Buckingham Palace serves as both the office and London residence of Her Majesty The Queen, as well as the administrative headquarters of the Royal Household. It is one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today. Today the State Rooms are used extensively by The Queen and Members of the Royal Family to receive and entertain their guests on State, ceremonial and official occasions. During August and September when The Queen makes her annual visit to Scotland, the Palace's nineteen state rooms are open to visitors. Find out more about the history of Buckingham Palace and how it is used today on the British Monarchy Website. What there is to see The State Rooms form the heart of the working palace and are lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection - paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin and Canaletto; sculpture by Canova; exquisite examples of Sèvres porcelain; and some of the finest English and French furniture.
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For 2008 only For the first time ever, visitors will be able to experience the spectacle of the Palace’s Ballroom set up for a State Banquet. For centuries magnificent banquets have been an integral part of royal ceremonial and the traditional way to mark significant events. Among the most important of these occasions is the State Banquet, held in honour of a visiting Head of State. This is the occasion when Her Majesty and other members of the Royal Family entertain specially invited guests on the first evening of a State Visit. During the course of her reign The Queen has held 97 State Banquets. The horseshoe-shaped table traditionally used on such occasions will be dressed with a dazzling display of silver-gilt from the magnificent Grand Service, first used to celebrate the birthday of George III in 1811. Lavish buffet arrangements of jewelled cups, ivory tankards and chased dishes, sconces, shields and basins will be arranged along each side of the room. |
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The Garden Described as a 'walled oasis in the middle of London', the Palace's garden is home to thirty different species of bird and more than 350 different wild flowers, some extremely rare. Visitors end their tour with a walk along the south side of the garden, with splendid views of the west front of the Palace and the famous lake. |
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