fives free but still requiring a booked ticket. Prices are reviewed periodically, so check rct.uk for the latest figures.

Who manages the Buckingham Palace summer opening?

The summer opening is managed by Royal Collection Trust, the charity that cares for the Royal Collection and opens the royal residences to the public. Ticket income helps fund the conservation of the art and interiors on display.

What will I see inside the State Rooms?

Visitors follow a self-guided route through nineteen State Rooms, including the Grand Staircase, the Throne Room, the eighteen-metre Picture Gallery and the Ballroom. The route also includes the annual special exhibition and ends in the Palace garden.

Is there a special exhibition in 2026?

Yes. The 2026 summer exhibition, The King’s Tour Artists, is staged in the Ballroom and features more than seventy works chosen by His Majesty The King from his own collection, marking forty years of the royal tour-artist tradition.

How long does a Buckingham Palace tour take?

A self-guided visit through the State Rooms and garden typically takes around two to two and a half hours. It is worth setting aside half a day and arriving promptly at the start of your timed admission slot.

Are the State Rooms accessible for wheelchair users?

The visitor route is largely step-free, with lifts in place, and accessible tickets and companion arrangements can be made through Royal Collection Trust. It is best to contact them ahead of your visit to confirm the arrangements you need.

Can I visit the Buckingham Palace garden?

Yes. The self-guided route ends in the forty-acre garden, the largest private garden in London, taking in views of the west front of the Palace, the lake and a garden café. It is included with State Rooms admission during the summer opening.

Dates, opening times and ticket prices are as of 2026 and drawn from Royal Collection Trust (rct.uk) and reputable press reporting; details change between seasons, so always confirm the latest information on rct.uk before booking.