Text 1. Buckingham Palace

It was opened to visitors for the time in 1993 to raise money for repairing fire damage to Windsor Castle. The Queen’s official London home and office is an extremely popular attraction in August and September. John Nash began converting the 18th century Buckingham House into a palace for George IV in 1826 but was taken off the job in 1830 for overspending his budget. The first monarch to occupy the palace was Queen Victoria, just after she came to the throne in 1837. The tour takes visitors up the grand staircase and through the splendor of the state rooms, but not into the royal family’s private apartments.

Picture Gallery. The valuable collection on display includes this painting by Dutch masters Johannes Vermeer.

Music Room. State guests are presented and royal babies christened in this room.

Throne Room. The Queen carries out many formal ceremonial duties here, under the richly gilded ceiling.

View over the Mall. On special occasions The Royal Family wave to crowds from the balcony.

The Changing of the Guard. Dressed in brilliant scarlet tunics and tall furry hats called bearskins, the palace guards stand in sentry boxes outside the Palace. Crowds gather in front of the railings to watch the colorful and musical military ceremony as the guards march down the Mall from St James’s Palace, parading for half an hour while the palace keys are handed by the old guards to the new.

Queen’s Gallery. The Queen’s Art Collection is one of the finest and most valuable in the world. A selection of works is displayed here in themed exhibitions that change once or twice a year. This small building at the side of Buckingham Palace was used as a conservatory until 1962: part of it is a private chapel screened from the public. A large and interesting shop sells a selection of royal merchandise.