‘Cause we’ll never be royal, royal
It don’t run in our blood,
That kind of luxe just ain’t for us,
We crave a different kind of buzz…
As I trod softly through the red and gold embellished carpets of Buckingham Palace, the words of Lorde’s song Royals echoed through my head. The Royal Day Out, which allows you to visit the Queen’s Gallery, Royal Mews and State Rooms of Buckingham Palace for a few months each summer in London, was a fascinating glimpse into royal life. It was also a reminder of the history, privilege, scandals and triumphs of this centuries-old establishment.
We began our Royal Day out in the Queen’s Gallery, admiring the incredible collection of paintings including a fascinating exhibition on Scottish art. The beautiful oil paintings of Balmoral and the Highlands reminded me of my amazing Scottish Highlands road-trip last year!
We then moved on to the Royal Mews, which encompassed a number of forms of transport, including this blinging coach, some seriously racy cars, and a beautiful pair of horses.
The lovely Royal Stables – each with the horse’s name in gold
The Royal Day Out is the perfect opportunity to glimpse behind the gilded gates of the palace and have a nosey around the rooms that you’ve probably seen countless times in photos of state visits and royal celebrations. You can buy a combined ticket which allows you to access the Queen’s Gallery, Royal Mews and the State Rooms, or just visit the State Rooms themselves. We opted for the combined and I’m really glad we did as the Mews was a definite highlight!
The dazzling Gold State Coach, which has been used at every coronation since 1821
Hello gorgeous! One of the specially trained Cleveland Bays
The interior of the mews, with accommodation for up to 200 staff
The reverse of that oh-so-famous frontage – can you spot the crowds?
If you buy the combined ticket, you’re given an entry time for the Queen’s Gallery and Royal Mews, and then a time two and a half hours later for the State Rooms. It was more than enough time for us to explore both – in fact we went to grab lunch nearby in Victoria before the State Rooms. We started at the Gallery at 11:30 – if I was to do this again, I’d get there as early as possible, so that we could get into the State Rooms earlier and hopefully miss a few of the crowds, as it was deservedly busy!
One of the big highlights of the State Rooms was the huge exhibition of the Queen’s wardrobe, known as “Fashioning a Reign”. It was absolutely fascinating. From christening to coronation to royal tours, some of the most iconic royal outfits were on display. I was intrigued by the descriptions on the thorough audio-guide, from the symbols included to the reasons behind colour choices.
After we’d drunk in all the gorgeous embroidery, fabulous design and wonderful hats, we wandered through the State Rooms. These are used for state visits, court ceremonies and official entertaining – and it shows in their opulence!
A little gold leaf for you?
The amazing Picture Gallery
The Throne Room – often used for royal photoshoots
It was amazing to see the rooms that so often appear as backdrops for royal portraits. Many of the furnishings and artworks date back to Queen Victoria, who was the first royal to reign from the Palace, or even earlier. My favourite was the all-out splendor of the Throne Room!
The palace gleaming even in the “summer” gloom
Visiting Buckingham Palace is by far one of the most touristy things that I’ve done in London recently – but as I’ve said before, I don’t consider that a bad thing at all! I was fascinated by the history, stunned by the beauty, and it also triggered a few considerations of the monarchy as an institution. All in all, a great Royal Day Out! If you’d like to do the same, you can visit until 2 October this year – check it out here.
Have you gone “behind-the-scenes” in Buckingham Palace? What did you think?
For more royal exploration, I posted about Spring and Sunshine at Windsor Castle.
Linking up for #WanderfulWednesday with Marcella, Lauren, Van and Isabel – have a look at their travel link-up and their fantastic blogs using the links!
Photo credits: images 8 and 9 – Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2016. Images 10, 11 and 12 – Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2016, photographer Derry Moore.
