They are the most famous French windows of all, decorated with the most famous curtains in the world. But only the royal family – and a few very distinguished guests – have ever looked inside. Until now.
Starting tomorrow morning, visitors will be able to take a look inside the Centre Room, the ornate room that leads out onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Walking out through these doors and standing behind the Portland stone balustrade has been a royal rite of passage for generations. Tourists certainly won’t do that, and they’re not even allowed to adjust the curtains.
And yet they will no doubt experience what it is like to be a member of royalty, standing behind the scenes as the world outside gathers for a state occasion.
Starting tomorrow morning, visitors can take a look from the Centre Room
The lavishly decorated hall leads to the balcony of Buckingham Palace, which was used for major events such as the King’s coronation last year.
Visitors can also view an exotic collection of royal treasures, some of which are on display for the first time. These treasures include the most extravagant gold curtain rods in existence, exquisite Chinese craftsmanship, hand-painted wallpaper and some of Queen Victoria’s favourite paintings. You can also see the room that Elizabeth II liked to use as a studio when she was posing for portraits – always keeping an eye on the traffic.
For anyone who has ever wondered how the royal family sees the rest of us, here’s the answer. The reason is that the East Wing is the outward-facing part of Buckingham Palace. As such, it is by far the most well-known part of the royal headquarters. Yet it remains a bit of a mystery.
Tomorrow, Buckingham Palace will open its doors to the public for the summer months to raise money to preserve the Royal Collection. Millions have already toured its main state apartments, including the Picture Gallery and Ballroom.
This year, at the behest of the King, there is a new, additional visitor path that hardly anyone has seen before. However, it is only accessible to those quick enough to secure one of the 6,000 online tickets – all of which were sold out within a few hours months ago. The east wing has always been closed for the simple reason that much of it is in use every day, so it is necessary to limit the number of tourists.
The lower floors contain offices and the upper floors contain staff quarters. In between, the most magnificent floor, the so-called main corridor, runs from one side of the palace to the other, with the balcony in the middle.
The Palace will open its doors to the public tomorrow for the summer months to raise funds for the conservation of the Royal Collection
The most magnificent floor, the so-called main corridor (see picture), stretches from one side of the palace to the other, with the balcony in the middle.
Final preparations are being made in the Centre Room before it opens to visitors
With the accession of Queen Victoria and her growing family, it was decided to build a new east wing and convert the horseshoe-shaped building into a courtyard. To make this possible, the Royal Pavilion in Brighton was sold.
The shrewd Victoria kept most of the contents, an astonishing collection of oriental exotica amassed by the consumerist Prince Regent, later George IV.
Ticket holders enter the Yellow Drawing Room, named after the yellow silk damask that Victoria and her husband Albert originally used to line this corner room. It was later decorated with hand-painted wallpaper from Brighton depicting birds and trees, and some magnificent porcelain vases. Originally intended for candles, they have been converted into lamps (using energy-saving bulbs, we’re told).
Visitors enter in accompanied groups via the so-called Privy Purse stairs and then go to the other end of the corridor.
You’ll learn that the East Wing is actually the new extension to the palace. The original Buckingham House, owned by the Duke of Buckingham, was acquired by George III in the 1760s to provide a refuge from court for Queen Charlotte and her children.
His eldest son, George IV, was keen for the British monarchy to have a palace that could rival the splendour of other monarchies in Europe, so two wings were added on either side, designed by architect John Nash, creating a U-shaped structure.
The objects on display are cleaned by members of the Royal Collection Trust.
With light streaming in from the east and south, this was where Elizabeth II sat for many of the 200 artists who painted her during her lifetime. Some remember her watching passers-by and even pointing out examples of bad driving.
Outside in the corridor, visitors see huge porcelain pagodas and exquisite vases in brilliant turquoise, a color never seen here until it was brought from China in the 18th century.
The walls are lined with huge Victorian scenes and portraits of royalty, including George V and Queen Mary.
She was the driving force behind the redesign of the Centre Room, with its lavish silks and vases, as well as an extraordinary frosted glass chandelier from 1818 in the shape of a giant plant.
The new route is described as a “trial run”, but as it reflects the King’s desire to make more royal residences accessible to more people, it is likely to become a regular feature. Balmoral Castle has also just opened for the first time.
Those lucky enough to get a ticket will appreciate an irony of royal life. This is surely the best vantage point for looking out over The Mall, Britain’s most grand boulevard.
The royal family can’t see it though, as Edward VII parked his mother in the way. If it weren’t for the huge Queen Victoria Memorial, you could see all the way to Trafalgar Square.
