1. The Grand White Drawing Room
Image Source / Pinterest
The Grand White Drawing room of Buckingham Palace doesn't look anything out of the ordinary, visitors pass through the space when they attend. However this room possesses a quality that even those who have passed through it would never know existed. The Queen enters the room to greet her guests via a secret doorway, disguised as a mirror and cabinet.
2. The Palace Post WW2
Image Source / British Heritage Travel
Queen Elizabeth and King George VI are pictured here in the midst of World War 2, a time that was unescapable by even the most prestigious. Friday 13th September 1940, five explosive bombs were dropped by a German raider, impacting the likes of the Palace gates and The Royal Chapel.
3. Indoor Swimming Pool
Image Source / Far & Wide
The Palace's swimming pool is situated just off the residential wing and is enjoyed by the staff in their downtime. Most recently, William and Kate's son Prince George learnt to swim at this facility, and over the past 70 + years, nearly every royal has learnt to swim here. There are no available images of the pool inside, some would say the most exclusive pool in Britain.
4. The Palace Gates
Image Source / Huffington Post
The gates of Buckingham palace are widely recognisable to Brits, tourists, and everyone in between. The history of these gates however, can be so overlooked but holds so much historical value. the gates were commissioned to to the local Bromsgrove Guild, who are known for other historical wrought iron pieces such as Liverpool Liver Birds. The focal point of the Palace gates is the Royal Coat of Arms which consists of a lion, representing England, and a unicorn, representing Scotland, presenting the four quadrants of the British coat of arms.
5. The Throne Room
Image Source / Pinterest
The Throne Room of Buckingham Palace is arguably one of the most prestigious rooms in the the palace. Used for official functions, family photoshoots, Royal Court gatherings and much more, the focal point of the room is the pair of throne chairs which are known as the Chairs of Estate. These throne chairs were used for the coronation of the Queen in 1953 as well as other historical milestones such as the coronation of King George VI.
6. The Picture Gallery
Image Source / Royal Collection Trust
Many are unaware of the Picture Gallery situated in Buckingham Palace. located in the west wing of the palace, it was originally built for King George IV in the 1820's and is home to the most famous pieces of art of The Royal Collection. The space is currently undergoing a ten year refurbishment to be more eco-friendly and accessible to visitors of the gallery.
7. When Tragedy Strikes
Image Source / Getty Images
Following the tragic death of Diana, The Princess of Wales, her title as 'The People's Princess' was truly shown as hundreds of mourners came to Buckingham Palace to pay their respects. The floral tribute created on palace grounds was created by only a fraction of the public as over 2 billion peoples tuned in worldwide to watch her funeral take place, making it one of the biggest televised events in history.
8. The Queen's Post Office
Image Source / Imperial War Museum
Pictured here in 1941, Buckingham palace really has it all. Although not pictured in present day, The Court Post Office was mainly utilised during World War 2 as wartime communication. This post office is run by Royal Mail, and the palace features other private facilities such as the Queen's very own cash machine.
9. The Balcony
Image Source / ABC News
Not so much unseen, but the most iconic spot of Buckingham Palace. The Balcony. This first appeared in 1851, with Queen Victoria being the first royal to step onto the balcony and since that moment, there are many occasions where The Royal Family are seen in this spot. Weddings and The Trooping the Colour annual celebrations are among the circumstances we see them.
10. The Regency Room
Image Source / Daily Mail
You may recognise the Queen in this setting on Christmas Day. All of the Queen's TV broadcasts are done from the Regency Room, however images are few and far between of the full set up. You may also see this room in the Queen's official photographs, as they are often taken in this room. The Regency Room consists of a green and gold aesthetic, with a grand fireplace that fans would sure spot out.
11. The Principle Corridor
Image Source / British Heritage Travel
The Principle Corridor is widely recognisable to fans of Buckingham Palace and The Royal Family. Recently however, the Palace has undergone major renovations, costing around $500 million, meaning the most famous rooms have been stripped bare. The famous corridor is pictured with its contents removed, this includes 3,000 pieces of art removed from the east wing. Renovations are due to be completed by 2027.
12. The Grand Staircase
Image Source / Buzzography
The Grand Staircase of Buckingham Palace is the ultimate first impression. Those lucky enough to be invited into the Palace are greeted with the red carpeted staircase, gold accents and walls laced with family portraits. Designed by the request of Queen Victoria in 1898, this will go down as the most iconic staircase in history.
13. The Kings Library
Image Source / Royal Collection Trust
King George III started his vast collection of 1765 which consisted of 64,000 printed books, at the time, one of the biggest libraries in Europe. Books were stored in purpose-built rooms at the Queen’s House, which today is part of Buckingham Palace. Although many of these books have now been donated to the British Museum, this slice of history on the grounds still remains.
14. The Ballroom
Image Source / CNN
The Ballroom of Buckingham Palace is the largest of all the state rooms. It was completed in 1855 during the reign of Queen Victoria and still remains one of the most prestigious state rooms in the Palace. The space was designed by Sir James Pennethorne, and decorated by Ludwig Gruner and Nicola Consoni. Prince Alberts creative direction led to the creation of a room with an organ as the focal point, and the perfect setting for official functions.
15. The Gardens
Image Source / The Washington Post
This is the largest garden in London. Spanning across 42 acres, those who visit the state can now explore the space, with 500 yards of the south of the gardens being opened by the Queen for the public. Lots of history is embedded in these gardens, such as it being the home of Queen Charlotte's zebra in 1762.
16. The Queens Bedroom
Image Source / Royal Collection Trust
The Queen's Buckingham Palace bedroom is pictured here in 1848, since that moment however, interesting light has been shed on the sleeping arrangements of The Royal Family. In 1982, intruder Michael Fagen broke into Buckingham Palace and headed to the Queen's bedroom. This was the biggest security breech of the 20th century and uncovered the fact that The Queen and her husband Prince Phillip, sleep in separate bedrooms.
17. The Music Room
Image Source / Pinterest
This room was created at Buckingham Palace due to the love that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had for music. The room is a big part of the couples tragic love story, with Prince Albert's death at just aged 42, Queen Victoria rarely stepped foot in that room again. Today, The Music Room is used for many celebrations, including Prince William and Kate's wedding reception in 2011.
18. The Centre Room
Image Source / Far & Wide
The Centre Room is one of 775 rooms throughout Buckingham Palace. The room is filled with a grand dining table and is also known as the Chinese Lunch Room due to the Chinese regency furnishings that make up the character of the room. Many furnishings came from the Royal Pavilion in Brighton and the space is currently under huge renovations.
19. Trooping Of The Colour
Image Source / Harper's BAZAAR
Every June for The Queen's official birthday, over 1000 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians come together to present a display of solidarity and commemoration to the services of Queen Elizabeth. As the Royal Family are presented on the balcony, an RAF 'fly-past' closes the celebrations, displaying the colours of the country.
20. The State Dining Room
Image Source / Royal Collection Trust
Upon Queen Victoria's arrival in 1837, the State Dining Room was completely unfurnished. Her love for all things food was the driving point of this room, she created a space where dinner parties could commence and food could be enjoyed. Art laces the walls of this room and the classic red and gold theme of the room runs throughout the Palace.
21. The Private Chapel
Image Source / Look And Learn
The Chapel was again, created by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Although initially it was quite the controversy, however it became a monumental place for many of the royals as many have been christened here over the years. In 1940, the beloved chapel was destroyed in WW2, leaving not much left to salvage. Despite hopes to rebuild what was lost, however post-war building restrictions meant this was not possible. The chapel was instead converted to an art gallery which is open to the public.
22. The Pavilion Breakfast Room
Image Source / Royal Collection Trust
The Pavilion Breakfast Room is kept quite private from the public, a place for family time. This painting replication of the breakfast room portrays the true details of the room that was developed due to the fast pace growth of the royal family at the time. Queen Victoria made the decision to make the palace more family friendly, with renovations costing around £150,000.
23. The 1844 Room
Image Source / Vogue
The 1844 Room in the Palace has been labelled the most important room in the whole of Buckingham Palace. The special name was given to the space as Russian Tsar Nicholas I, was such a prestigious visitor that his portrait is hung on the walls. This space welcomes the most important guests, such as The Obamas, Prime Ministers, and even A-List celebrities.
24. The Blue Drawing Room
Image Source / Flickr
The Blue Drawing Room was one of the first rooms of Buckingham Palace to be utilised by Queen Victoria upon her arrival. Prior to the addition of The Ballroom of the Palace in the 1850's, The Blue Drawing Room held the first state ball in 1838 to celebrate the coronation of Queen Victoria. All states rooms such as this, showcase some of the most important royal art, making them the appropriate décor for guests.
25. Home Of The Corgi
Image Source / CNN
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi dogs have been a family favourite to the royals, and they are treated like royalty too. With a dedicated room to reside in named 'The Corgi Room', the Queen cares for her beloved pets first hand. The Queen currently has 4 dogs, two of which are the Corgi breed. Since becoming Queen, Elizabeth II has owned more than 30 Crogis.
26. The Helicopter Pad
Image Source / The Times
In 2002, when guests and other members of The Royal Family arrive at Buckingham Palace with helicopter's as their mode of transport, Queen Elizabeth II was unamused at the damaged caused to the grass of her garden. To combat this, the Royal Helipad was created from a layer of matting underneath the grass, meaning the gardens remained clear and the grass was now protected.
27. When The Queen Is Home
Image Source / Quora
When next visiting Buckingham Palace, take note of the flag that is displayed outside the Palace. The monarchy uses flags to inform the public on the Queen's whereabouts; when she is not on palace grounds, the Union Jack will be displayed. When she is present at Buckingham Palace, you will see the Royal Standard flag.
28. A Royal Announcement
Image Source / Insider
Although news from Buckingham Palace reaches the public through the news and social media quicker, any events that take place such as a royal birth or a death occurs are first announced with a framed announcement. This is placed either on the gates of the Palace or outside the gates on an easel, depending on the nature of the announcement.
29. Changing The Guard
Image Source / Time Out
Buckingham Palace is pictured laced with bearskin hats and red tunics for Changing the Guard, a formal ceremony whereby the group of soldiers guarding the Palace (the Old Guard) are replaced by a new group of soldiers (the New Guard). This event that takes place at Buckingham palace across the year is viewed by millions and is a royal, and military tradition.
30. Hard at Work
Image Source / The Mirror
Whilst Queen Elizabeth II has reigned, she has many responsibilities. One of which is 'doing the boxes' which consists of red boxes filled with important paper work for her to sign. This image presents the Queen, sat at her desk at Buckingham Palace with a cluttered desk that she insists that staff are banned from touching anything!