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Buckingham Palace, St James Palace & Tea at Kensington Palace

Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
London, England
Great choice
10+ bookings last month.
  • 2 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

5.0
·
· Carol_c ·
Mar 2026
Simon was an absolutely wonderful guide. He had so much interesting information to share with us. We were all fascinated with the history and antidotes Simon shared with us. At the end of the walk we had a lovely tea at the Orangery. I highly recommend this tour; and if you get Simone as your tour guide, you will have an informational and enjoyable time
· Brandon_S ·
Apr 2026
Grace was absolutely fantastic. It was just the four of us and she was so friendly and knowledgeable. We had a great time with her.

Overview

Discover London's royal side—and have the special chance to admire three historic palaces, all in one day—on this walking tour. After stopping outside St. James's Palace, head to Buckingham Palace (and see the Changing of the Guard, depending on the day you've booked). Customize your tour with the option to upgrade your experience and step into one of the palaces. Then, cap it all off with traditional high tea, hosted right at Kensington Palace.
  • Choose the tour size to suit your budget and needs—you're not tied to a large group by default
  • Learn insider facts and stories you'd miss if exploring alone
  • Eat like a true Brit with an included high tea of sweet treats and more
  • Check off three palaces in just one day—perfect for travelers short on time

Sample Menu

Starter

Delicate Finger Sandwiches

The variety changes according to season and gluten, vegan and halal options are catered for

Main

Welsh Scones

With and without Raisins. Clotted Cream & Strawberry Jam. Dietary preferences possible

Dessert

Royal Cake Selection

Indulgent cakes according to the time of year.

What's Included

  • Knowledgeable Guide and Royal history walk
  • Afternoon Tea of Sandwiches, Scones & Cakes. (NB: Child Tea is typically for 11 yrs & younger)
  • The history of tea drinking in England
  • Small Group, maximum of 10, typically 4-6 guests
  • A Private Table at the Afternoon Tea Venue
  • Entrance to the State Rooms (if selected at check out)
  • Private Transport
  • No entrance to Palaces / Walking tour (unless selected at check out)
  • Bus fare - please bring a Contactless Card or Oyster Card
    £1.75 per person
  • Alcoholic Beverages
    Can be purchased during the tea service

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Green Park
    Underground Ltd, Piccadilly, London W1J 9DZ, UK

    We are meeting at the Park Gate between Ritz Hotel and the Station Entrance where the Black Gates are. Under the porch of Green Park Station Street Level. Nearest Underground: Green Park

End point

  • Kensington Palace
    Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX, UK

    We will end the tour at the Orangery where we are hosting the High Tea.

Itinerary

1

Green Park

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

2

St. James's

10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

3

Spencer House

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

4

The Mall

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

5

Clarence House

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

6

St. James's Palace

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

7

Buckingham Palace

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

8

Wellington Arch

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

9

Bomber Command Memorial

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

10

Apsley House

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

11

Royal Albert Hall

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

12

Albert Memorial

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

13

Kensington Palace

5 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travelers can participate
  • We offer Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan & Halal on prior request
  • Not suitable for those with walking difficulty, we walk for about 60 mins
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

5.0
based on 83 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Friendly hostedd

Brandon_S, Apr 2026
Grace was absolutely fantastic. It was just the four of us and she was so friendly and knowledgeable. We had a great time with her.

Wonderful Tour!

Emily_H, Apr 2026
This was a wonderful and insightful tour of some of the key sights in London. Dave was a wonderful guide, extremely personable and knowledgeable! We greatly enjoyed the tea at Kensington as well!

Great tour with Simone

Carol_c, Mar 2026
Simon was an absolutely wonderful guide. He had so much interesting information to share with us. We were all fascinated with the history and antidotes Simon shared with us. At the end of the walk we had a lovely tea at the Orangery. I highly recommend this tour; and if you get Simone as your tour guide, you will have an informational and enjoyable time

Simon was a charming,...

Dianne_N, Feb 2026
Simon was a charming, informative guide. We enjoyed our tour very much and highly recommend it to others.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Simon was very pleased to be your host

Simon is the BEST tour guide

Courtney_C, Nov 2025
We had a personal tour from Simon. His knowledge and his ability to relate all the information to all ages levels was amazing! We were truly blessed to have Simon as our guide today! A very memorable day with our family!

Royal Palaces

Joanne_W, Oct 2025
Tea at Kensington Palace was a lovely experience- especially since my guide was so knowledgeable and engaging.

Jennifer

Jennifer_S, Sep 2025
It was a walking tour but it was not overly athletic- which was good. We got to see Buckingham Palace and then we got to tour the gardens at Kensington Palace. Our guide was knowledgeable and very friendly.

Book it!

Erin_N, May 2025
Simon was a wonderful tour guide. He is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, witty, and fun. We enjoyed strolling and listening to the history. Tea at the end was lovely. Perfect London day. Thank you!

Response from Host, May 2025

On behalf of Simon, thank you Erin!

Simon is great!

PEDRO_C, Mar 2025
Simon was amazing! We had a wonderful time and did learn so much about London, England and its history. We ended with tea by the beautiful Kensington Palace. Everyone loved the experience.

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you Pedro - Simon was over the moon in reading your review

Royal houses walking tour with Simon

Nancy_B, Feb 2025
The event/walk was really, really informative and fun because of our guide, Simon Taylor. He made it so much more than I anticipated. (And the High Tea was to die for!)

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Simon was delighted to read your review. A big thank you for visiting us.

Highly recommend

Jennifer_W, Dec 2024
Our guide was very friendly and gave us so much history and information. It was wonderful! And the tea at the end was delicious!

Response from Host, Dec 2024

Thank you Jennifer we really enjoyed your company on the tour

A Royal walking tour

sb9jyzh9dj, Apr 2024
David’s guided Royal walk through Hyde Park and the Royal homes was truly exceptional. His depth of knowledge and passion for sharing the history of the Royals made the experience incredibly engaging and enlightening. With David as our guide, we not only strolled through the beautiful Hyde Park but also gained a deeper understanding of the significance of the Royal residences in the area. His thoroughness and enthusiasm truly enhanced the tour, making it a memorable and enriching experience. We especially appreciated his attention to detail and the personalized touch he brought to the tour. Highly recommended for anyone interested in delving into the rich history of the Royals!

Delightful

Diane_B, Jun 2023
Our guide, Tom was delightful! We enjoyed his stories and he was a wealth of knowledge. The High Tea experience was wonderful as well.

A truly Royal experience

Diana_K, Oct 2022
Our tour guide Simon did such an amazing job! We enjoyed the history he provided while touring the 3 palaces and the teal at Kensington Palace was magnificent! The tea set was so beautiful and the scones, cakes and sandwiches were as delicious as they look in the photos.

Best tour ever !

Donna_S, Oct 2022
Absolutely, positively the best your ever. Simon went over and above - informative, educational,fun, everything positive. 10 stars is not even enough!

Response from Host, Oct 2022

10 stars - best review every! Simon will be over the moon....

Be prepared to do lots of...

Ardi_M, Aug 2022
Be prepared to do lots of walking . Would have like to have been there for part of or a section of the changing of the guard . High tea food was good .

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Thanks for leaving a positive review. Charlotte enjoyed hosting you,

The Perfect Afternoon

Karen_S, Apr 2022
I absolutely loved the chance to enjoy High Tea on the grounds of Kensington Palace, served on Princess Diana’s royal China! And if not for our outstanding tour guide, David, I would not know the meaning of the phrase High Tea. 😊

Fun way to see London palace area.

Daniel_B, Feb 2022
David was a great guide. Very knowledgeable, experienced and friendly. Had a great sense for interesting details and the history of different landmarks.

From $173.09

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 81 days in advance.

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