LUCKY visitors will be able to follow in royal footsteps as they visit Buckingham Palace’s iconic East Wing for the first time – but they are not allowed on the balcony.
The Sun takes a look at the hottest tourist attraction of the summer after King Charles made the “decision” to open the palace to make it more inclusive.
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More than 6,000 tickets have already been sold out to be the first tourists to pause in front of the famous balcony where royalty appears for events such as Trooping the Colour, the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the King’s Coronation.
The wing underwent a major five-year renovation, with every floorboard ripped out, everything rewired, and 3,500 works of art removed for storage and conservation before being put back in place.
Caroline De Guitaut, Surveyor of the King’s Works of Art, said: “The appearance has not changed since the reign of Queen Victoria.”
HISTORY AND CONTENTS OF THE EAST WING OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE
The east wing of the palace was built between 1847-49 to accommodate Queen Victoria’s growing family, and the development included the open, horseshoe-shaped former royal residence.
George IV’s opulent oriental-style seaside palace, the royal pavilion at Brighton, was sold to finance building work and its contents, some of the finest ceramics and furniture in the Royal Collection, were moved to the east wing and inspired the Chinese style. decoration of its main rooms.
They were transported from Brighton in 143 shipments on artillery carts, and although some items were loaned to the pavilion, important items such as 42 fireplaces were incorporated into Buckingham Palace along with tables, chairs, clocks and vases.
Guided tours of the east wing, which also includes the palace’s state rooms, will take visitors along much of the 75-meter-long main corridor and will include the yellow drawing room and the central room behind the balcony.
The yellow living room features an oriental-style fireplace from George’s seaside pleasure palace, an elaborate gold curtain, and even some wallpaper from the pavilion that was discovered in storage by Queen Mary and hung at her request.
Victoria and her consort furnished the hall with chairs, side tables, large pagodas, and Chinese porcelain, including an incense burner in the shape of a Buddha.
The King’s Inspector of Works of Art said of the space that runs the length of the east wing: “In fact, it’s essentially a blank canvas, and I think that’s probably what really attracted Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
“Allowing them to really put their stamp on the furniture and incorporate, in a surprising way, I think for many people, these works that speak very loudly to the more exuberant and exotic tastes of George IV.”
Highlights in the central room include a newly restored glass chandelier shaped like a lotus flower and two 18th-century Chinese imperial silk tapestries, presented to Victoria by Guangxu, Emperor of China, to mark her Diamond Jubilee in 1897 .
The 45-minute tour includes the Yellow Drawing Room, where the late Queen sat to paint portraits.
Provides access to the 240-foot-long Main Hallway featuring Japanese, Chinese, English, and French artwork.
And the Central Room, where royalty pauses before heading out to greet The Mall.
Ms De Guitaut described how Prince Albert installed the balcony for royal public appearances, saying: “Prince Albert saw it as a way of connecting with the people and that is, in some ways, how it continues to be used.”
She went on to explain that it began to be used very early in Queen Victoria’s reign, from 1851, to discharge troops for the Crimean War and welcome them home.
Ms De Guitaut added: “The balcony is not accessible to the public.”
The artwork includes Buddha ornaments where the head can be removed and incense comes out of his mouth.
Twenty people on each ride with three guards – but nothing is isolated other than the balcony.
It comes just days after Balmoral opened private rooms to tourists for the first time.
The 75-year-old king visited the rooms of his Scottish castle the night before tourists arrived.
Speaking about the opening of the palace’s East Wing, Nicola Turner Inman, curator of decorative arts, said: “He was very involved.”
A source close to the king said he was “intimately involved” and “going back and forth with suggestions”.
Buckingham Palace is nearing the end of a 10-year, £369 million redevelopment project.
The first paying guests arrive on Monday.
Tour of the East Wing
- Next event: Monday, July 15, 2024
Daily (Monday, July 15, 2024 – Saturday, August 31, 2024) - Selected times from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
- Adult £75.00
Youth (18-24) £63.50
Child (5-17) £59.00
Disabled £59.00
Access the companion for free
Children under 5 free
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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