St James Palace, the oldest of the British royal family’s London establishments, is getting ready for regular visits after 500 years.
After trial runs in 2022 and 2023, the Royal Collection Trust is offering guided tours—at £85 per visitor!—by reservation only. The palace, built by Henry VIII in the mid-1500s is used mainly for ceremonial purposes, but its historic importance shows in the formal designation of the British royal court as the Court of St James.
Guided tours lasting around an hour and 45 minutes, will include the Color Court, the Grand Staircase, Armory, Tapestry Room, Queen Anne Room, Entrée Room, Throne Room, Picture Gallery and a view of the Chapel Royal from the balcony.
Apparently anticipating reaction to the price, the Trust said that the price was “benchmarked across the sector and reflect the unique and special access visitors will experience.” The special access, by the way, does not include any visitor toilet facilities, and food and photography are forbidden.
