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Highlights
- Experience both the public spectacle at Buckingham Palace's railings with guard pageantry and explore its State Rooms in a single visit that reveals both aspects of this iconic location.
- Meet your expert English-speaking guide as you approach the palace, using headsets to clearly follow every detail of the Changing the Guard ceremony.
- Your visit will feature either the Changing the Foot Guards Ceremony on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays or the Changing the Horse Guards Ceremony on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
- Following the ceremony, your ticket includes entry to Buckingham Palace State Rooms with a multimedia palace audio guide available in nine languages and time for personal exploration.
- Enjoy transitioning from the lively atmosphere outside marked by drums and crowds to the serene interiors of the palace where you can take in furnishings, artworks, and intricate details before stepping back out.
Your Experience
Your experience begins with an official audioguide tour of Buckingham Palace State Rooms following a guided walking tour of the Changing the Guard ceremony. This expert-led exploration provides insight into this iconic military tradition.
Getting started
Gather at the designated meeting point near Buckingham Palace to join your expert guide for the Changing the Guard walking tour. The journey involves a steady walk and standing, so comfortable footwear is recommended as you follow along key sections of the guard route.
Changing the Guard Walking Tour
The initial segment focuses on the military ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Your guide will lead you through significant parts of the guard's path around the palace area according to that day’s official schedule.
- An expert tour guide explains how Foot Guards and bands participate in the ceremony, offering insights into each stage as you move along public vantage points along the route.
- The viewing experience is set up from these public spots, with adjustments made for variations like the Sunday Parade or other changes announced by authorities.
- Experience scheduled guard changes—Foot Guards on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays; Horse Guards on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
- If necessary, headsets are provided to ensure you can clearly hear your guide’s commentary amidst the bustling surroundings.
State Rooms Tour
After completing the outdoor segment of the tour, proceed independently into Buckingham Palace. Entry is through a designated visitor route leading directly into the State Rooms for self-guided exploration using official resources provided with your ticket.
- Your entrance ticket grants access to ceremonial and official event rooms within Buckingham Palace, allowing time to move between different areas at leisure.
- An English-speaking audioguide in multiple languages is included, offering detailed explanations that correspond with the rooms you explore.
- Enjoy free time inside Buckingham Palace to explore on your own schedule, replay sections on the audioguide, and tailor your visit according to personal preferences.
Inclusions & Exclusions
- Experience the Changing the Guard viewing
- Witness the Changing Foot Guard Ceremony on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays
- Observe the Horse Guard Ceremony on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Guided by an expert English-speaking tour guide for the Walking Tour of Changing the Guard
- Gain entry to Buckingham Palace State Rooms
- Enjoy access to Garden Café facilities
- Use a Multimedia guide available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Brazilian Portuguese
- Spend free time exploring inside the palace grounds
- Receive audio headsets for enhanced experience
- Infants up to 4 years are welcome at no charge
- Gratuities are not included.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off services are optional.
This product offers multiple ticket options. Some items above (like transfers or fast-track access) may only apply to specific options — confirm what's included when you select yours.
Must Know
- Wear comfortable shoes as you'll be walking during the Changing the Guard tour.
- Cameras are not permitted inside Buckingham Palace State Rooms and other venues mentioned in your visit.
- Note that this experience is not accessible for wheelchair users or those with prams/strollers.
- The Changing the Guard ceremony may be altered or cancelled by British authorities, especially due to bad weather. Confirmations are made on the morning of the event.
Ticket Delivery
- Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.
- Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the starting point.
- Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.
Cancellation Policy
Free cancellation up to 72 hours before the experience starts.
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers to the most common questions travelers ask before booking this experience.
14 answered
Booking FAQs
Wear comfortable shoes as the experience includes a walking tour.
Cameras are not allowed inside the venues mentioned.
This experience is not wheelchair or pram/stroller accessible.
The Changing the Guard may change or be cancelled by British authorities. Cancellations due to bad weather are confirmed only on the morning of the ceremony. The Changing the Foot Guard Ceremony takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, while tours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays feature the Changing the Horse Guard Ceremony instead. If the Guard ceremony is cancelled, you will join a walking tour of Westminster City instead. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, you will join a Walking Tour of Westminster City instead. You may see the Changing of the Horse Guards at Horse Guards Parade, but this is not guaranteed. On Sundays, a different version of the ceremony, called the Sunday Parade, takes place.
Yes, you will meet your English-speaking guide for the Changing the Guard walking tour at a designated starting point near Buckingham Palace.
No, mandatory security checks cannot be skipped as part of this experience.
Wear comfortable shoes since the tour includes walking and standing along a route toward Buckingham Palace.
Cameras are not permitted inside the venues mentioned in this experience.
This experience is not wheelchair or pram/stroller accessible.
Cancellations due to bad weather are confirmed only on the morning of the ceremony, and changes may occur at British authorities' discretion.
Depending on your day of visit, you'll see either the Changing the Foot Guard Ceremony (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays) or the Changing the Horse Guard Ceremony (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays).
Your ticket includes a viewing of the Changing the Guard ceremony, entry to Buckingham Palace State Rooms with an audio guide available in nine languages, access to the Garden Café, and your expert tour guide.
Tips are not included. Additionally, hotel pickup and drop-off services are excluded from this experience.
You'll start with a walking tour to view the Changing the Guard ceremony, followed by entry into Buckingham Palace State Rooms for exploration using an audio guide in nine languages.
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