How long does an audio guide tour of Buckingham Palace typically last?

Plan about 1.5–2.5 hours for the State Rooms, depending on your pace. The Royal Mews is shorter and usually works well as a 45–60 minute visit.

What languages is the Buckingham Palace audio guide available in?

The guide is available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Russian. A British Sign Language version with subtitles is also available.

Can I use my own device for the audio guide?

The included Buckingham Palace experience is generally a venue-provided multimedia guide rather than a phone-based app. Some tickets also include headsets when necessary, so you can start listening once you enter.

Is the audio guide suitable for children?

It works best for school-age children and older visitors who enjoy royal history, ceremony, and art. Families often find the Royal Mews especially engaging because of the horses, coaches, and interactive displays.

What is included in the Buckingham Palace audio guide?

The multimedia guide covers Buckingham Palace’s history, The King’s role, and selected works from the Royal Collection, helping you understand the State Rooms as you explore.

Does the audio guide cover the Buckingham Palace State Rooms?

Yes. The multimedia guide accompanies your visit through the State Rooms, providing commentary on the Palace, its history, The King’s role, and selected Royal Collection highlights.

Is there an accessible audio guide for Buckingham Palace?

Yes. A British Sign Language multimedia guide with subtitles is available. Buckingham Palace also provides accessibility support, so check the latest visitor guidance when planning your visit.

What should I do if my Buckingham Palace audio guide does not work?

If you have trouble with the multimedia guide, speak to a member of staff at the Palace. They can help troubleshoot the device or advise you on the next steps.

Buckingham Palace Audio Guide Tours

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Tickets

Buckingham Palace Ticket

What’s not allowed

Alcohol, drones, bicycles, folding bikes, roller-skates, skateboards, large luggage, and backpacks are not allowed on this experience.
Eating and drinking are not permitted inside the State Rooms, Royal Mews, or The King’s Gallery.
Photography is strictly prohibited at the venue.
Mobile phones must be switched off while inside The King’s Gallery.
Due to venue restrictions, pets cannot tag along for this experience.

Accessibility

This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.
Your guide dogs are welcome at the venue.

Additional information

All visitors will be subject to airport-style security checks.
Tickets booked through Headout cannot be converted into a 1-Year Pass.

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Flexible cancellation

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Explore at your pace

Guided tour

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Guided Tours

The State Rooms at Buckingham Palace Tickets

Get rare access to Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms, open to visitors for only 2 months each year.

Everything you get: Entry to the State Rooms, between Jul 9 and Sept 27, 2026, including the Throne Room and White Drawing Room. View artworks by masters like Rembrandt, Canaletto, and Rubens as you explore the rooms with a multimedia guide for in-depth insights.
Why choose this: This is your exclusive opportunity to step inside one of the most famous palaces in the world, usually closed to the public.
Upgrades: Join a Royal London walking tour with a live English or multilingual audio guide or witness the Changing the Guard in a small group setting.

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1 hr 30 mins - 3 hrs

Audio guide

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Tickets

Buckingham Palace State Rooms Tickets & Changing the Guard Tour

What to bring

Wear comfortable shoes as the experience includes a walking tour.

What’s not allowed

Cameras are not allowed inside the venues mentioned.

Accessibility

This experience is not wheelchair or pram/stroller accessible.

Additional information

The Changing the Guard may change or be cancelled by British authorities. Cancellations due to bad weather are confirmed only on the morning of the ceremony.
The Changing the Foot Guard Ceremony takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, while tours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays feature the Changing the Horse Guard Ceremony instead.
If the Guard ceremony is cancelled, you will join a walking tour of Westminster City instead.
On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, you will join a Walking Tour of Westminster City instead.
You may see the Changing of the Horse Guards at Horse Guards Parade, but this is not guaranteed.
On Sundays, a different version of the ceremony, called the Sunday Parade, takes place.

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Flexible cancellation

Book now, pay later

3 hrs 30 mins

Guided tour

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Guided Tours

The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace Tickets

What to bring

Carry only bottled water if you wish to drink inside the Royal Mews.

What’s not allowed

Do not eat or drink inside the Royal Mews, except for bottled water.
Place all drinks and food in closed bags before admission.
Large bags are not allowed on this experience.
Do not carry pen-knives or scissors, as these are prohibited.
Avoid loud mobile phone use and consider other visitors.
Due to venue restrictions, pets cannot tag along for this experience.
Selfie sticks cannot be used near the horses.

Accessibility

This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.
Your guide dogs are welcome at the venue.
Use the accessible toilet and Changing Space available on-site.
Make use of the seating available throughout your visit.
Use the downloadable sensory map and photo journey to plan your visit.
Expect support from Wardens, who are Dementia Friends.

Additional information

Expect airport-style security checks for you and your belongings on arrival. Bring as little as possible to help speed up security screening.
London Blue Badge Guides can guide only at two points in the Main Quadrangle.
Plan for some wait time when lining up for the experience, especially on weekends and holidays.
The Changing the Foot Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace currently takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday (subject to availability). On other days, you will see the Changing the Horse Guard instead.

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Check availability

Flexible cancellation

Explore at your pace

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Guided Tours

Buckingham Palace State Rooms Ticket with Royal Walking Tour

Combine a guided royal walking tour with skip-the-line entry to the State Rooms.

Everything you get: Includes a guided walking tour past St James’s Palace, the Mall, and St James’s Park, followed by skip-the-line access to Buckingham Palace's 19 State Rooms with a multilingual audio guide to view Royal Collection masterpieces.
Why choose this: Save time with skip-the-line entry and maximise your visit by pairing palace history with a guided exploration of London's iconic royal landmarks.

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Flexible cancellation

Book now, pay later

2 hrs 30 mins

Audio guide

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Buckingham Palace is enormous, all 775 rooms of it, so an audio guide puts you in charge of where you linger and where you move on. A multilingual guide makes the most of that scale, translating centuries of royal history, art, and architecture into context you can actually follow, in a language you're comfortable in. The result is a flexible, enriching visit at your own pace, free from the pull of a group tour.

Why book a Buckingham Palace audio guide tour?

✔️ Freedom to pause where it matters

Unlike a fixed-route guided tour, a Buckingham Palace audio guide hands you the reins. Spend longer in the Throne Room or Picture Gallery instead of moving with a group. It suits visitors who like to look closely and linger, with no one rushing you along.

✔️ Deeper insights, minus the crowd

The audio guide brings each room's story to life without a live tour's chatter or jostling. Learn how the Ballroom and State Rooms are still used today for ceremonies, banquets, and official royal events, minus the long live briefing.

✔️ Available in 9 languages

The Buckingham Palace multimedia guide is offered in English, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, and Spanish, plus British Sign Language with subtitles. So you're never stuck following commentary that doesn't quite land, and the experience works for however you're visiting.

✔️ Easy to pair with live pageantry

Some tickets with audio guides combine State Rooms entry with the Changing the Guard ceremony or a Royal London walking tour. Get live expert insights as part of your experience, then explore the State Rooms at your own pace with the flexibility of an audio tour.

✔️ Works for shorter or longer visits

The best part of an audio-guided visit is the flexibility it gives you, whatever your schedule looks like. Spend around 1.5–2.5 hours exploring the State Rooms with your audio guide, or opt for the Royal Mews for a shorter visit focused on royal transport and ceremonial carriages.

Things to know before taking a Buckingham Palace audio guide tour

Choose the right ticket: The Buckingham Palace multimedia guide comes standard, at no extra cost, with the State Rooms Ticket, standard Buckingham Palace tickets, and the Royal Mews ticket. The Changing of the Guard + King's Gallery + optional Royal Mews combo also includes it, since the King's Gallery hands out its own complimentary multimedia guide too.
The guide is provided at the Palace: You don’t need to download an app or bring your own device. Pick up a complimentary multimedia guide and headphones at the start of your visit, or bring your own standard wired headphones if you prefer.
Choose from 9 languages: The general multimedia guide is available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Russian. A BSL version with subtitles is also available.
Take the tour at your own pace: The full multimedia tour takes around 1 hour, but you can pause and restart the commentary as you explore. It covers the Palace’s history, the role of The King, and selected works from the Royal Collection.

How to use your Buckingham Palace audio guide

Step 1: Book a ticket that includes the Buckingham Palace multimedia guide, such as the State Rooms Ticket, the Buckingham Palace ticket, or the Royal Mews tickets.
Step 2: Arrive at your timed slot and clear the required airport-style security screening before entering the visitor route.
Step 3: Collect your audio guide on-site and choose your language. Options include English, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and British Sign Language with subtitles.
Step 4: Put on the supplied headset, start the commentary at the first room or display, and follow the one-way route through the palace or mews. You're ready to explore.

Tips to make the most of your audio guide

Pause in the Throne Room: Let the full commentary play here. The ceremonial meaning of the room is easier to appreciate when you don't rush to the next doorway.
Give the ballroom a full stop: As the largest state room, it's where your audio tour helps you picture state banquets and investitures, not just admire the chandeliers.
Let the commentary set the pace, not your feet: Some rooms reward a slower listen than others. Follow where the audio guide lingers rather than moving room to room on a fixed clock.
Make the most of the final stretch: Use the garden exit as a breather after the State Rooms, or continue to the Royal Mews to explore the coaches, horses, and transport used for royal occasions.

Buckingham Palace audio guide vs guided tour

Feature	Audio guide	Guided tour
Flexibility	Self-paced through the State Rooms or Royal Mews; pause, replay, or skip sections as you like.	Fixed meeting point and route, usually built around the Changing the Guard ceremony or a Royal London walk.
Interaction	Recorded commentary, independent exploration, no live guide to check in with.	Live guide, group commentary, and the chance to ask questions in real time.
Duration	Usually 1.5–2.5 hours for the State Rooms, or about 45–60 minutes at the Royal Mews.	Around 1.5 hours for the walking tour, plus palace entry time if that's included.
Cost	Usually lower, bundled straight into self-guided entry.	Higher, since it adds a guide, headsets, and small-group logistics.
Best for	Independent visitors, repeat listeners, and travelers who want a choice of language.	First-time visitors who want live storytelling and a structured route.

Want the royal backstory in real time?

Choose the State Rooms Ticket with Royal Walking Tour to combine live expert storytelling with independent exploration. Hear the history and royal stories behind Buckingham Palace from a guide, then take your time discovering the State Rooms with the multimedia guide.

Highlights of the Buckingham Palace audio guide tour

Grand Staircase

A sweeping double staircase lined with crimson carpet and portraits of Queen Victoria's family, setting the tone for the visit.

Throne Room at Buckingham Palace with ornate chandeliers and red decor.

Coronation display in the Ballroom of Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace Picture Gallery with ornate paintings and elegant decor.

Buckingham Palace gardens with colorful flowers and tourists in London, England.

Frequently asked questions about the Buckingham Palace audio guide

Book a ticket that includes the multimedia guide, collect it on-site at the State Rooms or the Royal Mews, choose your language, and follow the visitor route independently while listening as you go.

Buckingham Palace Audio Guide Tours

Buckingham Palace Ticket

The State Rooms at Buckingham Palace Tickets

Buckingham Palace State Rooms Tickets & Changing the Guard Tour

The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace Tickets

Buckingham Palace State Rooms Ticket with Royal Walking Tour

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