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Visiting The Palace of Westminster, London

Enter the heart of British Politics with a visit to the Palace of Westminster in London. Understand the workings of the UK government and learn how and why the Parliament and Big Ben were constructed. There is so much to admire about this UNESCO World Heritage Site with its unique structure, beautiful façade and inspiring monuments and statues. Big Ben, the landmark clock tower that defines London’s skyline stands tall as a true icon and symbol of Britain. The Palace of Westminster is located in the Buckingham Palace neighbourhood of London and can be easily reached via Westminster tube station.

There are a few guided tours of Parliament that are offered on selected dates throughout the year. Make sure to book early as these tickets will sell out fast

History of the Houses of Parliament and big ben:

Houses of Parliament

Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

The Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of Westminster is the location of the two parliamentary houses of the United Kingdom: The House of Lords and the House of Commons. Its clock tower, Big Ben, is one of the most recognizable structures in the world.

Since the year 1265, the Houses of Parliament has operated at this location, making it one of the world’s oldest parliaments. The Palace of Westminster stood for hundreds of years until a fire destroyed it in 1834. It took over thirty years to rebuild, but in 1870, a new complex in a neo-Gothic style was completed, which incorporated the buildings that survived the fire. It includes the Clock Tower (Big Ben), House of Commons, House of Lords, Westminster Hall, Victoria House and the Lobbies.

Designed by the architect Charles Barry, the most famous part is the elegant clock tower. Originally named St. Stephen’s Tower, it soon became known as Big Ben after the tower’s largest bell.

Highlights:

Big Ben

Westminster Hall is the oldest hall of the Houses of Parliament. Dating all the way back to 1097, it stands today as one of Europe’s largest unsupported medieval halls. See the astonishing hammer-beam roof and magnificent architecture and learn the how the hall operated as the legal and administrative centre of government.

Central Lobby

A place where Members of Parliament meet one another and their constituents, it comprises of a magnificent mosaic-covered vault and a beautiful tiled floor. The Central Tower is built over the Central Lobby, and it is here that the corridors from the Lords, Commons, and Westminster Halls meet.

The Lords Chamber

The Lords Chamber is the most extravagantly decorated room in the Palace of Westminster, London. It is predominantly decorated with furnishings in red and it is where three elements of Parliament (the Sovereign, the Lords and the Commons) meet. Stain glass windows show the coats of arms of peers and six mural paintings represent the spirits of Justice, Chivalry and Religion.

The Commons Chamber

Bombed and subsequently rebuilt after World War Two, the Commons Chamber looks very different to the Lords. It is a more moderate in style, furnished in a traditional green color. It is here that elected members of parliament meet.

St Stephen’s Hall

St Stephen’s Hall was used by the House of Commons from 1945 to 1950 during the rebuilding of the bombed Commons Chamber. It is a wonderful decorative hall that houses on either side of the room statues of famous parliamentarians as well as statues of early Kings and Queens of England. Ten stained glass windows show the arms of various parliamentary cities, and paintings on the walls depict famous events in British history.

Works of art in the Palace

The Palace of Westminster was designed to include statues, frescoes, murals and paintings to show the important events that have taken place at Parliament and depict its most famous members.

The King’s robing room is a glorious space, with wonderful gilded ceilings, an impressive fireplace and beautiful decorations. It is used officially on one day of the year, where the King puts on the state robes and Imperial Crown before officially opening Parliament

Royal Gallery

This room houses enormous works of art depicting the battles of Waterloo and Trafalgar as well as royal portraits.

How to get to the palace of Westminster

**hop on hop off bus tour**.

The London sightseeing bus tour is a hassle-free way of traveling around London to explore some of the most famous landmarks. This convenient hop-on hop-off service has three different routes, providing excellent means to visit the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben as well as other major attractions such as Buckingham Palace and St Paul’s Cathedral.

by Public transport

The nearest underground stop is Westminster Station which visitors can get to using the District, Circle or Jubilee lines. It’s literally right next to the Palace of Westminster, you can’t miss it as you exit the tube station! Just remember that this station tends to get packed full of people, so know where you are going. There are also loads of buses that stop in around the Palace of Westminster, we recommend you download the CityMapper app which will tell you the fastest route of getting to the site.

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How To Visit the U.K. Parliament in 2024: Tickets, Hours, and Tours

Eddie Saint-Jean Last Updated: October 26, 2023

The U.K. Parliament in London has a fascinating history dating back to 1215 when disgruntled barons made King John sign the Magna Carta making him subject to the rule of law. This paved the way for the beginnings of Parliament in 1265 under Simon De Montfort. Getting into the Houses of Parliament is not straightforward, so we’ve put together this guide to help you plan. Here’s how to visit the U.K. Parliament.

Pro Tip:  Planning what to do on your trip to London? Bookmark this post in your browser so you can easily find it when you’re in the city. Check out our  guide to London  for more planning resources, our  top London tours  for a memorable trip, and the  top things to do in London .

Visiting the U.K. Parliament: What We’ll Cover

The U.K. Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of Westminster, has a long history with many interesting traditions that are still maintained today. The popular Guy Fawkes Day originates from events that took place here in 1605 when the Catholic zealot Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

While it is possible to visit the Houses of Parliament, you cannot simply walk in and wander around due to strict security. In this guide, discover what you need to know to visit the U.K. Parliament. Here’s what we’ll cover:

  • Opening hours and tickets
  • How much time to budget for your visit
  • What to see at the U.K. Parliament
  • Facts and history of the U.K. Parliament
  • Places to eat nearby

U.K. Parliament Opening Hours and Tickets

View of Palace of Westminster UK parliament from across the Thames river in London

Despite its high-profile politicians and tight security, visitors are allowed inside Parliament for specific purposes: guided tours, certainly, as well as Committee Room events, parliamentary debates, or Prime Minister’s Questions. But its high security means you cannot just wander around unguided or without a specific invite or ticket.

Opening Hours:

The U.K. Parliament or Palace of Westminster is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.

You have a choice of guided tours and multimedia tours. Multimedia tours allow you up to 90 minutes inside Parliament buildings using their audio guides. The guided tours last 75 minutes. All tours mostly take place on weekdays and Saturdays.

Also, access is more likely during Easter, summer, and Christmas, when Parliament is not in session. Still, visits are allowed at selected times even when Parliament is in session. You can book time slots for either multimedia or guided tours as long as they are between 9 am and 4:15 pm.

Contact the ticket offices at Portcullis House, Victoria Embankment for further information on guided tours in French, Spanish, Italian, and German, all of which are available on selected dates. 

Visits Without Tours:

There are three options. Firstly, you can watch the Prime Minister’s Questions or Minister’s Questions without a guide. These take place in the House of Commons and House of Lords.

Secondly, you can see a parliamentary debate or a committee at work. Thirdly, there are parliamentary talks, events, petitions, and Private Members’ Bills where visitors are permitted.

The guided tour costs £32 for Adults, while Young Adults (16 – 18 years old) pay £26. Concessions (Over-6os, students, and U.K. Armed Forces) are £26. Children (5 – 15 years old), £16; Children under 5 get in free.

For the multimedia tour: Adults pay £25, Young Adults (16 – 18 years old) pay £18, Children (5 – 15 years old) pay £8, and Children Under 5 get in free. Concessions are £18.

Note: U.K. residents can book both these tours for free.

Address: Palace of Westminster

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How Long To Spend at the U.K. Parliament

Short answer: 75 minutes for a guided tour; 90 minutes for the multimedia tour.

Your tour includes visits to the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and Westminster Hall. This talk covers the history of the building, the creation of Parliament, and the democratic and legislative processes within Parliament today. Since both tours are for set times, you’re unlikely to run over.

However, if you’re attending a separate ticketed parliamentary event, it all depends on the times for the event itself.

What To See in and Near the U.K. Parliament 

People walking in Parliament Square London with Churchill statue in foreground

  • Commons Chamber: Prime Minister’s Question Time, Parliamentary debates
  • The Lords Chamber: Question Time, Debates, and Legislation Work
  • The House of Lords Committee Rooms: Select Committee work
  • The Parliamentary Archives 
  • The Churchill Arch
  • Statues in the Palace
  • The Speaker’s Chair
  • The Royal Gallery
  • Central Lobby
  • The Cloisters
  • Parliament Square (includes statues of Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, and Winston Churchill)
  • Auguste Rodin’s sculpture The Burghers of Calais (in Victoria Tower Gardens, next to Parliament)

Facts and History of the U.K. Parliament

Interior view of Westminster Hall at the Parliamentary Estate in London showing its beautiful roof.

  • The Houses of Parliament are also known as the Palace of Westminster. 
  • Westminster Hall was built in 1097 by William II, son of William the Conqueror. It was the biggest and grandest hall in Europe at that time. It’s the oldest building in the Houses of Parliament.
  • The first English Parliament was held in 1265, when French nobleman Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, led a group of rebellious barons seeking representational democracy and the curbing of Henry III’s absolute power. 
  • The medieval parliament burned down in 1834. The fire destroyed most of the Palace of Westminster. 
  • Oliver Cromwell was sworn in as Lord Protector in Westminster Hall. He was anti-royal but was sworn in wearing regal-looking robes. 
  • In 1605, a zealot Catholic called Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament. He was caught in the House of Lords basement with barrels of gunpowder.
  • The Queen is banned from the House of Commons. This convention was introduced in 1642 after King Charles I entered the Commons with soldiers to try and arrest five MPs for treason.
  • A parliamentary official with the title Black Rod has the Commons door ceremoniously slammed in his face before the Queen’s Speech. After this ritual, he bangs on the door three times with his rod. This traditional act occurs when he summons MPs from the Commons Chambers to hear the Queen’s Speech. The slamming of the door represents the independence of the Commons.

Places To Eat Nearby

There’s a café in the Palace of Westminster. But you’re just as likely to find healthy, filling snacks and meals—and perhaps rub shoulders with politicians—in the nearby cafés and restaurants. For more options, check out the full list of best restaurants nearby .

Jubilee Café : £££ | Coffee Shop —This café in Westminster Hall has a selection of snacks, paninis, and sandwiches, plus pastries, sweets, and cakes. The quaint English Jubilee cream tea is a visitor favourite, but there’s also barista coffee and other beverages.

Riverside Café : ££ | River Views —This is a short but soul-lifting walk through parklands known as Victory Tower Gardens, and then over Lambeth Bridge. The café has the best views of Parliament and the Thames river compared to other eateries in the area. It serves a full English Breakfast, of course, as well as pizza, burgers, baguettes, salads, and hot and cold beverages.

The Cinnamon Club : £££+ | Former Victorian Library —There’s an elegant and exclusive atmosphere to this classy Indian restaurant. The curry, seafood, and soup dishes have a gourmet touch. Traditional English game such as venison is served in an artisanal Indian culinary style. There are a few menu surprises, too, like snake!

how to visit palace of westminster

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16-24s go free on available tours up until 11th December - choose your tour and book your free ticket now!

Book tickets for a tour

Following the announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, all public tours and events at UK Parliament have been cancelled until further notice. If your booked tour or event has been affected, our bookings team will be in touch with you as soon as possible.

Self-guided audio tours of the Palace of Westminster

Self-guided audio tours of the Palace of Westminster

Suitable for all ages, you can select a language and set your own pace. Through the video and audio stories on the multimedia device, discover the history, art, and architecture of the building, and what happens today at UK Parliament.

In person at UK Parliament

English guided tours

English guided tours

Discover the history, heritage and work of UK Parliament on a fun and informative tour delivered by an expert guide.

Big Ben Tour

Big Ben Tour

Book an official tour of Big Ben and explore the famous Elizabeth Tower at UK Parliament. On your 334-step climb, you'll stand behind the iconic clock faces, see the Victorian clock mechanism in action and look up at the famous Big Ben bell as it strikes the hour. This tour is only suitable for those aged 11 and over who are comfortable climbing 334 steps unaided and able to sustain moderate physical exertion for up to 90 minutes.

The State Apartments of Speaker's House tour

The State Apartments of Speaker's House tour

Find out about the history and traditions of role of the Speaker and see where the current Speaker conducts official business. This year only, your ticket will include a special display which tells the story of the Speaker's and UK Parliament's diplomatic relationship to other Commonwealth countries and its significance around the world today. Please note the tour content is best suited to those aged 16+.

Big Ben preview tour

Big Ben preview tour

This tour is suitable for those aged 11 and over, who are comfortable climbing 300+ steps.

Get a first look inside the Elizabeth Tower and see some of the extensive refurbishment and conservation work carried out over the last six years. On your 334-step climb, you'll stand behind the iconic clock faces, see the Victorian clock mechanism in action and look up at the world-famous Big Ben bell as it strikes the hour.

Book tickets for an online tour or talk

Inside the elizabeth tower.

Inside The Elizabeth Tower

Discover the 19th century technical achievements inside the Elizabeth Tower, from the construction of the innovative 334-step spiral stairwell to the casting of Big Ben's famous quarter bells in 1856. Join UK Parliament's Estate Archivist and Historian, Dr Mark Collins, as he discusses how the Elizabeth Tower conservation project has reinvigorated Victorian technology for the 21st century.

Online & in-person options

How the Elizabeth Tower was built

How the Elizabeth Tower was built

With the Elizabeth Tower conservation almost complete, UK Parliament's Estate Archivist and Historian Dr Mark Collins reflects on its construction nearly 180 years ago. In this talk he explains the architectural and design challenges faced by the architect, and what unique methods were used to construct the tower and install Big Ben.

Guided online tour of the Palace of Westminster

Guided online tour of the Palace of Westminster

Your presenter takes you on a guided 360° virtual tour. You will have a detailed look inside several rooms including the Commons Chamber, Lords Chamber and Central Lobby with its magnificent octagonal ceiling.

Free online event

Meet the Contractors: Shepley Engineers

Meet the Contractors: Shepley Engineers

In a series of talks in which we meet some of the contractors involved in repairing and restoring the Elizabeth Tower, John Barnett-Pattison of Cumbria and Yorkshire-based Shepley Engineers returns to present live the talk he gave in June 2021.

Online event

Elizabeth Tower: from construction to conservation

Elizabeth Tower: from construction to conservation

Since 2017 the Elizabeth Tower has been undergoing significant restoration, from the gilt cross and orb at its tip, to the bottom of its 334-step staircase. These monthly talks explore the story of the clock tower, from its beginnings in 1859 to the most complex conservation project in its history.

People behind Big Ben: The Cumbria Clock Company

People behind Big Ben: The Cumbria Clock Company

Keith Scobie-Youngs from The Cumbria Clock Company reveals the latest in the conservation of Big Ben. Learn about the installation of the bell hammers, linkages and electric winding system, plus a few interesting discoveries made along the way.

How UK Parliament Works

How UK Parliament Works

Do you want to discover more about the inner workings of UK Parliament? Join this interactive workshop to find out more about how the House of Commons and House of Lords work and how you can get involved.

Peeresses, Parliament and Prejudice

Peeresses, Parliament and Prejudice

To mark the centenary of former Suffragette Viscountess Rhondda's case seeking admission to the House of Lords, this talk by Dr Duncan Sutherland recounts the story of the campaign and explores why full political equality for women took so long.

Help Our Mothers: Lucy Baldwin's Campaign

Help Our Mothers: Lucy Baldwin's Campaign

Join the 9th annual Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art International Women's Day lecture online. Historian Dr Susan Williams discusses Lady Lucy Baldwin's campaign to improve women's care during childbirth.

Heritage photography and the Elizabeth Tower

Heritage photography and the Elizabeth Tower

As the Elizabeth Tower conservation nears completion, this talk reveals unpublished footage from the project. Simon Barnes, Heritage Photographer in the Parliamentary Archives, discusses his work and shares what it's like at the top of this iconic clock tower.

The State Apartments of Speaker's House tour

Book your place on one of the first guided tours of the State Apartments in Speaker's House. Discover the newly renovated rooms where the Speaker conducts official business and find out about the history and traditions of the role.

Tickets for visits to UK Parliament cannot be booked at present due to the health situation. Please sign up to UK Parliament's visit newsletter to be the first to hear when the building is open again for visitors, and to find out all the ways that you can still visit us virtually.

Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information.

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Unesco social media, palace of westminster and westminster abbey including saint margaret’s church.

  • Description

Westminster Palace, rebuilt from the year 1840 on the site of important medieval remains, is a fine example of neo-Gothic architecture. The site – which also comprises the small medieval Church of Saint Margaret, built in Perpendicular Gothic style, and Westminster Abbey, where all the sovereigns since the 11th century have been crowned – is of great historic and symbolic significance.

Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

Palais de Westminster et l'abbaye de Westminster incluant l'église Sainte-Marguerite

Reconstruit à partir de 1840 autour de remarquables vestiges médiévaux, le palais de Westminster est un exemple éminent, cohérent et complet du style néogothique. Avec la petite église Sainte-Marguerite, de style gothique perpendiculaire, et la prestigieuse abbaye dans laquelle furent couronnés tous les souverains britanniques depuis le XI e siècle, il présente une signification historique et symbolique importante.

قصر ويستمنستر

أعيد بناء قصر ويستمنستر منذ عام 1840 حول آثار رائعة من القرون الوسطى، وهو مثال هام ومتكامل للطراز القوطي الجديد، كما انه يحمل معنى تاريخي ورمزي هام بفضل كنيسة سانت مارغريت الصغيرة ذات الطراز القوطي العمودي الخطوط والدير الرائع الذي كلّل فيه مجمل الملوك البريطانيين منذ القرن الحادي عشر.

source: UNESCO/CPE Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

威斯敏斯特宫殿和教堂以及圣玛格丽特教堂

在重要的中世纪遗迹原址上于1840年重建的威斯敏斯特宫殿是新哥特式建筑的典型。这里还包括圣玛格丽特教堂,这是一座小型的直角哥特式风格的中世纪教堂。威斯敏斯特教堂具有重要的历史意义和象征意义,从11世纪起历代国王都在此举行加冕仪式。

Palacio de Westminster, abadía de Westminster incluyendo la iglesia de Santa Margarita

Reconstruido a partir de 1840 en torno a importantes vestigios medievales, el palacio de Westminster es un ejemplo eminente, coherente y completo del estilo neogótico. Este monumento forma un conjunto de gran significado histórico y simbólico con la célebre abadía de su mismo nombre –en la que han sido coronados todos los soberanos británicos desde el siglo XI– y la pequeña iglesia medieval de Santa Margarita, de estilo gótico perpendicular.

ウェストミンスター宮殿、ウェストミンスター大寺院及び聖マーガレット教会

source: NFUAJ

Paleis van Westminster, Westminster Abbey en Saint Margaret’s-kerk

Het paleis van Westminster werd vanaf het jaar 1840 herbouwd op de plek van belangrijke middeleeuwse overblijfselen. De plek is van grote historische en symbolische betekenis; in Westminster Abbey werden alle vorsten sinds de 11e eeuw gekroond. Het paleis van Westminster illustreert op een imposante manier de grandeur van de constitutionele monarchie en het principe van het parlementair tweekamerstelsel. Het paleis is een van de belangrijkste monumenten van de neogotische architectuur. Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey en Saint Margaret’s-kerk omvatten samen de geschiedenis van een van de oudste parlementaire monarchieën en de groei van de parlementaire en constitutionele instellingen.

Source: unesco.nl

how to visit palace of westminster

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis 

The Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St Margaret’s Church lie next to the River Thames in the heart of London. With their intricate silhouettes, they have symbolised monarchy, religion and power since Edward the Confessor built his palace and church on Thorney Island in the 11th century AD. Changing through the centuries together, they represent the journey from a feudal society to a modern democracy and show the intertwined history of church, monarchy and state.

The Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St Margaret’s Church continue in their original functions and play a pivotal role in society and government, with the Abbey being the place where monarchs are crowned, married and buried. It is also a focus for national memorials of those who have served their country, whether prominent individuals or representatives, such as the tomb of the Unknown Warrior. The Abbey, a place of worship for over 1000 years, maintains the daily cycle of worship as well as being the church where major national celebrations and cultural events are held. The Palace of Westminster continues to be the seat of Parliament.

Westminster School can trace its origins back to 1178 and was re-founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1560. It is located around Little Dean’s Yard.

The iconic silhouette of the ensemble is an intrinsic part of its identity, which is recognised internationally with the sound of “Big Ben” being broadcast regularly around the world.

The Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and St Margaret's Church together encapsulate the history of one of the most ancient parliamentary monarchies of present times and the growth of parliamentary and constitutional institutions.

In tangible form, Westminster Abbey is a striking example of the successive phases of English Gothic art and architecture and the inspiration for the work of Charles Barry and Augustus Welby Pugin on the Palace of Westminster.

The Palace of Westminster illustrates in colossal form the grandeur of constitutional monarchy and the principle of the bicameral parliamentary system, as envisaged in the 19th century, constructed through English architectural references to show the national character.

The Palace is one of the most significant monuments of neo-Gothic architecture, as an outstanding, coherent and complete example of neo-Gothic style. Westminster Hall is a key monument of the Perpendicular style and its admirable oak roof is one of the greatest achievements of medieval construction in wood. Westminster is a place in which great historical events have taken place that shaped the English and British nations.

The church of St Margaret, a charming perpendicular style construction, continues to be the parish church of the Palace of Westminster and has been the place of worship of the Speaker and the House of Commons since 1614 and is an integral part of the complex.

Criterion (i): Westminster Abbey is a unique artistic construction representing a striking sequence of the successive phases of English Gothic art.

Criterion (ii): Other than its influence on English architecture during the Middle Ages, the Abbey has played another leading role by influencing the work of Charles Barry and Augustus Welby Pugin in Westminster Palace, in the "Gothic Revival" of the 19th century.

Criterion (iv): The Abbey, the Palace, and St Margaret's illustrate in a concrete way the specificities of parliamentary monarchy over a period of time as long as nine centuries. Whether one looks at the royal tombs, the Chapter House, the remarkable vastness of Westminster Hall, of the House of Lords, or of the House of Commons, art is everywhere present and harmonious, making a veritable museum of the history of the United Kingdom.

The property contains the key attributes necessary to convey its Outstanding Universal Value. In 2008 a minor boundary modification was approved to join the existing component parts of the property into a single ensemble, by including the portion of the road which separated them. There are associated attributes outside the boundary, which could be considered for inclusion in the future, and this will be examined during the next Management Plan review.

The instantly recognisable location and setting of the property in the centre of London, next to the River Thames, are an essential part of the property’s importance. This place has been a centre of government and religion since the days of King Edward the Confessor in the 11th century and its historical importance is emphasised by the buildings’ size and dominance. Their intricate architectural form can be appreciated against the sky and make a unique contribution to the London skyline.

The distinctive skyline is still prominent and recognisable despite the presence of a few tall buildings as part of the property. The most prominent of these, Milbank Tower and to some extent Centre Point - now protected in their own right - were both extant at the time of inscription. However important views of the property are vulnerable to development projects for tall buildings. Discussions have begun and are ongoing on how to ensure that the skyline of the property and its overall prominence is sustained, and key views into, within and out of the property are conserved. The main challenge is agreeing on a mechanism to define and give protection to its wider setting. Until agreement can be reached on this, the integrity of the site is under threat.

The buildings are all in their original use and are well maintained to a high standard. There has been little change to the buildings since the time of inscription although external repairs continue and security measures have been installed at the Palace of Westminster.

The heavy volume of traffic in the roads around the property does impact adversely on its internal coherence and on its integrity as a single entity.

Authenticity

The power and dominance of state religion, monarchy and the parliamentary system is represented tangibly by the location of the buildings in the heart of London next to the River Thames, by the size of the buildings, their intricate architectural design and embellishment and the high quality materials used. The Palace of Westminster, the clock tower and “Big Ben’s” distinctive sound have become internationally recognised symbols of Britain and democracy. All the buildings maintain high authenticity in their materials and substance as well as in their form and design.

The property maintains its principal historic uses and functions effectively. The Gothic Westminster Abbey, a working church, continues to be used as a place of daily worship. It remains the Coronation church of the nation and there are frequent services to mark significant national events as well as royal weddings and funerals and for great national services. Many great British writers, artists, politicians and scientists are buried or memorialised here. The Palace of Westminster continues to be used as the seat of the United Kingdom’s two-chamber system of democracy. St Margaret’s Church, now part of Westminster Abbey, remains at heart a medieval parish church, ministering to Members of both Houses of Parliament.

Protection and management requirements

The UK Government protects World Heritage properties in England in two ways. Firstly individual buildings, monuments and landscapes are designated under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, and the 1979 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act and secondly through the UK Spatial Planning system under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Acts. The individual sites within the property are protected as Listed Buildings and Scheduled Ancient Monuments.

Government guidance on protecting the Historic Environment and World Heritage is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and Circular 07/09. Policies to protect, promote, conserve and enhance World Heritage properties, their settings and buffer zones are also found in statutory planning documents. Policies to ensure this can be found in statutory planning documents, which are reviewed and publicly consulted upon on a regular cycle.

The Mayor’s London Plan provides a strategic social, economic, transport and environmental framework for London and its future development over the next 20-25 years and is reviewed regularly. It contains policies to protect and enhance the historic environment, including World Heritage properties. Further guidance is set out in London’s World Heritage Sites – Guidance on Setting, and The London View Management Framework Supplementary Planning Guidance provides guidance on the protection of important designated views. It includes 10 views of the Westminster World Heritage property including a view looking from Parliament Square towards the Palace of Westminster.

The City of Westminster also has policies in its Core Strategy to protect the historic environment generally and the property specifically. Its cross cutting policies provide for management of the historic environment and protection of important views, buildings and spaces with particular reference to the Westminster World Heritage property. Although the property is located within the City of Westminster, much of its setting covers adjoining boroughs. The neighbouring Boroughs of Lambeth and Wandsworth also include policies in their Local Plans for the protection of the setting of the Westminster World Heritage property.

Both Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster have Conservation Plans that put in place a comprehensive conservation maintenance regime based on regular inspection programmes. The Westminster World Heritage Site Management Plan was published by the property’s Steering Group in 2007. There is no coordinator, and implementation of key objectives is undertaken by the key stakeholders – the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and Westminster City Council - working within the Steering Group framework.

There are continuing pressures for development and regeneration in the area around the property and permission has been given for tall buildings which could adversely impact on its important views. The guidance set out in the Mayor’s Supplementary Planning Guidance on London’s World Heritage Sites – Guidance on Setting, together with the London View Management Framework, English Heritage’s Conservation Principles and Seeing the History in the View identify methodologies to which could be used to assess impacts on views and on the setting of the World Heritage property and its Outstanding Universal Value. However, there is no single, specific mechanism in place to protect the setting of the property.

As one of the most famous sites in London and a key tourist attraction, the property receives high numbers of visitors who require proactive management to minimise congestion and careful visitor management to protect the fabric and setting of the property. The protection and enhancement of the public realm and better traffic management, particularly in the quiet spaces adjacent to the property, are also important in protecting its setting. To address these issues, an overall visitor management strategy and a traffic management strategy are needed to complement the visitor management strategies of the individual stakeholders, together with greater protection of the setting of the property and its key views. Ways in which this can be achieved will be examined in the Management Plan reviews

  • Jewel Tower
  • House of Parliament
  • Westminster Abbey Website

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State of Conservation (SOC)

London x London

Posted on 14th June 2023 Categories Things to do

By: Author Julianna Barnaby

Want to Visit the Houses of Parliament on a Tour? Here’s How…

Want to Visit the Houses of Parliament on a Tour? Here’s How…

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Planning to visit the Houses of Parliament and not sure where to start? Check out this step by step guide to the types of tours, ticket prices and what to expect before you go. 

The Houses of Parliament are more than just an iconic London landmark. They function as the heart of British power. 

Set in the Palace of Westminster, a Victorian Neo-Gothic affair on the banks of the Thames, the 1000+ rooms of the palace count among them two of the most important locations in UK politics – the House of Commons and House of Lords. 

Little wonder then that visiting the Houses of Parliament is one of the first things that people think of when visiting London. 

Who wouldn’t want to take a peek at the innards of authority, the place where decisions that shape the lives of British citizens are made on a daily basis? We certainly did for sure. 

Visiting Houses of Parliament

Having taken a Houses of Parliament tour previously, we can honestly say that it is one of the most fascinating things we’ve done in London full stop. This coming from a team that spends a lot of time researching and writing about London, and who’s as reticent to give out high praise as Scrooge was to give out money before his Christmas Carol transformation. 

In other words – you should totally go. 

The difficult thing is knowing where to start. That’s why we’ve written this guide to walk you through the options for visiting with and without a tour, the different kinds of Houses of Parliament tours available, where to get tickets and what to expect when you do. 

Do I Have to Book a Tour to Visit the Houses of Parliament? 

Usually, no. But it’s best to book in advance or you risk being turned away. 

There are several ways that you can usually visit the Houses of Parliament without booking a tour – the main ones are: 

  • Watch a debate or a committee

Watch Prime Minister’s Questions 

  • Watch Minister’s Question Times in the House of Commons or House of Lords 
  • Book onto one of Parliament’s special events or talks.

You do not have to book tickets for the first three, although it is advisable to book tickets for Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) as it is very popular and you are not guaranteed entry without a ticket. 

We will go into more detail on each of these in the section “Visiting the Houses of Parliament Without a Tour” below if you want to know more info but we thought it was worth dealing with the tours first as this is what we’ve been asked most questions about.

Choosing Which Houses of Parliament Tour to Book 

There are several different types of Houses of Parliament tour that you could go on – we’ve given you a breakdown of each of them as well as options for how to get your hands on tickets and (where relevant) lead times for each.

Houses of Parliament Guided Tour

Guided Tour

This is a 90-minute guided tour of the Houses of Parliament for which you have to pay. 

The tours are usually held on weekdays when Parliament is not in session and most Saturdays throughout the year. They go at a slow pace, allowing you to soak in the architecture and history of the buildings. 

These tours also held in French, Spanish, German and Italian on selected dates.

Cost: £32 for adults, £16 for kids, £26 for concessions, Disabled visitors are charged as per the above but an essential companion is free. 

How to Get Tickets: For the latest information on when these tours will return, click here .

Parliament audio tour

Rather take things at your own pace instead of going on a group tour but still want to explore the Palace of Westminster? You should consider an audio tour. 

The 90-minute audio tour provides a wealth of information about the buildings and the politics that happen within Parliament’s walls – in audio and video formats. 

It’s also available in a much wider range of languages than the guided tours and there are different versions for children and adults. 

Cost: £25 for adults, £9 for kids, £18.00 for concessions, under 5s free. Disabled visitors are charged as per the above but an essential companion is free. 

How to Get Tickets: Get your tickets for Parliament before they sell out here .

Private Guided Tours 

Parliament guided tour

Want to explore in a private group? Book a private guided tour. 

On the face of it, the £500 fee looks pretty steep but when you consider that it covers up to 10 people for a completely tailored tour, it doesn’t actually look so bad after all.

You’ll have to enquire about this privately as you can’t book online, but the tours generally begin first thing in the morning (Monday to Wednesday) and last around 75 minutes. 

Cost: Starts from £500 per group of up to 10 people 

How to Book: For bookings of 10 people or more, contact [email protected]

How to Take a Tour of the Houses of Parliament for Free

Exterior of Parliament

Did you know that UK residents can visit the Houses of Parliament for Free?

Scrap that, if you’re a UK resident, you can take a Democratic Access Tour of the Houses of Parliament for Free. 

We’ve taken one of these tours and it was riveting – 75 minutes of sights and information that had every single person fixed on every word our tour guide Sean had to say. 

The locations you cover during the tour depend on what’s happening on the day  – we were lucky enough to visit both houses (we literally squeaked into the House of Lords just in time). 

The tour is informative and educational, walking you through the daily business of MPs while they’re in the houses, the procedures that govern them and showcases the highlights of the Palace of Westminster along the way. 

We cannot recommend this enough – if you’re a UK resident and capable of getting to London, do it. 

The decisions that are made here influence every aspect of your life – not in an obscure and difficult to define fashion, but directly and with significant impact. Taking the time to understand how it works is never going to be a bad idea. 

How to Get Tickets: 

You have to be a UK resident to book one of the Houses of Parliament free tours. You’ll need to book through your local MP or a Member of the House of Lords to book up to six months in advance. 

There are often last-minute Houses of Parliament tickets available (within the next seven days) – you can email Parliament to book a space on one of them, or pop into the Ticket Office in front of Portcullis House. 

More information can be found here

Behind the Scenes Houses of Parliament Guided Tour 

Medieval Hall

This tour isn’t run by Parliament itself and is significantly more expensive than the standard guided tours we included above. 

So why are we listing it? Because it’s a much more in-depth and intimate tour that allows you to really immerse yourself in the world of Parliament past and present. 

In the course of two hours, you explore sections of the Palace of Westminster – including several places that aren’t covered by the other tours. 

This is really a tour for those who want to get down to the nitty gritty of the history and architecture of the Houses of Parliament and want to do it as part of a smaller group. 

Cost: £65 Adults, £59 Children (4-12), Infants three and under are free. 

How to get Tickets: Book online on Get Your Guide

Take a Virtual Tour

Can’t make your way to Parliament right now? Don’t stress. You can take a virtual tour of the buildings online. You’ll walk your virtual self through the corridors of power. It’s not the same as being there in person, but at least you don’t have to get off the sofa. 

Cost: Absolutely free. Hurrah.

How to get Tickets: Book online here.

Visiting the Houses of Parliament Without a Tour

Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

Now you’ve got a good grasp of the kinds of tours that you can take of the Houses of Parliament, We’re going to walk you through the ways that you can usually visit Parliament without a tour. 

It’s probably worth noting that you’re not allowed to just walk around the Palace of Westminster unguided (unless you’re doing an audio tour), so if you want to look around the buildings and learn about their history, a guided or audio tour are the only ways to do it. 

Watch a Debate or Committee 

Parliament Tour

MPs in the House of Commons and Peers in the House of Lords debate issues and proposed legislation on a daily basis – all of which anyone is able to view from the public galleries of the respective houses. 

In addition to this, both houses also hold committee meetings examine issues in detail on subjects large and small – all of which are open to the public. 

Though the waiting times vary dependent on the popularity / contentiousness of the subject, you are normally able to just turn up and hop into the queue for both debates and committee meetings.

The visitor attendants can give you a good idea of how long you can expect to wait when you arrive. 

How to Get Tickets: Not ticketed, just turn up and queue . 

Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) happens every Wednesday at 12pm when Parliament is in session.

Even before the explosive events of the past few years, PMQs has always been the most popular event at Parliament, which is why it’s a ticketed event. 

How to Get Tickets: Contact your local MP to request a ticket. If you’re not a UK resident or you haven’t booked a ticket in advance you can turn up on the day and try your luck but the pool of seats available is small. Not currently running but keep your eyes peeled on the website.

Watch Minister’s Question Time

This happens in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords – generally at the beginning of the day Monday to Thursday and you can go and watch it from the public galleries of the respective houses. 

Cost: Free 

How to Get Tickets: You can contact your local MP to request a ticket or turn up on the day. Minister’s Question Time can be popular, but it’s generally OK to turn up on the day. Not currently running but check the website for updates.

Book a Special Event or Talk

There’s so much going on at Parliament – they really take their role of educating the public about aspects of life in Parliament, the history of the buildings and issues we face as a country.

The only problem is… only a select number of people know about them, buried as they are in an obscure section of Parliament’s website. 

Now,  you know that we’re full-on geeky (we’ve learnt to embrace it), but the subject range is fascinating. These are the kinds of talks that if you put them on TED Talks millions of people would be watching them, but when it’s Parliament… they’re hardly the talk of the town.

Don’t get us wrong – they still sell out but when’s the last time you saw them on a list of interesting things to do in London this week. It’s a shame – we want to thoroughly encourage you to go and check out the calendar and book onto any that interest you. 

At the moment, these talks are all virtual. Current ones on the calendar include The Elizabeth Tower’s Conservation and How UK Parliament Works – a great place to start if you’re looking to learn more about Parliament.

Cost: Varies – most are free

How to Get Tickets: Check the Calendar of Upcoming Events and book tickets (mostly free) online.

Houses of Parliament and the Palace of Westminster: Frequently Asked Questions

They actually refer to the same place. The Palace of Westminster, where the Houses of Parliament are based today, actually used to be a royal palace: Henry VIII was the last monarch to use it as such.  These days, it’s no longer a royal palace and serves as a meeting place for the House of Commons and House of Lords, together: the Houses of Parliament.

Yes, you can go into the Houses of Parliament – either on a tour, to go and see a debate or committee, to watch Prime Minister’s Questions or Minister’s Questions, to attend a talk or event or to go and petition your MP.  You can’t, however, just walk around and see the inside of the Palace of Westminster unguided. 

Yes, you can visit the Houses of Parliament for free by going to watch a debate, Prime Minister’s Questions or Ministers Questions in the appropriate house. You can also book a spot on one of the free Democratic Access Tours run by Parliament on a frequent basis. 

It depends on which tour you book. The free tours of the Houses of Parliament are around 75 minutes while the paid guided tours last for 90 minutes. They also recommend allowing at least 90 minutes for the self-guided audio tour. 

No, there is no formal dress code for visiting Parliament… but it is illegal to enter Parliament wearing a suit of armour, just in case you were thinking of doing that. 

You can take photos in Westminster Hall and St Stephen’s Hall in the Houses of Parliament if you’re visiting but no, you can’t take photos in the rest of the Palace of Westminster.

Yes, the buildings are old but they’ve been updated to make them accessible to everyone. From ramps to information in sign language and tours specially tailored to people that need a little more help than others, it’s all there for you.  What’s more, for the tours and such, essential companions can go free. 

You can find more information about parliament’s accessibility here

Yes, you can! Parliament’s Jubilee Cafe is open from 9:00am to 5:45pm Monday to Wednesday and 10:00am to 5:45pm Thursday to Saturday. They do a selection of refreshments, sandwiches and such in case you’re peckish.  Alternatively check out our guide to Westminster for some good food nearby.

Unlikely, but possible. Obviously whoever the Tories have chosen as our leader for the month that you happen to visit will be present at PMQs – if you can get a ticket to that – but most of the time they will be working from No. 10, around the corner – or off in a foreign country doing important diplomatic work. 

Map of the Houses of Parliament, London 

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Visit The Houses of Parliament

how to visit palace of westminster

This post is about how to take a tour of the Houses of Parliament, as well as attend public debates. It covers security, dress codes, and other important tips.

And be sure to take one of our walking tours that cover the palace.

  • Where is the Palace of Westminster?
  • Public Tours
  • Attending Public Debates
  • Security and Dress Code
  • Things to Do in London
  • Other Royal Palaces
  • Big Ben Tours

HOW TO GET TO THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

Be sure to check out our tour of Westminster and read how to get into Westminster Abbey for free .

The Houses of Parliament is located entirely within the Palace of Westminster, in the City of Westminster on the western bank of the River Thames.

We recommend using this Google map for directions to the palace from anywhere in London.

How to get to the Palace of Westminster and the Houses of Parliament

Due to its central location, it is within walking distance to many popular London attractions (see green circles above).

The closest Underground station is Westminster, which is served by the Jubilee, Circle and District lines.

It is also near the Embankment station, which is also serviced by the Bakerloo and Northern lines.

Be sure to read our post on navigating the London Underground and choosing the right travel pass .

If you are considering using one of the hop-on-hop-off buses while you are in London, note that all have stops at the Palace of Westminster.

We have a post that compares all of the various bus tour options in London.

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT TOUR

One of the ways is to take a paid guided tour offered through the Houses of Parliament.

Reviews for this tour are mostly favorable, with an average of  4.5 out of 5 stars rating on TripAdvisor.

Some guests say that without a guided tour, you may feel overwhelmed by the amount of information that is on display. Many people note that the guides are very friendly and easy to understand.

Here is the information you need to know to plan your visit:

  • You can pre-book tickets online or purchase them on the same day from the Ticket Office in front of Portcullis House on Victoria Embankment. The Ticket Office is open on Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm, and Saturday from 8.45 am to 4.45 pm.
  • Guided tours run Saturdays until 28 October 2023 and also Monday to Friday between 24 July and 1 September 2023.
  • Guided tours in English start every 15 to 20 minutes throughout the day between 10:15 am and 3:45 pm.
  • Guided tours in French, German, Italian, and Spanish are offered every tour day but at set times.
  • Tours run about 1 hour and 30 minutes

Guided Tour Prices -

  • Adults: £32
  • Concessions (over 60s, students, members of the UK Armed Forces): £26
  • Children (5-15 years): £16
  • Children (under 5): Free, but will require a ticket for admission. ( Note : This tour is not recommended for young children due to the length of the tour and the amount of walking)
  • Disabled visitors: Standard prices as listed above (escorts have free entry but will require a ticket for admission)
  • Note: Residents of the UK can visit for free by writing to your MP to request a free tour which will be delivered by an ‘in-house’ Parliament guide.

For any other information visit the official  guided tour page for more information .

In addition to the guided tour provided by the Houses of Parliament, this company also offers exclusive access to the site on two separate tours.

Their main outing includes a tour of both the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, allowing you to see and learn about both landmarks at the same time with special access to each.

Alternatively, you may also want to consider their after-hours Houses of Parliament tour which makes it easy to avoid the crowds.

Houses of Parliament & Westminster Abbey Tour ( affiliate disclosure )

Note: The tour is currently unavailable as of March 2024.

  • £89/Adults, Students | £84/Children
  • Duration: 3 ½ – 4 hours
  • Hours: 9 am, 1:30 pm
  • Includes Westminster Abbey admission.
  • Includes Houses of Parliament admission.

Behind the Scenes After Hours Parliament Tour ( affiliate disclosure )

  • £59/Adults, Students | £55/Children
  • Duration: 2 hours
  • Hours: 4 pm
  • Includes after-hours Houses of Parliament admission.
  • Includes tour of the House of Commons.
  • Includes tour of the House of Lords.

Reviews for Take Walks are generally very positive, with most customers indicating they offer top-of-the-line tours.

Many guests feel that their guides are very knowledgeable and friendly, willing to answer any and all questions you may have.

Self-Guided Audio Tours

After years of offering guided tours of the palace, there is now an  audio tour available to the public .

Guests are provided with headphones and guided along the line route whilst listening to the history and current politics of the Houses of Parliament.

Important figures in Parliament help provide some of the commentaries on the audio guide so guests will get to listen to people such as Black Rod and the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Reviews on TripAdvisor indicate that these self-guided audio tours are pretty darn good.

Guests who enjoyed this tour suggest that it is the best option for those who wish to experience the Houses of Parliament at their own pace which is nice if you’re hoping to take your time.

  • Audio tours follow the same schedule as the guided tours above.
  • Audio tours last 75 minutes and are available in many languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin and Brazilian Portuguese, and Welsh.
  • There is also a separate audio guide aimed at children aged 7 - 12.

Audio Guide Tour Prices

  • Adults: £25
  • Concessions (over 60s, students, members of the UK Armed Forces): £18
  • Children (5-15 years): One child is free with each paying adult, but will require a ticket for admission, £8 for each additional child
  • Children (under 5): Free, but will require a ticket for admission
  • Click  here to book your tour of the Houses of Parliament!

If you can't make it to Parliament for a tour, then view the video clips below.

They cover tours of the House of Commons, and the House of Lords as well as parts of the Palace of Westminster, such as Westminster Hall.

Visit the Public Galleries for the Houses of Common and Lords For Free

For visitors who are interested in witnessing the world's oldest democratic body in action without the cost of a public tour, it is possible to do so by sitting in one or both of the public galleries.

All the legislative work of the Houses of Parliament takes place in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords - and both of these chambers have sections that are open to the public.

Video tour of the House of Commons.  Click here for a tour of the House of Lords .

The House of Commons Public Gallery is located behind bullet-proof glass and visitors are escorted up the back stairs of the House of Commons to sit on the balcony and observe the debates.

The House of Lords Public Gallery is also up a set of back stairs but this Gallery has no glass which means guests are actually sitting on a balcony inside the House of Lords itself.

Throughout both chambers, there are microphones built into the benches to bring the sound of the MPs and Lords working into the Galleries.

Sitting in the Galleries of both the Commons and the Lords is entirely free. In fact, taking in the debates is #3 on our list of top 10 free things to do in London .

London Travel Tips and Hacks

Access is only accessible when either House is in session.

When Parliament is not sitting, the Galleries are closed to the public and whenever Parliament is in session (even as late as 11:00 pm) guests are allowed inside.

Occasionally you may find that there is a queue to get in, and visitors are put into a first-come-first-serve system inside the Palace.

This is particularly true for Wednesday mornings when the Prime Minister addresses the House of Commons.

Visitor access to the galleries, while the Prime Minister is speaking, is limited to ticket holders only, who obtain their tickets by contacting their Member of Parliament.

For this reason, it's advisable for most to avoid visiting the galleries at this time.

To gain access, go to the main entrance at Cromwell Green (see map link and the image below) and speak to the Visitor Assistants (wearing gold and blue) outside, who will let you know if the Houses are in session, what they are debating, and how long the wait may be.

To find out which days Parliament will be sitting, simply visit their website to plan your trip: www.Parliament.uk

Also note: Children under 5 are not allowed into the Public Gallery and older children can be denied access if the doorkeepers feel this necessary.

SECURITY AND DRESS CODE

The visitor entry point to the Palace of Westminster is located at 3 St. Margaret's Street ( map ), just across from St. Margaret's Church.

The closest Underground Station is Westminster, which services the Jubilee, District, and Circle lines.

Visitor Entrance Palace of Westminster

Visitors coming to the Houses of Parliament - either for the tours or to attend the debates - are subject to tight security screening.

Described as "airport-style security" guests must pass through metal detectors and have all bags x-rayed and searched.

Guests will then have their photographs taken and issued a temporary pass which must be worn at all times and marks them out as visitors.

Certain items are restricted when visiting the Houses of Parliament and visitors should be aware that possession of these materials may see them prevented from entering.

In general, most lists of banned items on airplanes match with the list of banned items in Parliament. So sharp objects like scissors or blades of any sort are forbidden as are some aerosol sprays.

You can get more information on what's prohibited here.

Guests will also need to leave their belongings at the Doorkeepers before entering any of the Public Galleries as mobile phones, cameras, and any other personal effects are banned in the Galleries.

There is no dress code for the tour through the Palace of Westminster. Although we do recommend choosing inoffensive attire, you are pretty much free to wear whatever is comfortable.

Big Ben and Other Nearby Attractions

There is a lot to see in the area. We have a useful post on things to do in Westminster , but below are some of the highlights.

  • Trafalgar Square
  • Changing of the Guard
  • Buckingham Palace
  • 10 Downing Street
  • Westminster Abbey
  • The Churchill War Rooms
  • The Horse Guards
  • St. James's Palace

OUR TOURS THAT COVER THE PALACE

**Tip:   Come along on one of our  Westminster Tours !

The tour finishes at the Palace of Westminster and your guide will show you the facade of the Palace during your walk and will point you in the right direction for your visit to Parliament once the tour has finished.

On Saturdays, you can buy a ticket for a guided tour of the Palace.

During the week, your tour will finish in the perfect time for you to get a space in the Public Gallery.

Also, check out how to get into Westminster Abbey for free .

When it comes to ratings and reviews on TripAdvisor , it’s clear that a lot of guests have enjoyed our Westminster tour. Our London service rated 5 out of 5 stars.  

Reviewers mention that our guides are very friendly and informative, which is definitely an experience we strive to provide. One word keeps popping up more than any other among these reviews: historic.

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Palace of Westminster

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Take A Tour Of The Magnificent Palace Of Westminster This Autumn

This is a sponsored article on behalf of UK Parliament .

how to visit palace of westminster

Immerse yourself in political heritage this autumn and winter, with a tour of the Palace of Westminster, where you can learn about the history of UK Parliament.

Home to UK Parliament, the Palace consists of world-famous spaces including Westminster Hall, where the lying-in-state of Queen Elizabeth II took place last year, the House of Commons Chamber where PMQs take place, and Central Lobby — which you've almost certainly seen on the news.

There's a range of tours to choose from , all of which showcase the history, art, and architecture of the world-famous building, as well as giving you the lowdown on what happens in the Houses of Commons and Lords today.

how to visit palace of westminster

Take a guided tour led by an expert guide, or go at your own pace with a self-guided tour. Visit the Chambers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and explore medieval Westminster Hall, which has links to Guy Fawkes, King Charles I and Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, among others. On a self-guided tour, you can take your time to admire the impressive surroundings, which are further brought to life by video and audio stories on a multimedia device.

All eyes will be on the Palace of Westminster in the next couple of months, as history is made when King Charles III visits Parliament for his first State Opening as monarch on 7 November. As part of the tours, you can see the throne in the House of Lords' Chamber from where he'll make his speech, and follow in his footsteps through the ornate Royal Gallery.

how to visit palace of westminster

Looking for something truly special to do one Saturday this autumn, or during the Christmas holidays? Children's audio tours are available, suitable for all ages with special content for younger visitors, so the whole family can experience the Palace of Westminster together — and it'll give them something seriously unique to talk about in show-and-tell when they go back to school.

Oh, and don't forget to glance up at Big Ben while you're there — it's looking particularly shiny and spectacular after the recent six-year renovation project.

how to visit palace of westminster

Though it's a working building first and foremost, the Palace of Westminster is fully kitted out for day visitors. Finish off your trip browsing gifts and souvenirs at the Jubilee Shop, and with refreshments from the Jubilee Café.

All tours of the Palace of Westminster must be booked in advance as places are limited — you can book online . Guided tours are currently sold out until November 2023, but there's still availability for self-guided tours.

Last Updated 13 October 2023

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London Travel Guide

Westminster Palace

The UK Houses of Parliament, formally known as Westminster Palace, is one of the most iconic landmarks of London. A building with a rich history that is still in use today.

how to visit palace of westminster

The Palace of Westminster is a historical and political building in central London. It has been the home of the British Government for more than 300 years, and it housed England’s government for five centuries before that. Being the meeting place for the UK’s House of Commons and House of Lords, Westminster Palace is often referred to as the Houses of Parliament.

The Palace extends horizontally for almost 300 m (around 980 feet) over the River Thames. Nonetheless, the structure still appears elegant and slender. This is thanks to the vertical elevation given by the many windows, sleek lines, and the three main towers. They are the Victoria Tower (the tallest), the Central Tower (the shortest), and the Elizabeth Tower (the most famous, commonly referred to as Big Ben ).

Westminster Palace history

The building you see today is sometimes called the New Palace, as it was almost completely rebuilt after being destroyed in a fire in 1834. The Old Palace that stood in its place was a mediaeval complex, whose earliest parts had been built in the 11th century.

Up until the late mediaeval period, the Old Westminster Palace served as a residence for English Monarchs. In 1295, the first official Parliament of England met here, and a few hundred years later, starting in 1707, all British Parliaments have met at Westminster.

Today, the only remaining parts of the Old Palace are the Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower, the Undercroft Chapel, and the Cloisters and Chapter House of St Stephen’s. All other parts were rebuilt after 1835.

The New Westminster Palace was designed in Perpendicular Gothic style - a popular type of Late Gothic architecture - by architects Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin. Construction works were carried out for almost 35 years until 1870, when the building was finally completed.

Westminster Palace seen from the bridge

How can you go inside Westminster Palace?

Due to the Parliament’s strict security measures and the presence of high-profile figures, it is not possible to just wander inside Westminster Palace freely. There are a couple of different ways to visit the inside of the building. Some of them are free, others require tickets.

One is by taking part in a guided tour or talk, for which you’ll have to pay. Alternatively, if you prefer to be on your own, you can also watch a parliamentary debate or a committee meeting, or attend the Prime Minister’s Questions. You can also book a visit to the Archives, which does not require a guide. In the following sections, you can find all the info needed for your visit, including prices and exact instructions.

Our recommendations

If you are interested in the building’s history and architecture, you should book a guided tour. We particularly recommend combined tours of the Westminster Palace and Abbey, which are next to one another.

Without a guide you won’t learn much about the building and you will be confined to staying in the public galleries or the Archive.

how to visit palace of westminster

London SW1A 0AA, Westminster area.

Westminster Palace is located in the heart of the Westminster area, along the River Thames’ northern bank. At the Palace’s eastern end is the famous clocktower Big Ben and just a few yards behind them is Westminster Abbey .

The Westminster area is known for its concentration of landmarks, so just a few minutes away from the Houses of Parliament, you’ll find the London Eye (southern bank), and No. 10 Downing Street, where the British Prime Minister lives (just north of the Palace). Going west, past the Abbey, you’ll find St James’s Park and at its end Buckingham Palace .

Entries and price

as early as you can, as time slots are limited and tend to sell out quickly.

The price of an adult ticket for a guided tour is £29.00, but there are discounts available for young visitors, students, children, and visitors over the age of 60. Tickets for the Talks and Events go anywhere from £5.00 to £10.00, depending on the event. You can see all prices in the following table.

*Essential companions entering with a person with a disability of any age.**The cost of Talks and Events tickets varies depending on the event.

Additionally, visitors are also welcome to watch Parliament debates, PM’s questions , and committees . Debates and committee meetings are always free and do not require prior booking. To enter the public gallery from which you’ll be watching the debates and meetings, you should enter from the Cromwell Green gate.

. Remember that this last event is free but only available to UK residents.

During the week, the Palace of Westminster is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, but on Wednesdays, the schedule is reduced to 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. The palace is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. You can see the opening times summary below.

The Parliamentary Archives , found inside the Palace, are open during weekdays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The public galleries, from which you can watch parliamentary debates , are usually open Monday to Thursday.

Committee meetings usually take place on Monday afternoons, all day on Tuesday and Wednesday, and on Thursday mornings.

The Prime Minister’s questions are scheduled for a set time, just like the talks .

Westminster Palace being as central as it is, there are quite a few options to reach it. The one we recommend the most is to use the Underground and get off at Westminster . You can use Circle , District , or Jubilee lines to get here. You’ll find the stop just across the northern side of the building.

If you prefer to go by bus , there are quite a few lines you can use, the closest ones being 3, 11, 12, 87, 88, 148, 159, 211, and 453. They stop all around the Palace, except for the eastern side, since that is facing the Thames River.

You can find a summary of the public transport options in the table below.

Of course, you can also decide to get dropped off at Westminster Palace by a cab , but we don’t recommend that option, since taxis tend to be very expensive in London. The area is so central that you’ll have no problem reaching it with other means of transport anyway.

Nearby sights

Big Ben - right next to Westminster Palace, just north of it.

Westminster Abbey - right behind Westminster Palace, just west of it.

St James’s Park - 500 m (0.3 miles) west, 7-minute walk.

London Eye - 900 m (0.5 miles) northeast, 11-min walk just across the river.

Trafalgar Square - 1 km (0.6 miles) north, 13-minute walk.

Buckingham Palace - 1.3 km (0.8 miles) west, 17-minute walk, just past St. James’s Park.

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how to visit palace of westminster

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Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament)

The Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) with its distinctive clock tower is one of London’s most recognised attractions.

It is an impressive building that has been at the centre of English politics since the 11th century, although the current building’s construction dates back to the 19th century, and it was designed by the architect Charles Barry, who also designed Highclere Castle, the Manchester Art Gallery as well as the Reform Club, the Travellers Club and Trafalgar Square in London and also designed additions to Bowood House and Harewood House . The Houses of Parliament are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and represent a prime example of Victorian Gothic revival architecture.

What to see at the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament)

The neo-Gothic architecture of the building features intricate stone carvings, pointed arches, and stunning stained glass windows.

Parliament consists of several halls that include Westminster Hall, with a remarkably well-preserved wooden ceiling, and St Stephen’s Hall, which you pass through en route to the two debating chambers – the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

Elizabeth Tower is the building’s most well-known landmark. This clock tower is often referred to as Big Ben , although this term technically refers only to the largest of the five bells.

Dating back to the 11th century, Westminster Hall is one of the oldest parts of the Houses of Parliament. This large hall is steeped in history and has witnessed numerous historic events, including trials of prominent figures such as Sir Thomas More and Charles I. Its remarkable hammer-beam roof is an architectural masterpiece, and visitors can appreciate its immense scale when they stand within.

The House of Commons is one of the two houses of the UK Parliament, and it is where Members of Parliament (MPs) gather to debate and pass legislation. Visitors can observe the debates from public galleries when Parliament is in session. The green benches, the Speaker’s chair, and the despatch boxes are all emblematic elements of the House of Commons.

The House of Lords is the other house of Parliament and plays a role in reviewing and revising legislation proposed by the House of Commons. The decorum and traditions observed in the House of Lords are steeped in history, and visitors can watch debates and discussions from public galleries as well. The red benches and the ornate chamber create an atmosphere of tradition and solemnity.

The Central Lobby is the heart of the Houses of Parliament, connecting the House of Commons and the House of Lords. This grand circular space is adorned with statues of prominent historical figures and is often bustling with activity. It’s a place where Members of Parliament, peers, and the public converge, making it a hub of political discourse and interaction.

St Stephen’s Hall is a breathtaking space that serves as a museum within the Houses of Parliament. It showcases an impressive collection of statues, paintings, and historical artefacts related to British parliamentary history.

Visiting the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament)

Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) is located in the heart of Westminster on the banks of the River Thames, across from St Thomas Hospital. The closest tube station is Westminster (on the Circle, District and Jubilee lines), which is only a three-minute walk away.

It is conveniently located to other attractions in the Westminster area including Westminster Abbey , Jewel Tower , Churchill War Rooms , Banqueting House and Horse Guards Parade , which are all within a 10-minute walk. There is also a cluster of nearby attractions across Westminster Bridge including the Florence Nightingale Museum , the London Dungeon and the London Eye .

All visitors to the Houses of Parliament need to pass through an airport-style security checkpoint. You obviously can’t take anything that you wouldn’t be allowed to take on an aeroplane such as weapons or sharp objects, but then you shouldn’t be carrying these things around London with you anyway.

There are several options for visiting the Palace of Westminster. You can either take one of the self-guided audio tours or a guided tour or you can visit the public galleries to watch debates, committee meetings and Prime Minister’s (or Ministerial) Question Time.

Multimedia tours

Self-guided multimedia tours are the closest thing to independently visiting the Houses of Parliament are a slightly cheaper alternative to the more structured guided tours. These are essentially audio tours with additional features.

This option lets you visit the Commons Chamber and the Lords Chamber and the audio commentary gives you background information about the building’s history and the parliamentary process.

Multimedia tours cost £25, £18 for young people aged 16–24 and £8 for children aged 5–15 (although the first child accompanied by an adult is free). They operate on most weekdays when parliament is not in session and on Saturdays throughout the year.

Multimedia tours are available in English, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Welsh. There is also a family version of the English tour that offers a commentary more suitable for children aged 7–12. Screen-based versions of the audio tour are also available in British Sign Language (BSL) with English subtitles.

Visitors taking the multimedia tour can take their own pace but should generally allow around 90 minutes for their visit.

Guided tours

Guided tours of parliament are the best way to see inside the Palace of Westminster. These tours are highly recommended and are conducted by knowledgeable guides and last for 90 minutes.

Like the multimedia tours, the fully-guided tours take you to the Commons Chamber and the Lords Chamber and the guides give you background information about the building’s history and the parliamentary process. Another advantage of the guided tour is that the guides are very knowledgeable and are able to answer most questions that you may have.

Guided tours cost £32, £26 for young people aged 16–24 and £16 for children aged 5–15. They operate on most weekdays when parliament is not in session and on Saturdays throughout the year. Guided tours are available in English only.

There is also a guided tour of the State Apartments of Speaker’s House . This 75-minute guided tour lets you see parts of the Palace of Westminster where the Speaker lives and works including the Grand Staircase, the Crimson Drawing Room, the State Dining Room, and the State Bedroom. These tours cost £20 and £12 for young people aged 16–24.

If you are a UK resident you can also organise tours through your local Member of Parliament. The big advantage of these tours is that they are absolutely free, however demand is high and they often need to be pre-booked up to six months in advance and the tour has a slightly different route to the regular guided tour and these tours are shorter (75 minutes as opposed to 90 minutes).

There are also tours of Elizabeth Tower that let you get up close to Big Ben, although spaces are limited and demand is strong which means that you need to book these well in advance to score a spot on these tours. Elizabeth Tower tours cost £25 or £10 for children aged 11–17. You can read more about visiting Elizabeth Tower here .

Watching debates, committees and Question Time

When parliament is in session you may visit the Strangers Gallery of either the House of Commons or the House of Lords to witness parliamentary debate. The process of watching parliament in session will vary depending on what is in session when you are visiting; for instance, popular events such as Prime Minister’s Question Time will require advance booking while you can simply turn up for less popular events such as watching a committee meeting or general debate.

Prime Minister’s Question Time is the most popular event at parliament. This is held in the Commons Chambers at noon on Wednesdays when parliament is in session. In most instances you will need a ticket to attend. Although tickets are free, they are only issued to UK residents. Visitors from overseas, and UK residents without a ticket, may sometimes be able to attend if there is space in the gallery although this may involve queuing for 1–2 hours with no guarantee that you will get in. If you are a UK resident, you can book tickets through a Member of the House of Lords or through your local Member of Parliament.

Ministerial Question Time is the next most popular event and these take place daily when parliament is in session. This generally takes an hour in the House of Commons and half an hour in the House of Lords. Like Prime Minister’s Question Time, Ministerial Question Time is a ticketed event with UK residents being able to pre-book through their local Member of Parliament and visitors without tickets, including visitors from overseas, having the option to wait in a queue with a fairly decent chance that Question Time will be over by the time that they are able to get in.

You can watch debates Monday to Thursday and sometimes on Fridays in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. You don’t need tickets to watch debates, but you will usually need to queue so it is best to arrive early.

The House of Commons and House of Lords have select committees that the public can watch. These committees generally meet privately for a short period before opening to the public, which means that you will miss out on the first part of the meeting. Tickets aren’t required to attend committees and you can simply turn on on the day, although you should arrive early and allow enough time to queue before the meeting.

Rather than simply turning up to watch a random debate or committee, it is best to first check the parliamentary calendar to find a debate or committee that you will find interesting.

You should enter via the Cromwell Green entrance if you are visiting to watch a debate, committee or Question Time. If you are visiting to attend Question Time, a debate or a committee meeting, staff inside the Palace of Westminster are on hand to help you find the correct queue and they can also let you know how long you can expect to wait.

  • Wheelchair access
  • Guided tours (paid)
  • Audio tour (paid)

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Palace of Westminster

Palace of Westminster - britishheritage.org

***TOO LONG***The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parliament after its occupants, the Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster, in central London, England.

Its name, which derives from the neighbouring Westminster Abbey, may refer to several historic structures but most often: the Old Palace, a medieval building-complex largely destroyed by fire in 1834, or its replacement, the New Palace that stands today. The palace is owned by the monarch in right of the Crown and, for ceremonial purposes, retains its original status as a royal residence. Committees appointed by both houses manage the building and report to the Speaker of the House of Commons and to the Lord Speaker.

The first royal palace constructed on the site dated from the 11th century, and Westminster became the primary residence of the Kings of England until fire destroyed the royal apartments in 1512 (after which, the nearby Palace of Whitehall was established). The remainder of Westminster continued to serve as the home of the Parliament of England, which had met there since the 13th century, and also as the seat of the Royal Courts of Justice, based in and around Westminster Hall. In 1834 an even greater fire ravaged the heavily rebuilt Houses of Parliament, and the only significant medieval structures to survive were Westminster Hall, the Cloisters of St Stephen's, the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft, and the Jewel Tower.

In the subsequent competition for the reconstruction of the Palace, the architect Charles Barry won with a design for new buildings in the Gothic Revival style, specifically inspired by the English Perpendicular Gothic style of the 14th–16th centuries. The remains of the Old Palace (except the detached Jewel Tower) were incorporated into its much larger replacement, which contains over 1,100 rooms organised symmetrically around two series of courtyards and which has a floor area of 112,476 m2 (1,210,680 sq ft). Part of the New Palace's area of 3.24 hectares (8 acres) was reclaimed from the River Thames, which is the setting of its nearly 300-metre long (980 ft) façade, called the River Front. Augustus Pugin, a leading authority on Gothic architecture and style, assisted Barry and designed the interior of the Palace. Christian themes were integrated into the design. Construction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years, suffering great delays and cost overruns, as well as the death of both leading architects; works for the interior decoration continued intermittently well into the 20th century. Major conservation work has taken place since then to reverse the effects of London's air pollution, and extensive repairs followed the Second World War, including the reconstruction of the Commons Chamber following its bombing in 1941.

The Palace is one of the centres of political life in the United Kingdom; "Westminster" has become a metonym for the UK Parliament and the British Government, and the Westminster system of government commemorates the name of the palace. The Elizabeth Tower, in particular, often referred to by the name of its main bell, Big Ben, has become an iconic landmark of London and of the United Kingdom in general, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, and an emblem of parliamentary democracy. Tsar Nicholas I of Russia called the new palace "a dream in stone". The Palace of Westminster has been a Grade I listed building since 1970 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

The site of the Palace of Westminster was strategically important during the Middle Ages, as it was located on the banks of the River Thames. Known in medieval times as Thorney Island, the site may have been first-used for a royal residence by Canute the Great during his reign from 1016 to 1035. St Edward the Confessor, the penultimate Anglo-Saxon monarch of England, built a royal palace on Thorney Island just west of the City of London at about the same time as he built (1045–1050) Westminster Abbey. Thorney Island and the surrounding area soon became known as Westminster (from the words west and minster). Neither the buildings used by the Anglo-Saxons nor those used by William I (r. 1066–1087) survive. The oldest existing part of the Palace (Westminster Hall) dates from the reign of William I's successor, King William II (r. 1087–1100).

The Palace of Westminster functioned as the English monarchs' principal residence in the late Medieval period. The predecessors of Parliament, the Witenagemot and the Curia Regis, met in Westminster Hall (although they followed the King when he moved to other palaces). Simon de Montfort's Parliament, the first to include representatives of the major towns, met at the Palace in 1265. The "Model Parliament", the first official Parliament of England, met there in 1295, and almost all subsequent English Parliaments and then, after 1707, all British Parliaments have met at the Palace.

In 1512, during the early years of the reign of King Henry VIII, fire destroyed the royal residential ("privy") area of the palace. In 1534 Henry VIII acquired York Place from Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, a powerful minister who had lost the King's favour. Renaming it the Palace of Whitehall, Henry used it as his principal residence. Although Westminster officially remained a royal palace, it was used by the two Houses of Parliament and by the various royal law courts.

Being originally a royal residence, the Palace included no purpose-built chambers for the two Houses. Important state ceremonies took place in the Painted Chamber – originally built in the 13th century as the main bedchamber for King Henry III (r. 1216–1270). In 1801 the Upper House moved into the larger White Chamber (also known as the Lesser Hall), which had housed the Court of Requests; the expansion of the peerage by King George III during the first ministry (1783–1801) of William Pitt the Younger, along with the imminent Act of Union with Ireland, necessitated the move, as the original chamber could not accommodate the increased number of peers.

The House of Commons, which did not have a chamber of its own, sometimes held its debates in the Chapter House of Westminster Abbey. The Commons acquired a permanent home at the Palace in St Stephen's Chapel, the former chapel of the royal palace, during the reign of Edward VI (r. 1547–1553). In 1547 the building became available for the Commons' use following the disbanding of St Stephen's College. Alterations were made to St Stephen's Chapel over the following three centuries for the convenience of the lower House, gradually destroying, or covering up, its original mediaeval appearance. A major renovation project undertaken by Christopher Wren in the late-17th century completely redesigned the building's interior.

The Palace of Westminster as a whole underwent significant alterations from the 18th century onwards, as Parliament struggled to carry out its business in the limited available space of ageing buildings. Calls for an entirely new palace went unheeded – instead more buildings of varying quality and style were added. A new west façade, known as the Stone Building, facing onto St Margaret's Street, was designed by John Vardy and built in the Palladian style between 1755 and 1770, providing more space for document storage and for committee rooms. The House of Commons and House of Lords Engrossing Office of Henry (Robert) Gunnell (1724–1794) and Edward Barwell was on the lower floor beside the corner tower at the west side of Vardy's western façade. It was here where the Tax Laws for the American Colonies were put together. A new official residence for the Speaker of the House of Commons was built adjoining St Stephen's Chapel and completed in 1795. The neo-Gothic architect James Wyatt carried out works both on the House of Lords and on the House of Commons between 1799 and 1801, including alterations to the exterior of St Stephen's Chapel and a much-derided new neo-Gothic building (referred to by Wyatt's critics as "The Cotton Mill") adjoining the House of Lords and facing onto Old Palace Yard.

Sir John Soane substantially remodelled the palace complex between 1824 and 1827. The medieval House of Lords chamber, which had been the target of the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, was demolished as part of this work in order to build a new Royal Gallery and a ceremonial entrance at the southern end of the palace. Soane's work at the palace also included new library facilities for both Houses of Parliament and new law courts for the Chancery and King's Bench. Soane's alterations caused controversy owing to his use of neo-classical architectural styles, seen as conflicting with the Gothic style of the original buildings.

On 16 October 1834, a fire broke out in the Palace after an overheated stove used to destroy the Exchequer's stockpile of tally sticks set fire to the House of Lords Chamber. In the resulting conflagration both Houses of Parliament were destroyed, along with most of the other buildings in the palace complex. Westminster Hall was saved thanks to fire-fighting efforts and a change in the direction of the wind. The Jewel Tower, the Undercroft Chapel and the Cloisters and Chapter House of St Stephen's were the only other parts of the Palace to survive.

Immediately after the fire, King William IV offered the almost-completed Buckingham Palace to Parliament, hoping to dispose of a residence he disliked. The building was considered unsuitable for parliamentary use, however, and the gift was rejected. Proposals to move to Charing Cross or St James's Park had a similar fate; the allure of tradition and the historical and political associations of Westminster proved too strong for relocation, despite the deficiencies of that site. In the meantime, the immediate priority was to provide accommodation for the next Parliament, and so the Painted Chamber and White Chamber were hastily repaired for temporary use.

In 1835, following that year's General Election, the King permitted Parliament to make "plans for [its] permanent accommodation". Each house created a committee and a public debate over the proposed styles ensued.

The Lords Chamber was completed in 1847, and the Commons Chamber in 1852 (at which point architect Charles Barry received a knighthood). Although most of the work had been carried out by 1860, construction was not finished until a decade afterwards.

Recent history

During the Second World War (see The Blitz), the Palace of Westminster was hit by bombs on fourteen separate occasions. One bomb fell into Old Palace Yard on 26 September 1940 and severely damaged the south wall of St Stephen's Porch and the west front. The statue of Richard the Lionheart was lifted from its pedestal by the force of the blast, and its upheld sword bent, an image that was used as a symbol of the strength of democracy, "which would bend but not break under attack".

The worst raid took place in the night of 10–11 May 1941, when the Palace took at least twelve hits and three people (two policemen and Resident Superintendent of the House of Lords Edward Elliott) were killed. An incendiary bomb hit the chamber of the House of Commons and set it on fire; another set the roof of Westminster Hall alight. The firefighters could not save both, and a decision was taken to try to rescue the Hall. In this they were successful; the abandoned Commons Chamber, on the other hand, was destroyed, as was the Members' Lobby. A bomb also struck the Lords Chamber, but went through the floor without exploding. The Clock Tower took a hit by a small bomb or anti-aircraft shell at the eaves of the roof, suffering much damage there. All the glass on the south dial was blown out, but the hands and bells were not affected, and the Great Clock continued to keep time accurately.

Following the destruction of the Commons Chamber, the Lords offered their own debating chamber for the use of the Commons; for their own sittings, the Queen's Robing Room was converted into a makeshift chamber. The Commons Chamber was rebuilt after the war under the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, in a simplified version of the old chamber's style. The work was undertaken by John Mowlem & Co., and construction lasted until 1950. The Lords Chamber was then renovated over the ensuing months; the Lords re-occupied it in May 1951.

As the need for office space in the Palace increased, Parliament acquired office space in the nearby Norman Shaw Building in 1975, and in the custom-built Portcullis House, completed in 2000. This increase has enabled all Members of Parliament (MP) to have their own office facilities.

The Palace of Westminster, which is a Grade 1 listed building, is in urgent need of extensive restoration to its fabric. A 2012 pre-feasibility report set out several options, including the possibility of Parliament moving to other premises while work is carried out. At the same time, the option of moving Parliament to a new location was discounted, with staying at the Westminster site preferred. An Independent Options Appraisal Report released in June 2015 found that the cost to restore the Palace of Westminster could be as much as £7.1 billion if MPs were to remain at the Palace whilst works take place. MPs decided in 2016 to vacate the building for six years starting in 2022. In January 2018, the House of Commons voted for both houses to vacate the Palace of Westminster to allow for a complete refurbishment of the building which may take up to six years starting in 2025. It is expected that the House of Commons will be temporarily housed in a replica chamber to be located in Richmond House in Whitehall and the House of Lords will be housed at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Parliament Square.

Sir Charles Barry's collaborative design for the Palace of Westminster uses the Perpendicular Gothic style, which was popular during the 15th century and returned during the Gothic revival of the 19th century. Barry was a classical architect, but he was aided by the Gothic architect Augustus Pugin. Westminster Hall, which was built in the 11th century and survived the fire of 1834, was incorporated in Barry's design. Pugin was displeased with the result of the work, especially with the symmetrical layout designed by Barry; he famously remarked, "All Grecian, sir; Tudor details on a classic body".

In 1839 Charles Barry toured Britain, looking at quarries and buildings, with a committee which included two leading geologists and a stonecarver. They selected Anston, a sand-coloured magnesian limestone quarried in the villages of Anston, South Yorkshire and Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire. Two quarries were chosen from a list of 102, with the majority of the stone coming from the former. A crucial consideration was transportation, achieved on water via the Chesterfield Canal, the North Sea, and the rivers Trent and Thames. Furthermore, Anston was cheaper, and "could be supplied in blocks up to four feet thick and lent itself to elaborate carving".

Barry's New Palace of Westminster was rebuilt using the sandy-coloured Anston limestone. However, the stone soon began to decay due to pollution and the poor quality of some of the stone used. Although such defects were clear as early as 1849, nothing was done for the remainder of the 19th century even after much studying. During the 1910s, however, it became clear that some of the stonework had to be replaced. In 1928 it was deemed necessary to use Clipsham stone, a honey-coloured limestone from Rutland, to replace the decayed Anston. The project began in the 1930s but was halted by the outbreak of the Second World War, and completed only during the 1950s. By the 1960s pollution had again begun to take its toll. A stone conservation and restoration programme to the external elevations and towers began in 1981, and ended in 1994.

As of October 2012, the north wall of Westminster Hall is undergoing restoration. The restoration of the inner courtyards is also ongoing. As of April 2012, four have been completed, including the two largest (Speaker's Court and Royal Court); the rest are scheduled to be completed by October 2016.[needs update]

The Palace of Westminster has three main towers. Of these, the largest and tallest is the 98.5-metre (323 ft)Victoria Tower, which occupies the south-western corner of the Palace. Originally named "The King's Tower" because the fire of 1834 which destroyed the old Palace of Westminster occurred during the reign of King William IV, the tower was an integral part of Barry's original design, of which he intended it to be the most memorable element. The architect conceived the great square tower as the keep of a legislative "castle" (echoing his selection of the portcullis as his identifying mark in the planning competition), and used it as the royal entrance to the Palace and as a fireproof repository for the archives of Parliament. The Victoria Tower was re-designed several times, and its height increased progressively; upon its completion in 1858, it was the tallest secular building in the world.

At the base of the tower is the Sovereign's Entrance, used by the monarch whenever entering the Palace to open Parliament or for other state occasions. The 15 m (49 ft) high archway is richly decorated with sculptures, including statues of Saints George, Andrew and Patrick, as well as of Queen Victoria herself. The main body of the Victoria Tower houses the three million documents of the Parliamentary Archives in 8.8 kilometres (5.5 mi) of steel shelves spread over 12 floors; these include the master copies of all Acts of Parliament since 1497, and important manuscripts such as the original Bill of Rights and the death warrant of King Charles I. At the top of the cast-iron pyramidal roof is a 22 m (72 ft) flagstaff, from which flies the Royal Standard (the monarch's personal flag) when the Sovereign is present in the Palace. On all other days the Union Flag flies from the mast.

At the north end of the Palace rises the most famous of the towers, Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben. At 96 metres (315 ft), it is only slightly shorter than Victoria Tower but much slimmer. Originally known simply as the Clock Tower (the name Elizabeth Tower was conferred on it in 2012 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II), it houses the Great Clock of Westminster, built by Edward John Dent on designs by amateur horologist Edmund Beckett Denison. Striking the hour to within a second of the time, the Great Clock achieved standards of accuracy considered impossible by 19th-century clockmakers, and it has remained consistently reliable since it entered service in 1859. The time is shown on four dials 7 metres (23 ft) in diameter, which are made of milk glass and are lit from behind at night; the hour hand is 2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in) long and the minute hand 4.3 metres (14 ft). The Clock Tower was designed by Augustus Pugin and built after his death. Charles Barry asked Pugin to design the clock tower because Pugin had previously helped Barry design the Palace.

In a 2012 BBC Four documentary, Richard Taylor gives a description of Pugin's Clock Tower:

Five bells hang in the belfry above the clock. The four quarter bells strike the Westminster Chimes every quarter-hour. The largest bell strikes the hours; officially called The Great Bell of Westminster, it is generally referred to as Big Ben, a nickname of uncertain origins which, over time, has been colloquially applied to the whole tower. The first bell to bear this name cracked during testing and was recast; the present bell later developed a crack of its own, which gives it a distinctive sound. It is the third-heaviest bell in Britain, weighing 13.8 tonnes. In the lantern at the top of Elizabeth Tower is the Ayrton Light, which is lit when either House of Parliament is sitting after dark. It was installed in 1885 at the request of Queen Victoria—so that she could see from Buckingham Palace whether the members were "at work"—and named after Acton Smee Ayrton, who was First Commissioner of Works in the 1870s.

The shortest of the Palace's three principal towers (at 91 metres (299 ft)), the octagonal Central Tower stands over the middle of the building, immediately above the Central Lobby. It was added to the plans on the insistence of Dr. David Boswell Reid, who was in charge of the ventilation of the new Houses of Parliament: his plan called for a great central chimney through which what he called "vitiated air" would be drawn out of the building with the heat and smoke of about four hundred fires around the Palace. To accommodate the tower, Barry was forced to lower the lofty ceiling he had planned for the Central Lobby and reduce the height of its windows; however, the tower itself proved to be an opportunity to improve the Palace's exterior design, and Barry chose for it the form of a spire in order to balance the effect of the more massive lateral towers. In the end, the Central Tower failed completely to fulfill its stated purpose, but it is notable as "the first occasion when mechanical services had a real influence on architectural design".

Apart from the pinnacles which rise from between the window bays along the fronts of the Palace, numerous turrets enliven the building's skyline. Like the Central Tower, these have been added for practical reasons, and mask ventilation shafts.

There are some other features of the Palace of Westminster which are also known as towers. St Stephen's Tower is positioned in the middle of the west front of the Palace, between Westminster Hall and Old Palace Yard, and houses the public entrance to the Houses of Parliament, known as St Stephen's Entrance. The pavilions at the northern and southern ends of the river front are called Speaker's Tower and Chancellor's Tower respectively, after the presiding officers of the two Houses at the time of the Palace's reconstruction—the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Chancellor. Speaker's Tower contains Speaker's House, the official residence of the Speaker of the Commons.

There are a number of small gardens surrounding the Palace of Westminster. Victoria Tower Gardens is open as a public park along the side of the river south of the palace. Black Rod's Garden (named after the office of Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod) is closed to the public and is used as a private entrance. Old Palace Yard, in front of the Palace, is paved over and covered in concrete security blocks (see security below). Cromwell Green (also on the frontage, and in 2006 enclosed by hoardings for the construction of a new visitor centre), New Palace Yard (on the north side) and Speaker's Green (directly north of the Palace) are all private and closed to the public. College Green, opposite the House of Lords, is a small triangular green commonly used for television interviews with politicians.

The Palace of Westminster contains over 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases and 4.8 kilometres (3 mi) of passageways, which are spread over four floors. The ground floor is occupied by offices, dining rooms and bars; the first floor (known as the principal floor) houses the main rooms of the Palace, including the debating chambers, the lobbies and the libraries. The top-two floors are used as committee rooms and offices.

Some of the interiors were designed and painted by J. G. Crace, working in collaboration with Pugin and others. For example, Crace decorated and gilded the ceiling of the Chapel of St. Mary Undercroft.

Instead of one main entrance, the Palace features separate entrances for the different user groups of the building. The Sovereign's Entrance, at the base of the Victoria Tower, is located in the south-west corner of the Palace and is the starting point of the royal procession route, the suite of ceremonial rooms used by the monarch at State Openings of Parliament. This consists of the Royal Staircase, the Norman Porch, the Robing Room, the Royal Gallery and the Prince's Chamber, and culminates in the Lords Chamber, where the ceremony takes place. Members of the House of Lords use the Peers' Entrance in the middle of the Old Palace Yard front, which is covered by a stone carriage porch and opens to an entrance hall. A staircase from there leads, through a corridor, to the Prince's Chamber.

Members of Parliament enter their part of the building from the Members' Entrance in the south side of New Palace Yard. Their route passes through a cloakroom in the lower level of the Cloisters and eventually reaches the Members' Lobby directly south of the Commons Chamber. From New Palace Yard, access can also be gained to the Speaker's Court and the main entrance of the Speaker's House, located in the pavilion at the north-east corner of the Palace

St Stephen's Entrance, roughly in the middle of the building's western front, is the entrance for members of the public. From there, visitors walk through a flight of stairs to St Stephen's Hall, location of a collection of marbles, which includes SomersMansfield,Hampden,Walpole,Pitt and Fox. Traversal of this hallway brings them to the octagonal Central Lobby, the hub of the Palace. This hall is flanked by symmetrical corridors decorated with fresco paintings, which lead to the ante-rooms and debating chambers of the two Houses: the Members' Lobby and Commons Chamber to the north, and the Peers' Lobby and Lords Chamber to the south. Another mural-lined corridor leads east to the Lower Waiting Hall and the staircase to the first floor, where the river front is occupied by a row of 16 committee rooms. Directly below them, the libraries of the two Houses overlook the Thames from the principal floor.

Norman Porch

The grandest entrance to the Palace of Westminster is the Sovereign's Entrance beneath the Victoria Tower. It was designed for the use of the monarch, who travels from Buckingham Palace by carriage every year for the State Opening of Parliament. The Imperial State Crown, which is worn by the sovereign for the ceremony, as well as the Cap of Maintenance and the Sword of State, which are symbols of royal authority and are borne before the monarch during the procession, also travel to the Palace by coach, accompanied by members of the Royal Household; the regalia, as they are collectively known, arrive some time before the monarch and are exhibited in the Royal Gallery until they are needed. The Sovereign's Entrance is also the formal entrance used by visiting dignitaries, as well as the starting point of public tours of the Palace.

From there, the Royal Staircase leads up to the principal floor with a broad, unbroken flight of 26 steps made of grey granite. It is lined on state occasions by sword-wielding troopers of the two regiments of the Household Cavalry, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals; these are the only troops allowed to bear arms inside the Palace of Westminster, which officially remains a royal residence.

The staircase is followed by the Norman Porch, a square landing distinguished by its central clustered column and the intricate ceiling it supports, which is made up of four groin vaults with lierne ribs and carved bosses. The Porch was named for its proposed decorative scheme, based on Norman history. In the event, neither the planned statues of Norman kings nor the frescoes were executed, and only the stained-glass window portraying Edward the Confessor hints at this theme. Queen Victoria is depicted twice in the room: as a young woman in the other stained-glass window, and near the end of her life, sitting on the throne of the House of Lords, in a copy of a 1900 painting by Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant which hangs on the eastern wall. The sixteen plinths intended for the statues now house busts of prime ministers who have sat in the House of Lords, such as the Earl Grey and the Marquess of Salisbury. A double door opposite the stairs leads to the Royal Gallery, and another to the right opens to the Robing Room.

The Queen's Robing Room (usually referred to simply as "the Robing Room") lies at the southern end of the ceremonial axis of the Palace and occupies the centre of the building's south front, overlooking the Victoria Tower Gardens. As its name indicates, it is where the Sovereign prepares for the State Opening of Parliament by donning official robes and wearing the Imperial State Crown. The focus of this richly decorated room is the Chair of State; it sits on a dais of three steps, under a canopy adorned with the arms and floral emblems of England, Scotland and Ireland. A panel of purple velvet forms the backdrop to the chair, embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework with the royal arms, surrounded by stars and VR monograms. Edward Barry designed both the chair—the cushion and back of which are also embroidered—and the ornate marble fireplace across the room, which features gilded statuettes of Saint George and Saint Michael.

The decorative theme of the room is the legend of King Arthur, considered by many Victorians the source of their nationhood. Five frescos painted by William Dyce between 1848 and 1864 cover the walls, depicting allegorical scenes from the legend. Each scene represents a chivalric virtue; the largest, between the two doors, is entitled Admission of Sir Tristram to the Round Table and illustrates the virtue of Hospitality. Seven were originally commissioned but the remaining two paintings were not carried out due to the artist's death, and on the wallpapered panels flanking the Chair of State hang oil portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. Other decorations in the room are also inspired by the Arthurian legend, namely a series of 18 bas-reliefs beneath the paintings, carved in oak by Henry Hugh Armstead, and the frieze running below the ceiling, which displays the attributed coats of arms of the Knights of the Round Table. The ceiling itself is decorated with heraldic badges, as is the border of the wooden floor—which, as can be seen in the adjacent image, is left exposed by the carpeting.

The Robing Room was also briefly used as the House of Lords' meeting chamber while the House of Lords Chamber was occupied by the House of Commons, whose chamber had been destroyed by the Blitz in 1941.

Immediately north of the Robing Room is the Royal Gallery. At 33.5 by 13.7 metres (110 by 45 ft), it is one of the largest rooms in the Palace. Its main purpose is to serve as the stage of the royal procession at State Openings of Parliament, which the audience watch from temporary tiered seating on both sides of the route. It has also been used on occasion by visiting statesmen from abroad when addressing both Houses of Parliament, as well as for receptions in honour of foreign dignitaries, and more regularly for the Lord Chancellor's Breakfast; in the past it was the theatre of several trials of peers by the House of Lords. Documents from the Parliamentary Archives are on display in the Royal Gallery (including a facsimile of Charles I's death warrant), and the tables and seating offer a workspace for members of the Lords that is conveniently close to their debating chamber.

The decorative scheme of the Royal Gallery was meant to display important moments in British military history, and the walls are decorated by two large paintings by Daniel Maclise, each measuring 13.7 by 3.7 metres (45 by 12 ft): The Death of Nelson (depicting Lord Nelson's demise at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805) and The Meeting of Wellington and Blücher after the Battle of Waterloo (showing the Duke of Wellington meeting Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815). The murals deteriorated rapidly after their completion due to a range of factors, most importantly atmospheric pollution, and today they are almost monochrome. The rest of the planned frescos were cancelled, and the walls are filled with portraits of kings and queens from George I onwards. Another decorative element with military undertones are the eight statues of gilded Caen stone that flank the three doorways and the bay window of the Gallery, sculpted by John Birnie Philip. Each depicts a monarch during whose reign a key battle or war took place. They are: Alfred the Great and William the Conqueror; Richard I and Edward III; Henry V and Elizabeth I; William III and Anne. The panelled ceiling, 13.7 metres (45 ft) above the floor, features Tudor roses and lions, and the stained-glass windows show the coats of arms of the Kings of England and Scotland.

The Prince's Chamber is a small anteroom between the Royal Gallery and the Lords Chamber, named after the room adjoining the Parliament Chamber in the Old Palace of Westminster. Thanks to its location, it is a place where members of the Lords meet to discuss business of the House. Several doors lead out of the room, to the division lobbies of the House of Lords and to a number of important offices.

The theme of the Prince's Chamber is Tudor history, and 28 oil portraits painted on panels around the room depict members of the Tudor dynasty. They are the work of Richard Burchett and his pupils, and their creation entailed extensive research, which contributed to the founding of the National Portrait Gallery in 1856. 12 bronze bas-reliefs are set into the wall below the portraits, executed by William Theed in 1855–1857. Scenes included are The Field of the Cloth of Gold, The Escape of Mary, Queen of Scots and Raleigh Spreading His Cloak As a Carpet for the Queen. Above the portraits, at window level, there are compartments intended for copies of six of the ten Armada tapestries, which hung in the chamber of the House of Lords until their destruction in the 1834 fire and depicted the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The project was put on hold in 1861 (by which time only one painting had been completed), and was not revived until 2007; as of August 2010, all six paintings have been finished and are on display in the Royal Gallery. They are scheduled to be fixed in the Prince's Chamber in the following months.[needs update]

The room also contains a statue of Queen Victoria, seated on a throne (itself placed on a pedestal) and holding a sceptre and a laurel crown, which show that she both governs and rules. This figure is flanked by allegorical statues of Justice and Clemency—the former with a bare sword and an inflexible expression and the latter showing sympathy and offering an olive branch. The sculptural ensemble, made of white marble and carved by John Gibson in 1855, reaches 2.44 metres (8 ft) in height; its size has long been considered out of proportion with the fittings of the Prince's Chamber, and the flanking statues ended up in storage between 1955 and 1976. However, the size and location of the group, in the archway opposite the doors to the Royal Gallery (which are removed before State Openings of Parliament to facilitate the royal procession), indicate that it was meant to be seen from a distance, and to symbolically remind the monarch of their royal duties as they would walk down the Royal Gallery on their way to deliver their speech.

The Chamber of the House of Lords is located in the southern part of the Palace of Westminster. The lavishly decorated room measures 13.7 by 24.4 metres (45 by 80 ft). The benches in the Chamber, as well as other furnishings in the Lords' side of the Palace, are coloured red. The upper part of the Chamber is decorated by stained glass windows and by six allegorical frescoes representing religion, chivalry and law.

At the south end of the Chamber are the ornate gold Canopy and Throne; although the Sovereign may theoretically occupy the Throne during any sitting, he or she attends only the State Opening of Parliament. Other members of the Royal Family who attend the State Opening use Chairs of State next to the Throne, and peers' sons are always entitled to sit on the steps of the Throne. In front of the Throne is the Woolsack, an armless red cushion stuffed with wool, representing the historical importance of the wool trade, and used by the officer presiding over the House (the Lord Speaker since 2006, but historically the Lord Chancellor or a deputy). The House's mace, which represents royal authority, is placed on the back of the Woolsack. In front of the Woolsack is the Judges' Woolsack, a larger red cushion that used to be occupied during the State Opening by the Law Lords (who were members of the House of Lords), and prospectively by the Supreme Court Justices and other Judges (whether or not members), to represent the Judicial Branch of Government. The Table of the House, at which the clerks sit, is in front.

Members of the House occupy red benches on three sides of the Chamber. The benches on the Lord Speaker's right form the Spiritual Side and those to his left form the Temporal Side. The Lords Spiritual (archbishops and bishops of the established Church of England) all occupy the Spiritual Side. The Lords Temporal (nobles) sit according to party affiliation: members of the Government party sit on the Spiritual Side, while those of the Opposition sit on the Temporal Side. Some peers, who have no party affiliation, sit on the benches in the middle of the House opposite the Woolsack; they are accordingly known as crossbenchers.

The Lords Chamber is the site of nationally televised ceremonies, the most important of which is the State Opening of Parliament, which is held formally to open each annual parliamentary session, either after a General Election or in the autumn. At this occasion every constitutional element of the government is represented: the Crown (both literally, and figuratively in the person of the Sovereign), The Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and The Commons, (who together form the Legislature), the Judiciary (although no judges are members of either House of Parliament), and the Executive (both Government Ministers, and ceremonial military units in attendance on the Sovereign); and a large number of guests are invited to attend in the large Royal Gallery immediately outside the Chamber. The Sovereign, seated on the Throne, delivers the Speech from the Throne, outlining the Government's programme for the year and legislative agenda for the forthcoming parliamentary session. The Commons may not enter the Lords' debating floor; instead, they watch the proceedings from beyond the Bar of the House, just inside the door. A small purely formal ceremony is held to end each parliamentary session, when the Sovereign is merely represented by a group of Lords Commissioners.

Following the Blitz, which destroyed the chamber of the House of Commons, the Lords' chamber was occupied by the Commons. The Lords temporarily used the Robing Room during the reconstruction. The State Opening Of Parliament was carried out as normal, with the new rooms being used. Evidence can still be seen of this today, with damage clearly visible on one of the doors where they were struck by Black Rod.

Peers' Lobby

Directly north of the Lords Chamber lies the Peers' Lobby, an antechamber where Lords can informally discuss or negotiate matters during sittings of the House, as well as collect messages from the doorkeepers, who control access to the Chamber. The Lobby is a square room measuring 12 metres (39 ft) on each side and 10 metres (33 ft) in height, and one of its main features is the floor centrepiece, a radiant Tudor rose made of Derbyshire marbles and set within an octagon of engraved brass plates. The rest of the floor is paved with encaustic tiles featuring heraldic designs and Latin mottoes. The walls are faced with white stone and each is pierced by a doorway; above the arches are displayed arms representing the six royal dynasties which ruled England until Queen Victoria's reign (Saxon, Norman, Plantagenet, Tudor, Stuart and Hanoverian), and between them there are windows stained with the arms of the early aristocratic families of England.

Of the doorways, the one to the south—which leads into the Lords Chamber—is the most magnificent, and sports much gilding and decoration, including the full royal arms. It is enclosed by the Brass Gates, a pair of elaborately pierced and studded doors together weighing 1.5 tonnes. The side doors, which feature clocks, open into corridors: to the east extends the Law Lords Corridor, which leads to the libraries, and nearby to the west lies the Moses Room, used for Grand Committees.

To the north is the vaulted Peers' Corridor, which is decorated with eight murals by Charles West Cope depicting historical scenes from the period around the English Civil War. The frescoes were executed between 1856 and 1866, and each scene was "specifically chosen to depict the struggles through which national liberties were won". Examples include Speaker Lenthall Asserting the Privileges of the Commons Against Charles I when the Attempt was Made to Seize the Five Members, representing resistance against absolute rule, and The Embarkation of the Pilgrim Fathers for New England, which illustrates the principle of freedom of worship.

Originally named "Octagon Hall" because of its shape, the Central Lobby is the heart of the Palace of Westminster. It lies directly below the Central Tower and forms a busy crossroads between the House of Lords to the south, the House of Commons to the north, St Stephen's Hall and the public entrance to the west, and the Lower Waiting Hall and the libraries to the east. Its location halfway between the two debating chambers has led constitutional theorist Erskine May to describe the Lobby as "the political centre of the British Empire", and allows a person standing under the great chandelier to see both the Royal Throne and the Speaker's Chair, provided that all the intervening doors are open. Constituents may meet their Members of Parliament here, even without an appointment, and this practice is the origin of the term lobbying. The hall is also the theatre of the Speaker's Procession, which passes from here on its way to the Commons Chamber before every sitting of the House.

The Central Lobby measures 18 metres (59 ft) across and 23 metres (75 ft) from the floor to the centre of the vaulted ceiling. The panels between the vault's ribs are covered with Venetian glass mosaic displaying floral emblems and heraldic badges, and the bosses in the intersections of the ribs are also carved into heraldic symbols. Each wall of the Lobby is contained in an arch ornamented with statues of English and Scottish monarchs; on four sides there are doorways, and the tympana above them are adorned with mosaics representing the patron saints of the United Kingdom's constituent nations: Saint George for England, Saint Andrew for Scotland, Saint David for Wales and Saint Patrick for Ireland. The other four arches are occupied by high windows, under which there are stone screens—the hall's post office, one of two in the Palace, is located behind one of these screens. In front of them stand four bigger-than-life statues of 19th-century statesmen, including one of four-time Prime Minister William Gladstone. The floor on which they stand is tiled with Minton encaustic tiles in intricate patterns and includes a passage from Psalm 127 written in Latin, which translates as follows: "Except the Lord build the House their labour is but lost that build it".

The East Corridor leads from the Central Lobby to the Lower Waiting Hall, and its six panels remained blank until 1910, when they were filled with scenes from Tudor history. They were all paid for by Liberal peers and each was the work of a different artist, but uniformity was achieved between the frescoes thanks to a common colour palette of red, black and gold and a uniform height for the depicted characters. One of the scenes is probably not historical: Plucking the Red and White Roses in the Old Temple Gardens, depicting the origin of these flowers as emblems of the Houses of Lancaster and York respectively, was taken from Shakespeare's play Henry VI, Part 1.

Continuing north from the Central Lobby is the Commons' Corridor. It is of almost identical design to its southern counterpart and is decorated with scenes of 17th-century political history between the Civil War and the Revolution of 1688. They were painted by Edward Matthew Ward and include subjects like Monk Declaring for a Free Parliament and The Lords and Commons Presenting the Crown to William III and Mary II in the Banqueting Hall. Then, mirroring the arrangement at the Lords part of the Palace, is another antechamber, the Members' Lobby. In this room, Members of Parliament hold discussions or negotiations, and are often interviewed by accredited journalists, collectively known as "The Lobby".

The room is similar to the Peers' Lobby but plainer in design and slightly larger, forming a cube 13.7 metres (45 ft) on all sides. After the heavy damage it sustained in the 1941 bombing, it was rebuilt in a simplified style, something most evident in the floor, which is almost completely unadorned. The archway of the door leading into the Commons Chamber has been left unrepaired as a reminder of the evils of war, and is now known as the Rubble Arch or Churchill Arch. It is flanked by bronze statues of Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George, the prime ministers who led Britain through the Second and First World War respectively; a foot of each is conspicuously shiny, a result of a long tradition of MPs rubbing them for good luck on their way in before their maiden speech. The Lobby contains the busts and statues of most 20th-century prime ministers, as well as two large boards where MPs can receive letters and telephone messages, designed for the use of the House and installed in the early 1960s.

The Chamber of the House of Commons is at the northern end of the Palace of Westminster; it was opened in 1950 after the Victorian chamber had been destroyed in 1941 and re-built under the architect Giles Gilbert Scott. The Chamber measures 14 by 20.7 metres (46 by 68 ft) and is plainer in style than the Lords Chamber; the benches, as well as other furnishings in the Commons side of the Palace, are coloured green. Members of the public are forbidden to sit on the benches. Other parliaments in Commonwealth nations, including those of India, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, have copied the colour scheme under which the Lower House is associated with green, and the Upper House with red.

At the north end of the Chamber is the Speaker's Chair, a present to Parliament from the Commonwealth of Australia. The current British Speaker's Chair is an exact copy of the Speaker's Chair given to Australia, by the House of Commons, to celebrate the opening of Old Parliament House, Canberra. In front of the Speaker's Chair is the Table of the House, at which the clerks sit, and on which is placed the Commons' ceremonial mace. The Table was a gift from Canada. The dispatch boxes, which front-bench Members of Parliament (MPs) often lean on or rest notes on during Questions and speeches, are a gift from New Zealand. There are green benches on either side of the House; members of the Government party occupy benches on the Speaker's right, while those of the Opposition occupy benches on the Speaker's left. There are no cross-benches as in the House of Lords. The Chamber is relatively small, and can accommodate only 427 of the 650 Members of Parliament—during Prime Minister's Questions and in major debates MPs stand at either end of the House.

By tradition, the British Sovereign does not enter the Chamber of the House of Commons. The last monarch to do so was King Charles I, in 1642. The King sought to arrest five Members of Parliament on charges of high treason, but when he asked the Speaker, William Lenthall, if he had any knowledge of the whereabouts of these individuals, Lenthall famously replied: "May it please your Majesty, I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here." Since then, in the State Opening of Parliament, when Black Rod representing the monarch approaches the doors to the chamber of the House of Commons to make the summons, the doors are pointedly slammed in his or her face. Black Rod has to strike the door three times with a staff, to be admitted and issue the summons from the monarch to the MPs to attend. When repairs after the World War II bombing were completed, the rebuilt chamber was opened by King George VI on 26 October 1950 who was invited to an "unofficial" tour of the new structure by Commons leaders.

The two red lines on the floor of the House of Commons are 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) apart, which, by apocryphal tradition, is intended to be just over two sword-lengths. It is said that the original purpose of this was to prevent disputes in the House from degenerating into duels. However, there is no record of a time when Members of Parliament were allowed to bring swords into the Chamber; historically only the Serjeant at Arms has been allowed to carry a sword as a symbol of their role in Parliament, plus Black Rod when summoning the Commons to the Lords, and there are loops of pink ribbon in the Members' cloakroom for MPs to hang up their swords before entering the Chamber. In the days when gentlemen carried swords, there were no lines in the Chamber. Protocol dictates that MPs may not cross these lines when speaking; a Member of Parliament who violates this convention will be lambasted by opposition Members.

Westminster Hall, the oldest existing part of the Palace of Westminster, was erected in 1097 by King William II ('William Rufus'), at which point it was the largest hall in Europe. The roof was probably originally supported by pillars, giving three aisles, but during the reign of King Richard II, this was replaced by a hammerbeam roof by the royal carpenter Hugh Herland, "the greatest creation of medieval timber architecture", which allowed the original three aisles to be replaced with a single huge open space, with a dais at the end. The new roof was commissioned in 1393. Richard's master builder Henry Yevele left the original dimensions, refacing the walls, with fifteen life-size statues of kings placed in niches. The rebuilding had been begun by King Henry III in 1245, but by Richard's time had been dormant for over a century. In Westminster Hall, the favourite heraldic badge of Richard II – a white hart, chained, and in an attitude of rest – is repeated as many as eighty-three times, without any of them being an exact counterpart of another.

The largest clearspan medieval roof in England, Westminster Hall's roof measures 20.7 by 73.2 metres (68 by 240 ft). Oak timbers for the roof came from royal woods in Hampshire and from parks in Hertfordshire and from that of William Crozier of Stoke d'Abernon, who supplied over 600 oaks in Surrey, among other sources; they were assembled near Farnham, Surrey, 56 kilometres (35 mi) away. Accounts record the large number of wagons and barges which delivered the jointed timbers to Westminster for assembly.

Westminster Hall has served numerous functions. Until the 19th century, it was regularly used for judicial purposes, housing three of the most important courts in the land: the Court of King's Bench, the Court of Common Pleas and the Court of Chancery. In the reign of Henry II (1154–89) a royal decree established a fixed siting of judges in the Hall. In 1215, Magna Carta stipulated that these courts would sit regularly in the Hall for the convenience of litigants. In 1875, the courts were amalgamated into the High Court of Justice, which continued to have chambers adjacent to Westminster Hall until moved to the then new Royal Courts of Justice building in 1882. In addition to regular courts, Westminster Hall also housed important state trials, including impeachment trials and the state trials of King Charles I at the end of the English Civil War, William Wallace, Thomas More, Cardinal John Fisher, Guy Fawkes, the Earl of Strafford, the rebel Scottish lords of the 1715 and 1745 uprisings, and Warren Hastings. The St Stephen's Porch end of the Hall displays under the stained glass window the Parliamentary War Memorial listing on eight panels the names of Members and staff of both Houses of Parliament and their sons killed serving in the First World War; the window itself, installed in 1952, commemorates members and staff of both Houses who died in the Second World War. In 2012, a new stained glass window commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee was installed opposite this window, at the other end of the hall.

Westminster Hall has also served ceremonial functions. From the twelfth century to the nineteenth, coronation banquets honouring new monarchs were held here. The last coronation banquet was that of King George IV, held in 1821; his successor, William IV, abandoned the idea because he deemed it too expensive. The Hall has been used as a place for lying in state during state and ceremonial funerals. Such an honour is usually reserved for the Sovereign and for their consorts; the only non-royals to receive it in the twentieth century were Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts (1914) and Winston Churchill (1965). The most recent lying-in-state was that of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 2002.

The two Houses have presented ceremonial Addresses to the Crown in Westminster Hall on important public occasions. For example, Addresses were presented at Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee (1977), Golden Jubilee (2002) and Diamond Jubilee (2012), the 300th anniversary of the Glorious Revolution (1988), and the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War (1995).

It is considered a rare privilege for a foreign leader to be invited to address both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall. Since the Second World War, the only leaders to have done so have been French president Charles de Gaulle in 1960, South African president Nelson Mandela in 1996, Pope Benedict XVI in 2010, U.S. president Barack Obama in 2011 and Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2012. President Obama was the first US president to be invited to use the Hall for an address to Parliament and Aung San Suu Kyi was the first non-head of state to be given the accolade of addressing MPs and peers in Westminster Hall.

Following reforms in 1999, the House of Commons now uses the Grand Committee Room next to Westminster Hall as an additional debating chamber. (Although it is not part of the main hall, these are usually spoken of as Westminster Hall debates.) In contrast with the two main Chambers, in which the government and opposition benches directly face each other, the seating in the Grand Committee Room is laid out in a U-shape, a pattern meant to reflect the non-partisan nature of the debates there.

There are two suites of libraries on the Principal Floor, overlooking the river, for the House of Lords Library and House of Commons Library.

The Palace of Westminster also includes state apartments for the presiding officers of the two Houses. The official residence of the Speaker stands at the northern end of the Palace; the Lord Chancellor's apartments are at the southern end. Each day, the Speaker and Lord Speaker take part in formal processions from their apartments to their respective Chambers.

The Strangers' Bar is one of the numerous bars, cafeterias and restaurants in the Palace of Westminster, with differing rules regarding who is allowed to use their facilities; many of them never close while the House is sitting. There is also a gymnasium, and even a hair salon; and a rifle range. Parliament also has two souvenir shops, where items on sale range from House of Commons key-rings and china to House of Commons Champagne.

The Lady Usher of the Black Rod oversees security for the House of Lords, and the Serjeant at Arms does the same for the House of Commons. These officers, however, have primarily ceremonial roles outside the actual chambers of their respective Houses. Security is the responsibility of the Parliamentary Security Director. Parliament has its own professional security force. Tradition still dictates that only the Serjeant at Arms may enter the Commons chamber armed.

With rising concern about the possibility that a vehicle full of explosives could be driven into the building, a series of concrete blocks were placed in the roadway in 2003. On the river, an exclusion zone extending 70 metres (77 yd) from the bank exists, which no unauthorised vessels are allowed to enter.

The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 formerly made it illegal to hold a protest near the Palace, or anywhere else within a designated area extending up to 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) from Parliament Square, without authorisation from the Metropolitan Police. The Act also restricted the operation of loudspeakers in the designated area. These provisions were repealed by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, which replaced them with a total ban on tents and sleeping bags in Parliament Square, as well as a prohibition on the use of loudspeakers in the Square without permission from the relevant local authority.

Members of the public continue to have access to the Strangers' Gallery in the House of Commons. Visitors pass through metal detectors and their possessions are scanned. Police from the Palace of Westminster Division of the Metropolitan Police, supported by some armed police from the Diplomatic Protection Group, are always on duty in and around the Palace.

The failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was a conspiracy among a group of Roman Catholic gentry to re-establish Catholicism in England by assassinating the Protestant King James I and replacing him with a Catholic monarch. To this end, they placed large quantities of gunpowder beneath the House of Lords, which one of the conspirators, Guy Fawkes, would detonate during the State Opening of Parliament on 5 November 1605. If successful, the explosion would have destroyed the Palace, killing the King, his family and most of the aristocracy. However, the plot was discovered and most of the conspirators were either arrested or killed while trying to evade capture. The survivors were tortured in the Tower of London, tried for high treason in Westminster Hall, convicted and gruesomely executed by hanging, drawing and quartering. Since then, the cellars of the Palace have been searched by the Yeomen of the Guard before every State Opening of Parliament, a traditional precaution against any similar attempts against the Sovereign.

Sir Walter Raleigh was executed at the Palace of Westminster on 29 October 1618.

The previous Palace of Westminster was also the site of a prime-ministerial assassination on 11 May 1812. While in the lobby of the House of Commons, on his way to a parliamentary inquiry, Spencer Perceval was shot and killed by a Liverpool merchant adventurer, John Bellingham. Perceval remains the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated.

The New Palace became the target of Fenian bombs on 24 January 1885, along with the Tower of London. The first bomb, a black bag containing dynamite, was discovered by a visitor on the steps towards the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft. Police Constable (PC) William Cole attempted to carry it to New Palace Yard, but the bag became so hot that Cole dropped it and it exploded. The blast opened a crater in the floor 1 metre (3 ft) in diameter, damaged the roof of the chapel and shattered all the windows in the Hall, including the stained-glass South Window at St Stephen's Porch. Both Cole and PC Cox, a colleague who had joined him to offer assistance, were seriously injured. A second explosion followed almost immediately in the Commons Chamber, causing great damage—especially to its south end—but no injuries, as it was empty at the time. The incident resulted in the closure of Westminster Hall to visitors for several years; when visitors were re-admitted in 1889, it was under certain restrictions and never while the two Houses were sitting.

On 17 June 1974, a 9-kilogram (20 lb) bomb planted by the Provisional IRA exploded in Westminster Hall. The explosion and the resulting fire, which was fed by a ruptured gas main, injured 11 people and caused extensive damage. Five years later, a car bomb claimed the life of Airey Neave, a prominent Conservative politician, while he was driving out of the Commons car park in New Palace Yard. The attack occurred on 30 March 1979, one day after the announcement of that year's general election; both the Irish National Liberation Army and the Provisional IRA claimed responsibility for Neave's assassination, but it is now accepted that the former were responsible.

The Palace has also been the scene of numerous acts of politically motivated "direct action", which often took place in the Chamber of the House of Commons. In July 1970, a man in the Strangers' Gallery threw two canisters of tear gas into the Chamber to protest against the use of such gas in Northern Ireland; an MP and two members of the House's staff were taken to hospital and the sitting was suspended for almost two hours. In 1978, activist Yana Mintoff and another dissident threw bags of horse manure, and in June 1996 demonstrators dropped leaflets.[note 4] Concern about such attacks and a possible chemical or biological attack led to the installation of a glass screen across the Strangers' Gallery in early 2004.

The new barrier does not cover the gallery in front of the Strangers' Gallery, which is reserved for ambassadors, members of the House of Lords, guests of MPs and other dignitaries, and in May 2004 protesters from Fathers 4 Justice attacked Prime Minister Tony Blair with flour bombs from this part, after obtaining admission by bidding for a place in the visitors' gallery in a charity auction. Subsequently, rules on admission to the visitors' galleries were changed, and now individuals wishing to sit in the galleries must first obtain a written pass from a Member certifying that that individual is personally known to them. In September of the same year, five protesters opposed to the proposed ban on fox hunting disrupted the proceedings of the House of Commons by running into the Chamber, the first such occurrence since King Charles I's unauthorised entry in 1642, which triggered the English Civil War.

The House of Lords has also been targeted by protesters. On 2 February 1988, the House debated the Local Government Bill's controversial Clause 28, a measure to prohibit the promotion of homosexuality in schools. Following the division, in which the clause passed, a number of lesbian demonstrators in the public gallery started chanting slogans, and three of them tied ropes to the railing and climbed down onto the floor of the Chamber.Lord Monkswell, who had provided the women with passes to attend the debate, later apologised to the House for the incident but did not criticise the protest.

Similar actions have been carried out outside the Palace of Westminster. Early in the morning of 20 March 2004, two Greenpeace members scaled the Clock Tower to demonstrate against the Iraq War, raising questions about the security around such a likely target of terrorist attacks. In March 2007, another four members of Greenpeace made their way to the Palace's roof by means of a nearby crane, which was being used for repairs to Westminster Bridge. Once up, they unfurled a 15-metre (50 ft) banner protesting against the British government's plans to update the Trident nuclear programme.

In February 2008, five campaigners from the Plane Stupid group gained admittance to the building as visitors and then moved up to the roof to demonstrate against the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport; from there they hung two banners they had smuggled past security. MPs and security experts found it worrying that the protesters made it to the roof in spite of the heightened security measures, and the prosecution at the activists' trial argued that they may have received help from a House of Lords employee. In October 2009, at least forty Greenpeace activists climbed to the roof of Westminster Hall to call for the adoption of policies combating climate change. Some of them climbed down after nearly five hours, while the rest spent the night on

  • Palace of Westminster en.wikipedia.org

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Big Ben - britishheritage.org

HOW TO VISIT PALACE OF WESTMINSTER & THE HOUSES of PARLIAMENT IN LONDON

The UK is now open to visitors, and it’s the ideal time to explore the city before they become a…

The UK is now open to visitors, and it’s the ideal time to explore the city before they become a significant tourist destination. Although  places in London  may not be available at total capacity, and entry and tour times are limited, you should still go out and enjoy some sightseeing. The Palace of Westminster is a great place to begin. It is one the most  famous landmarks  of Thames River Thames. This is the ideal place to spend an afternoon in London.

Since the 1500s, Westminster Palace has been where the House of Commons meets the House of Lords. It has also been part of the monarchy for over a thousand years. We have compiled some tips to help you visit the Palace of Westminster Palace and the Houses of Parliament.

Tips for Visiting the Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster is a valid  symbol of London.  Big Ben stands proudly over the houses of Parliament. The Palace of Westminster has been around since 1870. Although Parliament has met here for centuries, it was only rebuilt in 1870 after a devastating fire in 18.34. The Jewel Tower in Westminster and the Chapel of St. Mary Undercroft were among the places that survived the fire. Visitors are invited to visit the palace complex during parliament sessions and tours.

  • Take this highly-rated tour  of the London Parliament behind the Scenes Exclusive Guided Visit. You’ll see the best of Westminster Palace, including Westminster Hall, the Queens Robing Room, and the Royal Gallery.
  • The City of Westminster is home to Westminster Palace. All the Parliament buildings can be found in the Palace of Westminster. This vast area of London can be overwhelming. This is where it gets easier.  Highly rated walking tour  After the tour of Westminster, you will be taken on a time of all the Houses of Parliament. This includes the Houses of Commons, House of Lords, and Parliament. An audio guide will help you understand how Parliament works.

How to get to The Palace of Westminster

  • Westminster Station is the nearest tube station. The palace is right at your feet when you exit the underground. All three District Lines, the Jubilee, Circle, and District Lines, go to Westminster Station.
  • Notable: Westminster Station can be accessed by wheelchairs
  • You can also reach Westminster Palace by boat, stopping at Westminster Pier.
  • Some buses stop at Westminster Station. Get the  Movie App  to view transit schedules.
  • Read:  How To Get From London Airport to City Centre
  • This London cruise between Westminster and Greenwich is also available.

How to Visit The Palace of Westminster

  • You must pass airport security when you enter The Palace of Westminster. You should expect to be denied the same items as at airport security. Avoid bringing scissors, aerosol cans, and liquids that aren’t in a sealed container. You will be issued a visitor pass once you have entered the building. This must be visible throughout your stay.
  • Download your Westminster Abbey audio guide with commentary by Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons.
  • An audio guide is an excellent way to tour the Houses of Parliament at a pace that suits you while still receiving behind-the-scenes commentary and insight from a directory. The ticket office can be found at the entrance to Portcullis House if you wish to book guided tours of Westminster Palace. These tours are available on weekdays when Parliament is not in session and on most Saturdays throughout the year. Westminster Abbey costs PS18 to enter.
  • Book the Westminster Exclusive Tour Tour  ahead of time to avoid crowds and see the best sites of the Palace of Westminster, including Westminster Hall, the Queens Robing Rooms, the Royal Gallery, the House of Commons, and The Chamber of the House of Lords.

Visit the Houses of Parliament

  • A tour is an excellent way of getting a deeper understanding of your visit to Parliament. However, there are other ways to see The Palace of Westminster without taking a tour. You can  attend a session or  listen to a debate.
  • Multimedia tours allow visitors to  explore the iconic buildings at a pace that suits them, even when Parliament isn’t in session. The terms take approximately 90 minutes and go through the House of Commons, House of Lords, and Westminster Hall.

House of Commons

  • Sessions of the House of Commons are open to all members of the public. UK residents or foreign visitors can visit the House of Commons during Parliament. The galleries at Westminster Hall are available Monday through Thursday. (and on certain Fridays, as well.)
  • If you’re a British citizen, you must obtain a ticket to attend the Prime Minister’s speech.

House of Lords

  • The Lords Chamber houses the Commons, the Lords, and the Sovereign. The public can view chamber meetings free of charge or book a private tour for Saturdays when Parliament’s not in session. It is also open during the summer recess. The House of Lords meets Mondays through Thursdays (and some Fridays).
  • For times, see . It is easy to show up on the day you wish to visit and join the queue. It is best to arrive early as it is open on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend arriving at least 90 minutes before the session, as the queue opens an hour before. Tickets can be purchased from members of the House of Lords if you wish to ensure entrance.

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Dive into London’s historic landmark by exploring the Palace of Westminster

Things to do in London London Attractions Landmarks in London Palace of Westminster

Visit the Palace of Westminster in London if you're searching for an interesting and engaging way to learn more about British politics. You'll learn everything about the history of Big Ben & Parliament House, while getting a sneak peek at how the UK government functions. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is packed with exquisite architecture and extraordinary characteristics to leave you in awe.

Palace of Westminster

Palace of Westminster - In A Nutshell

Handy information.

Royal Gallery Central Lobby Westminster Hall St. Stephen’s Hall House of Lords House of Commons

Things to know

Location: London, England Architect: Sir Charles Barry Architectural style: Neo-Gothic architecture Yearly Footfall: 1.1 million

Opening Hours And Address

Monday to Friday 9 AM to 5 PM Wednesday: 1 PM to 4 PM Address: Palace Of Westminster, London SW1A 1AA Get Directions

Why is the Palace of Westminster Worth Visiting?

  • The Palace of Westminster is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Buckingham Palace neighborhood of London.
  • The building was reconstructed by Charles Barry in the Gothic Revival style and is an outstanding example of Neo-Gothic architecture.
  • The Palace of Westminster is home to Big Ben, the iconic clock tower that characterizes London's cityscape.
  • The Palace of Westminster was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
  • The Palace has been featured in many films and TV series, including V for Vendetta and Sherlock.

The Palace of Westminster Tickets

History of the palace of westminster.

It all began in the aftermath of the Great Fire of 1834, when the talented architect Charles Barry was tasked with reconstructing the building. Since then, the Palace has survived numerous challenges, including the devastation of World War II, to become the magnificent structure we see today.

Did you know that the Palace of Westminster was commissioned by William II, son of William the Conqueror, and has played a crucial role in establishing the Crown as the ruler of the United Kingdom? Despite narrowly escaping destruction during the Blitz, it remains an iconic symbol of British heritage and history, even hosting the late Queen Elizabeth II's lying-in-state.

If you're a history buff or interested in politics, a visit to the Palace of Westminster is an absolute must. You'll be surrounded by a wealth of stories and historical significance, and it's an experience you won't forget anytime soon!

Architecture of the Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster is a massive complex that covers eight acres, boasting over 1100 rooms, 100 staircases, and an extensive network of 4.8 km of passageways. Spanning nearly 300 meters from the Victoria Tower in the south to the Clock Tower in the north, the Palace contains state apartments for the two houses' presiding officers, along with the official residence of the Speaker located at the northern end.

Four acres of grounds and lush lawns surround the Palace, including the public Victoria Tower grounds park along the river south of the building.

Westminster Abbey vs. Palace of Westminster

Westminster Abbey is a true marvel of English Gothic art and architecture, serving as a tangible representation of its many phases. It was also a key inspiration for the Palace of Westminster's own impressive design, created by the legendary duo of Charles Barry and Augustus Welby Pugin.

Meanwhile, the Palace of Westminster was constructed to embody the grandeur of constitutional monarchy and the bicameral parliamentary system, drawing on English architectural traditions to showcase the national character.

Westminster Abbey has served as a place of worship for over a millennium, while also hosting major national celebrations and cultural events; while the Palace of Westminster continues to act as the seat of Parliament.

Palace of Westminster - Highlights

1. house of commons.

The lower house of the British Parliament is called the House of Commons. To represent the views and worries of its citizens in the House of Commons, the UK picks 650 Members of Parliament (MPs). In addition to considering and putting forth new legislation, members of parliament can examine government actions by interrogating ministers in committee or in the Commons Chamber on current matters.

2. House of Lords

The House of Lords is the UK Parliament's second chamber. It is essential for reviewing bills, challenging governmental decisions, and researching public policy.

3. Westminster Hall

Dating back to 1097, Westminster Hall serves as a timeless testimony to the rich history of the Houses of Parliament. As one of Europe's largest medieval halls, it boasts an awe-inspiring hammer-beam roof and magnificent architecture that is sure to leave visitors breathless. Today, visitors can learn about the hall's remarkable legacy and gain a deeper appreciation for its enduring significance.

4. St. Stephen's Hall

St Stephen's Hall hosted the House of Commons from 1945 to 1950 after the bombing of the Commons Chamber. The decorative hall showcases statues of famous parliamentarians and early Kings and Queens of England. Its ten stained glass windows display parliamentary cities' arms, while its walls feature paintings of pivotal moments in British history.

5. Central Lobby

The Central Lobby serves as a meeting place for Members of Parliament and their constituents. Its impressive features include a mosaic-covered vault and a tiled floor. The Central Tower is situated above the lobby, where the corridors from the Lords, Commons, and Westminster Halls converge.

6. Queen's Robing Room

The Robing Room primarily serves as a preparation room for the Sovereign during the State Opening of Parliament. Here, the Queen dons the Imperial State Crown and ceremonial robes before proceeding to the House of Lords.

7. Victoria Tower

Piercing the London skyline, the Victoria Tower stands tall as the highest tower in the Palace of Westminster. A regal tribute to Queen Victoria, it once held the distinction of being the tallest and largest stone square tower globally, towering to a height of 98.5 meters (325 feet) above ground level.

8. Royal Gallery

Enormous works of art, including depictions of the battles of Waterloo and Trafalgar and royal portraits, can be found in this room.

9. Norman Porch

The Royal Staircase, starting from the base of Victoria Tower, marks the beginning of the ceremonial path taken by the Monarch. The Norman Porch, originally meant to showcase statues of the Norman monarchs, is so named due to its architectural style.

10. Members' Lobby

The Members' Lobby is a gathering place for alll the members of the House of Commons in the Palace of Westminster. When they are not attending to their official duties, Members of Parliament use this hallway for informal discussions and meetings.

Best Time To Visit Palace of Westminster

To explore the Palace of Westminster, it's recommended to book your tour in advance and plan your visit during the summer recess when the Parliament is not in session. This allows for a complete tour of the building without any interruptions.

Additionally you can learn more about the Best Time to Visit London .

Palace of Westminster Opening Hours

  • The Westminster Palace is open from Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM.
  • The operating hours on Wednesdays are limited to 1 PM to 4 PM
  • The Palace remains closed every weekend.

Getting There

  • Railway stations: Charing Cross, Victoria, Waterloo, and Waterloo East
  • Underground: You can use Circle, District, or Jubilee lines and get off at Westminster.
  • Bus: Several lines available, including 3, 11, 12, 87, 88, 148, 159, 211, and 453

Note: To experience a distinct viewpoint, consider taking a river bus service from Westminster Pier, which is also a designated stop for City Cruises' sightseeing boat tours.

Insider Tips to Visiting Palace of Westminster

  • To visit the inside of Westminster Palace, you need to book a tour in advance.
  • You can watch a parliamentary debate, committee meeting or attend Prime Minister's Questions.
  • The Lords Chamber can be viewed for free or on a private tour on Saturdays when Parliament's not in session, and during the summer recess.
  • A highly rated walking tour includes the Houses of Commons, House of Lords, and Parliament, with an audio guide to help understand how Parliament works.
  • Book a guided tour for the building's history and architecture, with combined tours of Westminster Palace and Abbey available.

Interesting Facts about Palace of Westminster

  • The Houses of Parliament have been in operation here since 1265, making it one of the oldest parliaments houses in the world.
  • After more than thirty years of reconstruction, a new complex in the neo-Gothic design was finished in 1870, incorporating the buildings that had survived the fire.
  • The magnificent clock tower, which Charles Barry the architect designed, is the most well-known feature. After the tower's greatest bell, it was once known as St. Stephen's Tower but quickly adopted the appellation Big Ben.
  • The oldest edifice in Parliament, Westminster Hall is essentially the only piece of the historic Palace of Westminster to still exist in almost its original state.
  • The Chapel of St. Stephen, which was first recorded in 1184, was the King's private chapel at the Palace of Westminster, and it stood where St. Stephen's Hall presently stands.
  • The Palace of Westminster was created with sculptures, frescoes, murals, and paintings depicting the most illustrious members of Parliament and major events that have occurred there.

Restaurants near the Palace of Westminster

Since it is conveniently located across from the Houses of Parliament and is a timeless classic, politicians frequently stop by for a posh lunch at The Cinnamon Club. Not only that, but the fine Indian food is some of the best in the city. Distance from Palace of Westminster - 0.4 mile

The Regency Cafe

The Regency Cafe is the only place to go in Westminster for a typical English breakfast. The location is a well-known and very traditional London cafe that has become so well-known that it has been featured on television. Distance from Palace of Westminster - 0.7 mile

St Stephen's Tavern, another Victorian-era bar that has survived to the present day largely undamaged, is constantly crowded as a result of its location near to Big Ben. It's a lovely area to have a drink, although it's not very quiet. Distance from Palace of Westminster - 0.1 mile

The Albert, a Grade II listed pub with numerous original Victorian elements, is the epitome of a British boozer. Get some typical pub fare and cozy up with a few beers. Distance from Palace of Westminster - 0.7 mile

The Sherlock Holmes manages to pull it off. Along with the typical pub memorabilia, there are also hints from well-known Holmes stories, and in a corner of the upper restaurant, there is even a complete Sherlock Holmes Room recreated. Distance from Palace of Westminster - 0.8 mile

Things to do around Palace of Westminster

The clock tower located at the northern end of Westminster Palace, commonly known as Big Ben, is a recognizable symbol of London. The tower's official name is Elizabeth Tower, though it is still commonly referred to as Big Ben due to its beauty, size, and precision.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey, an iconic religious landmark in central London, is located just behind Westminster Palace to the west. The abbey is famous for hosting royal coronation ceremonies and for serving as the resting place of numerous British monarchs and notable figures.

St James Park

St James's Park, one of the eight Royal Parks in London, is located 500 meters (0.3 miles) to the west of Westminster Palace, which is just a 7-minute walk away. The park has a long history and is known for being at the heart of ceremonial London, situated between Buckingham Palace, Westminster Palace, and 10 Downing Street, the British Prime Minister's residence.

The London Eye, a major tourist attraction and one of the best panoramic viewpoints of the city, is located 900 meters (0.5 miles) northeast of Westminster Palace, just across the river. The London Eye was opened in 2000 as a celebration of the new millennium and has since become famous for its spectacular views.

Trafalgar Square, a public 19th-century square located 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) to the north of Westminster Palace, is arguably the most well-known square in London. The square is famous for being a social gathering point and is home to several notable sights and monuments, including the National Gallery and Nelson's Column.

Hotels around Palace of Westminster

Luxury stays.

  • Corinthia Hotel
  • St. Ermin's Hotel

Economy Stays

  • The Wellington
  • Doubletree by Hilton
  • The Resident Victoria

Budget Stays

  • Cherry Court Hotel
  • hub by Premier Inn

Is the Westminster Station wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Westminster Station can be accessed by wheelchairs.

Is photography allowed in the Westminster Palace?

Photos are allowed for personal, non-commercial purposes in Westminster Hall, St Stephen's Hall, and the visitor area of New Palace Yard. No photography is allowed in other parts of the tour routes or public galleries.

Can I get guided tours of the Westminster Palace?

Yes, guided tours are offered for the Palace of Westminster, along with audio guides.

What is the best time to visit Westminster Palace?

It's recommended to plan your visit during the summer recess when the Parliament is not in session.

When is the Palace of Westminster closed?

The Westminster Place remains closed during weekends.

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Dev Ramkumar

Born and brought up in Mumbai, I am a content creator by day and a musician by night. My love for travel peaked when my music career took me to various parts of the country. Now, my dream is to explore the world, attend all kinds of music festivals, and experience the culture of each city I visit. My journey has just begun and I've already covered parts of France, Spain, and Thailand.

how to visit palace of westminster

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how to visit palace of westminster

It’s getting weirder: BuzzFeed News’ former royals reporter on Kate Middleton, Palace PR, and distrust in the media (updated)

Editor’s note: The timeline section of this story was updated on March 14, 2024.

When I realized I was in no fewer than four separate group chats discussing Kate Middleton’s almost complete disappearance from the public eye, I turned to Ellie Hall to help me figure things out.

Ellie, who’s currently a freelance journalist, was senior reporter and official royal correspondent for BuzzFeed News from 2013 until the newsroom shut down in April 2023. The first part of this story is a Q&A, where I spoke with Ellie about royal reporting, social media, Kensington Palace PR strategy, and how a digitally connected world has made the official press apparatus of the royal family and the royal media system somewhat obsolete.

The second part of the story is Ellie’s timeline of the media’s recent coverage of Middleton. Ellie is so knowledgeable and clear-eyed, and I found our conversation and her timeline more interesting than even the most out-there conspiracy theory. — Laura Hazard Owen

Laura Hazard Owen: Tell me a little about your reporting background and the work you did at BuzzFeed News.

Ellie Hall: I started at BuzzFeed News in January 2013 and reported for them until the newsroom shut down in April 2023. Since then, I’ve been freelancing and doing a bit of consulting work.

I’ve been interested in the British monarchy and its history since I was quite young, and I happily volunteered to cover the royal family during my first weeks at the company. From that point on, I was BuzzFeed News’s official royal correspondent. Although I was able to secure accreditation to cover members of the royal family in person during three separate official visits to the United States, BuzzFeed News was not a media outlet on the official press team’s radar for a fair amount of time (the newsroom did get there eventually).

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I always tried to cover the royal family in a way that would interest the hardcore followers as well as casual readers, using my own observations and questions to guide my coverage. My biggest royal story was my January 2020 comparison of U.K. media headlines about Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle , which was actually something I’d been working on and adding examples to since February 2019. Although I had always covered the royal family, the success of that post encouraged my editors to launch a royal newsletter, The Royal Tea , and give me structured time for stories that were more analytical and more in my own voice than straight-up news posts. From that point on, I covered royal news as it broke, but I also wrote a lot of deep dives, analyses, and looks at aspects of the royal media ecosystem that nobody else was really covering.

Owen: Tell me a little bit about Kensington Palace press strategy. What are their strategies, generally? Assume I’m an American who knows nothing about them: Like, can you email them for comment? What kinds of interactions have you had with them?

Hall: One of the first things to know is that the royal family doesn’t have one big press team working together to set the public narrative. The King and Queen have their press team, Buckingham Palace, and the Prince and Princess of Wales have their press team, Kensington Palace. “The Palace” can be used for either royal household when you’re referring to the royal press apparatus in a story. If Prince Harry is to be believed, there is constant infighting, one-upping, and leaking that goes on behind the scenes — staffers for one member of the royal family will give damaging or untrue stories about another member to the press to make their employer look better. He and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, have made allegations about this system in interviews and he goes into it in detail in his memoir Spare .

Royal press offices rarely go on the record . As former Guardian editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger noted in this great column that I reference all the time in my work, it’s “unusually difficult” to judge the reliability of royal reporting because “it is a world almost devoid of open or named sources.” You almost never see stories with direct attributions to royal spokespersons, which is one of the big reasons why this “Kate Middleton is missing” saga is so interesting. A Palace spokesperson has gone on the record three times — first in response to a Spanish media report that Kate was in a coma, then in response to the widespread social media speculation about her status, and then once again in response to William’s reaction to the social media speculation.

Instead of going on the record, royal press offices will give briefings and in some situations provide information to a core group of royal reporters — with the caveat that these reporters won’t say that the information came from an official spokesperson. Phrases like “this reporter understands” or “this news outlet can confirm” are very common in stories about the royal family. If you follow royal reporters on Twitter, you can always tell when one of these memos is sent, because within minutes of each other, reporters will tweet a similarly worded update or clarification. We saw this happen last week when news of [British financier and husband of royal family member Lady Gabriella] Thomas Kingston’s death was made public . Later that day, royal reporters started tweeting within minutes of each other that William’s absence from the memorial service was not related to the tragedy. (The fact that Kensington Palace wanted this information to get out has, of course, been deemed highly significant by some conspiracy theorists.)

The only method of contacting the press office that is given on the official website is a phone number that connects you to a royal family switchboard. Emailed requests for comment sent to each office’s primary email address don’t always receive responses. Even if you’ve been vetted by the Palace and added to the official press release listserv, sometimes statements will only be sent to certain news outlets — something that leaves a lot of reporters scrambling to get caught up during breaking news situations. I had an interesting back-and-forth with someone in a royal communications office on one of those days. Royal journalists in the U.K. were reporting something important, citing an official statement that hadn’t been posted online or sent out as a press release. I reached out to the royal press office for confirmation and received a response asking why I was contacting them when all of these other outlets had already reported the news. Thus I found myself writing an email explaining that journalists are supposed to independently fact-check information they don’t receive firsthand, which was a weird experience.

The big question about the saga of Kate’s “disappearance” and every royal controversy is how much control the palace press offices have over the media.

We know that the Palace has actively concealed royal news from the press and reportedly even lied to reporters about issues concerning the health of royal family members — in November 2020, we learned that William had contracted a severe case of COVID-19 in April 2020. At the time, veteran royal reporter Robert Jobson tweeted about Kensington Palace’s “appalling” decision to lie about the prince’s health, writing, “KP were asked several times by the media whether Prince William had contracted the virus and were told categorically ‘no.’”

TMZ’s recent publication of the paparazzi photo of Kate and her mother driving in Windsor has added a new dimension to the media control discussion. Kensington Palace has let it be known that the photos were unauthorized and no U.K. media outlets have run the images , even the tabloids (although most have written up the fact that U.S. media outlets have published an image of the princess). On Wednesday, veteran royal reporter Emily Andrews said on Twitter that Kensington Palace “exerted huge pressure on the British media NOT to publish the pic,” which she said was proof that the press team didn’t set up the photo opportunity.

Safe to say that the U.K. media response to the photo’s publication isn’t doing anything to dispel the “Palace controls the media” narrative that’s running rampant on social media.

Owen: Who are the reporters covering the royals? Can you tell me a little more about the tabloids?

Hall: The media ecosystem surrounding the royal family is unique. The core group of reporters covering the royal family are known as the “ royal rota ,” and they’re given access to royal events with the understanding that they’ll share whatever news they get at the event with the other media organizations. The justification for it is space and security — you can’t fit a huge press pack into a small room at a charity or food bank a senior royal happens to visit. All rota reporters are from U.K.-based outlets and, as I mentioned earlier, these reporters will sometimes get information from Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace that other journalists don’t receive (there are the official royal press release email lists and then there are WhatsApp groups).

In this case, the lack of speculative tabloid coverage about Kate’s status is one of the things that people have found suspicious about the current situation. The historically nosy news outlets haven’t theorized about what specific type of surgery she had or the circumstances that led to her medical issue being discovered. Until the TMZ photo was published , there hadn’t been any stories about or photographs of the famously close Middleton family. There’s also a distinct dearth of the fluffy, low-stakes stories about the princess that you usually see in the tabloids (like “What Kate’s doing to relax” or “How Kate’s staying a hands-on mother during her recovery”).

Owen: How does social media play into all this?

Hall: Social media has been the driving force behind this entire saga, and I cannot emphasize enough how out of character it is that a royal press team went on the record in response to what is essentially gossip.

A few years ago, I had an interesting exchange with a press officer when another royal conspiracy theory was trending online. On Feb. 22, 2022, a celebrity gossip blog called Hollywood Unlocked reported that Queen Elizabeth II had died. The post went insanely viral, and by the next day, rumors of the Queen’s death were so widespread that the whole situation in and of itself was newsworthy. I reached out for comment to Buckingham Palace and they refused to give an on-the-record response, telling me on background that they didn’t want to establish a precedent of responding to online speculation.

It’s been really interesting to watch the discussion of Kate’s “disappearance” slowly spread from the toxic hellhole that is so-called “royal internet” into mainstream pop-culture consciousness on social media, especially on Twitter/X. We’ve reached a point where people who don’t normally follow the royal family are invested in this saga.

It’s worth noting that a lot of the conversation was initially driven by pro-Harry and Meghan accounts, and many of the darker conspiracy theories (the ones described as “deeply sinister and highly libelous” by the Daily Mail) seemed to originate from those online spaces. That being said, these speculations are now part of the global conversation, although they’re fortunately balanced by conspiracy theories that are, if not lighthearted, unserious. The BBLs and Glasgow Willy Wonka photoshops , for example.

While tons of people on Twitter are clearly only following this saga for drama, gossip, and memes, over the past week, you’ve been able to observe a growing group of individuals who at least give the impression that they’re genuinely worried about Kate and want to know that she’s okay. That apparent sincerity is rare when it comes to online discussions about the royal family, and I think it’s one of the things keeping Kate in the public eye.

Owen: O.K., so talk to me about how the coverage — or non-coverage — of Kate is different from the coverage of Meghan Markle.

Hall: I don’t think you can talk about what’s currently going on with Kate without talking about Meghan’s history with the U.K. media. It’s one of the points that keeps coming up in the online discourse — the apparent hypocrisy between the Palace and the U.K. media’s treatment of each woman.

People are comparing the hands-off, privacy-first stance that the press is taking toward Kate with their attitude toward Meghan and the stories that were written about her while she was on maternity leave. I’ve seen a lot of posts remarking on how strange it is that the Palace and U.K. media suddenly care about privacy when they didn’t before now. There’s also a definite feeling among some people that Kate should have to go through this social media and press speculation, because Meghan went through it, it was worse for Meghan, and when she complained, people told her to suck it up.

Regardless of your feelings about Meghan or Kate, it’s a fact that over the past month, the Palace has gone on the record three times — first to counter an article about the Princess of Wales and then twice to comment on social media speculation about her well-being. (If you’d like to see more examples of times when the royal family press teams did or didn’t go on the record for stories about these women, I published a deep dive looking into that question at BuzzFeed News.) Meghan and Harry have both said in interviews that this was something the Palace would not do for them. We also know that the Palace “exerted huge pressure on the British media” not to publish a paparazzi photo of Kate — and so far the press has complied.

Owen: In the past, when you were reporting on the royals on a regular basis, what helped you decide whether you should report on something that was a social media rumor? Which other sources do you look at, blogs and things like that?

Hall: I had a very unique position at BuzzFeed News because I’d been there for a long time and had great editors who trusted my instincts when it came to royal stories. A pattern was established pretty early in my time at the company where I would say “I need to write this royal thing up” and the resulting story would do really well. I had a royal newsletter for my last three years in the newsroom, and that was fun because I was able to do some deeper analysis of royal news and royal media coverage and write for a dedicated audience.

I read all the stories written by royal rota reporters and the major royal reporters on the beat at other outlets. I have an almost 11 year-old Twitter list of royal reporters (and official royal social media accounts) that helps me stay updated. I also keep an eye on celebrity gossip and blind gossip websites, because you can often trace some of the wildest royal rumors and theories back to them.

Also, sometimes there’s just some great, clearly fictitious, content. One of my all-time favorites is a Blind Gossip post from July 2019 that claims Meghan freaked out because she couldn’t find avocados in the U.K. and wanted them flown in from California.

Despite its toxicity, royal social media was helpful when it came to stories because it let me get a sense of the sort of questions people were asking about royal news and what misinformation was circulating. I wrote a lot of posts that explained or debunked things that I’d seen trending on Twitter or popping up on Reddit. I also did some reporting on the royal social media networks themselves — I spent a few months going down the rabbit hole of Meghan Markle hate accounts and found evidence that the duchess’s half-sister Samantha was interacting with some of these people and spreading conspiracy theories. I ended up knocking on her door in Florida for that one. She ultimately didn’t talk to me, but it was an interesting trip. That story has actually been cited a few times (by Meghan’s lawyers) in Samantha’s ongoing defamation lawsuit against the duchess. It’s pretty wild.

Owen: What is unusual about the Kate story, besides the fact that people who don’t normally really care about the royals are talking about it?

Hall: I think a big part of this drama is that over the past few years, people have started to really distrust not just the royal family (as an institution/bureaucracy, not necessarily the individual members) but the reporters and outlets that cover the royal family.

I’m not saying this is “The Crown’s” fault, but it doesn’t help matters that for years pop culture has been dominated by a fictionalized narrative that depicts the monarchy and its employees scheming behind the scenes and manipulating the media, happily throwing certain members of the royal family under a bus in service to the overriding goal of preserving the power of the sovereign. Even without the Netflix series, a lot of people still hold a grudge against the royals because of Princess Diana and wonder about the circumstances of her death. I also feel like a lot of this distrust stems from what Harry and Meghan have said since leaving working royal life. Their descriptions of a back-stabbing, Machiavellian organization in interviews and Harry’s memoir Spare have definitely made an impact on the public’s perception of the monarchy and the royal reporting beat.

So when you have a situation like we’re currently in, if people feel that they can’t trust the institution and they can’t trust the reporters, they’re going to go on what they can see — and, as the timeline [below] shows, what they’re seeing is raising questions. The public can’t help but compare how Buckingham Palace is handling the King’s medical crisis with how Kensington Palace is handling Kate’s. People remember how Kate let herself be photographed leaving the hospital the other time she received inpatient treatment (for hyperemesis gravidarum during her first pregnancy in 2012) and how she met the world’s media dressed perfectly and wearing high heels hours after giving birth. Members of the public are also going to make judgments about what’s going on now based on how the Palace has handled similar situations in the past — and there’s a fairly recent example of the royal family press team allowing the widespread publication of paparazzi-style images of one of its off-duty members (Kate was photographed attending a memorial service for a woman killed by a police officer in 2021).

I don’t think we’d be in this position if Kensington Palace had shared something besides two official announcements and one statement to the press. There’s an information void surrounding Kate’s current status, and the royal press team has left a lot of space to speculate about what’s actually going on. It doesn’t seem like it’s going to slow down anytime soon, either. It will be interesting to see if Kensington Palace eventually caves and gives the public something personal from Kate, be that a statement, a photo taken by her, a picture of her and her kids, something along those lines.

Owen: Why is so much coverage about Kate coming from this Spanish journalist, Concha Calleja? Who is she?

Hall: Concha Calleja is a self-described “writer [and] specialist in profiles, criminology and hunting down those who lie,” the host of the Spanish television show “Fiesta” (which has a reported audience of 900,000) and she’s been one of the most interesting bits of this entire saga. She’s the only prominent reporter (so far) to challenge Kensington Palace’s narrative about the Princess of Wales, and her reporting prompted the Waleses’ press team to take the rare step of going on the record to refute a story.

Calleja came onto the scene soon after Kensington Palace announced that Kate had been hospitalized. She first reported that Kate had actually been admitted to the hospital in December and wasn’t doing well, and then claimed that the princess had to be placed in a medically induced coma. Her credibility, at least in Spain, is such that mainstream outlets quickly picked up both reports.

Her stories might have stayed under the radar if Kensington Palace hadn’t gone on the record with the Times of London to refute the report that Kate was in a coma. Royal press teams don’t usually comment at all, let alone on specific stories, and, ironically, by releasing a statement the Palace drew even more attention to Calleja’s reporting.

In a bold move, following the publication of the Times of London story, Calleja doubled down on her reporting , stating that she trusted her source 100% and claiming that Kensington Palace was upset that she had discovered the truth.

Calleja claims to have covered the royal family for 27 years. According to her website, she has written two books about Princess Diana, one of which is an investigation into the conspiracy theory that the beloved royal was murdered. [ Ed. note: Another one of Calleja’s books suggests Michael Jackson was murdered.]

Owen: So, um…any guesses on what’s gonna happen next?

Hall: I think a lot will depend on what happens over these next few weeks before Easter. Right now, questions about what’s going on have been confined to social media, but things could change if the press starts seriously pushing Kensington Palace for more information. I was surprised to see that the cover story of this week’s People magazine (an incredibly sympathetic news outlet as far as royal reporting is concerned) is titled, “Royal Family in Turmoil as Demands Mount for More Transparency: ‘There Is Too Much Uncertainty.’”

I could definitely see a scenario where the Waleses and their press team cave in and post a personal message from Kate or a photo/video of her, but I think the chances of that happening are pretty slim. William’s spokesperson’s comment to People that “his focus is on his work and not on social media” and the belligerent tone of the Daily Beast interview with the couple’s friends indicate to me that the Prince and Princess of Wales themselves are personally very invested in keeping Kate out of the public eye and have no plans to budge on that point.

Then again, there’s always the possibility that one of these conspiracy theories could be true, and if that’s the case, God only knows.

Owen: O.K., and finally…when we were talking about ways to cover this story from a Nieman Lab angle, you thought a timeline could be a good way to do it. Why does this story benefit from a timeline?

Hall: A conspiracy theory is essentially a bunch of people looking at one series of events and drawing drastically different conclusions.

Trying to track a conspiracy theory in narrative form is difficult, because anything and everything can be assigned significance to bolster whatever story a person espouses. The key event that ties one theory together could be meaningless to another. It’s easier to explain what people find important in each detail if you go point by point.

This method also makes it easier to add context and correct misinterpretation. There are a lot of people down this rabbit hole who are unfamiliar with the way the royal family operates and that knowledge definitely changes how you view some of these points.

Timelines also help you see patterns and make informed guesses about what events prompted what actions.

Owen: With that, here’s Ellie’s timeline.

After Kate’s surgery is announced, multiple outlets will report that this Italy trip had to be rescheduled. To some, this is taken as an indication that the princess’s operation wasn’t as “planned” as Kensington Palace might want the public to think. • 2023 • 25 December Kate, William, and their children are seen participating in the royal family’s traditional walk from Sandringham to St Mary Magdalene Church. • 2023 • 28 December An anonymous Twitter account posts video of an apparent royal convoy headed to King Edward VII’s Hospital, allegedly from Sandringham.

If #WhereIsKategate has a smoking gun, it’s this video. No royal institution has commented on it and the uploader hasn’t provided follow-up details. • 2023 • 29 December The official Kensington Palace social media accounts (Twitter and Instagram) share a video montage of the Wales family’s “greatest hits” from the past year. This is the last time that an image of Kate has been shared on Kensington Palace’s official social media. • 2024 • 9 January Kate’s 42nd birthday. Kensington Palace does not make a social media post marking the occasion, neither wishing her a happy birthday nor thanking people for their good wishes.

This is not entirely out of character, as the official accounts did not make posts about her birthday or William’s birthday in 2023 — but her birthdays had been marked by posts from 2018 to 2022. (Also, new pictures of her were released on her birthday in 2020 and 2022.) • 2024 • 16 January Unbeknownst to the world, Kate is admitted to the London Clinic. • 2024 • 17 January Kensington Palace announces that Kate is in the hospital recovering from a successful “planned abdominal surgery.”

A statement from Kensington Palace pic.twitter.com/6h3BCrqj5L — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) January 17, 2024

Multiple outlets report that William has canceled engagements and “shifted his schedule” to help his wife and care for their children.

Later, multiple outlets and journalists report that this was the only day they were allowed to report on Kate’s health from outside the hospital.

(Following the media circus before and after the birth of Prince George in 2013, the Palace press offices have cracked down on members of the media gathering outside hospitals, so limiting the time networks can camp outside the London Clinic isn’t entirely out of the norm.) • 2024 • 17 January Buckingham Palace announces that King Charles will be hospitalized for treatment for a “benign prostate condition.” According to the statement, he wanted to share his diagnosis to encourage other men with symptoms to get checked.

This is the first of what will be many examples of Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace taking different approaches to how they handle one of their royal “principals” suffering from a medical condition. • 2024 • 18 January William is photographed driving to the London Clinic to visit Kate.

This is the only time he is seen visiting his wife. • 2024 • 20 January Spanish journalist Concha Calleja reports that, despite Kensington Palace’s claims, Kate was hospitalized on December 28. Calleja says that something went wrong during the postoperative period and claims that Kate is not doing well.

Eagle-eyed Kate truthers immediately seize upon the fact that December 28 is the day that the random Twitter user saw a royal convoy heading to a London hospital. Other royal watchers point out that the Waleses’ longtime nanny is Spanish. Calleja’s report is the first real “follow-up” story to the surgery announcement, in the sense that no media outlets have published stories reporting anything besides the official statement. You can normally count on the U.K. tabloids for some sort of wacky speculation when it comes to stories about the royal family, but not this time. • 2024 • 20 January The Sunday Times reports that Kensington Palace aides did not notify Kate’s 30 charities and patronages “to confirm postponing and rescheduling engagements” until one week before her surgery. The paper notes that Kate will be “work[ing] from bed” and “aides insist her work will not stall.”

This claim about working in bed will be brought up later as conspiracy theories start to flourish. During the pandemic, Kate regularly held Zoom calls with these institutions, and screenshots of these meetings were released to the press. Questions will be raised about why any images of Kate or updates/anecdotes from employees of the institutions haven’t leaked, if she’s been working while she recovers. • 2024 • 24 January People magazine’s royal reporter writes that Kate’s hospitalization was unexpected. “The carefully guarded news about Kate’s situation came as a surprise even to those who work closely with the royal family, PEOPLE understands.” (This is later also reported by Page Six.) People also gets an exclusive quote from an unnamed “royal source” saying that Kate’s surgery “does sound serious” but everyone’s “sure she will bounce back.”

These details are seen as more indications that Kate’s health situation was more dire than has been reported. • 2024 • 24 January U.K. tabloid the Mirror publishes a story titled “Kate ‘your best friend one minute and worst enemy the next’, expert claims.” The Mirror sources the story from what it describes as “a recent article for the Daily Mail” written by royal reporter Robert Jobson — but links to a post from 2022. The story alleges that William and Kate have “quite extreme mood swings” and claims that the two “give as good as they get” in fights with each other. Within hours, however, the story is updated and Kate’s name is replaced with Harry’s. The title of the story now live on the Mirror’s website is “ Prince Harry ‘your best friend one minute and worst enemy the next,’ expert claims .” The Mirror adds an editorial note to the bottom of the post reading, “A previous version of this story erroneously referred to Kate, Princess of Wales, instead of Prince Harry” and removes the link to the 2022 Daily Mail story — the link now redirects to the Daily Mail’s homepage.

This is just weird. It’s being seized upon by conspiracy theorists as an apparent example of the royal press offices directing a media outlet to change a story, or a media outlet trying to write a story about a possible conflict in the Waleses’ marriage. In all likelihood this was someone looking to make a story quota who messed up. • 2024 • 25 January The Sun reports that William has visited Kate in the hospital every day, but says her children have not visited (children are not allowed in the London Clinic, per hospital policy ; multiple outlets later report that William and Kate did not want to disrupt their children’s schedules and used FaceTime to stay in touch).

While royal children of the previous generation visited relatives when they were in hospitals, this is the first time we’ve known about either William and Kate needing inpatient treatment. There’s no precedent — there’s a big difference between the children visiting their mother and new sibling at a hospital and children visiting their mother after major surgery. • 2024 • 26 January The King is admitted to the London Clinic for his prostate treatment and members of the press are apparently once again allowed to gather outside the London Clinic. The Queen is photographed leaving the hospital in the afternoon, after apparently arriving with the King for his treatment (the arrival was not photographed) earlier that day. People magazine reports that the King has visited Kate. The Queen is photographed once again visiting the King in the hospital that evening. • 2024 • 27 January The Queen is photographed arriving at and leaving the hospital. • 2024 • 28 January The Queen is once again photographed visiting her husband at the London Clinic.

Whether purposeful or not, the Queen’s public arrivals and departures at the hospital make an obvious contrast to William’s apparent absence. • 2024 • 28 January Spanish journalist Concha Calleja doubles down on her report that Kate is in medical distress and claims that the princess is in a medically induced coma. Prominent Spanish media outlets begin to report her claims.

Although this story has been bubbling under the surface of the discourse about Kate’s condition, it really begins to spread now. • 2024 • 29 January Kensington Palace announces:

A statement from Kensington Palace pic.twitter.com/DW6BOHuuRJ — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) January 29, 2024

The Daily Mail later reports that William drove her home.

Despite the fact that members of the media were apparently set up around the hospital in order to photograph the King and Queen, her departure is not photographed. • 2024 • 29 January The King leaves the hospital. He and the Queen smile and wave for photographers outside of the London Clinic.

Thank you to all those who have sent their good wishes during The King's hospital stay. His Majesty is delighted that his diagnosis is having a positive impact on public health awareness. pic.twitter.com/qbaCcwQg5a — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) January 29, 2024

Once again, we have a very public contrast between the King and Kate. Obviously they both are experiencing very different issues and have very different responsibilities, but it nonetheless draws attention to the differences. • 2024 • 1 February An unnamed Kensington Palace spokesperson vehemently denies Concha Calleja’s “total nonsense” claim that Kate is in a coma to The Times. “No attempt was made by that journalist to fact-check anything that she said with anyone in the household. It’s fundamentally, totally made-up, and I’ll use polite English here: it’s absolutely not the case.”

Palace spokespeople do not go on the record very often — the fact that someone in the Palace said this and the journalist was allowed to cite it to a spokesperson is significant. For the most part, royal family press offices ignore stories that they consider to be obviously false, because commenting will lend some credibility to the claims and draw more attention to it. • 2024 • 2 February Calleja defends her reporting, claiming that she “touched a nerve” by reporting the truth and stating that she trusts her source “100%.”

The fact that this story is still being covered in the mainstream media after the Palace’s denial is interesting — most of the time, the reporters or outlets pushing these types of stories don’t have the credibility to defend themselves. • 2024 • 5 February Buckingham Palace announces that the King has been diagnosed with cancer, although the statement does not specify which kind of cancer. He will postpone “public-facing duties” but continue to “undertake State business and official paperwork.” The statement pointedly notes that he has chosen to share his diagnosis “to prevent speculation.”

The fact that Buckingham Palace uses the pointed phrase “to prevent speculation” while at the same time declining to specify the King’s cancer is a PR masterstroke. Once again, the King’s press team appears to be drawing a contrast with how Kate’s medical issue is being handled. • 2024 • 6 February The King and Queen are photographed leaving Clarence House in London. • 2024 • 7 February Kate’s brother James shares a video of his family on vacation in the Alps.

This is where one of the weirder side-conspiracies begins. Kate’s family is very close and they’re not very camera-shy. While James’s holiday post is a good indication that Kate is not at death’s door, people begin to realize that Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, haven’t been seen since Kensington Palace announced her surgery. • 2024 • 7 February William participates in his first royal event since Kate’s diagnosis was made public — an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle. He presents medals on behalf of his father to a number of individuals.

Every aspect of William’s appearance at the investiture has been broken down and examined by online sleuths. One video showing the prince weaving back and forth on his feet has been shared hundreds of thousands of times on social media. There is speculation that he is unwell or under the influence of something. • 2024 • 7 February William references his wife’s and father’s health in a speech at a formal event. “I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days,” he said. “It means a great deal to us all.” • 2024 • 9 February The Daily Mail reports that Kate has left Windsor for her children’s half-term holiday and the entire family has relocated to Anmer Hall, at Sandringham. Kate is apparently “recovering well.” The Sun and Sunday Times later confirm the Daily Mail’s reporting of the family trip to Anmer Hall.

It’s hard to draw a concrete conclusion about the fact that the Waleses’ trip to Sandringham wasn’t photographed. There have been many photographs taken of either William or Kate driving onto and out of the grounds of Windsor park in the past, but it’s definitely not a situation where they’re snapped every day. Furthermore, the Wales children are strictly off-limits when it comes to photographs and they were likely with their parents on the drive. • 2024 • 10 February Buckingham Palace publishes a personal message from the King expressing his “heartfelt thanks” for the messages of support he has received since announcing his diagnosis.

Again, the King’s message calls to attention the fact that Kate has not released a similar personal message and has only expressed her thanks through official statements. • 2024 • 11 February The King and Queen are photographed attending church at St Mary Magdalene in Sandringham. • 2024 • 13 February The King and Queen are photographed arriving at Clarence House in London. • 2024 • 17 February The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden reports that William and Kate have visited a school that they are considering for their oldest son Prince George. He later clarifies on Twitter that the visit happened before Kate’s surgery.

Many people online have raised questions about the timing of this piece, because it was published in a way that indicated it could have been a recent visit (and therefore could have been taken as “proof” that Kate was up and about). • 2024 • 18 February The King and Queen are photographed attending church at St Mary Magdalene in Sandringham. • 2024 • 18 February William attends the British Academy Film Awards. • 2024 • 19 February Term begins again at Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis’s school.

This fact is only noted to indicate that the Waleses have likely returned to Adelaide Cottage by this point. • 2024 • 20 February William issues a personal statement about the crisis in Gaza via social media.

A statement from The Prince of Wales pic.twitter.com/LV2jMx75DC — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) February 20, 2024

Despite claims from internet sleuths, this is not the first time that one of the Waleses have issued a solo (instead of joint) statement. Kate and William regularly write messages on their own letterhead, and the fact that this statement was just from William should not be taken as a sign of marital trouble in Kensington Palace. • 2024 • 21 February The King meets with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Buckingham Palace. Photos and videos are released to the media. • 2024 • 21 February Kate’s sister Pippa is photographed with her husband and children on vacation in the Caribbean.

While Pippa’s vacation pictures are a good sign that Kate’s not in serious condition, an update from Kate’s sister calls attention to the fact that the Middleton parents haven’t been seen. • 2024 • 23 February Buckingham Palace shares a video of the King reading cards that have been sent to him by concerned members of the public.

This video immediately prompts questions about why Kate hasn’t done something similar. “Monarchs reading cards” is a tried-and-true format for official royal photos. • 2024 • 27 February At the last minute, William pulls out of attending a memorial service at Windsor for his godfather, the late King Constantine of Greece, where he was scheduled to give a reading. Kensington Palace says his absence is due to “a personal matter.”

This is where the underground conspiracy theories hit the mainstream internet and media. Chaos ensues. Memes ensue. Although the Palace provides guidance that the cause of William’s absence has nothing to do with his wife, this claim is met with great skepticism. • 2024 • 27 February Buckingham Palace announces the death of Thomas Kingston, a member of the extended royal family. Kingston was married to Lady Gabriella Kingston, the daughter of Prince Michael of Kent, the late Queen’s first cousin. Multiple media outlets report that William’s withdrawal from the memorial service was not connected to Kingston’s death.

The fact that Kensington Palace let it be known that William’s absence from the memorial was not connected to Kingston’s death is seized upon by conspiracy theorists, as is the fact that Kingston once dated Kate’s sister Pippa Middleton. • 2024 • 28 February A Kensington Palace spokesperson addresses the “wild conspiracy theories” about Kate in a statement to the Sun: “We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant.” • 2024 • 29 February Kensington Palace spokespersons give similar statements to other media outlets. Page Six quotes a spokesperson as saying, “Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess’ recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates” and emphasizing, “That guidance stands.” • 2024 • 29 February Kensington Palace spokespersons give similar statements to other media outlets. ET quotes a spokesperson as saying, “We gave guidance two days ago that the Princess of Wales continues to be doing well. As we have been clear since our initial statement in January, we shall not be providing a running commentary or providing daily updates.”

It is incredibly rare for a royal press office to officially respond to something like this, let alone respond on the record with quotations attributable to a Kensington Palace spokesperson. This is not standard royal practice. • 2024 • 29 February Daily Beast royal reporter Tom Sykes interviews unnamed Wales friends and a former Palace employee about the global outcry around Kate’s “disappearance.” These anonymous contributors scoff at the idea that public curiosity will force the royal family’s hand. “If William has read any of this stuff, it will only make him more determined to stick to his guns and keep his wife out of the limelight while she recovers. The stuff people are writing is toxic,” one says.

“Friends” of members of the royal family don’t normally talk to reporters unless they’re given permission by somebody (or they wouldn’t stay friends). • 2024 • 29 February William visits a London synagogue, meets a Holocaust survivor, and condemns the wave of anti-semitism that has broken out in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks. “Both Catherine and I are extremely concerned about the rise in antisemitism that you guys have talked about so eloquently this morning, and I’m just so sorry you’ve had to experience that,” he says . • 2024 • 1 March William ignores a question about his wife’s health during an official event in Wales. (This news is not reported until March 4). • 2024 • 1 March An inquest reveals that Thomas Kingston’s cause of death was a “catastrophic head injury” and that a gun was found near his body. Multiple outlets report the death as a suicide.

This news being made public only increases speculation by some conspiracy theorists. • 2024 • 2 March Citing a Buckingham Palace source, the Times of London reports that the Queen will be taking a break from royal duties until March 11. The Sun reports that she will be “jetting off on a private flight tomorrow for a sunshine break overseas.” • 2024 • 4 March U.S. news outlet TMZ publishes a paparazzi image of Kate and her mother, Carole Middleton, in a car near Windsor Castle. The website reports that the image, which shows Kate in the passenger seat and her mother driving, was taken that morning, possibly after dropping the Wales children off at school. (The Daily Mail later reports that the photo was taken on the school run.) Several other U.S. media organizations publish the pictures.

The publication of this image only strengthens conspiracy theories about Kate’s health, as many do not believe that it’s actually her in the picture. • 2024 • 4 March Multiple U.K. news outlets report that Kensington Palace did not “authorize” the taking of the paparazzi image and state that they will not be publishing it in order to respect Kate’s privacy.

Two days later, royal reporter Emily Andrews writes on Twitter that Kensington Palace “exerted huge pressure on the British media” to not publish the image. Nonetheless, theories about why no U.K. outlet will publish the photo flourish online. People also point to the use of the word “authorize” — does that mean that other paparazzi photographs of members of the royal family were authorized? • 2024 • 5 March Kate’s uncle Gary Goldsmith, a contestant on reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother , attacks the conspiracy theories about his niece in an interview. “There’s a reason why [the royal family] is not talking about it and they are giving her a little bit of space,” he says . • 2024 • 5 March The media notices that the U.K. Ministry of Defense’s website states that Kate will attend the ceremonial event Trooping the Colour on June 8. This news is quickly picked up by outlets around the world and reported as Kate’s first post-surgery public appearance. • 2024 • 5 March Kensington Palace pushes back on reports that Kate will attend Trooping the Colour, telling reporters that they had not yet confirmed her appearance. The U.K. Ministry of Defense removes its claim that Kate will be at the event and her image from their website. • 2024 • 6 March The King holds a video meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and formally greets two foreign ambassadors at Buckingham Palace. • 2024 • 6 March William’s spokesperson tells People magazine that “his focus is on his work and not on social media.” This story also quotes a “Palace insider” saying that there is complete “radio silence” on Kate’s condition.

The fact that this very pointed quote is sourced not to a “Palace insider” or “royal aide” but to William’s spokesperson is significant. • 2024 • 7 March Hello! reports that William has been taking his children George, Charlotte, and Louis to school (and picking them up) “every day” since Kate’s surgery. No spokesperson is cited, the magazine sources this information as “Hello! has learnt.” This report is picked up by other U.K. news outlets .

People online immediately comment on the timing of this story, which comes three days after the paparazzi image of Kate and her mother was published by TMZ. That photo was allegedly taken after the women dropped the Wales children off at school — so why now is there this story about William exclusively doing the school runs? • 2024 • 7 March Kate’s uncle Gary Goldsmith comments on the princesses’ health again when asked point-blank by fellow Celebrity Big Brother contestant Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, “Where’s Kate?” Goldsmith responds , “Because she doesn’t want to talk about it, the last thing I’m going to do is [talk about it]. There’s this kind of this code of etiquette. If it’s announced, I’ll give you an opinion.” Goldsmith claims that he has spoken to his sister Carole about Kate’s health and says that she’s getting the “best care in the world” and “She’ll be back, of course she will.”

“All the family has put the wagons down and [are looking] after the family first before anything else,” he said. “They put a statement out, they said, ‘She’s going to take some time to recoup and we’ll see you at Easter.’”

Goldsmith’s apparent uneasiness while answering the question, as well as his cryptic statement, “If it’s announced, I’ll give you an opinion,” raises even more questions. • 2024 • 10 March Kensington Palace shares an image of Kate, George, Charlotte, and Louis to their official social media accounts to mark Mother’s Day in the U.K. The Instagram and Twitter posts include a personal message from the Princess of Wales (signed with a “C” for Catherine) thanking the public for their support. The photo was ostensibly taken by William at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor within the past week. Kensington Palace declines to comment when asked by Town and Country why Kate is not wearing her engagement or wedding rings in the photo.

Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day. C 📸 The Prince of Wales, 2024 pic.twitter.com/6DywGBpLLQ — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 10, 2024

People online begin to raise questions within minutes of the photo’s release. There is a visible discrepancy and apparent editing error visible in the area around Charlotte’s left sleeve , and other online sleuths notice alignment issues with Louis’s sweater . More and more people begin to call out signs of apparent poor Photoshop editing. • 2024 • 10 March The world’s major wire agencies ( Associated Press , Agence France-Presse , Getty , Reuters , and Britain’s Press Association ) alert their clients that the image provided by Kensington Palace should be withheld/withdrawn from publication because the photo has been manipulated beyond each company’s acceptable standards. (Nieman Lab has more on this here .) The Palace declines to comment to all media inquiries, multiple news organizations report.

To say that all hell breaks loose at this point would be an understatement. As ITV royal reporter Chris Ship points out , the photo that was supposed to resolve the confusion and clear up the conspiracy theories has instead made everything worse. People begin theorizing that the image was created by AI or patched together via Photoshop — worries about Kate’s health and current status abound on social media. • 2024 • 11 March Major UK media outlets publish stories breaking down the apparent Photoshop errors in the image released by Kensington Palace. Sky News examines the photo’s metadata and reports that the image “had been saved in photo editing software Adobe Photoshop twice on an Apple Mac.” The photo was first saved at 9:54 PM GMT on Friday night and then saved again at 9:39 AM GMT on Saturday morning. The metadata confirms that the photo was taken at the Waleses’ home, Adelaide Cottage. The Times reports that William took the photo on Friday afternoon. (The Daily Mail later confirms this photo origin date.)

The Telegraph reports that “A reference to ‘document ancestors’ in the photograph’s metadata suggests a copy and paste function was used and that multiple images were merged.” The paper adds that “a clear horizontal line stretching across the princess’s chest appears to indicate that the section of the image featuring her face was cut out and replaced, not exactly in line.” • 2024 • 11 March Kensington Palace releases a personal tweet from Kate (signed with a “C”) saying she “occasionally experiment[s] with editing” and apologizing for “any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused.” (She does not explicitly say that she edited this photo.)

Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 11, 2024

Despite prompting from many media outlets, the Palace makes it known (via a statement to the Press Association) that the Waleses’ press team will not be releasing the original image of the princess and her children.

By this point, the “Kate Middleton is missing” discourse has taken over the internet. People begin theorizing that the image was actually taken in November or Photoshopped using Kate’s 2016 Vogue magazine cover. Online debate rages about why the Palace is “throwing Kate under the bus” and why the press team will not release the original image. • 2024 • 11 March Photographers capture images of William and Kate leaving Windsor. However, the princess is not facing the cameras — only her profile can be seen. An unnamed source tells the Daily Mail and People magazine that Kate is heading to a “private appointment,” while William is heading to a Commonwealth’s Day service at Westminster Abbey.

Once again, this development has only raised more questions about the Princess of Wales. Why is Kate not facing the cameras? • 2024 • 11 March William, the Queen, and other members of the royal family attend the annual Commonwealth’s Day service at Westminster Abbey. The King does not attend, but a video message from him is played to the congregation. • 2024 • 11 March CNN says that it is reviewing all of the handout images previously provided by Kensington Palace, explaining that the royal press team ​​”wasn’t transparent about the fact [the Mother’s Day photo] had been adjusted,” an action that “damaged the trust between the Palace and media organizations.” CNN specifies that it is “unacceptable to move, change or manipulate the pixels of an image” because doing so “would alter the reality of the situation the image is intended to document.” This news is widely reported in the U.K. • 2024 • 11 March William attends the Earthshot Prize Launchpad to kick off a matchmaking program that connects environmental innovators with investors and philanthropists. The prince founded the Earthshot Prize in 2020 to “search for and scale the most innovative solutions to the world’s greatest environmental challenges.” • 2024 • 12 March The Daily Mail, citing “several well-placed sources in royal ­circles,” reports that Kate is “shellshocked” due to the “public fallout” over the Mother’s Day photo. “She is understood to be ‘disappointed’ about what has resulted after an attempt to ‘just put out a nice picture of her kids,’” writes royal correspondent Rebecca English. The Times reports that Kate was “shaken” by the news agency “kill orders” and decided to “own up” to editing the photo when news of the retractions and the subsequent internet explosion hit Kensington Palace. • 2024 • 12 March New conspiracy theories rage about the photo of William and Kate in the car. Some TikTok and Twitter investigators hypothesize that the prince was alone in the vehicle and a picture of the princess’s head was Photoshopped next to him to make it look as if Kate was there. Others theorize that there was a woman in the car next to William, but it wasn’t his wife — it was Rose Hanbury, otherwise known as the Marchioness of Cholmondeley (pronounced CHUM-lee). Since 2019, there have been (very unsubstantiated) rumors of an affair between William and Rose and many online conspiracy theorists believe that she is a key figure in this entire saga. • 2024 • 12 March The professional photographer, James Bennett, who took the picture of William and Kate in the car refutes all of the conspiracy theories about the image in an interview with the New York Post: “We don’t change our photos in Photoshop other than adjusting the light levels if necessary.”

He tells the paper that he and a partner staked out a spot on a public street to capture an image of William on his way to Westminster Abbey. “The cars left Windsor Castle and I photographed them a short distance away on Datchet High Street — outside No. 39, to be precise!” he said. “Car shots are unpredictable at the best of times and with some reflection on the glass, it can be difficult.” Bennett says he didn’t know that he’d photographed the princess until he reviewed his pictures. “I realized there was someone sitting next to him. It turned out to be Catherine!”

Ellie Hall is a freelance reporter. She was senior reporter and official royal correspondent for BuzzFeed News from 2013 until the newsroom shut down in April 2023.

Photo of Kensington Palace by Kotomi_ being used under a Creative Commons license.

Cite this article Hide citations

Hall, Ellie. "It’s getting weirder: BuzzFeed News’ former royals reporter on Kate Middleton, Palace PR, and distrust in the media (updated)." Nieman Journalism Lab . Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, 7 Mar. 2024. Web. 21 Mar. 2024.

Hall, E. (2024, Mar. 7). It’s getting weirder: BuzzFeed News’ former royals reporter on Kate Middleton, Palace PR, and distrust in the media (updated). Nieman Journalism Lab . Retrieved March 21, 2024, from https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/03/this-is-just-weird-buzzfeed-news-former-royals-reporter-on-kate-middleton-palace-press-and-distrust-in-the-media/

Hall, Ellie. "It’s getting weirder: BuzzFeed News’ former royals reporter on Kate Middleton, Palace PR, and distrust in the media (updated)." Nieman Journalism Lab . Last modified March 7, 2024. Accessed March 21, 2024. https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/03/this-is-just-weird-buzzfeed-news-former-royals-reporter-on-kate-middleton-palace-press-and-distrust-in-the-media/.

{{cite web     | url = https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/03/this-is-just-weird-buzzfeed-news-former-royals-reporter-on-kate-middleton-palace-press-and-distrust-in-the-media/     | title = It’s getting weirder: BuzzFeed News’ former royals reporter on Kate Middleton, Palace PR, and distrust in the media (updated)     | last = Hall     | first = Ellie     | work = [[Nieman Journalism Lab]]     | date = 7 March 2024     | accessdate = 21 March 2024     | ref = {{harvid|Hall|2024}} }}

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Bloody tom cruise sprints through london with wild hair in ‘mission: impossible 8’ set photos.

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It’s impossible not to marvel at his stamina.

Tom Cruise showed off his incredible athleticism in new photos from the set of “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two” in London on Sunday.

In photos obtained by The Post, Cruise, 61, can be seen sporting shaggy hair and a white shirt drenched in fake blood as he sprints across Westminster Bridge. Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster appear in the background in the action-packed shot.

Tom Cruise on the set of "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 2."

While little is known about the film, which has been reported to serve as Cruise’s final appearance as Ethan Hunt, it can be assumed that Hunt will be forced to flee some sort of fancy gathering.

In addition to Cruise , several photos were captured of Parliament Square being barricaded off and filled with background actors dressed in army uniforms and helmets.

Many of the extras were spotted carrying prop guns as they milled around several army jeeps waiting for their next take.

Several fences that had been put up around the area had various warnings such as "Restricted Area," "Police security operation" and "Security checkpoint ahead."

Several fences that were put up around the area had various warnings such as “Restricted Area,” “Police security operation” and “Security checkpoint ahead.”

Despite the seriousness of the scene, the “Jerry Maguire” actor — who is well known for doing his own stunts — was spotted laughing and chatting with the crew.

The eighth installment of the “Mission: Impossible” series , which stars Simon Pegg , Vanessa Kirby, Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff, is set to be released nearly two years after the first part , which was nominated for Best Sound and Visual Effects at the 2024 Oscars .

Cruise is well known for doing his own stunts.

Despite the rumors that both parts of the film were designed to serve as a send-off to Cruise’s character, director Christopher McQuarrie told the  “Light the Fuse” podcast that fans can’t believe everything they hear.

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“Let me tell you, I’ve been working with Tom Cruise for 15 years and I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve been standing next to the man, witnessed an event and then read about it in the trades the next day and none of what they describe is actually true,” McQuarrie, 55, told the podcast.

“Mission: Impossible” is not the only franchise Cruise is reportedly working on at the moment.

According to  Puck News , the action star is also working on a third “Top Gun” film.

The new project would see the return of Cruise’s Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell and  “Top Gun: Maverick”  co-stars Miles Teller and Glen Powell. 

“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two” will hit theaters on May 23, 2025.

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Tom Cruise on the set of "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 2."

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March 22, 2024 - Catherine, Princess of Wales, says she has cancer

By Thom Poole, Peter Wilkinson , Laura Smith-Spark , Tori B. Powell and Elise Hammond , CNN

In pictures: Catherine, Princess of Wales

From CNN Digital's Photo Team

Catherine, Princess of Wales, revealed Friday that she has been  diagnosed with cancer  and is in the "early stages" of treatment.

Kate married Prince William, now the heir apparent to the British throne, in 2011. They met while attending the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

See  more photos from Kate's life.

Prince William and Kate are followed by Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton as they leave Westminster Abbey in London after their wedding ceremony in 2011. 

US President Biden wishes Kate "full recovery"

US President Joe Biden makes his way to board Marine One before departing from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on Friday, March 22.

US President Joe Biden said he and first lady Jill Biden wished Catherine, the Princess of Wales, a full recovery.

"Jill and I join millions around the world in praying for your full recovery, Princess Kate," he said on X , formerly Twitter.

Kate's whereabouts became a subject of frenzied speculation over the last few months

From CNN's Christian Edwards

Before Catherine, Princess of Wales , revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer on Friday, she had been mostly absent from the public eye since undergoing abdominal surgery in January.

Kate’s health and whereabouts became the subject of frenzied speculation , despite the palace reiterating that it had “made clear in January the timelines of the Princess’ recovery” and that the public should not expect to see her until after Easter.

Kate was first seen in public earlier this month after she was spotted in Windsor wearing dark sunglasses and sitting in the front passenger seat of a car driven by her mother, Carole Middleton.

Speculation about Kate’s health continued, putting pressure on the family to reveal more details.

Trying to put rumors to rest: In what appeared to be an attempt to end the rumors, Kate published an official photograph of her and her three children — George, Charlotte and Louis — on Mother’s Day, which was marked in the UK on March 10.

But instead of ending the speculation, it  fueled it instead . Members of the public swiftly noticed several irregularities in the image. After a day of more amateur sleuthing, Kate admitted that she had edited the photograph, and apologized. Multiple global news agencies recalled the image from circulation hours later, citing manipulation concerns.

Records investigation : Most recently, the UK’s data watchdog said earlier this week that it is “assessing” reports that a staff member at the London Clinic allegedly  tried to access  Kate’s private medical records.

Here's what we know so far about Kate's cancer diagnosis

From CNN staff

Catherine, Princess of Wales in Sutton, England, on September 12, 2023.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced Friday she has been diagnosed with cancer and is in the "early stages" of chemotherapy treatment.

The princess, known as Kate, described her diagnosis as a “huge shock” in a video  statement  that was filmed by BBC Studios at Windsor on Wednesday.

“We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment," the princess said. "My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery."

Here's what we know so far:

  • Few details expected: Kate, 42, who is married to the heir to the British throne, Prince William, did not say what type of cancer she had been diagnosed with and Kensington Palace is not expected to reveal any further medical details, such as what stage the cancer is in.
  • Abdominal surgery: The announcement comes two months after Kate had stepped away from public life temporarily following what Kensington Palace said at the time was surgery for a non-cancerous abdominal conditio n. She remained in a London hospital for 13 days following the procedure. Kate was spotted in public last weekend for the first time since January, visiting a farm shop with her husband.
  • Preventative chemotherapy: The princess started preventative chemotherapy in late February, a royal source told CNN. She had been expected to return to official duties after Easter. However, she will now postpone further work until she has been cleared by her medical team, the source said.
  • Reactions: The news prompted a wave of sympathy and support from public figures around the world, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak , King Charles , Prince Harry and Meghan , the head of England's National Health Service , Kate's brother James Middleton , French President Emmanuel Macron , as well as the White House and US first lady Jill Biden .
  • King Charles also has cancer: Kate's diagnosis is a devastating blow for the British monarchy as  King Charles III is currently undergoing treatment  for an unspecified cancer, which was announced in early February.
  • How to tell children: In the time Kate spent away from the public before revealing her cancer diagnosis, one of her biggest priorities was finding the right way to tell her children, she said. CNN understands the royal couple wanted to wait for their young children to be out of school for the Easter vacation before making an announcement. When talking to young people about a parent's cancer diagnosis, experts advise taking the child's age into account. Read more for tips on how to talk to kids about cancer diagnoses.

French president says Princess of Wales' "strength and resilience inspire us all"

From CNN's Amy Cassidy

French President Emmanuel Macron stands at the entrance to the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on March 11.

Princess of Wales' "strength and resilience inspire us all," French President Emmanuel Macron wrote in a post on X on Friday.

Princess of Wales' brother sends touching message after shocking cancer news

From CNN's Niamh Kennedy in London 

James Middleton at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018, in Windsor, England.

James Middleton, the brother of the Princess of Wales, wrote a touching message on Instagram to his sister Friday after her shocking cancer announcement . 

The 36-year-old entrepreneur shared an old family photo of him with his teenage sister.

Prince Harry and Meghan send best wishes to Kate after cancer diagnosis

From CNN’s Max Foster 

Prince Harry and Meghan at St Paul's Cathedral on June 03, 2022 in London, England. 

Prince Harry and Meghan have sent their well wishes to Catherine, Princess of Wales, after she announced a cancer diagnosis Friday.

"We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace," the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement.

US first lady Jill Biden to Princess of Wales: "You are brave, and we love you"

From CNN's Arlette Saenz

US first lady Jill Biden posted a message of support on social media for Catherine, Princess of Wales, after the disclosure of her cancer diagnosis.

“You are brave, and we love you. ~Jill,” the first lady wrote on X while re-posting the video message from the princess earlier today. 

Kate started preventative chemotherapy last month, source says

From CNN's Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse

The announcement was filmed by BBC Studios at Windsor on Wednesday.

The video in which the Princess of Wales revealed her cancer diagnosis was filmed by BBC Studios at Windsor on Wednesday.

Kensington Palace is not expected to reveal any further medical details, such as the type of cancer or what stage it is.

The princess started preventative chemotherapy in late February, a royal source told CNN.

Kate had been expected to return to official duties after Easter. However, she will now postpone further work until she has been cleared by her medical team, the source said.

Prince William has been balancing supporting his wife and children while continuing his public-facing duties and will continue to do so, the source added. 

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Britain's royal family is down to its last 9 working royals, many of them older and obscure

  • Kate Middleton and King Charles have both announced they're undergoing cancer treatment.
  • Their temporary withdrawal leaves only nine working royals, most of whom are in their 70s and 80s.
  • Here's a rundown of all the remaining royals and their roles.

Insider Today

With Kate Middleton and King Charles temporarily out of action, Britain's royal family has relatively few people holding the fort.

Kate, 42, announced on Friday that she had been diagnosed with cancer and that she was undergoing chemotherapy.

Charles, 75, said in February that he had cancer and that he would temporarily step back from public-facing duties.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have not been working royals since 2020.

The latest announcements leave the royal family in a vulnerable situation. The monarchy is now reduced to a handful of working royals. The majority are in their 70s and 80s, which is older than the UK's state retirement age of 66.

Here's a complete rundown of all the remaining royals as Kate and Charles focus on their health.

Prince William, 41, is heir to the throne — but is cutting back on some work to support his wife.

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William, Prince of Wales, is next in line to the British throne, followed by his children.

William has mostly continued with royal engagements during Kate's absence. An exception was the memorial service for his godfather, King Constantine, which he pulled out of last minute on February 27.

"HRH will continue to balance supporting his wife and family and maintaining his official duties as he has done since the start of the year," a Kensington Palace spokesperson told Business Insider, using the abbreviation for "his royal highness."

Royal biographer Phil Dampier previously told BI that the monarchy "could, with the wrong unforeseen circumstances, collapse quite quickly," if something were to happen to both the king and William.

"It could lose a lot of power and ability to operate if god forbid, some other disaster happened," he said.

Queen Camilla, 76, has stepped up during the king's absence.

how to visit palace of westminster

Camilla, formerly known as the Duchess of Cornwall, became queen consort when Charles ascended the throne on September 8, 2022. Her title was changed to queen after his coronation in May 2023.

Camilla has stepped up and taken on a greater proportion of royal duties during the king's absence. A royal source, who spoke anonymously to The Telegraph , said she was "proud" to take on more work.

Jack Royston, a royal commentator, told BI that Camilla faces "a lot of responsibility and pressure," especially while support for the monarchy appears to be decreasing among young people .

Prince Edward, 60, is supporting Camilla with increased duties.

how to visit palace of westminster

Edward, 60, is the king's youngest brother and the most senior male in the family after William.

He inherited the title of Duke of Edinburgh in 2023. It was previously held by his father, Prince Philip.

Edward is married to Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and they have two children together: Lady Louise Windsor, 20, and James, Earl of Wessex, 16.

Edward participated in various public engagements in March, including a visit to Uganda on behalf of The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Foundation and Association.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, 59, wasn't always a working royal.

how to visit palace of westminster

Edward's wife, Sophie, has been a member of the royal family since their wedding in 1999.

Sophie worked in PR and Edward ran his own production company until 2002, when they announced that they would become full-time working royals to support Queen Elizabeth II in the year of her Golden Jubilee.

Sophie is a patron of 70 charities and organizations, according to her biography on the royal website. Causes she supports focus on the well-being of children and young people, equality for women, and eliminating avoidable blindness.

She inherited the Duchess of Edinburgh title when Edward was named duke in 2023.

Princess Anne, 73, is one of the busiest royals.

how to visit palace of westminster

Anne, The Princess Royal , is Charles's only sister. She is often credited as being one of the busiest and most hard-working royals.

In 2023 she carried out 457 engagements, the most of any royal, according to The Telegraph .

Though she often maintains a low profile, Anne had a key role after her mother Elizabeth II died in 2022. She accompanied the coffin as it traveled from Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh, and later to Windsor, England, for the funeral.

Prince Richard, 79, ranks lower in the line of succession.

how to visit palace of westminster

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is a cousin of Elizabeth II.

He is associated with 150 charities and organizations, including those that support the environment, veterans, and humanitarian issues. He also filled in at recent events including the Commonwealth Day service in March and the memorial service for Greece's King Constantine in February.

Richard is so far back in the line of succession that he isn't featured on the royal website's succession page, which lists the 24 adults and children closest to the throne.

Like her husband, Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, 77, keeps a low profile.

how to visit palace of westminster

Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester, 76, was born in Denmark and relocated to the UK to attend finishing school in Cambridge, where she met Prince Richard.

They wed on July 8, 1972, and Birgitte has been a working royal ever since.

Birgitte keeps a low profile and isn't often reported on in the media. She supports more than 60 organizations across the arts, the military, sports, health, welfare, and education, the royal website states.

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, 88, is the oldest working royal.

how to visit palace of westminster

Prince Edward was a first cousin to both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, and he became the oldest working royal after the Queen died at the age of 96.

He appeared to have a close relationship with Elizabeth; at the monarch's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, he was the only royal to accompany Her Majesty on her warmly received appearance on the palace balcony, People reported .

Richard's work for the monarchy began after he retired from the British Army in 1976 at the age of 41, according to the royal website.

Similarly to Richard and Birgitte, Edward is not as well known as some of the younger royals who are among the top 24 in the line of succession.

Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, 87, appears to be the lowest-ranking of the working royals.

how to visit palace of westminster

Alexandra is the sister to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.

At the time of her birth in 1936, Alexandra was sixth in line to the throne, Town and Country reported in 2023. She's now 57th in line.

She too seemed to be close to Elizabeth II, having been a bridesmaid at her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947, the outlet reported. In recent years, she supported the late monarch at events including Trooping the Colour. More recently, she attended King Charles' coronation in May, and she was also present at King Constantine's memorial service in February.

how to visit palace of westminster

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Kensington Palace after the announcement

‘Shock and sadness’: outside Kensington Palace, public express sympathy for Kate

Members of the public wish princess well after announcement that she is being treated for cancer

  • Catherine, Princess of Wales, receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer
  • What we know about the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis
  • Catherine’s statement in full

As the sun began to set outside Kensington Palace on Friday, there was shock and sadness after the announcement that the Princess of Wales was receiving treatment for cancer.

Shortly after the news was announced at 6pm, people began to take out their phones to read the news and stop to take pictures of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s residence.

Laila Cunningham, 42, said: “It’s shock and sadness really. My sister passed away two years ago at a young age so it’s very sad to see Kate go through that. I wish her a speedy recovery.

Laila Cunningham

“It’s brave of her to come out and announce her diagnosis shortly after King Charles came out and said that he also had cancer. It must be a tough time for the family, especially for William with his father and wife both receiving treatment for cancer.”

Before the announcement, the Princess of Wales had not made a public appearance since late last year after receiving abdominal surgery, prompting concern and wild speculation about her whereabouts and condition.

A picture of Catherine and her children was released on Mother’s Day but was retracted by picture agencies after edits were discovered. The Princess of Wales later apologised for editing the pictures.

“I think social media is what it is, people speculate. I don’t think she even saw it probably,” Cunningham, who is a city of Westminster conservative councillor, added.

Suveer Arora, 66, said: “It seems like after the Queen’s passing, it’s been bad news, one after another. It’s like it’s all tumbling down. It’s very sad.

“It’s very sad, especially when you’re a young mum. Cancer impacts so many people.”

“We were very sad about the way Harry and Meghan were treated. It sounds like a house of cards falling down,” she added.

Surekha Arora, 71, said: “Every family needs to be together. Forgive and forget. Cancer is so sad at any age.”

The type of cancer Catherine has been diagnosed with has not been disclosed by the palace.

  • Catherine, Princess of Wales
  • Prince William

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How Henry VIII’s grandmother used a palace in Northamptonshire to build the mighty Tudor dynasty

how to visit palace of westminster

Heritage Partnerships Coordinator, University of Oxford

how to visit palace of westminster

PhD Candidate, Early Modern History, University of York

Disclosure statement

Rachel Delman has been researching Collyweston Palace for over a decade. Her doctoral research on the site was funded by a full Arts and Humanities Research Council award at the University of Oxford and she continues to investigate the significance of the palace as a site of female power in early Tudor England.

Keely Hayes-Davies receives funding from Arts and Humanities Research Council for "Henry on Tour", a research project exploring the progresses of Henry VIII. The project is jointly led by the University of York and Historic Royal Palaces in partnership with Newcastle University (henryontour.uk).

University of York and University of Oxford provide funding as members of The Conversation UK.

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Portrait of Lady Margaret Beaufort praying in a habit.

Today, you would be hard-pressed to find any visible evidence that Collyweston village in Northamptonshire was once home to a palace presided over by Henry VIII’s grandmother, Lady Margaret Beaufort. As a royal power base, the palace was an epicentre of Tudor power and propaganda in the 16th century and was a key stopping point for royal visits. This included two royal tours in 1503 and 1541, which were crucial to the making (and remaking) of the Tudor dynasty.

Margaret Beaufort acquired Collyweston manor after her son Henry VII ascended to the English throne following the battle of Bosworth in 1485. There, she set upon expanding the manor house into a palace befitting her status as king’s mother.

Beaufort’s presence at Collyweston formed part of a strategic plan, devised by mother and son, to exert royal influence both locally and nationally. Collyweston was in the heart of the country at a time when most of the royal palaces were clustered in and around London and the neighbouring county of Lincolnshire was the epicentre of Beaufort’s influence .

In the early years of the Tudor dynasty, Beaufort’s presence in the area was particularly important as Henry VII had spent much of his youth in exile in Brittany. His mother’s longstanding connections to the local area therefore helped proclaim his legitimacy.

The site was also close to the Great North Road (now partly occupied by the A1), making it an ideal stopping point for royal parties travelling between London and the north.

Beaufort gets building

While nothing remains above ground and no drawings of the palace survive, Beaufort’s extensive works to the palace over several years, are preserved in numerous volumes of household and building accounts .

By the early 16th century, the palace was framed around three courtyards and boasted a chapel, great hall, rooms for Margaret and her household, a jewel tower and library. Perched on the crest of a hill, the palace offered spectacular views over the Welland valley. The land falling westwards from the residence included a deer park of approximately 108 acres, along with ponds, gardens, orchards, summer houses and walkways.

Between 1502 and 1503, Beaufort commissioned significant building works, including repainting the chapel, new walkways through the grounds and a new accommodation block overlooking the deer park. This flurry of work anticipated the arrival of the first of two Tudor tours , known as progresses, which were to stop at Collyweston.

a quiet, leafy country road.

Progresses played a vital role in presenting the king (and his wider family) to his people, publicly displaying him as the people’s sovereign. They gave the king and his retinue an opportunity to hunt, engage with the localities and hear the grievances of the local elites and their people.

The 1503 progress notably celebrated the marriage of Beaufort’s granddaughter (Henry VIII’s sister, Margaret Tudor) to James IV of Scotland. For the fledgling Tudor dynasty, the event was a triumph, creating a political alliance in the form of a peace treaty between England and Scotland.

Beaufort recorded the event in a prayer book gifted to her by her mother, Margaret Beauchamp, along with other key dates relating to the dynasty’s successes. The wedding party stayed at Collyweston for two weeks, where they enjoyed feasting, hunting, entertainment and services in Beaufort’s repainted chapel.

Fit for a king

In 1541, approximately 32 years after his grandmother’s death, Henry VIII returned to Collyweston with his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, during their progress to York.

To travel as far as York was unusual. But Henry intended to secure the region after the Pilgrimage of Grace (a popular revolt that began in Yorkshire in October 1536) in much the same way his father had done in 1486, when he had taken a large force north to secure his reign after the wars of the roses.

Catherine also embarked on her ill-fated affair with her husband’s friend, the courtier Thomas Culpeper, during the progress and met with him secretly throughout.

Henry VIII and Catherine stayed at Collyweston palace – the queen in rooms known to Margaret Beaufort and once occupied by Henry’s mother – on August 5, on the journey from London to York, and from October 15 to 17 on their return. They had departed from Westminster with their summer court of around 400 to 500 people and a group of 4,000 to 5,000 horsemen – a group larger than most Tudor towns.

The Field of the Cloth of Gold by Hans Holbein the Younger (1545).

The company was heavily armed, including at least 1,000 soldiers. The king and queen travelled in style, accompanied by an estimated 400 courtiers, officials, musicians and servants.

Elaborate tents and the richest tapestries, plates and clothes were brought from London to furnish the royal court on the move. Collyweston would once again have been a hub of activity during the progress, albeit with a different purpose and tone from 1503.

The sleepy appearance of Collyweston village today belies its significance as a stage on which key events relating to the Tudor dynasty were played out. While the site has fallen into relative obscurity, for the Tudors, it was very much on the map as a place of security in the face of uncertainty.

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    Also, access is more likely during Easter, summer, and Christmas, when Parliament is not in session. Still, visits are allowed at selected times even when Parliament is in session. You can book time slots for either multimedia or guided tours as long as they are between 9 am and 4:15 pm. Contact the ticket offices at Portcullis House, Victoria ...

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    Big Ben Tour. Book an official tour of Big Ben and explore the famous Elizabeth Tower at UK Parliament. On your 334-step climb, you'll stand behind the iconic clock faces, see the Victorian clock mechanism in action and look up at the famous Big Ben bell as it strikes the hour. This tour is only suitable for those aged 11 and over who are ...

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    Yes, you can go into the Houses of Parliament - either on a tour, to go and see a debate or committee, to watch Prime Minister's Questions or Minister's Questions, to attend a talk or event or to go and petition your MP. You can't, however, just walk around and see the inside of the Palace of Westminster unguided.

  9. How To Visit The Houses of Parliament and The Palace of Westminster

    Here is the information you need to know to plan your visit: You can pre-book tickets online or purchase them on the same day from the Ticket Office in front of Portcullis House on Victoria Embankment. The Ticket Office is open on Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm, and Saturday from 8.45 am to 4.45 pm.

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    The tour takes you on a fascinating journey around the Palace of Westminster, following in the footsteps of monarchs and prime ministers. The multimedia guide is available in several languages. ... You can book tickets to visit the Houses of Parliament online. Prices . Child Ticket Up to £9.50 per ticket Concession Ticket ...

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    The area. If you only had an afternoon to experience London on a grand scale, Westminster would be a wise place to start. The ornate Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey sit adjacent at a corner of Parliament Square, and a short stroll along The Mall leads to Buckingham Palace. Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column are just up the road as ...

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    6. Henry VII's Lady Chapel. The most beautiful part of Westminster Abbey is the stunning Henry VII Chapel in the eastern end. The ancient chapel is the last great masterpiece of English medieval architecture, the crowning glory of the abbey, and the mausoleum for much of England's royalty.

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    991. from 448,95€. VIEW ALL. The Palace of Westminster is a historical and political building in central London. It has been the home of the British Government for more than 300 years, and it housed England's government for five centuries before that. Being the meeting place for the UK's House of Commons and House of Lords, Westminster ...

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    About the Palace of Westminster tour. Self-guided audio tours allow you to explore at your own pace, guided by a multimedia device.. You may prefer to join a guided tour led by an expert guide.. For either tour option you'll need 90 minutes to discover the historic rooms and iconic spaces including Westminster Hall, Central Lobby, and the chambers of the House of Commons, and the House of Lords.

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    Visitors taking the multimedia tour can take their own pace but should generally allow around 90 minutes for their visit. Guided tours. Guided tours of parliament are the best way to see inside the Palace of Westminster. These tours are highly recommended and are conducted by knowledgeable guides and last for 90 minutes.

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    To visit the inside of Westminster Palace, you need to book a tour in advance. You can watch a parliamentary debate, committee meeting or attend Prime Minister's Questions. The Lords Chamber can be viewed for free or on a private tour on Saturdays when Parliament's not in session, and during the summer recess. ...

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  29. Inside UK Parliament free guided tours

    10.15am to 12 noon*. Friday. 3.30pm to 5pm. *Slightly shorter tours which include the House of Lords, Central Lobby, St Stephen's Hall and Westminster Hall, but not the House of Commons. Find out what's on when UK Parliament is sitting. Find out dates when UK Parliament is in recess. These free guided tours are not available on Thursdays ...