Buckingham Palace Tour & Cafe

It's the same price, but why not book directly with the Royal Collections Trust?

You can also do the 'Royal Day Out' which includes the Mews and the Queens Gallery, or a state rooms and guided garden tour, if either of those extended tour options interests you.

I've never been to Buckingham Palace so can't comment on the value of the add ons or the Garden Cafe, although from the menu online the Cafe looks like it is sandwiches and cakes, nothing more substantial, or an afternoon tea box.

I would also advise buying your Buckingham Palace ticket from the source, not a reseller. https://www.rct.uk/?_ga=2.209415762.1561363519.1693176666-389290666.1693176586

If they offer an add-on Garden Tour, I did that and enjoyed it. I didn't see it at a quick glance for current year. edit - above poster found it!

Once more, I thank you. I’m disappointed to learn that the Palace suspends their openings at end of September and our arrival is October 4. Does anyone have suggestions for an alternative for Buckingham. I’m going to check re the Garden cafe for our dates right now.

I believe the visits are unavailable when the Royal Family is using the palace, with plenty of advance notice. I thought the art gallery and garden tours were the highlights of our visit to London. The cafe is a cafe, but the location is pretty special.

The Palace is only open when the Monarch is not in residence. This year King Charles has followed his late mother's tradition and gone to Balmoral, for the summer.

The obvious alternative, to me at least, is Hampton Court Palace. Super easy to get there by South Western trains (within the London zonal system), but to me there is no better way to arrive there than on the boat from Central London- https://www.thamesriverboats.co.uk/

It makes an event of it, and you get to see far more of the majesty of the Thames than just the bit in Central London. You can always do boat one way, and train the other.

I agree with Hampton Court and check if Windsor is of interest also. I can not recommend Kensington Palace. It is convenient in London, but, in my opinion, over priced. Current Tripadvisor reviews of the exhibit being shown are quite mixed, leaning toward “average”. I had very rude service at the cafe.

I assume you plan on Tower of London and Westminster Abbey if you haven’t visited before?

in sufficient time to get optimal seating to observe changing of the guards

there are no seats at the Changing of the Guard unless you take your own. There is a wrought iron fence with guards on one side and audience on the other. People stand several people deep and unless you are in the front looking through the bars you won't see much.

Does your special ticket linked above include seating somehow?

Nick, I’ve been before but taking my lovely daughter. I’m aware there aren’t seats per se but rather a place to stand to view optimally. Someone aforementioned space. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

My last visit I was fortunate to be in the front because I’m 5’1.

Does anyone have suggestions for an alternative

Are you wanting to see a currently occupied royal palace - then Windsor Castle.

Hampton Court is very much a Tudor/Stuart Palace and the last king to live in it was George II back in the mid C18th.

If you want Royal Bling, then there is the Royal Pavilion in Brighton built by George IV when he was Prince Regent . Victoria couldn't stand it (probably a response to the reputation of George) and said it was too small for her ever increasing family.

I did the 'Royal Day Out' on Friday 25 Aug, starting at 11 am.
I chose that time because I was traveling in from outside London and I didn't want to have to get up super early to arrive for earlier ticket time.
You start with the Queen's Gallery (check if it would be open in October -- the current exhibit on Georgian Fashions is worth it!). I would have liked to spend more time there, although it was very crowded. I stopped listening to the multimedia tour partway because I couldn't keep it synched up with which room was being spoken about. Also, it might be possible to go through the Buckingham Palace Gift Shop even if you cannot get tickets to take the tours.

Next is the Royal Mews about 75 min later. That was very enjoyable because it was mostly outside (we had great weather -- sunny, temps approx 70 deg F). The crowds weren't too bad. We ignored the Toilets sign, which meant that we walked backwards through the Mews again although we could have exited at the Toilets sign after the Gold State Coach.

Then the State Rooms were set for entry around 2-2:30 pm. Which meant that it wasn't until 3:30-4:00 or later that we finished. The Garden Cafe was very crowded, difficult to find a table for two. The cafe selection had cakes starting at 5 pounds, yet no cakes for 5 pounds were available.

I later found out that one could adjust the State Rooms timing to allow lunch outside the Palace between the 3 tickets by calling the Royal Collection Trust when booking the tickets, however since I had booked my tix from the USA and I don't have international calling (I wasn't as savvy then as I am now about how to do this), I kept the original timings on the tickets as they were ordered.

Re: going to Windsor Castle, I was there on Sat 26 Aug with a tour, we had a snafu with the voucher so we entered the castle later than planned, it was about noon/12:30 pm. It was very crowded, and for the State Rooms there, I went through quickly because I couldn't stand being in some of the small rooms with so many people. The line for Queen Mary's Doll House was way too long, so as others have said, book Windsor Castle for early morning arrival, and if the Doll House is important to you, do that first thing!

Great review and recommendations. We had to scrub Buckingham as Sept ends the opening of public spaces. We bought tix for Kensington. When in London, visit the Royals. May they continue to retain their elegance. I think we are good to go. Thank you all.

God save the King.

I hope you enjoy Kennsignton. I advised above against it - Windsor is better. But, this is not my trip. It is convenient.

To be honest, I really felt "taken" by Kennsington. And, I went in with very, very low expectations....... Rude, rude staff and very overpriced.

on the other hand Kensington Palace has great exhibitions downstairs and really special rooms and history upstairs. I have always had very helpful staff, and they provide a lift for disabled visitors.

To each their own.

I find it hard to understand how they could be rude - it isn't that kind of place. How were they rude?

Cafe workers totally ignoring me and others while they had private conversations, then only reluctantly providing service and running the register. Ticket office was very pleasant, so I as shocked when the guard checking tickets was abrupt and demanding when I simply took a moment too long to display the ticket. No line behind me, I was nit inconveniencing anyone. I later asked another guard for directions and received a very condescending reply. I wouldn’t have asked if the direction to the exhibit was obvious to me - I didn't need to be told it was obvious in the tone of voice used. I was surprised as I have not been treated this way before in many leisure and business trips to London.

OP, my mother still remembers her visit to Kensington Palace in the 1980s or early 90s. Princess Diana’s wedding dress, long gone now, was on display. I hope you enjoy the current fashion exhibit as she did!