St. James's Palace
St. James's Palace
4
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Built originally for Henry VIII, this building still serves as a business center for royalty and includes the Court of James, where all new monarchs are proclaimed.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Neighborhood: St. James's
Perennially fashionable since the days of Henry VIII, the aristocratic “Clubland” of St James's is a premier destination for high end craft and bespoke design. Here you’ll lose count of the Royal Warrants (which indicate that the Royal Family patronizes the establishment) seen in shop front windows, even during a short stroll to bordering Green Park or St James’s Park. With the brightly lit and constantly buzzing junction of Piccadilly Circus at its northeast corner and none of Central London too far away, this is an surprisingly central and accessible part of town, especially given its prosperous demeanor.
How to get there
- Green Park • 7 min walk
- Piccadilly Circus • 9 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
159 reviews
Excellent
60
Very good
56
Average
36
Poor
6
Terrible
1
HINA W
Islamabad, Pakistan7,367 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
This is the official palace of the Royal Family. Henry the eighth got it built for his beloved wife Anne Boleyn, who never got to see it as she was executed in the Tower of London before it was completed. Another significance of this palace is that this is place where the death of a Monarch is officially announced from the main balcony. The message is sent in the form of a passcode. The code for the last queen’s death was “London Bridge has Fallen”. After that the famous lines “The queen is dead long live the king” (or the other way around) are read. There is a superstitious belief that any heir apparent who witnesses this announcement is bound to have a short reign. This came true when Prince Edward and Wallis Simpson heard the announcement of King George V’s death. King Edward VIII abdicated only ten months and twenty days after he became the king. Prince Charles, William and Henry lived here until 2003. Charles I spent his last night here before being executed. I loved visiting this historical building.
Written July 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grover R
Pensacola, FL21,804 contributions
Dec 2022
This is the oldest Royal Palace in London. Built by Henry VIII in the 16th Century to be closer to Westminster it has served in several royal capacities over the centuries. Today it is where the Guard for Buckingham Palace stay and assemble for the Changing of the Guard. While we were not able to go in the palace, we did witness the Changing of the Guard ceremony here.
Written May 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sheepygold
london5,344 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
We went on a private tour of the palace which covered the state rooms and included the throne room where King Charles made his declaration. The tour lasted about 90 minutes and was led by a very knowledgeable guide. There were about 25 of us on the tour. This tour was a trial which hopefully will mean that this palace is open to the public in the future.
Written October 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elaine Stone
Jordan Valley1,084 contributions
May 2022 • Solo
A small but interesting palace in Kensington Park
Beautifully set with easy explanation. Charming rooms showing the live style of a young Queen Victoria & previous home to Queen Mary & William of Orange. There were lovely Royal Family photographs.
A better view of the Princess Diana Memorial than next to the sunken gardens.
Beautifully set with easy explanation. Charming rooms showing the live style of a young Queen Victoria & previous home to Queen Mary & William of Orange. There were lovely Royal Family photographs.
A better view of the Princess Diana Memorial than next to the sunken gardens.
Written May 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian T
London, UK8,053 contributions
Feb 2021
St James’s Palace is probably one of the most overlooked of the royal palaces, and this is due to a number of reasons: no one from the royal family lives there permanently; it is generally not open to visitors; and it just doesn’t have the ‘grandeur’ that other royal residences have, such as the likes of nearby Buckingham Palace, or Kensington Palace, or Windsor Castle or Balmoral. Further, from a visual point of view, it’s quite bland and almost unattractive - a pile of red brick with a few archers turrets and chimney pots.
But aficionados of royalty should at least take a peak at its exteriors. It’s the most senior of the royal palaces. It was built largely between 1531 and 1536 by Henry VIII, and much of the original red-brick building he had erected still survives today, including the gatehouse, some turrets and some surviving Tudor rooms in the State apartments. It was built on the site of a leper hospital dedicated to St James the Less from which it takes its name. The palace was popular between the Tudor and Georgian times, until Queen Victoria moved to Buckingham Palace in 1837.
And whilst no royals permanently reside there (some use the state apartments as London residences from time to time), it holds an important place in royalty as it is technically regarded as the official residence of the sovereign, though the current monarch lives just across the way. It is the headquarters of the royal court (the Court of St James’s) and of a number of royal organisations. The palace hosts the receptions for the many charities associated with members of the Royal Family, and is the home to ceremonies relating to the Diplomatic Corps.
The main entrance, the North Gatehouse, is its grandest part, and is located towards the western end of Pall Mall. You will see its two crenellated towers (if you can call them that), with an unusual clock in-between them. Check out the boot-scrapers by the various doors, to take the mud off the shoes of the nobility before sealed pavements became de rigueur. Around the corner in Marlborough Road you’ll be able overlook the courtyards of the palace.
If you are exploring Royal London, you should include it in your itinerary. And if you are walking The Mall to or from a visit to Buckingham Palace, it’s an easy diversion along Marlborough Road.
But aficionados of royalty should at least take a peak at its exteriors. It’s the most senior of the royal palaces. It was built largely between 1531 and 1536 by Henry VIII, and much of the original red-brick building he had erected still survives today, including the gatehouse, some turrets and some surviving Tudor rooms in the State apartments. It was built on the site of a leper hospital dedicated to St James the Less from which it takes its name. The palace was popular between the Tudor and Georgian times, until Queen Victoria moved to Buckingham Palace in 1837.
And whilst no royals permanently reside there (some use the state apartments as London residences from time to time), it holds an important place in royalty as it is technically regarded as the official residence of the sovereign, though the current monarch lives just across the way. It is the headquarters of the royal court (the Court of St James’s) and of a number of royal organisations. The palace hosts the receptions for the many charities associated with members of the Royal Family, and is the home to ceremonies relating to the Diplomatic Corps.
The main entrance, the North Gatehouse, is its grandest part, and is located towards the western end of Pall Mall. You will see its two crenellated towers (if you can call them that), with an unusual clock in-between them. Check out the boot-scrapers by the various doors, to take the mud off the shoes of the nobility before sealed pavements became de rigueur. Around the corner in Marlborough Road you’ll be able overlook the courtyards of the palace.
If you are exploring Royal London, you should include it in your itinerary. And if you are walking The Mall to or from a visit to Buckingham Palace, it’s an easy diversion along Marlborough Road.
Written March 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SagarVS
India2,666 contributions
May 2015 • Friends
If you would like to see the change of guards at the Buckingham palace, its going to be so difficult to view owing to the thousands who line up by the gates. A better option is to go to St.James palace from where the band starts marching. There is hardly any crowd and you can see them from 10 feet away. This palace serves as the office of the Queen.
Written May 15, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
olibot
Bishop Auckland, UK1,255 contributions
Nov 2017 • Family
We called here for a presentation. All the staff and facilities were absolutely lovely.
A great and special part of our nations history.
A great and special part of our nations history.
Written November 15, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
One_wooden_plank
Singapore, Singapore24 contributions
May 2015
Great place to catch the changing of guards instead of buckingham palace. Buckingham palace is full of tourists, but there aren't many people at st James palace and you get to see it up close!
Written May 26, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
🥳 🎉 🥳 Keep Life Simple 🥳🎉🥳
Pittsburgh, PA120,217 contributions
Sep 2018 • Couples
St. James palace is nothing spectacular to see but is the older palace built under Henry the eighth. Well worth 10 minutes just to see it
Written September 27, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Della G
Coquitlam, Canada796 contributions
Dec 2017 • Family
Sadly, this historical palace built by Henry VIII is no longer open to the general public. We were also not present for the changing of the guards. We could only caught a glimpse of the palace through a side gated courtyard. There are apparently still members of the Royal family who still have residence there and the Palace is still used for formal official receptions etc. We can only imagine how grand it must have been in this stately Tudor residence and the surrounding gardens.
Written May 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christopher L
Garnet Valley, PA14 contributions
When we were in London in June of 2018, we saw a very secure transfer of a chest from the Queen's Chapel to St. James Palace in the late morning. The Met Police sort of showed up, kept the public away and 4 formally robed men carried a chest from the side gate of the Queen's Chapel through the courtyard of St. James Palace. When they were done, the Met Police quietly walked away. Anyone know what this was?
🥳 🎉 🥳 Keep Life Simple 🥳🎉🥳
Pittsburgh, PA120,217 contributions
No but I am also interested in what it was.
Kimmy C
Winter Springs, FL165 contributions
Is there a timeframe for the changing of the guards? Really don't want to miss it! Thanks in advance for any feedback
I visited this place🇫🇷🇺🇸🇬🇷🇨🇭🇬🇧
Israel32,644 contributions
Yes of course
Judith L
Pennsylvania6 contributions
Are there safes in all the rooms?
happytravellady
Macclesfield, UK906 contributions
Erm? Not sure what you mean? This is not a hotel- it is a royal palace!
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