Explore the lavish interiors of the Queen's official London residence, and one of the world's few remaining working royal palaces, at Buckingham Palace this summer
Buckingham Palace is recognized around the world as the home of The Queen, the focus of national and royal celebrations as well as the backdrop to the regular Changing the Guard ceremony.
For 10 weeks each summer from 20th July - 29th September 2019 visitors can explore the magnificent palace's magnificent State Rooms and palace gardens.
The State Rooms are the public rooms in the Palace where The Queen and members of the Royal Family receive and entertain their guests on State, ceremonial and official occasions. There are 19 State Rooms, which mainly reflect the taste of George IV, who commissioned the architect John Nash to transform Buckingham House into a grand palace in 1825. The State Rooms are furnished with many of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Van Dyck and Canaletto, sculpture by Canova, Sèvres porcelain, and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world.
Many of the State Rooms have particular uses today. The Throne Room is used by The Queen for court ceremonies and official entertaining, and was the setting for the wedding photos of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The White Drawing Room, perhaps the grandest of all the State Rooms, serves as a royal reception room for The Queen and members of the Royal Family to gather before official occasions.
Every year, Buckingham Palace's summer opening features special exhibitions. This year marks 200 years since Queen Victoria's birth so a special exhibition will tell the story of how the young queen transformed Buckingham Palace from a private house into a working royal residence. It is also the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death so another special exhibition in the palace brings together more than 200 of the Renaissance master's greatest drawings in the Royal Collection, forming the largest exhibition of Leonardo's work in over 65 years.
Drawing served as Leonardo's laboratory, allowing him to work out his ideas on paper and search for the universal laws that he believed underpinned all of creation. The drawings by Leonardo in the Royal Collection have been together as a group since the artist's death in 1519. Acquired during the reign of Charles II, they provide an unparalleled insight into the workings of Leonardo's mind and reflect the full range of his interests, including painting, sculpture, architecture, anatomy, engineering, cartography, geology and botany.
For more information or to book tickets visit: The Royal Collection Trust
