LONDON, England (AFP) — A room behind Buckingham Palace’s famous balcony will open to the public for the first time next week, offering a rare glimpse into one of the sanctums of the royal residence.
For decades, members of the royal family have been seen emerging from the room after coronations, weddings and other important events.
(From World War II leader Winston Churchill’s appearance with members of the royal family in 1945 to the wedding of King Charles III and Princess Diana in 1981, the balcony and the room behind it have repeatedly witnessed history.
But despite countless images of the balcony, the room itself has always been kept secret.
Prince Charles appeared on the show with his daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, after his birthday parade last month.
The 42-year-old princess attracted a lot of attention as it was her first official royal appearance since announcing earlier this year that she was undergoing treatment for cancer.
Visitors can see the room as part of a tour of the palace’s east wing, marking the first time it has been open to the public since it was built nearly 175 years ago.
About 6,000 tickets for the new tour were sold out within hours of going on sale in April.
This wing was added between 1847 and 1849 to accommodate the growing family of Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert.
“The idea of having a balcony at Buckingham Palace was Prince Albert’s because he thought it would be a place for Royal interaction with the public, and of course that is exactly what the balcony continues to be used for important occasions,” said Caroline de Guitau, the royal art inspector.
Gitau, who has responsibility for 700,000 artworks at 13 royal residences including Buckingham Palace, said some of the earliest occasions when the royal family used balconies included seeing off troops leaving and welcoming them home in the Crimean War of 1853-1856.
Much of this wing reflects George IV’s early 19th century love of Chinese-themed art.
The tour of the East Wing also includes the palace’s special rooms, which have been open to the public during the summer since 1993.
The East Building part of the tour takes visitors along most of the 73-metre (240-foot) long Main Corridor, including the Yellow Drawing Room and the central room behind the balcony.
The Yellow Drawing Room features a Chinese-style fireplace from King George IV’s seaside pleasure park in Brighton on England’s south coast, as well as some pavilion wallpaper that was discovered in a warehouse by Queen Elizabeth II’s grandmother and hung at her request.
The Royal Pavilion in Brighton was sold to raise funds for the extension of Buckingham Palace, and its contents were moved to the main rooms in the East Wing.
Victoria and Albert furnished the hallway with chairs, side tables, a large pagoda, and Chinese porcelain, including an incense burner in the shape of a Buddha.
Highlights in the room behind the balcony include a newly restored glass chandelier shaped to resemble a lotus flower and two 18th-century Chinese imperial silk wall hangings, a gift from the Chinese Emperor Guangxu to Queen Victoria in 1897 to mark her 60th anniversary on the throne.
Visitors can view The Mall, the avenue leading to the palace, but cannot go out onto the balconies.
But you will be able to see a new portrait of the King painted by Jonathan Yeo, in which he is painted almost entirely in red.
