Inside Buckingham Palace State Rooms & Royal London Walking Tour
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London, England
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Discover England’s storied royal history and cross a host of sights off your bucket list on this small-group walking tour of London led by a local guide. See St. James’s Palace, The Mall, Green Park, and more, and enjoy access to the opulent Buckingham Palace State Rooms, which are open for a few short months a year, where you get up close and personal to centuries of British royal history.
- An ideal choice for fans of the British royal family in London
- Learn more royal history from your guide than you would alone
- This experience is wheelchair accessible
- Enjoy more of your guide's attention in a group capped at 15 people
What's Included
- Pre-reserved skip-the-line Buckingham Palace tickets (State Rooms)
- Audio guide for Buckingham Palace
- Clarence House (exterior)
- St. James’s Palace (exterior)
- The Mall
- St. James’s Park
- Wellington Barracks
- Local English-speaking guide
- Hotel Pick-up/Drop-off
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Queen Victoria MemorialLondon SW1A 1AA, UK
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. This tour meets at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace.
End point
- Buckingham PalaceLondon SW1A 1AA, UK
Inside Buckingham Palace State Rooms.
Itinerary
1
Queen Victoria Memorial
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Clarence House (Pass By)
St. James's Palace (Pass By)
The Mall (Pass By)
Wellington Barracks (Pass By)
2
Buckingham Palace
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Sites on this tour are subject to occasional closures. If modifications are needed and time permits, we will reach out to you prior to your tour. For last-minute closures, modifications may be communicated at the tour start time.
- We are able to accomodate guests with mobility impairment or wheelcharis, but space is limited please make sure to email our Guest Experience team.
- This tour is in English.
- This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
- Please note - The Staterooms are open from July 11 to Sept. 29 of the current fiscal year.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.3
based on 65 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Stella_P, Aug 2026
Meeting the tour guide was confusing. We arrived at 12:45pm as requested could not find anyone holding a green “Walks” sign. We finally found him. He arrived at 12:55pm holding a yellow sign. 13 people booked on the tour. Only 7 participated. 2 more people were waiting at the Palace when we arrived as they had missed the start of the tour!! Walking tour was OK but we missed Clarence House because we stopped to get sandwiches for some people on the tour so tour guide was concerned we needed to move on so we got our slot at the Palace for our entry at our allotted time. Buckingham Palace was very good. The audio tour gave lots of information and it was very interesting to see the inside of the Palace . Albeit only a small part of this famous building but well worth the visit. All in all a good tour. But the meeting point needs to be a little clearer (and your guide on time). And it would have been nice to have seen Clarence House
Dennis_B, Aug 2026
We had the absolute pleasure of having Sue as our tour guide around and she was simply wonderful! She was so kind, warm, personable, and incredibly knowledgeable. She made the history come alive and made the entire experience so enjoyable.
Sue was truly one of the nicest people we met on our trip, and we are so grateful she was our guide. She made our day around Buckingham Palace extra special and memorable. Thank you, Sue! 🇬🇧❤️
Rodney_L, Jul 2026
Well the tour is 2 hours of walking looking at and learning the history of other palaces and buildings and then 1 hour or more in Buckingham Palace. Tour guide Ollie was great withhistiry and other questions.
James_F, Oct 2025
Sharan was full of information and interesting facts. She was very friendly and respectful. The changing of the guard event was very impressive. My only disappointment was the Viator site stated that if one booked the Royal Mews option it would give us an excellent spot from which to view the changing of the guard ceremony. I did not think our vantage point was that good. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Amanda_B, Sep 2025
We had an informative walking tour around the Royal neighbourhood surrounding Buckingham Palace. Our tour guide, Danny, was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed his history talks and swift and efficient in getting us from each busy spot. We were really disappointed though, about the way this tour was advertised. We were told we would have entry to Buckingham Palace and the Mews was a choice we made between that and the State rooms. Unfortunately we didn’t have access to Buckingham Palace so we were very disappointed. Our guide also left us before entering the Mews which we thought we would have the guide for the whole tour but this was okay because we were given a Multimedia pack which was very informative.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Amanda,
Thank you for your review and for joining our Inside Buckingham Palace State Rooms & Royal London Walking Tour. We’re so pleased you enjoyed Danny’s guiding and the insights on the royal neighborhood.
I’m sorry, however, for the confusion around what was included. As shown in Viators tour description, this experience features a guided walking tour followed by entry into the Buckingham Palace State Rooms with the official audio guide provided by the Palace. The Royal Mews is a separate site and not part of this particular tour, which is why the guide does not accompany guests beyond the Palace entrance.
Your feedback is very valuable and we’ll use it to continue improving the clarity of our descriptions. We hope to welcome you again on another tour in the future.
All the best,
Walks Feedback Team
Marisol_R, Sep 2025
This tour was great, awesome to see all the history inside Westminster abbey buckingham palace, and houses around and learn about history of England. It is a quite a bit of walking but very doable. We saw the stores around the palace and one of the gardens. We had a food stop midway. The tour guide was awesome too.
Paula_J, Sep 2025
Our guide, Pete was fantastic! He was very passionate about the “Royals” and informed about British history! We had an “older” group and he was sensitive to not rush us through.
The state rooms was a self guided tour and We had plenty of time to see all that we wanted. At the end of the tour we had a lovely lunch in the garden!
Dyanne_M, Aug 2025
Peter was a fascinating tour guide. He had so much knowledge and interesting stories to share with us. The walking was not difficult. He was with us for all of the outside tour and then left us once we were safely entered to the palace. There we received our headsets and concluded with an audio tour.
Jeffrey_S, Aug 2025
The tour operator never showed up. We tried calling the tour company and they were very little help. It also cost us almost an hour on the phone at our expense.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hi Jeffrey,
We’re very sorry to hear about your experience and the inconvenience this caused, including the time you spent trying to reach us. This is not the level of service we strive to provide, and we completely understand your frustration.
Please send your booking details to feedback@walks.org so we can investigate what went wrong and work on a resolution for you. We truly appreciate you bringing this to our attention and giving us the chance to make things right.
Best regards,
Sarah
Walks & Devour Team
Kerin_H, Aug 2025
I thought the walking tour was informative but the palace tour inside was on your own, which I didn't like. Also, I thought we would see more of the palace or gardens, etc.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Kerin,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback—we’re glad to hear you found the walking tour informative.
We’re sorry to learn that the self-guided portion of the Buckingham Palace visit didn’t meet your expectations.
As part of official regulations, our guides are not permitted to accompany guests inside the palace, which is why that segment is experienced independently.
We do our best to ensure that guests are well-prepared for their visit with context and insights during the guided portion beforehand.
We appreciate your comments about the scope of the palace experience and will pass your suggestions along as we continually look for ways to improve.
Thank you again for joining us—we hope to welcome you on another tour in the future.
Warm regards,
Princess
Walks and Devour Tours
Jenifer_G, Aug 2025
The tour guide, Angie, was fantastic!! She was energetic, informative, friendly, funny…honestly just a joy! There is a lot of walking, but the history she added made it all worth it. The meeting site was 100% accurate- I heard someone else say it was difficult for them to find, but my map took me directly to the correct destination. 10/10 recommend!
Steve_P, Aug 2025
When I booked it for a Friday was told that would include seeing Changing of the Guard which turned out to not be true
Debra_P, Jul 2025
Sue was a wonderful guide. Even though it was pouring rain it was a great tour. Loved seeing the interior of Buckingham palace
Diane_N, Jul 2025
Excellent experience. Sue was a fantastic guide. She is warm, friendly and very knowledgeable. I was sorry I didn’t not have cash to tip her.
Michelle_N, Jul 2025
Excellent guide Angie full of information and stories. A nice paced history tour and delivery to Buckingham palace.
Vanessa_D, Jul 2025
Great introduction to Buckingham palace and it’s environs. We saw some extra special sights during the tour such as pelicans in the park and the guards leaving to go on horseback for inspection. The guide gave us history of some of the buildings in the park and the royal family.
Dawn_P, Jul 2025
The Guide was great. He was very knowledgeable and helpful. What we didn't anticipate was two hours of walking around outside (in 90 deg F weather) before entrance into Buckingham Palace. That was not clear from the booking description.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for sharing your experience, Dawn. We're so pleased to hear you enjoyed your guide’s knowledge and helpfulness, it’s wonderful to know they made a positive impression. This tour is designed as a walking experience through some of London’s most iconic royal landmarks before entry to Buckingham Palace and we appreciate you noting how the warm weather made that more challenging. Whilst the itinerary does list the walking portion, your feedback is a helpful reminder of how important it is for guests to be prepared for the conditions on the day. We’re grateful for your comments and hope you enjoyed your time in London!
All the best,
Samantha
Brandon_C, Jul 2025
Very deceptive description! Beware. Does NOT get you into Buckingham palace even though has a green check in the description. 2 mile walk around the palace for first 3 hours talking about sights before guide dropping you off & getting entry into the stables (mews) for a self audio tour.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your feedback, Brandon. We’re glad you enjoyed the rich walking tour around Buckingham Palace and the fascinating visit to the Royal Mews. Our guides aim to provide an engaging overview of London’s royal history and key landmarks along the route. This tour offers two separate options: entry to either the Royal Mews (the working stables) or the Buckingham Palace State Rooms, depending on the choice made at booking. We appreciate you highlighting the importance of clear expectations, and your comments help us ensure all details are communicated as clearly as possible. Your feedback is incredibly valuable in helping us improve the guest experience and communications.
All the best,
Samantha.
Meredith_E, Jul 2025
I felt the title of the tour was misleading- we didn’t go inside Buckingham Palace, we walked around it. And the Royal Mews had no horses, they were out for a walk?
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Dear Meredith,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear the experience didn’t fully meet your expectations, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond.
We always aim for clarity in our tour descriptions, so we're disappointed to hear the title may have caused confusion. This particular tour includes the option to visit either the Buckingham Palace State Rooms or the Royal Mews, depending on the ticket selection at booking.
We understand how important clear communication is, and we’ll take your comments into account as we continue to review and refine how the tour is presented.
As for the Royal Mews, it’s true that the horses aren’t always on-site, as they follow their own exercise and training schedule. We completely understand the letdown of not seeing them, especially if that was a highlight you and your group were looking forward to.
We hope you were still able to enjoy the rich history and beauty of the Royal landmarks, and we’d love the chance to welcome you back in the future with a more fulfilling experience.
Kind regards,
Princess
Walks and Devour Tours
Jean_M, Jun 2025
Sue was very knowledgeable and kind! Great experience and so happy that we went! We managed to fit in everything that we wanted to see!
Kim_W, Jun 2025
We really enjoyed this tour. Buckingham Palace was quiet when we arrived, so we got a great view of everything. The walking tour was long, but very interesting and we even got to see the horse guard. The carriages were beautiful and a great way to spend the morning.
Maurice_E, May 2025
Our guide was excellent. Hiccups - only part of the group received the email stating meet up location changed. Tour changed a little as the marathon had just completed the day before.
Beatriz_F, Apr 2025
The tour was super nice and Sue from Walks was very friendly and good knowledge of the sites visited! Good views from the Guardian changes.
Ericka_D, Oct 2024
Doing the tour with Terry made the whole experience worth it! He was very knowledgeable about all the sites and made sure to include everyone.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Hi Ericka,
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We're thrilled to hear that Terry made your tour such a memorable experience. His knowledge and inclusiveness truly enhance the journey, ensuring everyone feels engaged and informed!
If you’re interested in another unique adventure, I highly recommend our VIP Tower of London: After Hours Tour & Ceremony of the Keys. This special experience allows you to explore the Tower in a more intimate setting and witness the historic Ceremony of the Keys, making it a truly unforgettable evening!
We hope to see you again soon for more amazing adventures!
Warm wishes,
Andrii
Walks & Devour Tours
LindaB_F, Sep 2024
The Palace interior is worth seeing, even if you have toured other european palaces.
The incorrect and conflicting Viator instructions caused some of the tour members to miss the walking tour. That was poorly done by Viator.
Peter was a pleasant and knowledgable guide.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Dear Linda,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re glad to hear that you found the palace interior worth seeing and that Peter provided pleasant and knowledgeable guidance.
We sincerely apologize for the confusion caused by the conflicting instructions. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we will contact Viator to improve communication and prevent this in the future.
If you’re interested in another memorable experience, we highly recommend our Tower of London Tour with Crown Jewels & Cruise. It’s a fantastic way to explore one of London’s most iconic landmarks while enjoying the breathtaking Crown Jewels.
We hope to provide you with a 5-star experience next time!
Warm wishes,
Andrii
Walks & Devour Tours
Malia_N, Aug 2024
Sadly after walking and searching for our meet up spot. AND multiple calls and significant effort trying to locate our tour guide. We missed the whole thing!!
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Dear Malia,
I’m truly sorry to hear that you missed the tour. We strive to provide our guests with a memorable experience, and it's unfortunate that you couldn't join us.
The meeting point information, along with a photo and tour details, was included in your confirmation email, and we're sorry to hear you had difficulty finding the location.
I would also like to clarify that we received two calls from you about an hour after the tour had started, which unfortunately made it too late to reconnect you with your group.
We are still happy to offer the option of rescheduling your tour for a small amendment fee. For any additional questions or assistance, please feel free to reach out to us directly at feedback@walks.org.
We truly hope to provide you with a 5-star experience next time!
Best,
Andrii
Walks & Devour Tours
Heike_I, Sep 2025
I was sold a ticket for a guided tour that was never supposed to take place and did not take place. I couldn't reach anyone by phone. Looks like a lot of money is gone for nothing.
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Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Heike,
Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry to hear of the confusion surrounding your tour.
Upon review, our records indicate your tour was originally scheduled for September 29th but had to be moved to September 27 due to Palace closures.
We notified you in July and offered the opportunity to change the date or to have a refund.
Upon your request, we issued a full refund on August 11. If you have not yet received it, please contact Viator directly, as they are responsible for refunding the card used for payment.
We sincerely regret that you were unable to attend and hope this clarifies the situation.
All the best,
Samantha.
Walks Feedback Team
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