This review is from 2017
Every summer London’s most famous house opens for tours with an accompanying exhibition. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms, but only 19 of them, the State Rooms, are open to the public. These are the grand spaces, where the King hosts receptions and entertains guests. You won’t bump into any royals – the palace opens for ten weeks only, when the King is away – but you will get to wander around the Throne Room and ogle the Ballroom’s glittery chandeliers.
A visit to the State Rooms usually takes up to two and a half hours. Be prepared for airport-style security and don’t expect to get away with taking any selfies; cameras are banned inside the State Rooms. Food and drink is a no-no, too, but there is a café, so you’ll be able to tell people you’ve taken tea at Buckingham Palace. Ellie Walker-Arnott
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