(London) For the first time this summer, Buckingham Palace is opening its East Wing to the public, who will be able to access the room overlooking the famous balcony from which the British royal family waves to the crowd.
The classic summer tour of Buckingham starts on Thursday, but from July 15, new rooms in the East Wing will be accessible, said the Royal Collection Trust, which is responsible for opening Charles III’s royal residences to the public.
The king was instrumental in opening the palace wider to visitors, according to British media reports.
But it is already too late to hope to visit the East Wing this year. Tickets, which cost £75 (€88), sold out within hours in April.
Around 6,000 people managed to get a ticket to visit this wing, built between 1847 and 1849 to house Queen Victoria’s large family.
They will have access to the main corridor, decorated in particular with paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, and to the adjacent room with a balcony, which overlooks the famous “Mall” where the public gathers on special occasions.
Visitors will not, however, be able to go and greet the crowd from this balcony, which will not be accessible to them.
PHOTO HENRY NICHOLLS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
On June 15, the royal family appeared on the balcony for Charles III’s birthday parade.
Since 1851, the monarch and members of the royal family have gathered there for public appearances. On June 15, the royal family appeared there again for the birthday parade of Charles III.
It was Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, who had the idea of having a balcony at Buckingham. It was “a way for the royal family to be in contact with the people, and that is how it continues to be used on great occasions,” explained Caroline de Guitaut, head of the royal’s works of art.
The East Wing will be open until the end of August after more than five years of £369m (€436m) renovation work.
The classic summer visit to Buckingham is possible until the end of September.
Visitors authorized in the East Wing, in addition to the classic visit, will have access to 19 rooms used by the royal family for their official receptions, furnished with some of the most beautiful works of art from the royal collection.
In the ballroom, they will be able to see the first official portrait of Charles III since his coronation, painted on a red background by the British artist Jonathan Yeo.
The public will also be able to take part in a guided tour of the gardens.
In parallel, since the 1er From July until early August, visitors have access to parts of Balmoral Castle, the Windsors’ summer residence in the Highlands of Scotland, before the arrival of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Here too, all the tickets were sold, despite their price: 100 pounds (117 euros) or 150 pounds (175 euros) with an English tea break.
Previously limited to the garden and ballroom, these are the first expanded tours of the palace, where Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022.