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The boring of the tourists
Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guard in London, England
The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, the Queen's home and London crash pad for British monarchs since 1837, is one of Europe's most overrated attractions. It's like a bad halftime show by a over-drilled marching band.
I'm serious, Last time I subjected myself to this boring ritual—cramming myself into the thick crowd that was at least 10 tourists deep and ran the length of the courtyard fence—her Majesty's Royal marching band actually played a medley of Billy Joel hits. Pomp and circumstance it most definitely was not.
And don't go telling me "But it's fun for the kids!" I first saw it when I was 12 and was bored to tears then, too.
Come to the palace to make faces at the stoically unresponsive (and long-suffering) Beefeater guards if you must, but skip the 11:30am changing of the guard (daily May–July, then every second day).
You can take a spin through the 775-room palace daily 10am–5pm—but only when the Queen's not at home (the Royal Family typically decamps to another castle in summer). If the flag's a-waving, she's inside and you can't go in. (Also, if there are four sentries standing guard, she's in, if there are only two, she's off shopping or something.)
Buckingham Palace Road
Tube: Victoria, Green Park, Hyde Park Corner
tel. +44-(0)20-7766-7301
www.royal.gov.uk
Tips
- Planning your time: You can see Buckingham Palace in a stroll-by. If you must stay for the changing of the guard, budget at least 30 minutes—but get here at least 30 minutes early, if not longer, for a primo viewing spot along the fence. (
on London Itineraries.)
- Take a tour of Buckingham Palace with our partners at Viator.com:
- Skip the Line: Buckingham Palace Tour
- Skip the Line: Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle Day Trip from London
- London Full-Day Sightseeing Tour
- London Morning Tour Including Changing of the Guard Ceremony (no site entry; just the changing of the guard ceremony)
- London in One Day Sightseeing Tour (no site entry; just the changing of the guard ceremony)
- The Original London Sightseeing Tour: Hop-on Hop-off (no site entry)
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This article was last updated in May 2007. All information was accurate at the time.
Copyright © 1998–2010 by Reid Bramblett. Author: Reid Bramblett.
