Buckingham Palace Opens Exclusive Balcony Room to Public for the First Time

Buckingham Palace's iconic balcony room, where the royal family gathers on special occasions, is opening to the public for the first time. The 45-minute guided tours, which run to August 31, are already sold out despite the £75 (around $97) price tag.

These tours follow over five years of renovations to the East Wing, aimed at preserving the historic building for future generations. Visitors will get a rare glimpse through the net curtains, though they won’t be able to step onto the balcony itself.

The Centre Room, behind the balcony, is the highlight of the tour. Last month, Catherine, Princess of Wales, appeared here to celebrate the King’s official birthday, her first public appearance since being diagnosed with cancer. Inside, a lotus flower-shaped glass chandelier and two 18th-century Chinese silk wall hangings gifted to Queen Victoria by the Emperor of China will be on display.

The tour also includes the Yellow Drawing Room, featuring hand-painted Chinese wallpaper and two Chinese porcelain pagodas. Visitors will walk down the main corridor of the East Wing, viewing works by English painters Thomas Gainsborough and Thomas Lawrence, and German painter Franz Xaver Winterhalter. The influence of Asian art in the East Wing dates back to 1850, when George IV’s collection was moved from the Brighton Pavilion to Buckingham Palace.

While East Wing tours are fully booked for the summer, tickets to visit Buckingham Palace’s state rooms are available until September 29. Tickets booked in advance cost £32 ($41) for adults and £16 ($21) for children aged 5 to 17.