More than half a million royal fans flock to Buckingham Palace each year to visit the Queen's residence in London. But while the official tours are limited to parts of the State Apartments and the garden, new footage posted on the royal family's Twitter account has given fans a closer peek inside the grand building.
The video, which explains architectural plans to redesign and modernise the palace, offers a virtual tour of some never-before-seen areas – including the large, basement kitchens, the majestic Chinese Dining Room, the stunning principal corridor and state rooms, and even some of the old lifts that are still in use. Viewers can also catch a glimpse of the iconic quadrangle, which is where guests enter when visiting the palace.
Take a peek inside the Prince & Patron exhibition:
The Queen's London home, which was built in 1703 and has 775 rooms, is being redesigned to improve its function as a working palace. For example, there are currently nine lifts that service the whole palace, many of which are small and impractical. The Twitter video reveals the current, lengthy route staff have to take when delivering food from the kitchens to the Chinese dining room, and how new, more spacious lifts will shorten the route. Two entrances will also be redesigned with wheelchair ramps to improve access for less-abled visitors.
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Tony Barnard, architectural lead, stars in the short footage and explains how Point Cloud technology is helping his team draw out sketches. The technology captures and measures each room before creating a digital image, from which the team can make plans on how they will improve or change that room.
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The reservicing of Buckingham Palace is due to be completed in 2027. In the meantime, visitors can still make a trip to the Queen's home where the State Apartments and special exhibition are open each summer. This year's theme is Prince & Patron – a collection of some of Prince Charles' favourite art to celebrate his upcoming 70th birthday. Fans will be particularly drawn to the adorable family photos, one of which is a never-before-seen picture of the future King holding a baby Prince George at home.
