My grand tour of Buckingham Palace
Emily goes behind the famous net curtains to see where the King and his family gather before balcony appearances
Hi everyone, it’s Emily with my weekly newsletter.
Well there may have been a shortage of overseas visits this year, but the royal interiors tours keep coming!
Yesterday I got a glimpse of the newly reserviced East Wing of Buckingham Palace before it opens to visitors for the first time ever on July 15.
It’s a fascinating chance to see what lies behind the modest net curtains that line the windows leading onto the world’s most famous balcony.
Weddings, coronations and Jubilees have all been celebrated here since Queen Victoria’s time, when Prince Albert suggested the balcony might be a good way for the royal family to connect with the public.
She began its use in 1851, by waving off troops being sent to fight in the Crimean War and later welcoming them back from the balcony on their return.
Over the years we’ve spotted Queen Elizabeth II and her great-granddaughter Princess Charlotte peeping out from behind the curtains, along with others.
But what goes on inside as the royals await their big public moment?