Landmarks

Buckingham Palace State Rooms Tickets & Changing the Guard Tour

4.6/5(29)

Kerri M

Couple

Verified booking

Aug 2026

Nathan was an incredible guide, and we feel so lucky we got him for our tour! His knowledge of the royal family was top-tier, and his great sense of humor made the experience even better. He took us straight to the best spot to watch the Changing of the Guard, far away from the massive crowds. Walking through the State Rooms inside Buckingham Palace was unforgettable, and finishing the day with lunch and a walk through the gardens at the Garden Café was the perfect touch. Highly recommend and hope you get Nathan as your guide!

Nerys S

Couple

Verified booking

Aug 2026

Where do I start with this tour. It was flawless from start to finish. Our tour guide Nathan was an absolute gem and his knowledge for the royal family was outstanding. Big credit goes to Nathan as well for being on the ball when the changing of the guard was cancelled due to extreme heat, but he managed to get us a spot to watch a small group of them change over. Bravo Nathan, bravo. Me and my Nan had an incredible time with this group. A definite recommendation is a must with these guys. From Nerys and Lyn 🙂

Theresa K

Solo

Verified booking

Aug 2026

Our guide, Nathalie, was wonderful. She got us the best position to see the changing of the guard, gave us lots of great information, and took pictures for us. As a solo traveler, I appreciated that especially. The information from Headout was easily accessible and understandable.

Lisa N

Couple

Verified booking

2 weeks ago

The tour was fabulous! Our guide Jeremy was funny, sweet, and very knowledgeable! We especially loved that the tour through the palace was self guided with the audio guides.

Gabriele G

Family

Verified booking

Jul 2026

We booked the tour to see horse guards parade and then visit Buckingham Palace. Our guide took us around royal London, telling interesting stories and reacted to the events happening, taking us to St James's Palace and to Clarence House instead of horse guards parade, where King Charles arrived in his Limousine a few moments later. It felt very special. The entrance into Buckingham palace was easy and it was very beautiful.

Sally W

Solo

Verified booking

Jul 2026

Nathan was our guide. He was knowledgeable, funny, on the ball and the entire tour was flawless. Instead of standing in front of the palace gates for the changing of the guard, we walked to various locations where we could see them perfectly. It was a really enjoyable and fun tour. I highly recommend it

Move from guard pageantry at the palace railings to exploring the State Rooms inside Buckingham Palace in one visit that lets you see both the public face and the home.

Meet your expert English-speaking guide and walk toward the palace, using headsets when needed so you can clearly follow the full Changing the Guard.

Depending on the day of your 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).

After the ceremony, your ticket grants entry to the palace State Rooms, plus a palace audio guide in nine languages and free time to explore.

Savour the shift from drums and crowds outside to quieter palace spaces, pausing over furnishings, artworks, and details before you step back out.

Changing the Guard viewing experience

Changing the Foot Guard Ceremony (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays)

Changing the Horse Guard Ceremony (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday)

Expert English-speaking tour guide for the Changing the Guard walking tour

Entry to Buckingham Palace State Rooms

Access to the Garden Café

Multimedia guide in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Brazilian Portuguese

Free time inside the palace

Audio headsets

Infants up to 4 years welcome free of charge

Tips

Hotel pickup and drop-off

You can cancel these tickets up to 3 days before the experience begins and get a full refund.

29 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
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Guests from United States, Australia, France and over 12 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Nerys S
Couple
Verified booking
Aug 2026
Where do I start with this tour. It was flawless from start to finish. Our tour guide Nathan was an absolute gem and his knowledge for the royal family was outstanding. Big credit goes to Nathan as well for being on the ball when the changing of the guard was cancelled due to extreme heat, but he managed to get us a spot to watch a small group of them change over. Bravo Nathan, bravo. Me and my Nan had an incredible time with this group. A definite recommendation is a must with these guys. From Nerys and Lyn 🙂
Lisa N
Couple
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
The tour was fabulous! Our guide Jeremy was funny, sweet, and very knowledgeable! We especially loved that the tour through the palace was self guided with the audio guides.
Joanne L
Couple
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
our tour guide Nathan was fantastic and so knowledgeable- everything ran smoothly and very informative
Kerri M
Couple
Verified booking
Aug 2026
Nathan was an incredible guide, and we feel so lucky we got him for our tour! His knowledge of the royal family was top-tier, and his great sense of humor made the experience even better. He took us straight to the best spot to watch the Changing of the Guard, far away from the massive crowds. Walking through the State Rooms inside Buckingham Palace was unforgettable, and finishing the day with lunch and a walk through the gardens at the Garden Café was the perfect touch. Highly recommend and hope you get Nathan as your guide!
Gabriele G
Family
Verified booking
Jul 2026
We booked the tour to see horse guards parade and then visit Buckingham Palace. Our guide took us around royal London, telling interesting stories and reacted to the events happening, taking us to St James's Palace and to Clarence House instead of horse guards parade, where King Charles arrived in his Limousine a few moments later. It felt very special. The entrance into Buckingham palace was easy and it was very beautiful.

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.

What to bring

Wear comfortable shoes as the experience includes a walking tour.

What’s not allowed

Cameras are not allowed inside the venues mentioned.

Accessibility

This experience is not wheelchair or pram/stroller accessible.

Additional information

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.

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.