Buckingham Palace - Private Tours of Queen Elizabeth II's Home
It is essential to book Buckingham Palace tours well in advance, as this is one of London's most popular tourist destinations. In addition to the regular public tours, there are also private tours which take place after the public have left. A private tour, led by an expert guide, allows visitors to see many additional things not normally on view to the general public.
Private viewings can be booked during April, July, August and September. Occasionally it is possible to take a private tour during the winter so watch the Royal Collection's website for details.
A tour of Buckingham Palace is not to be confused with a visit to The Queen's Gallery, which is a separate gallery located at the side of Buckingham Palace. The Queen's Gallery displays works of art from the Royal Collection. The current exhibition features 17th-century Dutch landscapes from the Royal Collection.
Buckingham Palace – Highlights
There are nineteen State rooms to be enjoyed. Each one, decorated in the most lavish fashion, contains many beautiful pieces acquired by the British monarchy over a period of several hundred years. Visitors will see priceless treasures such as Rembrandt van Rijn's portrait of Agatha Bas, considered to be one of the most beautiful portraits in the Collection. Also on display are The Assumption of the Virgin by Peter Paul Rubens; The Listening Housewife by Nicholas Maes, and The Music Lesson by Jan Vermeer, to name but a few.
The Palace is populated with numerous sculptures such as Francis Chantrey's Mrs Jordan and Two Children. The sculpture has an interesting story. Mrs Dorothea Jordan, one of the most celebrated actresses of the early 19th century, was the mistress of the Duke of Clarence, later King William IV. The couple, who lived together close to Hampton Court Palace, had ten illegitimate children, five boys and five girls.
After they parted in 1811, Mrs Jordan lived out her life in France and died in poverty in 1816. On succeeding to the throne in 1830, William IV assuaged his guilt by commissioning the sculpture, hoping that it would be placed in Westminster Abbey. However, the Dean refused and the piece stood in Chantrey's studio until one of the couple's children, a clergyman, placed in his church. The piece was bequeathed to The Queen in 1975.
As well as numerous masterpieces by Haydon, Poussin, Canaletto, Vermeer and many others, the Palace is also home to a comprehensive collection of Sèvres and Chelsea porcelain. These pieces are displayed alongside some of the finest examples of French and English furniture.
Special Exhibition – Royal Fabergé
During the summer opening visitors will also see the annual special exhibition, which this year showcases Her Majesty's collection of exquisite pieces by the Russian goldsmith and jeweller Carl Fabergé. Royal Fabergé includes Imperial Easter Eggs, miniature furniture, tea sets and desk seals, jewel-encrusted boxes and miniature carvings of royal pets. The exhibition shows how the collection has been developed by six generations of the British Royal Family.
Royal Collection Publications – Get the Most out of Your Visit
There are a number of good publications to help get the most out of your visit. These include Treasures – The Royal Collection edited by Jane Roberts, and 100 Treasures of Buckingham Palace by Tom Parsons. These publications are excellent value for money and will enhance and inform any visit to the Palace.
Further details of general opening dates and times, together with information about private tours, can be found at The Royal Collection.
Sources:
- The Royal Collection https://www.rct.uk/
- Parsons, T., Barron, K., Winterbottom M., 100 Treasures of Buckingham Palace, Royal Collection Enterprises Ltd
- Roberts, J., Treasures – The Royal Collection, Royal Collection Publications/Scala Publishers Limited