No place like London - Parent visit part 3 (Buckingham)

On the Sunday, we spend some time doing the full royal tour at Buckingham.  Buckingham is only open in August and September for visitors.  Luckily, my parents were just in time to see the show on the last day it was open.  Hint:  Purchase tickets in advance online - you won't get in otherwise.

The tickets include the Royal Gallery, the Royal Mews and the palace itself.  I've got photos from the Gallery and Mews and outside Buckingham, but not in Buckingham itself (strictly prohibited unfortunately).

The Gallery includes some of the queen's art collected over the years.  It rotates with different collections throughout the year.  I can't remember what the theme was for this year, but overall, it was impressive.

Another example of the art in the Gallery.

The Royal Mews includes the carriages the Royal family uses for official processions.  Really interesting and neat to see first hand the carriages used by the family for weddings, funerals and parades.

The Queen's stables - most of the horses were out on their morning constitutions :)

The most ornate of all the carriages.  They have to tear out a wall of the stables to move it out of the building....it doesn't get used often.

A bit gaudy for my taste.

Buckingham palace after the tour at the backside of the palace.  The palace theme was the childhood years, so most of the exhibits were focused on the childhoods of the royal family, displaying clothes, toys, photos, home movies, etc.  It was really neat and very tastefully done.  The inside of the palace is gorgeous, but also feels like someone could live there.  The one disappointing thing was not being able to go out to the balcony where the famous kisses happen.  But it was still very neat to see the inside,including the banquet rooms where state dinners are held.  Definitely worth the ticket price and highly recommended.