Take A Peek Inside Buckingham Palace Before It Undergoes Renovation
The Buckingham Palace first became the English monarch's primary residence back in 1837, when Queen Victoria renovated the massive estate. The palace is once again undergoing re-servicing to its East Wing, leaving some to wonder what could possibly be improved in this glorious property. With 775 rooms spread across its nearly 830,000 square feet, the Buckingham Palace is truly a place of marvel. Read on for an inside look at some of the palace's most jaw-dropping spaces.
The Staggering Ballroom
The Buckingham Palace Ballroom is the epitome of royal living. Take the most lavish wedding ceremony you can imagine and times that by 100, and that is what being in this staggering room feels like.
Equipped with six massive chandeliers, golden trim, and a rich velvet carpet, this space is an architectural masterpiece from floor to ceiling. Below an ornate archway rests two magnificent thrones, but don't be confused; this isn't even the throne room.
The Glorious State Dining Room
No dining room in any mansion could compare to the Buckingham Palace's State Dining Room. In this image, the room is clear of tables and chairs, which underscores how spacious the area is.
The arched ceiling is a work of art, busy with golden patterns that pick up on the golden frames of the large paintings and mirrors lining the walls. Natural light pours in through the windows opposite a charming fireplace. Velvet floors and walls offer depth to the ornate room.
The Noteworthy Blue Drawing Room
If you've ever wondered what it would have been like to attend Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding reception, just take a gander at this room. The Blue Drawing Room was used for their special day, and it's not hard to see why.
The glorious room has blue accents in the wallpaper to pick up on the soft blue curtains and matching chairs. Orange marble pillars and golden trim adds warmth to the Earthy yet ornamented space.
The Stunning Throne Room
If there's one space you would expect to be lavish in a palace, it's the throne room. Indeed, the Buckingham Palace Throne Room lives up to its name, featuring glistening silver and gold trim, massive chandeliers, and shiny golden sconces.
A carved design of ancient people lines the ceiling, under which two statues of angels stretch towards one another. The thrones sit atop three steps and are underscored by a gold awning and velvet backdrop.
The Beautiful 1844 Room
The palace's 1844 Room may be full of vintage antiques, but it's far from dated. Silky blue furniture with gold trim pair well with the massive floral carpet underfoot. Golden pillars flank a painting that acts as the room's focal point.
The 1844 Room is a gathering place where the Queen has met with many celebrities and officials from around the world. You may have seen a photo of the Queen shaking hands with Angelina Jolie in this room.
The Breathtaking Queen's Gallery
At the heart of the Central Block's second floor is the Queen's Gallery. The room is full of antique artwork fit for royalty. The arched ceiling doubles as a light feature, dispersing luminosity so that all of the works are properly illuminated.
The detailing at and around the crown molding offers texture to the room without stealing attention from the artwork. The soft pink walls and velvet displays prevent the room from feeling like a sterile museum.
The Magnificent White Drawing Room
Just off of the Queen's Gallery is the magnificent White Drawing Room. Full of shimmering chandeliers and glowing light sconces, this room is as bright as the name implies. The effervescent space features golden accents at every turn.
Perhaps one of the most spectacular aspects of this room is the secret door that is disguised as a mirror. The Queen can enter through the mysterious access point when she prepares to meet with small parties.
The Airy Music Room
Next to the White Drawing Room is the spacious Music Room. It features a curved fourth wall lined with windows and glass doors to flood the room with natural light and show off the garden outside.
Between the windows are dramatic emerald pillars and theatrical red curtains. True to its name, the Music Room features a piano, but it's used for a variety of events. For instance, various princes and princesses were christened in this room.
The Ornate Bow Room
Directly below the Music Room, on the first floor, is the Bow Room. The space is directly beyond the grand entrance and is where guests pass through to get to the Queen's famous garden parties.
The Bow Room is more than just a passing area, though. Lined with pillars, golden crown molding, paintings, and other antiques, the space is a marvel in its own right. Naturally, the area has also been used for meetings like this one, wherein the Queen was presented a Gurka ceremonial staff.
The Elegant Private Audience Room
You know you've made it big if the Queen invites you to her Private Audience Room. Pale blue walls and cream furniture give this space a softer touch compared to some of the bolder rooms in the palace.
In addition to glorious paintings on the wall, the Queen displays some more personal touches around the space, like family photos and floral bouquets. A white fireplace completes the cozy-yet-sophisticated gathering room, which feels like the Queen's personal living room.
The Quaint Regency Room
Another room that seems more personal to the queen is the Regency Room. Photographs of the queen dating back to her younger years often feature her sitting at her desk in this room.
Complete with a round table, two sofas, a desk, and various seating, the room could be a luxury studio apartment if it weren't attached to a palace. The green and taupe color scheme gives this room a more toned-down and Earthy feel relative to some of the other spaces.
The Darling Yellow Drawing Room
The Yellow Drawing Room is so darling that it's no wonder the Queen has opted to film her Christmas broadcast in this room a time or two. Surrounded in floral wallpaper and full of bright furniture, this space feels like a charming garden.
Other features of this room include green carpet with pink flowers, a fireplace topped with a massive mirror, gray-blue sculptures, and a tray ceiling with a unique design running down the middle.
The Grand Staircase
When you first enter the Central Block of the palace-- the only area that is open to the public-- you'll come face-to-face with the Grand Staircase. The jaw-dropping entrance was specifically designed to impress visitors.
The walls are done up with gorgeous designs that extended up and across the arched ceiling. Ornate, golden light sconces match the impeccable detail of the pillars. The stair railings all feature a beautiful, golden pattern that you'd only find in a palace.
The Impressive Front Doors
The palace has four parts that form a square, at the center of which is a courtyard. When prominent visitors arrive, they'll enter the courtyard under an archway and arrive at this glorious entrance to the Central Block.
Black iron supports the extensive awning, under which cars can pull up to the literal red carpet. Beautiful pillars and lanterns lead up to the rich wooden doors, and two doorsmen stand at either side to accompany guests to and from their car.
The Massive Entryway
In front of the courtyard is the palace's main entrance, which is so enormous that it's no wonder guests drive up to the Central Block. The massive entryway is large enough for crowds to gather before the royal family makes an appearance on the balcony.
The front entrance also makes potential intruders vulnerable. Should someone get past the impeding gates, they would find themselves completely exposed for several hundreds of feet, giving guards plenty of time to spot them.
The Jaw-Dropping Gate
While many gates are an eyesore, the one before the Buckingham Palace is a work of art. The dark gate features a golden trim to match the two crests featured on its face. Intricate detailing makes the cement blocks far from drab.
The palace aesthetic was so important to the royal family that they commissioned Sir Aston Webb to reface the palace in 1913. Preparation alone took a year, and the work itself took 13 weeks to complete.
Colorful Flowerbeds In Front Of The Palace
Before you even get to the palace gate, you'll be greeted by a massive flowerbed and statue. In July of 2020, the Queen revealed two 30-foot long flowerbeds that spell "NHS" in honor of the Health Service's 72nd anniversary.
The beautiful feature further embellishes the palace, offering a colorful feature that's just as remarkable as the inside. Spacious doesn't even begin to describe the property as a whole, which extends well beyond its 830,000 square foot interior.
The Annual Summer Garden Party
Beyond the palace is this enormous grass field where more than 30,000 guests congregate for the annual summer garden parties. As massive as the yard seems, it is only the beginning of the various gardens that extend across 39 acres of land.
The gardens include a three acre lake, a couple hundred trees, and more than 350 kinds of wildflowers. Considering the fact that the palace features 775 rooms, we shouldn't be surprised that the exterior is as grandiose as it is.
The Iconic Balcony
The famous Buckingham Palace balcony sits at the front of the residence, and is therefore only accessible by royalty and staff. The royal family steps out onto the balcony to acknowledge the crowd during special events.
The first recorded appearance on this balcony was in 1851, when Queen Victoria would step out during celebrations. Since, the royal family has stood on the balcony in honor of occasions like weddings, birthdays and significant anniversaries.
Crowds Gathered Before The Balcony
Taking in the exterior of the Buckingham Palace is overwhelming enough, even without considering its impeccable interior. Thousands can gather into the enormous space between the gate and the face of the building to behold the famous balcony.
Straight ahead, you can barely make out the bit of red that marks the royal family's balcony. Directly below is the archway through which the courtyard is found. People will travel far and wide to join this crowd and catch the tiniest glimpse of royalty.
