One of London’s top attractions and most recognized buildings, Buckingham Palace is a symbol of the British Monarchy and its important place in history. A visit to Buckingham Palace offers a glimpse inside one of the few remaining working royal palaces. While home to an outstanding and historically significant collection of art, the Palace is not a museum. Instead, it is the working headquarters of the British Monarchy, where Queen Elizabeth II carries out her official and ceremonial responsibilities as the Head of State of the United Kingdom and the Head of the Commonwealth. The Palace has been the official London residence of Britian’s sovereigns since 1837, and Her Majesty The Queen is regularly in residence during the working week.
From the outside it’s hard to imagine the immense scale of the Palace’s interior, which has 775 rooms, including 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. What’s so unique about Buckingham Palace is that it’s a working palace, housing the offices of the workers (about 450!) who support the daily duties of The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and their family. Despite the royal functions, Buckingham Palace is open to visitors every year who have the chance to see the important State Rooms. This is a rare chance to walk through and see the very same rooms that are still used extensively by The Queen and Royal Family for entertaining and receiving important guests on special occasions.
