Buckingham Palace Guides — Opening, Timings & Where to Stand
Planning guides for a Buckingham Palace visit — when the State Rooms open, how the Changing of the Guard schedule works, and how much time to allow.
Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle?
Windsor opens most of the year; Buckingham Palace's State Rooms only in summer. Dates, prices, time and what you see in each, checked October 2026.
Read guide →Buckingham Palace Visitor Rules
No dress code, a 45 × 20 × 30 cm bag limit, no photos inside, and toilets only at the end. The rules for a State Rooms visit, from Royal Collection Trust's own pages.
Read guide →Can You Tour Buckingham Palace Right Now?
The State Rooms closed on 27 September. What is open at Buckingham Palace this winter: the East Wing tour, the guard change, the Mews and the King's Gallery.
Read guide →Buckingham Palace Opening Times 2026–2027
The 2026 State Rooms season ran 9 July – 27 September and summer 2027 tickets go on sale in November. What is confirmed, and what opens this winter.
Read guide →The Royal Mews and The King's Gallery
Two Royal Collection Trust attractions beside Buckingham Palace, open far more of the year than the State Rooms — and the combined ticket that saves 10%.
Read guide →Where to Stand for the Changing of the Guard
The Household Division endorses no viewing spot. Here is what each location actually shows you, what the trade-off is, and why no single place shows the whole thing.
Read guide →Want the State Rooms sorted first? See the State Rooms tickets →