The average person has not been able to visit the inside of Balmoral Castle in Scotland — until now, that is.
The crown announce that for the first time since Balmoral was completed in 1855, visitors will be able to tour the castle where Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed her summers, according to People.
Balmoral is also where Prince William and Prince Harry were when their mother, Princess Diana, died in a car crash in Paris, per the outlet. It is also where Queen Elizabeth died in 2022.
“The Castle Internal Guided Tours experience is touted as a ‘historical journey’ through ‘several of the beautiful rooms,’ comprised of a private guide that talks visitors through its history from acquisition by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1845 to a peek at how King Charles, Queen Camilla and other royal family members continue to use the space today,” People reported.
Visitors have been able to tour the grounds and gardens at Balmoral, but were only allowed in the ballroom.
The tours will run from July 1 to Aug. 4 with a maximum of 10 people per session. The general guided tour currently costs about $126 a person. Tours that include an afternoon tea are about $189. The tickets are for adults only.
Many of the internal Balmoral Castle tours have sold out, per People.
Some tickets are still available for the Balmoral General Admission, featuring a trove of artwork by King Charles plus some royal fashion.
Buckingham Palace, on the other hand, has been open for visitors since 1993.
The queen opened the palace doors to raise money after a devastating fire destroyed part of Windsor Castle in 1992.
“The East Wing of Buckingham Palace, where the King filmed his Christmas broadcast in December 2023, will be toured for the first time come summer,” People reported. “On April 3, the Royal Collection Trust announced that the iconic palace will open the wing via the Principal Floor following five years of restorative work.”
The East Wing includes the iconic palace balcony, “where the monarch and members of the royal family have gathered for public appearances during special occasions or historic moments since 1851.”
East Wing Highlights Tours will be held daily in July and August, starting July 15 and can be booked in addition to standard admission to the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace.
“The palace will be open seven days a week in July and August for the first time since 2019 before scaling back to five days a week in September,” per People.
The palace is in the middle of a $460 million renovation and not due to be complete until 2027.
