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Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace

110 Reviews 4.93 out of 5 stars Based on 110 reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and TripAdvisor |
Recommended by 98% of reviewers
98% of reviewers gave this experience a rating of 4 or higher.
|
Badge of Excellence |Badge of Excellence This experience is highly rated by travelers and has met our top quality standards. London, England
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from $180.64 per person

Lowest Price Guarantee
Tea in the Summer
Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace Image 2
Cupola
Ceiling
Albert Memorial
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 15 (0) days in advance.
2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Instant confirmation

Overview

See Three Palaces & experience the magnificence of London’s royal quarter with a walk around its most stunning monuments followed by an authentic afternoon tea in Royal surroundings in the company of a knowledgeable guide.

Get to the heart of aristocratic London, exploring the quiet corners & higgledy-piggledy streets of St James’ & its Tudor palace - where the King was proclaimed monarch.

On Changing of the Guard mornings, witness the inspection of the Old Guard at St James before following the band to Buckingham Palace. Stroll to Wellington Arch & hop onto an iconic red bus for a short ride to the Royal Albert Hall.

Step into beautiful Kensington Gardens & hear of a 1000 years of history, See Princess Diana's Statue & stroll through manicured parkland to the 300 year old Tea Room established by Queen Anne. Enjoy a full Afternoon Tea of delicious sandwiches, scones & cakes with a selection of teas. Dietary preferences are catered for, & a children's tea provided for youngsters.

What's Included

  • Entrance to the State Rooms (if selected at check out)
  • The history of tea drinking in England
  • Small Group, maximum of 10, typically 4-6 guests
  • Alcoholic beverages Can be purchased during the tea service
  • No entrance to Palaces / Walking tour (unless selected at check out)
  • Bus fare - please bring a Contactless Card or Oyster Card
See 3 moreSee 4 more

Meeting Location

Meeting point

Piccadilly
London W1J 9DZ, UK

Show on Google Maps

Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

Kensington Gardens
London W8 4PX, UK

We will end the tour at the Orangery where we are hosting the High Tea.

What To Expect

Book Online

Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your tour begins.
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Safe & secure Easy breezy Hassle‑free

Green Park

Formally known as Upper St James Park, Green Park is the starting point of the tour. We will head away from the crowds to discover quiet spots and discreet passageways that lead away from the regular tours.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

St. James's

St James is the main aristocratic quarter of London where the landed gentry and political classes mingled in chocolate houses and taverns that became prestigious clubs in the seventeenth century. You will stroll through little used back streets with their fascinating history
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Spencer House

Spencer House at the end of the small street. Built between 1756-1766 for John, first Earl Spencer, an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997) it is London’s finest surviving eighteenth-century town house.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

The Mall

St James Palace remains the official London royal palace and is not regularly open to visitors, but the public can attend Sunday services at the Chapel Royal and the Queen's Chapel.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Clarence House

The house was built between 1825 and 1827 to a design by John Nash. It was commissioned by the Duke of Clarence, who in 1830 became King William IV of the United Kingdom (reigned 1830–1837). He lived there in preference to the adjacent St James's Palace, an ancient Tudor building which he found too cramped
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

St. James's Palace

St James is the main aristocratic quarter of London where the landed gentry and political classes mingled in chocolate houses and taverns that became prestigious clubs in the seventeenth century. You will stroll through little used back streets with their fascinating history
Read more

5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Buckingham Palace

In the Middle Ages, the site of the future palace formed part of the Manor of Ebury (also called Eia). The marshy ground was watered by the river Tyburn, which still flows below the courtyard and south wing of the palace. Where the river was fordable (at Cow Ford), the village of Eye Cross grew. Ownership of the site changed hands many times; owners included Edward the Confessor and his queen consort Edith of Wessex in late Saxon times, and, after the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror. William gave the site to Geoffrey de Mandeville, who bequeathed it to the monks of Westminster Abbey.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Wellington Arch

Cross to the Wellington Arch (Decimus Burton) 1828. 4 horse chariot with a figure of peace (1912) Central Passage was reserved for royalty.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Bomber Command Memorial

The Royal Air Force Bomber Command Memorial is a memorial commemorating the crews of RAF Bomber Command who embarked on missions during the Second World War. The memorial, on the south side of Piccadilly, facing Hyde Park Corner, was built to mark the sacrifice of 55,573 aircrew from Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Czechoslovakia, Poland and other allied countries, as well as civilians of all nations killed during raids.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Apsley House

The house was originally built in red brick by Robert Adam between 1771 and 1778 for Lord Apsley, the Lord Chancellor, who gave the house its name. Some Adam interiors survive: the Piccadilly Drawing Room with its apsidal end and Adam fireplace, and the Portico Room, behind the giant Corinthian portico added by Wellington.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres have appeared on its stage.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Albert Memorial

The Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens is one of London's most ornate monuments. It commemorates the death of Prince Albert, who died of typhoid in 1861.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Kensington Palace

George II was blind in one eye and hard of hearing. In Kensington Palace, 25 October, 1760 he rose as usual at 6:00 am, drank a cup of hot chocolate, and went to his close stool alone. After a few minutes, his valet heard a loud crash and entered the room to find the king on the floor. The king was lifted into his bed, and Princess Amelia was sent for; before she reached him, he was dead. At the age of nearly 77 he had lived longer than any of his English or British predecessors. A post-mortem revealed that the king had died as the result of a thoracic aortic dissection. He was succeeded by his grandson George III, and buried on 11 November in Westminster Abbey. He left instructions for the sides of his and his wife's coffins to be removed so that their remains could mingle. He is the most recent monarch to be buried in Westminster Abbey.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Show 12 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • We offer Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan & Halal on prior request
  • Not suitable for those with walking difficulty, we walk for about 60 mins
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (GMT).This tour requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund. Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

Still have questions?

We're here to help.
Activity code: C-197465P18

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.93
110 reviews

Average 4.93 out of 5 stars based on 110 traveler reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
104
4 stars
4
3 stars
2
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 15 (0) days in advance.
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Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Activity name

The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from City Balloon Tours customers.

Filter by:

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace?
A:
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (GMT).
  • This tour requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
Apr 2025
Q: What's included in the price?
A:
The following is included:
  • Entrance to the State Rooms (if selected at check out).
  • The history of tea drinking in England.
  • Small Group, maximum of 10, typically 4-6 guests.
  • A Private Table exclusively for you at Tea.
  • Afternoon Tea of Sandwiches, Scones & Cakes. (NB: Child Tea is typically for 11 yrs & younger).
  • Knowledgeable Guide and Royal history walk.
The following is NOT included:
  • Alcoholic beverages. Can be purchased during the tea service.
  • No entrance to Palaces / Walking tour (unless selected at check out).
  • Bus fare - please bring a Contactless Card or Oyster Card.
Apr 2025
Q: What is the minimum age for this tour?
A:

The minimum age to participate is 2. This tour requires at least one adult to accompany children..

Apr 2025
Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?
A:

If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

Apr 2025
Q: Is this an accessible tour?
A:

Accessibility information for the Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace is as follows:

  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • We offer Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan & Halal on prior request
  • Not suitable for those with walking difficulty, we walk for about 60 mins
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Apr 2025
Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?
A:

Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace will be included in your confirmation email from City Balloon Tours. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

 

 

Mar 2024
Q: How long does a refund take to reach my card, and can I get it faster?
A:

Once your refund is processed, it usually shows on your card statement within 5–10 business days. The exact timing depends on your bank or card issuer.

Want it sooner? When you cancel, choose Receive a refund to my wallet instead. The credit is in your Wallet straight away and is applied automatically at checkout on your next booking when you’re signed in with the same email. You can see your balance any time in My Wallet.

If you paid part of your booking with Wallet credit, that part always goes back to your Wallet. Trip protection isn’t refundable.

Oct 2026

What's Included

Activity name

  • Entrance to the State Rooms (if selected at check out)
  • The history of tea drinking in England
  • Small Group, maximum of 10, typically 4-6 guests
  • A Private Table exclusively for you at Tea
  • Afternoon Tea of Sandwiches, Scones & Cakes. (NB: Child Tea is typically for 11 yrs & younger)
  • Knowledgeable Guide and Royal history walk
  • Alcoholic beveragesCan be purchased during the tea service
  • No entrance to Palaces / Walking tour (unless selected at check out)
  • Bus fare - please bring a Contactless Card or Oyster Card

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • We offer Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan & Halal on prior request
  • Not suitable for those with walking difficulty, we walk for about 60 mins
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

Report Product Issue

Activity name