London: Buckingham Palace Entry & Changing of the Guard Tour

The best part of this 2.5-hour tour is the combination: you get a guided look at the Changing of the Guard, then step inside Buckingham Palace to see its State Rooms and royal furnishings. The ceremony is free to watch on your own, but a guide can help you find a better vantage point and explain what the uniforms, marching, and music mean.

I like two things in particular: the guide gives the public ceremony some useful context, and the palace visit brings you face to face with treasures such as Sèvres porcelain and fine English and French furniture. Inside, an official audio guide takes over, so you can explore at your own pace.

The main drawback is that the guard ceremony is not guaranteed. The schedule can change, and bad weather or other events may cancel it; on some days, the tour substitutes a Westminster walk. At $97 per person, this is best value if you want both the palace and guided help with the ceremony.

• The meeting point is at Duke of York Column, not Buckingham Palace. Allow time to find the tall column on Waterloo Place.
• A guide leads the guard-watching walk, explaining the ceremony and helping the group find useful viewing spots.
• The ceremony depends on the day and official decisions. There is no Changing of the Foot Guards on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday.
• Inside the palace, you use an official audio guide. The live guide’s role is chiefly outside.
• Bring comfortable shoes and leave cameras and strollers behind. The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments.
• The $97 price covers palace admission and the guided tour, but not hotel transfers or afternoon tea.

Start at Duke of York Column, not the palace gates

This tour begins at Duke of York Column on Waterloo Place, at 9 Carlton Terrace. It is a tall column topped by a statue, and the guides carry a City Wonders sign. That sounds simple, but the meeting point is easy to mistake for somewhere closer to the palace, so put the column into your map before setting out.

The closest Underground option is Piccadilly Circus. Take exit 3 for Regent Street and St James, then walk south down Regent Street toward St James’s Park. Do not head north toward Oxford Street. Waterloo Place is at the end of Regent Street. You can also use Charing Cross Station and walk down the Mall toward Buckingham Palace; the column is up the stairs to your right after the Institute of Contemporary Arts.

Arrive ready to walk. The route is part of the experience, not just a transfer between a meeting point and the palace. Your guide introduces the ceremony and the surrounding royal setting along the way, then leads the group to viewing areas. The full activity lasts 2.5 hours, with roughly an hour for the guided guard portion and an hour inside the palace, plus the walk and transitions.

A few people have found check-in a bit chaotic, so give yourself breathing room rather than aiming to arrive at the last minute. Once the group is assembled, the guide’s coordination matters: the ceremony draws crowds, and a well-chosen position can make the difference between seeing the procession and peering over a forest of heads.

Watch the ceremony with context, not just a crowd

The Changing of the Guard is a public ceremony, but it can be hard to know what you are watching if you arrive without a plan. A guide explains the history and meaning of the ritual and points out how the guards move through the sequence. You will see the King’s Foot Guards march to the sound of a military band, with attention to their precise movements and uniforms.

The most consistently praised feature of this tour is the guide’s ability to find good viewing spots. Guides such as Sophie, Aaron, Joseph, Kevin, and Natalie have been singled out for keeping the group informed, entertaining, and well placed. Your guide will depend on the date, of course, but the format is built around explaining the action as it unfolds rather than leaving you to work it out from behind the crowd.

This is also where a guide adds value beyond simple facts. The ceremony is happening in public space, and the best view may shift as the guards move. A guide can help you follow the route and make sense of the different divisions involved. Bring questions if you have them: guides have been praised for welcoming them and adjusting their explanations to the group.

There is a trade-off. You are moving with a group through a busy area, and the pace can feel brisk, especially when the guide is trying to reach a particular spot on time. One account describes the pace as fast but worthwhile for the views. Wear comfortable shoes, listen for instructions, and keep close enough to hear. Headsets are included if needed.

Check the guard schedule before choosing a date

The ceremony is not a guaranteed daily performance. The Changing of the Foot Guards does not take place on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. On those days, the tour provides a walking tour of Westminster instead. You may be able to see the Changing of the Horse Guards at Horse Guards Parade, but that is not guaranteed.

Sunday has a slightly different form, called the Sunday Parade. The schedule can also change at the discretion of British authorities. Bad weather or other circumstances may lead to cancellation, and the cancellation may not be announced until the morning itself. Protests and other public events can also disrupt the ceremony.

If the guard change is the main reason you are booking, check the date carefully and treat the ceremony as a possibility, not a promise. If it is cancelled, the tour provides a Westminster walking tour instead. That gives you a guided alternative, but it is not the same experience, and you should be comfortable with that uncertainty before paying.

The palace visit remains the other central part of the outing, and it is the more predictable portion. Still, the sequence matters: the tour first spends time outside with the guide, then brings you into Buckingham Palace for the State Rooms.

Enter Buckingham Palace and look beyond the gold

After the outdoor portion, you go inside Buckingham Palace, the British monarch’s official London residence. The lavish State Rooms are the main attraction: grand rooms, sparkling chandeliers, sumptuous furnishings, and a chance to see a portion of the Royal Collection in its setting.

Look for the details as well as the scale. The collection includes exquisite Sèvres porcelain and fine English and French furniture. These are not merely decorative objects placed in a palace; they help explain the taste, status, and daily life associated with the royal household. Seeing them in the rooms they were made to complement gives the visit a different feel from looking at objects in a display case.

Inside, you use the official audio guide for commentary on the rooms, furnishings, and royal family history. This is a self-guided part of the visit, rather than a continuation of the live guide’s presentation. That change of pace can be welcome after the crowd and movement outside: you can listen and take in each room without having to keep up with a group.

Allow about an hour for the palace visit as part of the tour. The audio commentary adds context, but this is still a timed visit within a 2.5-hour experience. If you like lingering over every painting or piece of furniture, you may wish you had longer. The tour ends at Buckingham Palace, so you can plan your next stop from there.

Cameras are not allowed, and baby strollers are also prohibited. If photographing interiors is important to you, this is a real limitation. The palace’s visual impact is still there in person, but plan to look rather than document it with a camera.

What $97 buys, and when it is worth it

At $97 per person, the price combines a Buckingham Palace entrance ticket, a live guide, and headsets if needed. You also get the structured walk around the Changing of the Guard, including help finding a viewing position and explanations of the ceremony. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

The ceremony itself is free to watch, so you are not paying for exclusive access to the guards. The extra value is the guide’s planning and interpretation, plus admission to the palace. If you already know the ceremony well and only want to enter the State Rooms, compare this package with booking palace admission directly. If you want both experiences in one outing and value having someone organize the outdoor portion, the package is easier to justify.

The State Rooms are the part that turns this from a guard-watching tour into a fuller royal visit. The palace’s scale, furnishings, and collection give you a close look at the ceremonial side of the monarchy. One useful detail: afternoon tea is not part of the tour, even though it may be available separately at the palace.

The experience has a strong record of well-received guiding. Guides including Aaron, Sophie, Joseph, and Kevin have been praised for lively storytelling, humor, clear explanations, and finding good views. Those qualities matter here because the outdoor ceremony is crowded and the schedule is tight. The live guide does not accompany you through the palace rooms, however; the official audio guide handles that portion.

Who should book this royal double feature?

This tour suits you if you want the two headline experiences together and would rather have a guide manage the guard-watching route than stake out a spot on your own. It is also a good fit if royal protocol and palace interiors interest you as much as the ceremony itself. The combination offers variety: first a public ritual in motion, then a slower look at the State Rooms and collection.

Families and first-time visitors may appreciate the clear structure, but note the restrictions. Baby strollers are not allowed, and the experience is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments. The walking and standing outside make comfortable shoes essential.

If you are focused only on seeing the guards, you can watch the public ceremony without buying this tour, though you will miss the guide’s explanations and assistance with viewing positions. If you mainly want the palace, the tour’s outdoor segment may be less important to you. Think of the $97 as paying for a combined outing, not just a ticket to one attraction.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and the booking option allows you to reserve now and pay later. Those terms help with planning, but they do not remove the uncertainty around the ceremony itself.

Should you book this tour?

Book it if you want Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard in a single, guided outing, and you are comfortable with the possibility that the ceremony may be replaced by a Westminster walk. The best reasons to go are the guide’s help with the crowded outdoor viewing and the chance to see the palace’s State Rooms and Royal Collection in person.

Skip it if you only want the free guard ceremony, need a wheelchair-accessible route, or want a long, unhurried palace visit. For most people who want both royal sights and appreciate useful historical context, it is a convenient, well-rounded choice, with one important caveat: the guard schedule is beyond the tour operator’s control.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

Meet by Duke of York Column on Waterloo Place, at 9 Carlton Terrace, London SW1Y 5AJ. It is a tall column with a statue on top, and guides carry a City Wonders sign. The meeting point is not at Buckingham Palace.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts 2.5 hours. The guided Changing of the Guard portion takes about one hour, and the palace visit takes about one hour, with walking and transitions between them.

Is the Changing of the Guard guaranteed?

No. British authorities may change or cancel the ceremony, including because of bad weather or other circumstances. When it is cancelled, the tour provides a Westminster walking tour instead.

Does the Foot Guards ceremony happen every day?

No. There is no Changing of the Foot Guards on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. A Horse Guards ceremony may be possible on those days, but it is not guaranteed. Sunday has a slightly different version called the Sunday Parade.

Is the palace visit guided?

The outdoor portion is led by a live guide. Inside Buckingham Palace, you use the official audio guide for commentary on the State Rooms, furnishings, and royal family history.

What is included in the price?

The price includes entrance to Buckingham Palace, a tour guide, and headsets if needed to hear the guide. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Can I bring a camera or stroller?

Cameras and baby strollers are not allowed. Comfortable shoes are recommended.

Is the tour suitable for wheelchair users?

No. The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments.