Westminster Abbey tour guide / advice

I have done the Verger’stour on three different occasions and it comes with very interesting narration and some stories. I don’t recall ever seeing private tour guides operating in the Abbey, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

I would probably stick with the plan to go on the Verger tour.

We took a Westminster Abbey tour with London Walks. Lots of stories were shared by the excellent guide and it was a good experience.

Not sure if this would change your friend’s opinion, but I seem to remember that not all of the plaques with famous people’s names are actually buried in that exact place (I welcome correction if I’m wrong in my recollection). Some are, but others are more like memorials and the person is buried elsewhere. Of course, many do show the actual burial spot. It just depends on who you’re hoping to see, I guess:)

Now that almost everyone buys their tickets on line there is no line to skip. But the line you cannot skip is the security check line. That is mandatory for everyone who enters the building.
According to the Abbey they allow in groups who have Blue Badge Guides. But you have to book the Guide yourself, and the entrance slot yourself, separately. I suppose if you are willing to pay for a Blue Badge Guide for two people (which will not be cheap) that is an option.
There is also the Abbey Unlocked Tour at 8.30am on selected dates (not yet open for May booking) if you are willing to pay £120 each. That starts after the conclusion of morning worship which starts at 7.30am.

https://www.walks.com/?post_type=product&s=Westminster+Abbey

Been going to London for decades. Like taking at least 1 London Walks each trip. Inexpensive, fairly small groups and very knowledgeable guides.

Peruse all the walks to see if something is of interest besides the Abbey.

Some are, but others are more like memorials and the person is buried elsewhere.

Barbara is correct, and the guides should be able to tell you who is actually buried there. Or you can look it up in advance on Wikipedia, which has a complete list of the burials and their locations, and also a separate list of the memorials and where they were actually buried (i.e., Jane Austen, Oliver Cromwell, the Bronte sisters, and so on). It's a pretty comprehensive list and easier to read (imo) than the Westminster Abbey site. :-)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burials_and_memorials_in_Westminster_Abbey

Adding from memory to who is buried in Westminster Abbey:
Sir Laurence Olivier
Noel Coward
Stephen Hawking
Rudyard Kipling
Charles Darwin
Charles Dickens
Sir Issac Newton
Chaucer

Glad my little grey cells are still engaging

We also used London Walks for a tour of Westminster Abbey. To me, you get so much more information from the guide than you ever would on your own. And I would suggest reserving your spot now. We did the tour last September. While you can book on line now; you do not pay until you gather outside the Abbey.

So at some point today 3/24, the calendar opened for the Abbey unlocked to now show May but all are red - which indicates booking closed! Did they not really open or got sold out by bots with hours?

List, including who is actually buried/entombed/interred in Westminster Abbey. When I was last there you could not go into the chapel where Edward the Confessor is entombed unless you were with a verger. I was told at the time that the floor was unstable and unable to take a lot of traffic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burials_and_memorials_in_Westminster_Abbey

Does your friend have anyone in particular of interest? Here is a "map" of sorts.

https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/westminster-abbey-royal-burials/westminster-abbey-tomb-map/

Simvik I am looking at the Westminster Abbey website and it doesn't show anything beyond April 2025. Where are you seeing the May calendar?

Under tickets, abbey. Unlocked - use the arrow at top of calendar- some dates show availability now (3/25) but unfortunately not any date I can go