Palace of Holyroodhouse Entry Tickets & Private Guided Tour of Queen Elizabeth II Private Apartments
Duration
Guided tour
4.7/5(81)
Belinda C
Claire C
Elizabeth R
Carlos H
Natalja M
Svetlana S
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Celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s centenary with a rare 1-hour tour of her private rooms at Holyroodhouse with a guided apartment visit plus full entry to the Palace.
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Available only in 2026, step inside Queen Elizabeth II’s private apartments, opened to the public for the first time ever to mark her 100th birth anniversary.
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An expert guide reveals the 70-year history of these rooms, sharing stories of how the Queen and Prince Philip lived and worked while in residence.
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Tour the Royal Breakfast Room, the Sitting Room with its iconic red dispatch boxes, and a Dressing Room featuring three of Her Majesty's historic outfits.
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Your ticket includes a self-guided tour of the main Palace with a multimedia guide, allowing you to explore the Throne Room and Mary, Queen of Scots’ historic chambers at your pace.
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Entry to Palace of Holyroodhouse
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1-hour guided tour of Queen Elizabeth II's private apartments
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English-speaking guide
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Multimedia guide in English, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Gaelic, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian and Spanish
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These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.
- 81 reviews4.7
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, Canada and over 17 countries have loved this experienceWhat our guests say
NNatalja M
SoloVerified booking3 weeks ago5/5Tour guide was very knowledgeable. Very nice tour in a small group for the private rooms of Queen Elizabeth ll. Everyone was able to ask questions and receive answers. Once in a life Time opportunity, would recommend not to miss this tour. The Grounds of Holybroodhouse are amazing! I was very impressed and now have fantastic memories of this incredible place.CClaire C
SoloVerified booking3 weeks ago5/5Best £50 I've ever spent. The tour was well paced with an enthusiastic guide. He had lots of information regarding the rooms and personal stories about the royal family. I was able to see Queen Elizabeth's dressing room and sitting room - she had a pink sofa! The corgi's bowls and puppy wee stains on the floor really added to the experience, as if she had just stepped out of the door. It was very emotional to see the late Queen and Prince Phillip's personal belongings in every room. We weren't able to take photographs which I fully understanded. This again added to the experience though as people were listening and taking it all in rather than focussing on photos. A wonderful experience that I would recommend to any royalist.EElizabeth R
CoupleVerified booking3 weeks ago5/5We had initial confusion about where to check in but one of the persons manning an entrance gave us the correct information for entering. We were efficiently taken to our tour by several staffers where we joined the group. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and spoke clearly and with sufficient volume for all to hear him easily. He pointed out the highlights and background information of the contents of each room. We had sufficient time to look at the many items as the group moved to the next room. It was a great treat to be in the Queen's apartment and to see Prince Phillip's artwork and the life of the Queen when in residence at Holyroodhouse. This tour should not be missed.CCarlos H
CoupleVerified booking3 weeks ago5/5We were in Edinburgh for the Military Tattoo and found out about this special Queen Elizabeth II Private Apartments tour at Hollyroodhouse. On the year that she would celebrate her 100th birthday, King Charles III granted a special access to her private apartments for 100 days one time only. It was really a treat. The guide was very knowledgeable and talked about intimate details of the life of the Queen in the House when she was visiting. The furniture and decorations were impeccable. The stories behind every room even more interesting. Together with Balmoral it was one her favorite places to stay. I hope that will be repeated one day.SSvetlana S
GroupVerified booking3 weeks ago5/5We absolutely loved Holyrood Palace. All people there were very friendly and happy to help. I did not get our electronic tickets and guys printed them out rught away. All employees and guides were very chatty and nice. Good coffee and pretty chrystmas decorations in the shop made the whole experience wonderful.
To celebrate the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth, the Royal Collection Trust is offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step behind the velvet ropes. For the first time ever, and exclusively in 2026, you can enter the private apartments at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, providing an intimate glimpse into the personal life of Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
Your journey begins at the historic Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Tours are intimate, with a maximum of 25 guests per session, ensuring a quiet and respectful atmosphere as you traverse these private spaces.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Upon arrival, you will be met by an expert English-speaking guide who will lead you through the private living quarters used by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip for over 70 years. The experience is designed to be deeply personal, blending the grandeur of a royal residence with the lived-in history of a family home. After your guided session, you are free to explore the wider Palace grounds at your own pace with a complimentary multimedia guide.
Features
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The inner sanctum of royalty: Step into the Sitting Room, the very space where the late Queen reviewed her famous Government red dispatch boxes. You will also visit the Royal Breakfast Room, the setting for private morning meals between the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
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A glimpse into the royal wardrobe: In the Dressing Room, you’ll find a curated display of three iconic ensembles. Each outfit was hand-selected for its significance to the Queen’s history and her enduring relationship with the city of Edinburgh.
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900 years of Scottish history: Your ticket includes standard admission to the Palace, where you can walk through the Throne Room and visit the legendary historic chambers of Mary, Queen of Scots.
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Lasting royal connections: Whether you are admiring the Great Gallery or strolling through the Physic Garden, the Palace offers a comprehensive look at the evolution of the British Monarchy from the medieval era to the modern day.
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What's not allowed
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Bags larger than 45cm × 20cm × 30cm are not allowed in this experience.
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Due to venue restrictions, pets cannot tag along for this experience.
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Photography is strictly not allowed inside the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
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Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is not permitted in the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
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In consideration of other visitors, mobile phones must be switched off inside the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Accessibility
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The tour at 1pm on Jul 25 and Aug 15 will include a British Sign Language interpreter.
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This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible, except in some parts of Mary, Queen of Scots' rooms.
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Your guide dogs are welcome at the venue.
Additional information
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These tours run daily from May 21, 2026, to Sept 10, 2026, except on Jun 10, Jun 26, Jun 27, Jun 28, Jun 29, Jun 30, Jul 1, Jul 2, Jul 3, and Jul 4.
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Tours start at various times throughout the day.
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Queen Elizabeth II's Private Apartment Tours will be available only in 2026.
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After your guided tour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Private Apartments, which lasts around 1 hour, your guide will escort you to the start of your self-guided visit to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which includes a multimedia guide.
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There is limited availability, with a maximum number of 25 places on each tour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Private Apartments.
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As the Palace of Holyroodhouse is a working royal palace, security and opening arrangements may be subject to change at short notice.
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You may be subject to security checks. Some items may have to be checked in and reclaimed at the end of your visit.
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For safety and security reasons, a one-way route operates inside the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
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Last admission time is 4:30pm, and the closing time is 6pm.
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Under 5s must be booked with a paid ticket
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- 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.
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