Buckingham Palace to open up East Wing to visitors outside summer months

The Royal Collection Trust’s expanded programme follows the success of this year’s summer opening of the refurbished wing with its famous balcony.

Buckingham Palace is opening up its East Wing outside the traditional summer tourist season.

The Royal Collection Trust’s (RCT) expanded programme follows the success of this year’s annual summer opening, when it welcomed a record-breaking number of visitors and allowed access to the wing, which includes the famous central balcony, for the first time since it was built 175 years ago.

Early in the King’s reign, it was reported Charles planned to give people greater access to the palace all year round.

People working in the Buckingham Palace East Wing Centre Room — The Centre Room of the East Wing which leads to the palace balcony (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The royal residence, which serves as monarchy HQ, is undergoing a £369 million refurbishment to update the palace’s electrical cabling, plumbing and heating system over 10 years.

A working palace, it is the King’s official residence in London, and where he conducts his audiences and receptions.

The King carrying out an audience with the ambassador of North Macedonia, Katerina Stavreska, at Buckingham Palace (Aaron Chown/PA)

East Wing guided tours will be available from Friday to Monday from mid January to late May.

For the first time, visitors will be able to enter through the palace’s front gates and proceed across the forecourt, just as guests do for official royal events.

Further details and on-sale ticket dates will be announced in due course.

Guided tours of the palace’s State Rooms – which do not include the East Wing – are offered already at the palace during winter months, from November to January, with some tours in late spring and around Easter time.

A staff member brushing an ornament in the Buckingham Palace East Wing Principal Corridor — Final preparations being made in the Principal Corridor ahead of the summer opening this year (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Visitors will tour the Centre Room, from which they will have a view of the balcony and the Victoria Memorial, explore the Yellow Drawing Room, with its towering Chinese porcelain pagodas, and visit the 240-feet-long Principal Corridor.

Meanwhile, tickets for the traditional summer opening of the palace’s State Rooms, from mid July until late September, and the East Wing in July and August go on sale on Tuesday.

And new £1 tickets to Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse have been announced for 2025.

Windsor Castle exterior — £1 tickets to Windsor Castle will be available to people receiving certain benefits (Steve Parsons/PA)

Those eligible can bring up to five members of their household along with them to explore the Berkshire castle or the palace in Edinburgh for £1 each.

Guided tours of St James’s Palace in London including a view of the Chapel Royal, where Prince George and Prince Louis were christened, will also be available on selected weekends in spring 2025, following trial openings several years ago.

Tickets and visitor information can be found at rct.uk