Buckingham Palace Visit and Changing of the Guard Tour

The Changing of the Guard is more than a line of red uniforms and bearskin hats. On this 3.5-hour tour, a guide explains the handover between the Old Guard and the New Guard, points out details in the ceremony, and helps you find a place to watch before you enter Buckingham Palace.

I like two things about this pairing: you get live context for a public ceremony that can be hard to follow on your own, then time to explore the palace at your own pace. The guide also brings in royal stories and ceremony trivia, while the State Rooms audio tour lets you linger over the furnishings and art that catch your eye.

The main consideration is the walking. You will cover ground outdoors and inside the palace, and the tour is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments. Palace visits are also seasonal, with public access offered during July, August, and September, so the timing of your trip matters.

Five things to know before you book

• The ceremony comes first: Your guide sets the scene for the Old Guard’s handover to the New Guard and helps you find a viewing position.
• The palace visit is self-guided: You explore the State Rooms independently with the official audio tour, rather than following your guide through the rooms.
• The $97 price includes palace entry: It also covers the guided ceremony experience and English-speaking guide, but not food, drinks, or transport.
• Palace access is seasonal: The public opening period described for this tour is July, August, and September, and tickets are in high demand.
• Expect a lot of walking: Comfortable shoes are essential. Large bags, luggage, photography inside, and video recording are not allowed.

Start at Waterloo Place, not the palace gates

The meeting point is beside the equestrian statue of Edward VII at Waterloo Place, St. James’s. Look for the man on horseback and the Urban Saunters sign. It is an easy detail to miss if you head straight for Buckingham Palace, so save the address before setting off.

Coming by Underground, take the Piccadilly Circus station exit for Regent Street and St. James’s. Walk south along Regent Street toward St. James’s Park, not north toward Oxford Street. Waterloo Place is at the end of Regent Street.

Arriving at the right place on time matters because the first part is a guided walk and ceremony visit, not a palace entry with a flexible start. The tour runs for about three and a half hours, and starting times vary, so check the available time when you book. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Watch the Changing of the Guard with context

The ceremony is the public face of a working military routine: the Old Guard hands over duty to the New Guard. In their red uniforms and tall bearskin hats, the Guards march in time to music while the band and the precise movements of the handover give the event its pageantry.

A guide adds value here because the ceremony can be difficult to read from the crowd. You will get explanations of the Guards’ roles, the band, and the movements that make up the handover, along with lesser-known bits of ceremony trivia. The guide also helps you find a vantage point, a practical advantage at an event where crowds can affect what you see.

Keep expectations realistic. The tour can help you position yourself and understand what is happening, but it cannot make a public ceremony private or guarantee an unobstructed view. Your sightline may depend on the crowd and the precise conditions on the day. If the spectacle matters to you, listen closely to your guide’s instructions and be ready to move with the group.

This is the more social, outdoors-focused half of the tour. You are watching alongside other people, not entering a staged performance with assigned seats. The ceremony’s appeal lies in seeing a tradition carried out in public, with the uniforms, music, and formal handover all part of the scene.

Hear royal stories along the way

The guided portion also gives you a broader introduction to the Westminster area and royal history. One visitor described a tour that combined a walk through Westminster with the palace visit, and praised the guide’s knowledge of the area and stories about royalty across the centuries. That is the sort of added context that can turn a succession of impressive buildings into a story you can follow.

No individual guide is named, and group size is not specified. One past booking happened to have only its own party on the guided portion, but you should not book expecting a private tour. The reliable promise is an English-speaking local guide, not a particular group size or guide.

The guide-led section is a good fit if you like asking questions and hearing the human details behind royal custom. If you prefer to move through London entirely on your own, you can see the public ceremony without a tour, but you would miss the explanations and help with viewing position that are part of this experience.

Enter Buckingham Palace on your own terms

After the Changing of the Guard, you enter Buckingham Palace for a self-guided visit to the State Rooms. This is the official home of the British monarch, and the rooms offer a glimpse of royal life through formal interiors, furnishings, art, and gifts from heads of state.

The change in pace is useful. Outside, you follow the guide and share the public event with a crowd. Inside, you can use the official Palace Audio Tour to make your own way through the rooms and spend more time with the displays that interest you. The audio commentary provides a framework for the rooms, while the guide’s stories from earlier in the tour add a second layer of context.

The State Rooms are the main reason to choose this tour over a ceremony-only outing. They give you access to the palace interior and its grand public rooms, not just a view of the royal residence from outside. If you are drawn to design, formal furnishings, or the symbolism of state gifts, you will have plenty to notice.

There is a trade-off: your guide does not lead the palace portion. If you want a continuous guided tour inside, this format may not be what you are after. Here, the audio tour takes over, and that freedom is helpful if you prefer to set your own pace.

Make time for the palace gardens

The palace grounds include 16 hectares of gardens, where Queen Elizabeth often held her well-known tea parties. The gardens add a softer, outdoor counterpoint to the formal State Rooms and give the palace visit a sense of its wider setting.

Do not assume that every part of the visit will feel equally quiet or leisurely. The ceremony is public and can be crowded; the palace has a lot to see; and the overall tour involves substantial walking. Wear comfortable shoes and pace yourself rather than trying to rush through each section.

The palace opens to the public for a limited period described as July, August, and September. That short season helps explain why tickets are in high demand. If Buckingham Palace is a priority, plan your London dates around the opening period and check availability before building the rest of your schedule around it.

Is $97 a fair price?

At $97 per person, this is a package of two distinct experiences: a guided Changing of the Guard visit and entry to Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms with the official audio tour. You are paying for more than a place to stand outside the palace. The guide supplies context and helps with viewing position, while the palace admission gives you access to rooms that are not part of an ordinary walk past the gates.

The value depends on whether you want both parts. If the ceremony and palace interiors are both on your list, combining them in one half-day outing is a sensible use of time. If you only want to watch the Guards, the palace admission may not add enough value for you. And if you only want the State Rooms, you may prefer to focus on a palace visit rather than spend part of your time at the ceremony.

Food, drinks, and hotel transport are not included, so allow for those separately. The tour’s length and walking demands also matter: it is not a quick photo stop, but a substantial block of sightseeing. With free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance and a reserve-now, pay-later option, the booking terms offer flexibility, though you should still confirm the available date and start time.

Who will enjoy this tour most?

I would choose this tour if you want a clear introduction to the Changing of the Guard and also want to go inside Buckingham Palace. It suits first-time visitors who value historical context, like a guide to explain what they are seeing, and are happy to continue independently once they reach the State Rooms.

It is less suitable if you need a low-walking outing, use a wheelchair, or prefer a fully guided palace interior tour. The experience is not suitable for people with mobility impairments or wheelchair users, and there is a lot of walking. Pets, weapons, sharp objects, luggage, and large bags are not allowed; photography and video recording inside the palace are prohibited.

Bring a passport or ID card and comfortable shoes. The required identification is worth having ready, and the shoes are not a minor detail on a tour that combines an outdoor ceremony with a palace visit.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want the ceremony and the State Rooms in one outing, and if an expert’s explanation will make the public spectacle more meaningful to you. Its strongest point is the contrast: guided interpretation outdoors, followed by independent time inside one of London’s most important royal residences.

Skip it if you are mainly after a quiet palace visit, cannot manage a lot of walking, or want a private view of the Changing of the Guard. The ceremony is a public event, and the palace section is self-guided. For the right visitor, though, the combination offers a satisfying look at both royal tradition and the rooms where official life takes place.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts about three and a half hours. The starting time depends on availability.

Where do I meet the guide?

Meet beside the equestrian statue of Edward VII at Waterloo Place, St. James’s, London SW1Y 5ER. Look for the Urban Saunters sign.

Is the palace visit guided?

The Changing of the Guard portion is guided by an English-speaking local guide. Inside Buckingham Palace, you explore the State Rooms independently with the official audio tour.

What does the $97 price include?

It includes the guided Changing of the Guard experience, an English-speaking local guide, Buckingham Palace entrance, and the palace audio tour. Hotel transport, food, and drinks are not included.

What should I bring?

Bring a passport or ID card and comfortable shoes. The tour involves a lot of walking.

Can I take photos inside Buckingham Palace?

No. Photography and video recording inside the palace are not allowed.