The Queen’s official residence is finally reopening to the public after almost a year-long closure.
- The Queen’s official residence will reopen to visitors this month, after closing last summer due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Visitors will be allowed to roam the Queen’s gardens and picnic on the lawns for the first time.
- In other royal news, the mysterious disappearance of the Queen’s working royal leaves just 11 serving.
Buckingham Palace will welcome visitors into its spacious outdoor grounds from April 17, where they will be free to wander around its 39-acre gardens at their own pace. This marks the first time royal fans will be permitted to roam the property alone, with previous visits carefully led by a designated tour guide.
The Queen’s gardens boast an array of beautiful features, including wildflower meadows, plane trees planted by Queen Victoria, and a 3.5-acre lake buzzing with honeybees. Bordered by 156 meters of herbs, the tranquil green space is the ultimate nature oasis from London’s busy streets.
Guests will also be allowed to crack open a picnic basket on one of the many lawns and enjoy a bite to eat in their plush surroundings, a privilege that was formerly only granted during the Royal Jubilee in 2012. Dining al fresco in Her Majesty’s backyard has historically been forbidden, with its grassy areas fenced off to deter peckish tourists.
We’re reopening! This summer we’re opening #BuckinghamPalace garden for visitors to explore. Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to picnic on the Palace lawns. https://t.co/wmn9RJgvvG pic.twitter.com/EbeCJqzfpwApril 7, 2021
If that’s not enough to scratch your royal itch, don’t worry – the indoors of Buckingham Palace will reopen to the public on May 21.
Tours of the State Rooms will be run on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until June 20, and will set you back £60 for one adult ticket. The tour includes an exploration of the rooms used to host official royal engagements, including the Ballroom, the Green Drawing Room, the Throne Room, White Drawing Room, Music Room, Blue Drawing Room, East Gallery, and Bow Room.
Emma is a news writer for woman&home and My Imperfect Life. She covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health or lifestyle story. When she's not reporting on the British monarchy and A-list celebs, you can find her whipping up vegan treats and running the roads to cheesy '90s pop music...but not at the same time, obviously.
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