4. Buckingham Palace & Windsor Castle: Full-Day Tour
Begin the tour at Buckingham Palace, one of the few working royal palaces in the world. Explore the 19 lavish State Rooms with the help of a multimedia guide. See the White Drawing Room, perhaps the most beautiful of all the State Rooms with its spectacular crystal chandelier, the Music Room, where guests are presented on the occasion of a State Visit, and the Throne Room, which was most recently the setting for the official portraits from the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and Queen. The rooms are furnished with many of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyck, sculpture by Canova, exquisite examples of Sèvres porcelain, and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world. NEW for summer 2023: Coronation Display at The State Rooms, Buckingham Palace The special Coronation display is part of a visit to the Summer Opening of the State Rooms, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary since the Palace first opened to the public in 1993. Staged in the Ballroom, which was used by Their Majesties as a Coronation rehearsal space, the special display has at its centre the outfits, jewellery and insignia worn by The King and Queen when they appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony following the Coronation Service. Shown alongside these are some of the historic vestments worn by The King as he was crowned, as well as the Anointing Screen, Throne Chairs, and designs for the Coronation invitation. After exploring on your own, meet the tour guide and board a coach for the ride to Windsor. Windsor Castle, the world’s largest occupied castle, has been home to the royal family for over 900 years. Explore the castle grounds and St. George's Chapel, one of the finest examples of English medieval church architecture and the burial site of King Henry VIII. The Castle's State Apartments are furnished with some of the finest works from the Royal Collection, reflecting the changing tastes of the Castle's royal occupants, particularly those of Charles II and George IV. Among the masterpieces on display are paintings by Holbein, Rubens and Van Dyck, Sèvres porcelain and exquisite English and French furniture. Many of the works of art are still in the historic settings for which they were first collected or commissioned by the kings and queens who have lived at Windsor. Images: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023.