Buckingham Palace: The Royal Mews Entrance Ticket

The Gold State Coach is the star here, but the Royal Mews gives you more than a grand vehicle behind glass. You see the working side of royal ceremony: the stables, harness, carriages, and horses used for official road travel by the King and Royal Family.

I like the chance to get close to the coaches, and I like that the visit moves at your pace with a useful multimedia guide. The Diamond Jubilee State Coach also has a fine modern twist: it includes air conditioning, hydraulic stabilisers, and electric windows. The main drawback is easy to miss when booking: this is not a ticket for Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms.

Key points to know before you go

• See the Gold State Coach: Used at every coronation since 1831, including King Charles III’s coronation in 2023.
• Visit a working royal stable: The Mews trains Windsor Greys and Cleveland Bays for ceremonial duties.
• Expect a short, flexible visit: Most people should allow around one to two hours, though the ticket itself is valid for one day.
• Use the nine-language multimedia guide: English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Russian are available.
• Pack light: Airport-style security is required, and there is no cloakroom for large bags, pen-knives, or scissors.
• Know what your ticket covers: You enter the Royal Mews only, not the full Buckingham Palace interior or the State Rooms.

What the Royal Mews actually is

The Royal Mews is not simply a museum of handsome old carriages. It remains responsible for road transport for the King and members of the Royal Family, using both horse-drawn vehicles and motor cars.

That working role gives the visit its character. You are looking at vehicles that still serve a purpose, not just antiques parked in a display hall. The carriages are polished and ceremonial, but the setting also points to the practical work behind royal processions: horse training, harness care, stable routines, and careful preparation.

The Mews is also responsible for Windsor Greys and Cleveland Bays, the horses trained to pull the royal coaches. You might see some of the King’s horses during your visit. Do not book this expecting a full stable tour, though. Only a small number may be visible, and access to them can be limited.

That is an important distinction for families. A child who loves horses may be thrilled by seeing the animals and the carriages, but the main focus is the vehicle collection. On some visits, only two horses have been on view, and they may be behind a barrier rather than close enough for a proper look.

Entering from Buckingham Palace Road

Your visit begins at the Royal Mews ticket office on Buckingham Palace Road. You exchange your voucher there, then proceed to the visitor entrance.

Allow extra time for this first step. The ticket exchange can be slow when staff need to enter booking details manually, so arriving with a little patience is sensible. A QR code reader would make the process faster, but you should not count on a quick scan and immediate entry.

Security follows. You and your belongings go through airport-style checks, so bring as little as possible. Large bags, luggage, pen-knives, and scissors are not allowed, and there is no cloakroom. A small day bag is the sensible choice.

The location is convenient for a Buckingham Palace sightseeing day, but this ticket does not provide transfers. You make your own way to Buckingham Palace Road, and the activity finishes back at the Mews.

The first look at the royal coaches

The carriages are the main event, and seeing them in person changes your sense of scale. On television, a coach can look small and almost toy-like in a distant procession. In the Mews, its size, height, carved decoration, and heavy construction become much clearer.

You can get close to many of the vehicles, which makes the details easier to appreciate. Look at the coach bodies, wheels, fittings, windows, and interior finishes. The appeal is not only royal glamour. You also begin to understand the engineering needed to move a large ceremonial vehicle safely through London streets.

The multimedia guide adds useful context as you walk. It is included with admission and is available in nine languages. English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Russian are offered.

This format works well because you are not tied to a guide’s pace. You can stop at a coach, listen to its explanation, and move on when you are ready. Some people may prefer a live guide. Guides including Jorge, Lynne, Phil, and Seba have led particularly engaging visits, adding personal stories and clear explanations. But the standard ticket is built around the multimedia tour, not a guaranteed live-led group.

The Gold State Coach and coronation history

The Gold State Coach is the vehicle most people come to see. It has been used at every British coronation since the coronation of William IV in 1831, and Queen Elizabeth II travelled in it on her Coronation Day in 1953.

It was also used for the coronation of King Charles III in 2023. That recent use gives the coach a direct link to an event many people watched on television. Here, you can study the vehicle at close range instead of seeing it pass for a few seconds in a procession.

The coach is famous for its gold appearance and elaborate decoration, but it is also a reminder that ceremonial transport is not designed for comfort in the modern sense. A royal procession coach makes a powerful public statement, yet its size and construction tell you that the journey itself is slow and demanding.

The audio guide helps place the coach in its ceremonial setting. If you have seen coronation footage, this is the point where the television image becomes a physical object. If you know little about royal ceremonies, the coach still works as an impressive introduction because its purpose is clear and its decoration is impossible to miss.

The Diamond Jubilee State Coach

The Diamond Jubilee State Coach offers a useful contrast. It was used to convey Queen Elizabeth II to the State Opening of Parliament on 4 June 2014.

Unlike the older coaches, it includes modern comforts and technical features. The Australian State Coach has central heating and electric windows, while the Diamond Jubilee State Coach was designed with more recent travel needs in mind. These details show how the royal transport collection combines tradition with modern engineering.

The Diamond Jubilee coach is especially interesting if you want to understand how ceremonial vehicles have changed. The Gold State Coach carries the weight of centuries of ritual. The Diamond Jubilee coach keeps the formal appearance but adds features that make a long journey more manageable.

You may find this one less visually dazzling than the Gold State Coach, but I think it gives the visit more depth. It prevents the Mews from becoming a simple parade of ornate objects. You see how the role of royal transport continues while the vehicles adapt.

The Australian and Irish State Coaches

The Australian State Coach carried Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace after their wedding in 2011. Its practical features, including central heating and electric windows, are a good talking point for children and anyone interested in design.

It looks ceremonial, yet it was built with comfort in mind. That contrast helps explain why the collection is worth viewing as transport history as well as royal history.

The Irish State Coach has another long connection with Parliament. Queen Victoria purchased it in 1852, and Queen Victoria, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II all travelled to the State Opening of Parliament in it.

Together, these coaches show different chapters of royal life. One is linked to a wedding, one to parliamentary ceremony, and one to coronations. The Mews becomes more interesting when you connect each coach to a particular event rather than treating them as a row of grand carriages.

Meeting the horses and seeing the working side

The Royal Mews trains Windsor Greys and Cleveland Bays to pull the coaches. Seeing these breeds, even briefly, connects the vehicles to the living work required to operate them.

The horses are handsome, but manage your expectations. The number visible can vary, and access is not necessarily close. You may see only two horses, and you may not be able to walk right up to their stalls. This is not an open stable where you can expect to meet every horse.

Still, the horse element adds something a display of coaches alone cannot provide. It shows that ceremonies depend on routine care and training as much as on polished wood and gold decoration.

The Mews also appeals to anyone interested in riding equipment. You might see harness, tack, and other details linked to the carriages. For an equestrian visitor, the indoor arena and working equipment can be as interesting as the vehicles themselves.

Families should allow children to enjoy the horse connection without promising a large animal encounter. The coach displays, the audio guide, and the chance to dress up or engage with family-oriented material can hold their attention, especially if they already like horses or royal ceremonies.

How long to allow and how the visit feels

The ticket is valid for one day, with starting times available when you check dates. The visit is not described as a fixed-length guided tour, so you can generally move through at your own pace.

Allow one to two hours for a comfortable visit. A quick visitor who mainly wants the major coaches could spend less time. Someone listening to the full guide and studying the vehicles carefully could stay longer.

The Mews can feel calmer than the busier palace sights. That matters in London, where a quiet indoor attraction can provide a welcome change from crowded streets and tightly timed sightseeing. It also gives you time to look properly at the coaches instead of being pushed along in a large group.

The listed group size is limited to 10 participants, though the visit itself includes a self-paced multimedia guide. That small-group limit should make the entry experience more manageable, but it does not mean every visit includes a personal guide.

Photography and non-commercial filming are welcomed. Mobile phones are allowed, but keep them quiet and be considerate of people listening to their guides.

What the $22.90 price gets you

At about $22.90 per person, this is a reasonable price if you have a genuine interest in royal ceremony, horses, carriages, or historic transport. You receive entry to a specialist attraction, plus the multimedia guide in nine languages.

The value is strongest when you treat the Mews as its own experience. You get close to vehicles that have appeared at coronations, weddings, parliamentary openings, and other major events. That is a more focused visit than a general palace tour, and it can fit neatly into a morning or afternoon.

The value is weaker if you assume the ticket includes Buckingham Palace itself. It does not include the State Rooms, transfers, or a one-year pass. Tickets purchased through this booking cannot be converted into a one-year pass either.

If you want to visit the State Rooms, you need to arrange that separately. Read the ticket wording carefully before booking, since this was the clearest source of confusion for some people. Think of the Royal Mews as a separate Buckingham Palace attraction, not an entrance ticket to the whole palace.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the visit, and you can reserve now and pay later. That gives you some useful flexibility when building a London schedule.

Who will enjoy the Royal Mews most

I would choose this visit for:

• Families with children who like horses, coaches, or royal ceremonies
• Anyone interested in historic vehicles and practical design
• Visitors who want a shorter Buckingham Palace-area attraction
• Equestrians who appreciate harness, tack, stables, and carriage work
• People who have watched a coronation or royal procession and want to see the vehicles close up
• Visitors who prefer an audio guide and a self-paced route

I would be more cautious if your main goal is touring the palace interior. The Mews will not replace the State Rooms, and the number of horses on view may be small.

It is also not the best choice for someone carrying luggage. With no cloakroom and strict security, pack light or leave large items elsewhere before arriving.

Should you book the Royal Mews?

Book it if you want a focused look at the working transport of the British monarchy. The Gold State Coach, the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, the Irish State Coach, and the horse stables make this a worthwhile stop for a modest price.

I especially like it for families and for visitors who have already seen royal ceremony on television. The Mews turns those distant images into physical objects, with enough practical detail to keep the visit from feeling like a quick photo stop.

Skip it if you expect a full Buckingham Palace tour or a large stable visit. For everyone else, allow one to two hours, pack light, use the multimedia guide, and treat the Mews as a separate attraction with its own story.

FAQ

Is this ticket for Buckingham Palace itself?

No. The ticket provides entrance to the Royal Mews. It does not include the State Rooms or the full interior of Buckingham Palace.

How long is the Royal Mews ticket valid?

The ticket is valid for one day. You should check availability for the available starting times.

What is included with admission?

Admission to the Royal Mews and a multimedia tour are included. The audio guide is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Russian.

Can I see the King’s horses?

You may see some of the King’s horses that draw the royal coaches and carriages. The number visible can vary, and access to the horses may be limited.

Which coaches can I see?

The collection includes the Gold State Coach, Diamond Jubilee State Coach, Australian State Coach, and Irish State Coach, along with other royal vehicles and carriages.

Can I take photographs?

Yes. Photography and non-commercial filming are welcomed at the Royal Mews. Mobile phones may be used, but you should be considerate of other visitors.

Can I bring luggage or a large bag?

No. Large luggage and large bags are not allowed, and there are no cloakroom facilities. Pen-knives and scissors are also prohibited.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is also available.