$95 to visit the renovated Buckingham Palace, but no balcony access: PHOTOS
At seemingly every major state event in the United Kingdom, senior figures of the British royal family gather on a balcony of Buckingham Palace to wave to the public.
It was here that the then Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana kissed in public for the first time after their wedding, and it was here that the Fab Four waved to the crowd years later before the dispute between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and his family came to light.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their wedding on July 29, 1981. Tim Graham photo library via Getty Images
But until now, this part of the building has never been open to the public.
From 11 July to On September 29, visitors to the palace can take a guided tour of the East Wing of Buckingham Palace, which has just reopened after a long renovation, for about $95.
Tickets sold out within hours of the announcement in April, Sky News reported. The palace is considering whether to repeat the show next year.
From the central room you reach the famous balcony. Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images
The east wing comprises the main façade of the building and includes the central space, which overlooks the balcony.
It was built in 1847 by order of Queen Victoria to accommodate her growing family and enclosed what was once a horseshoe-shaped courtyard.
The balcony itself was the idea of Prince Albert, the queen’s husband, to “connect with people,” Caroline de Guitaut, a palace inspector, told The Guardian.
The renovation cost $475 million. Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images
However, you won’t be able to wave royally from there, according to the BBC.
This could be for safety reasons, it was said, since the balcony barrier is below waist height.
In addition, the space is surprisingly tight, the sales outlet reported.
Even King Charles seemed afraid of falling over at his coronation, The Mirror reported in 2023, quoting a lip reader who said he talked about not standing too close to the edge.
Many of the objects exhibited here are Chinese art objects from the 19th century. Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images
But even Harry and Meghan can no longer appear there after the late Queen decided that the palace is reserved only for working members of the royal family.
The ultimate selfie location may not be accessible to you, but you can still see a lot.
More than 3,500 objects can be viewed during a tour of the east wing. The highlight of the central room is a huge, lotus-shaped glass chandelier that hung over the heads of many members of the royal family.
Final preparations for the renovation on July 8, 2024. Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images
Many of the objects on display have Chinese motifs and reflect King George IV’s love of the country’s art and design.
According to The Guardian, this includes a recently restored 18th-century hand-painted wallpaper in the room where Queen Elizabeth II sat for many of her portraits.
On 21 June 2021, construction work will take place on the east wing of Buckingham Palace. Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images
The cost of renovating the East Wing was $475 million, raising questions in the British Parliament when it was first announced in 2016.
This was ultimately financed by a massive increase in the Sovereign Grant, i.e. the money that working members of the royal family receive for carrying out their public duties.
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