Britian’s Royal Collection Trust has announced its program of group visits and private tours at the official residences of King Charles III – Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Holyroodhouse (Scotland) – for 2025.

London’s Buckingham Palace and the adjacent Royal Mews will welcome groups to explore one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today. At Windsor Castle, visitors will be able to explore 1,000 years of royal history in the State Apartments; while in Edinburgh, groups can tour the official residence of The King in Scotland at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Buckingham Palace

The summer opening of Buckingham Palace will take place from July 10 to Sept. 28. Visitors can explore the State Rooms, which play host to ceremonial occasions and official entertaining, during which the King and members of the royal family welcome guests from all walks of life. Highlights include the Picture Gallery which displays some of the finest works in the Royal Collection; the Throne Room featuring the pair of throne chairs used at the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in 2023; and the White Drawing Room which includes a concealed door, allowing members of the Royal Family to enter and leave the State Rooms discreetly during official events.

Meanwhile, The ‘Garden Highlights Tour’ explains the history of Buckingham Palace’s 39-acre garden, taking groups to the beautiful Herbaceous Border, the wisteria-clad summer house and Rose Garden, the Waterloo Vase and the Palace tennis court, where King George VI and Fred Perry played in the 1930s. Between the multimedia tour of the State Rooms and the guided tour of the garden, the itinerary allows time for groups to take in panoramic views of the lawn and the lake, enjoy tea and cakes from the Garden Café and to visit the Garden Shop.

The Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace

Now 200 years old, the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace is home to the royal collection of coaches and carriages and has overseen the transport arrangements for the Royal Family during State and ceremonial occasions, including coronations, royal weddings and Trooping the Colour.

The highlight of the Royal Mews is the Gold State Coach, which has been used at every Coronation since that of William IV and was most recently used at King Charles III Coronation in 2023. The Mews is also home to the Diamond Jubilee State Coach and the Carriage Horses that draw the coaches and carriages.

The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace

This winter, the major exhibition ‘Drawing the Italian Renaissance’ at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace will bring together the widest range of drawings from this revolutionary artistic period ever to be shown in the UK. The exhibition will feature around 160 works by over 80 artists including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian, all drawn from the Royal Collection, which holds one of the world’s greatest collections of Italian Renaissance drawings. Over 30 works will be on display for the first time, and a further 12 have never been shown in the UK.

Groups will be able to enjoy private access to the exhibition after the Gallery closes to the public through Private Evening Talks and Views, which will give groups the chance to engage in more depth with the drawings of the Italian Renaissance and enjoy an introductory talk by an expert guide before viewing the exhibition at their leisure, with a glass of English Sparkling Wine at the end of the visit.

In the summer, A Royal Day Out ticket for groups offers discounted admission to all three venues: the State Rooms, The King’s Gallery, and the Royal Mews.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Groups can explore 900 years of Scottish royal history at the King’s official residence in Scotland, where they can learn how the Palace has been used historically and how it is still used by the King and other members of the royal family for official ceremonies and entertaining today.

Standing at the foot of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and set against the spectacular landscape of Arthur’s Seat, the Palace is also home to the medieval ruins of Holyrood Abbey as well as the apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots, where she witnessed the infamous murder of her secretary David Rizzio.

Throughout the year, groups can take private guided morning and evening tours of the palace and learn about its most famous inhabitants, from Mary, Queen of Scots to Bonnie Prince Charlie and the palace’s role today as the King’s official residence in Scotland. These tours are the only opportunity to see the West Drawing Room, used as a private drawing room. Tours include a guidebook and tea, coffee and pastries in the morning or a glass of champagne in the evening.

The King’s Gallery is located at the entrance to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and hosts changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection. During each exhibition, groups can join private morning and evening views at a time when the Gallery is otherwise closed to the public.

Windsor Castle

Groups visiting Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, can explore the State Apartments that are used today by the royal family for hosting official visits and investitures. These include the Grand Reception Room, with its almost six-foot-high Malachite Urn; the magnificent St George’s Hall which is used for State Banquets; and the grand Waterloo Chamber, which holds 38 portraits celebrating the end of the Napoleonic wars at the Battle of Waterloo. Groups can take private tours of the castle’s State Apartments led by expert guides in the evening, after the rooms close to visitors. Visitors can also visit St George’s Chapel to see the final resting place of 11 monarchs including Henry VIII, Charles I, and Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, the largest and most famous dolls’ house in the world, can also be seen at the Castle. The 1:12 scale replica of an Edwardian townhouse has a fully stocked wine cellar, running water working lifts, and is filled with thousands of objects made by leading artists, designers, craftspeople, and manufacturers of the 1920s.

Information

Details of group discounts and special Private Talks and Visits are included in the new Group Visits & Private Tours 2025 brochure. To download a digital brochure, receive a copy, or to make a booking, visit www.rct.uk/traveltrade or e-mail traveltrade@rct.uk.

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