In 2022, the Summer Opening at Buckingham Palace opened from 2nd July Friday to 2nd October Sunday. Blue Badge Tourist Guide made the visitors see 19 magnificent State Rooms that are provided for official entertaining and ceremonial occasions. The rooms are well furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection. The State Rooms at Buckingham Palace featured a display in 2022 looking at The Queen’s Accession to the throne in February 1952.
With glittering chandeliers and gilded ceilings, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace provide a beautiful setting for many greatest treasures from the Royal Collection. It includes Sèvres porcelain and the world's finest French and English furniture. The Blue Badge Tourist Guide will take you on tour through these magnificent rooms when the Palace is not open to the public.
Many people do not know about Buckingham Palace. The most recognisable address is the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen. This beautiful place is the heart of London and must be visited when anyone is visiting London. Blue Badge Tourist Guide in London can take you to explore the additional places and the home of the British Monarchy.
Facts and Figures
The Queen carries all the official and ceremonial duties at Buckingham Palace as the Head of the Commonwealth and Head of State of the United Kingdom. It is known as the operational headquarters of the Monarchy. The Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen live in a private apartment on the north side of the Palace. The other rooms on the upper floors of the east and north sides are occupied by the other members of the Royal Family. Around 800 staff members use the south wing and the ground floor of the Palace. People who work in housekeeping, catering, horticulture and correspondence. Some of the unusual jobs are clockmaker, flagman and fendersmith.
Originally the site where Buckingham Palace is now was a mulberry garden planted by King James I to rear silkworms. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong mulberry bush, so silk production never took off in Britain. A house already existed on that site by 1628; in 1629, it was given to John Sheffield, who later became the Duke of Buckingham. He demolished the property and then rebuilt it as the Buckingham House. George III acquired the site in 1761 as a private residence, and the house went modernising and remodelling. Later the Buckingham House was transformed into Buckingham Palace in 1820 by John Nash, the architect for George IV. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to use it as an official residence at Buckingham Palace. She moved there in 1837. Sir Aston Webb created the white Portland stone facade in 1913.
Buckingham Palace is 108 metres long at the front, 120 metres deep, which also includes the central quadrangle and 24 metres high. The Palace has 775 rooms that include 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 19 Staterooms, 92 offices, 78 bathrooms and 188 staff bedrooms. There are 760 windows and 1514 doors. The windows are cleaned every 6 weeks. It also has its chapel, swimming pool, post office, doctor’s surgery, cinema and staff cafeteria. There are more than 350 watches and clocks and have one of the largest collections of working clocks.
Around 50,000 people visit the Palace annually as guests with the tour guide
to State banquets, dinners, lunches, garden parties and receptions. The Majesty holds weekly audiences with the Prime Minister and appoints new foreign Ambassadors at Buckingham Palace. The Majesty hosted a reception in 2015 for organisers, supporters and players of the Rugby World Cup.
Garden parties at Buckingham Palace
The garden at Buckingham Palace covers 40 acres, and it includes a lake, a helicopter landing area and a tennis court. It is a place of 30 different species of birds and around 350 different wildflowers.
The first garden party was held in the 1860s by Queen Victoria. There are three garden parties, and every summer, each attends around 800 people. They consumed 27000 cups of tea and 20000 sandwiches and cakes.
A music concert was staged in 2002 in the garden to mark The Queen’s Golden jubilee. It included some of the unforgettable performances of ‘God Save The Queen’ by Brian May from the roof and the Majesty Diamond Jubilee celebration held in 2012. In addition, people were invited to have a picnic in the Buckingham Palace garden.
Many historic figures visited the Palace, and it also included 7-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Charles Dickens, American Presidents including JF Kennedy and Barack Obama, Mahatma Gandhi, Neil Armstrong and Nelson Mandela.
There are many places to explore at Buckingham Palace, including the Ballroom and the Queen’s Gallery. Trust the Blue Badge Tourist Guide and visit Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. The sightseeing tour guide will tell you about the royals and give you a Walking Tours in London of the insides of the Palace.