King Charles’s dream set to come true as Buckingham Palace opens gates for tourists

King Charles’s dream of opening up the royal Palace all year round is a step closer to becoming a reality as Buckingham Palace has announced it will open its gates to tourists in January.

Tourists visiting the Palace next year can pay to walk through the front gate across the famous forecourt, just as guests do for royal events.

The Royal Collection Trust is moving towards opening up more access to the royal grounds, which aligns with the King’s vision of giving people greater access to the Palace all year round.

The Palace will re-open the East Wing for a further five months which previously had only before been open in the summer.

The trust’s expanded programme follows the success of this year’s summer opening, when it welcomed a record-breaking number of visitors and allowed access to the East Wing, which includes the famous central balcony, for the first time since it was built 175 years ago.

The experience, which will run from January to May, will cost visitors £90 for an hour-and-a-half tour of a more in-depth look at the history of the rooms in the East Wing.

Buckingham Palace is undergoing a 10-year £369million refurbishment to update its electrical cabling, plumbing, and heating system.

The King’s official residence in London is where the monarch works and invites his visitors to meet, however he opts to sleep at his nearby home, Clarence House.

In addition, new £1 tickets to visit Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse have been announced for 2025.

The reduced price, available between January and April, will be available to people receiving universal credit in an effort to make the royal residences more inclusive.

Five additional guests can accompany them to explore the Berkshire Castle or the Palace in Edinburgh for £1 each.

Guided tours of St James’s Palace in London, including a view of the Chapel Royal, where Prince George and Prince Louis were christened, will also be available in spring 2025, following trial openings several years ago.

Buckingham Palace is recognised worldwide as the home of the British monarch and the centrepiece of the UK’s constitution.

The working Palace is the focus of national and royal celebrations, hosts foreign Heads of State, and is the backdrop to the Changing of the Guard ceremony.

Over 50,000 people visit the Palace annually as guests for state banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions, and garden parties.

King Charles also meets weekly with the Prime Minister and receives newly appointed foreign Ambassadors at Buckingham Palace.