Buckingham Palace Annual Summer Opening

The Queen’s official residence in London, Buckingham Palace opens its State Rooms to visitors in August and September for the Annual Summer Opening.

From the 24th July to the 24th September, the illustrious State Rooms of Buckingham Palace will be open to the public. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the rooms used by the Queen and members of the Royal Family to greet and entertain guests on State and ceremonial occasions.

The Palace’s nineteen State Rooms on view to visitors include the Throne Room, the State Ballroom and the State Dining Room as well as a walk around the Palace Gardens, the largest private gardens in London. The State Rooms are lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection, paintings from Rembrandt, Rubens and Canaletto and some of the finest antique furniture to be found in the world.

This year, in celebration of the Queen’s 80th Birthday, the largest ever collection of Her Majesty’s evening dresses and personal jewellery, will go on display at the Summer Openings in 2006. The exhibition shall include 80 dresses spanning over six decades, which have been worn by the Queen on both official engagements and private family occasions. Also on display are priceless items of Her Majesty’s jewellery, including some items that were gifts to the Queen from other members of the Royal Family. On view are some of the Queen’s most famous pieces such as the Vladimir Tiara, the Cambridge Emerald Necklace and two brooches set with stones from the famous Cullinan Diamond. Also on display is the historic “Marlborough George” the diamond set badge from the Order of the Garter insignia, worn by the Queen on important ceremonial occasions.

To create a perfect Royal Day Out, you could time your visit to Buckingham Palace to coincide with the famous Changing of the Guard at 11.30am each day and combine your visit with a trip to the Royal Mews nearby. These famous Royal paddocks are the finest working stables in Britain and house the Queen’s State Carriages.