Postcard from the Future: A Visit to Buckingham Palace

Photo courtesy of Royal Collection Trust

I dreamed of being a princess since I was a little girl. My mom taught me all about Princess Diana and how amazing she was, and my fascination for the royal family began.

I have since collected books on the family and dreamt of the day I could go to London to see Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace was the home of Queen Elizabeth II, and it is said that King Charles is expected to make Buckingham Palace his official royal residence. The Queen lived there for her entire 70-year reign until several weeks prior to her death when she resided in Balmoral Castle. When you think of London you usually think of either Big Ben or Buckingham Castle, it is a staple. 

According to Woman & Home, “Buckingham Palace existed originally as Buckingham House, bought in 1761 by George III, for his wife Queen Charlotte”. The Palace has been a part of history for over 250 years. I found a blog of someone who visited and they gave some great tips for visiting the palace! The link is: www.travelingwithaga.com/visiting-buckingham-palace.

I will absolutely be refreshing my memory with Aga’s writing before I visit. They mention tips such as, “PRO TIP 1: If you’d like to see the front of Buckingham Palace without the massive crowds, book an earlier ticket. This way when you get to there to pick it up, there won’t be many people at the front gate”.

My Buckingham Palace adventure will go as follows:

I bought my tickets prior to my trip to save myself some money and anxiety. I purchased my ticket for noon so I am able to watch the changing of the guard prior to my tour. The Changing of the Guard ceremony is a popular attraction at Buckingham Palace and takes place daily during the summer months and on certain days during the winter. I will be there at the end of June so I can celebrate my birthday at my dream destination. The ceremony itself marks the formal handover of responsibility between the old and new guards who are responsible for protecting the Palace.

The ceremony will begin around 10:45 am, with the arrival of the Old Guard who have been standing in position outside the Palace for a few hours. An interesting fact is, the Old Guard consists of soldiers from one of the five Foot Guard regiments - the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish, and Welsh Guards.

Once the Old Guard arrives, they are met by the New Guard who have marched from Wellington Barracks to Buckingham Palace. The New Guard is usually accompanied by a regimental band, and together they perform a series of marching drills and music to entertain the crowds who have gathered to watch. It will be so entertaining to see this live, I have watched plenty of videos but seeing it in person will be everything I imagined and more.

At 11 am, the Old Guard hands over responsibility to the New Guard with the formal ceremony that includes the famous, Changing of the Guard.

 

Photo courtesy of VisitLondon.com

After getting to watch that I make my way to where I begin my tour. As a visitor, I will be able to see the State Rooms, the garden, the Royal Mews, and the Queen's Gallery, where I will view exhibitions of important art and artifacts from the Royal Collection.

The Queen’s Gallery is an ever-changing exhibit, it showcases exhibitions of paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts from the Royal Collection, which is one of the largest and most significant art collections in the world. Last year for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, visitors were able to see old gowns and jewelry she wore through the years. I could go several times in my life and see something new each time.

The current exhibit I’d get to see is Style and Society: Dressing the Georgians, where they state, “Explore the revolutionary life and style of the Georgians, from the practical dress of laundry maids to the glittering gowns worn at court”

Photo courtesy of Royal Collection Trust

In the State Rooms, I am able to see where royal ceremonies and events take place, including the throne room, dining room, and even the drawing rooms. I admire every little detail of these rooms, such as the fabric on the thrones, curtains, and the seating in the drawing rooms. The beautiful red and gold details seen throughout the tour will fascinate me with every blink. I admire the extravagance of it all.

I will then get to see the Royal Mews, which houses the royal carriages, horse-drawn vehicles, and cars used for state and ceremonial occasions. After watching the King's Coronation I will know the solid gold carriage that sat the newly crowned King and Queens Consort, and even the one that sat Prince William, Kate, and their children.

For me this is a dream sight, for them it’s an everyday occurrence. That fact is something that always makes me think, is what I see everyday a thing someone wants to see one day?. It is interesting to think something can be so foreign to me but common to someone else. For now, this trip is in my dreams but one day I will be there and witness history in front of my eyes.


Buckingham Palace

Where: West End London, England

What: Buckingham Palace is recognized around the world as the home of the monarch, the focus of national and royal celebrations, as well as the backdrop to the regular Changing of the Guard ceremony.

Status: Open select times for tours. Winter and spring, and for 10 weeks each summer.

Hours: Usually start at 4:00 pm on Fridays, and 11:00 am through 2:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays

Official website: www.rct.uk/visit/buckingham-palace

Best way to get there: Fly into one of the airports in the area, Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport, or London City Airport. The closest is London City, which is 11 miles away.

Admission: In Advance: Adults, £30 ($37.81); Young Adults (18-24) £19.50 ($24.58); Disabled, £16.50 ($20.79); Children, Free.

Where to eat and stay: See www.hotels.com/de552741/hotels-near-buckingham-palace-london-united-kingdom/

Best time to visit: In the Summer (When Changing of the guard takes place).

For more information: www.womanandhome.com/life/royal-news/who-lives-at-buckingham-palace-288731.