King Charles III opens parts of Buckingham Palace, Balmoral Castle for first time

(LONDON) — King Charles III is giving the public a never-before-seen glimpse into two of the most iconic royal residences, Buckingham Palace and Balmoral Castle.

Starting this summer, members of the public will be able to tour the East Wing of Buckingham Palace for the first time, according to an announcement Wednesday from the Royal Collection Trust.

The tour will include a stop in the room that members of Britain’s royal family gather in before stepping out on the palace’s famous balcony, where they wave to the public after major events like coronations, jubilees and the annual Trooping the Colour.

The East Wing tour will also include visits to rooms used by the royals for official meetings and events, according to the Royal Collection Trust.

The tour, which will run daily in July and August, comes after five years of renovations to the East Wing to “upgrade the historic building’s infrastructure, improve access and preserve it for future generations,” according to the Royal Collection Trust.

Also opening this summer for the first time is Balmoral Castle, the royal family’s estate in Scotland.

Balmoral Castle was particularly beloved by the late Queen Elizabeth II, who spent the final months of her life there in 2022.

Starting on July 1, guided tours of the interior of the castle will begin for the first time ever, according to the castle’s website.

The tours will run through Aug. 4, and are only open to 10 people at a time. Tickets for the Castle Interior Tour start at just over $120 per person, according to the website. Tickets for the Castle Interior Tour with Afternoon Tea, which is offered to adults only, will cost around $190 per person.

“You will learn about the origins of the Castle and how it has been loved by generations of the Royal family,” the description for the tour reads. “Travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to present day, where you can see how rooms within the Castle are used today by their Majesty’s The King and Queen and other members of the Royal Family.”

Starting in early May, the castle’s gardens, exhibitions and grounds will also be open to the public on a daily basis through mid-August, as they are each summer, according to the castle’s website.

Tickets for tours of the grounds, gardens and exhibitions at Balmoral can be purchased online, with prices ranging depending on group size, age and tour experience.