Buckingham Palace was built in 1837 and has been used as the residence of the royal family since Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne. To find out if the Queen is at home, just look at the flagpole adorning the roof of the building: if the royal banner is flying, then the Queen is in the palace. If you are lucky enough to be in London during a major event, you might even see the Queen and her family on the balcony, where they go out to greet people.
Whether the queen is home or not, Buckingham Palace draws thousands of people every day, especially in the morning. One of the most spectacular rituals, which is a London landmark in its own right, takes place at this time, namely the changing of the royal guard. The ceremony begins at 10:45 and lasts approximately 45 minutes. It is free to watch every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Keep in mind that the ceremony is cancelled on days when major events are taking place in London.
Address: Buckingham Palace.
Subway stations: Victoria, Green Park, St James’s Park or Hyde Park Corner.
Palace opening hours: 09:30 to 18:30 or 19:30 depending on the season.
Palace ticket price: £23.