Buckingham Palace State Rooms Tickets & Changing the Guard Tour

Visit Buckingham Palace State Rooms with an official audioguide after an expert-led Changing the Guard walking tour.

Getting started

Meet your expert tour guide for the Changing the Guard walking tour at the designated starting point near Buckingham Palace. Join your group and begin the walking route toward the areas used for the Changing the Guard viewing experience. Follow your guide as they position you along the route, keeping a steady walking pace and periods of standing, so wearing comfortable shoes is important.

What to expect

Changing the Guard walking tour

The first part of your visit focuses on the military ceremony associated with Buckingham Palace. Your guide leads you on a walking tour that follows key sections of the guard route around the palace area, subject to the official schedule on the day.

Features:

• An expert tour guide for the Changing the Guard walking tour explains how the Foot Guards and bands participate in the ceremony, and helps you understand what is happening at each stage.

• Your Changing the Guard viewing experience is arranged from public vantage points along the route, with the exact format adjusted if the standard ceremony is replaced by the Sunday Parade or other variations announced by the authorities.

• Tours showcase the scheduled guard change for the day—Foot Guards on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and Horse Guards on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

• Headsets, when required, are provided so you can clearly hear your guide’s commentary even when the surrounding area is busy.

State Rooms

After the outdoor portion finishes, you continue to Buckingham Palace for your independent visit. Entry is through the visitor route that leads into the State Rooms, where you explore at your own pace using the official resources provided.

Features:

• Your entrance ticket to the State Rooms gives you access to the public rooms used for ceremonial and official events, with time inside to move between the different areas.

• An official Buckingham Palace audioguide in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Brazilian Portuguese is included so you can follow detailed explanations that match the rooms you are walking through.

• Free time inside Buckingham Palace to explore at your own pace allows you to pause where you prefer, replay sections on the audioguide, and complete your visit according to your own rhythm.