Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace
Traveler rating
4.9/5
Based on 108 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace worth booking?
Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace is a 2.5-hour experience in London, United Kingdom, from £89 per person. It scores 78 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 4.9/5 rating across 108 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 78 / 100
- Rating
- 4.9/5 (108)
- Duration
- 2.5 hours
- From
- £89 per person
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 you get
About this experience
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
Included
- Entrance to the State Rooms (if selected at check out)
- Knowledgeable Guide and Royal history walk
- The history of tea drinking in England
- Small Group, maximum of 10, typically 4-6 guests
- A Private Table at the Afternoon Tea Venue
- Afternoon Tea of Sandwiches, Scones & Cakes. (NB: Child Tea is typically for 11 yrs & younger)
Not included
- Private Transport
- No entrance to Palaces / Walking tour (unless selected at check out)
- Bus fare - please bring a Contactless Card or Oyster Card
- Alcoholic beverages
What you'll see and do
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.
10 minutes here
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
10 minutes here
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.
5 minutes here
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.
5 minutes here
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
5 minutes here
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
5 minutes here
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.
5 minutes here
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.
5 minutes here
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.
5 minutes here
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.
5 minutes here
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.
5 minutes here
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.
5 minutes here
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.
5 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
London
We are meeting at the Park Gate between Ritz Hotel and the Station Entrance where the Black Gates are. Under the porch of Green Park Station Street Level. Nearest Underground: Green Park
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
We will end the tour at the Orangery where we are hosting the High Tea.
Options you can book
Private Option - No Pal Entry
With Private Guide: This option does not include entry to the Palace itself. This can be booked on the official website hrp.org.uk
Tour & Tea with Ken Pal Ticket
Palace Entry after Tea: This option is for the whole tour, afternoon tea & Entry to the Palace after tea. We recommend 90 min to see the State Rooms
Tour & Tea -no Entry to Palace
Private Tour & Ken Pal Ticket
Palace Entry After Tea: After Tea your ticket gives access to Kensington Palace state rooms for a self guided tour.
Tour & Tea with Bubbles
Glsss of Bubbles no Pal Entry
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Top Tasting Tours
Know before you go
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We offer Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan & Halal on prior request
- Not suitable for those with walking difficulty, we walk for about 60 mins
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 108 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
Knowledge and storytelling
6 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
The guide
3 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Traveler reviews
108 verified traveler reviews for Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
You need extra time after the tour for Buckingham Palace
The description when you read it says 2 hours and 30 minutes. This is not accurate as we almost missed our next tour. The tour takes about that time, but then you end up at Buckingham Palace and that time is NOT included in the 2 hours and 30 minutes. If you take this tour add at least 2 hours after the time to see the Palace. It was very disappointing to us as we only stayed 20 minutes as we needed to get to our next tour. Please update the wording on the description so everyone know the length of time of this tour
Response from the operator: Thank you for your review. We are slightly confused by your description as the tour does not end up at Buckingham Palace! Maybe this review is for a different tour?
via Viator
Buckingham Palace
Simon was lovely. We had a nice walk through the mall and some gardens
via Tripadvisor
Simon is the best!
Simon was awesome! Best guide we have ever had. Great experience learned a lot.
via Tripadvisor
Kensington Park, St. James & Buckingham Palace
David did a lovely job walking is around and sharing interesting and informative insights about the area. Tea was lovely.
Response from the operator: Thank you for your kind review! We're pleased David's insights helped bring the royal surroundings to life. It's wonderful to hear you also enjoyed the afternoon tea.
via Tripadvisor
Guide was very...
Guide was very knowledgeable, but almost too much history. We walked a tremendous bit. Tea was ok, not our favorite experience.
Response from the operator: Thank you for your feedback. We're glad you appreciated your guide's knowledge. We value your comments regarding the pace, content, and tea experience.
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 2.5 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- £89 to £225
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 38
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Who runs this experience
Operated by Top Tasting Tours, who run 21 experiences we rank across 1 city, with an average Outty Ranking of 63.4.
See everything Top Tasting Tours runsWhy this scores 78
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for London.
How much does Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace cost?
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Prices start at £89 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in London usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace take?
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Plan for about 2.5 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in London is not rushed.
Is Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 78 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.9/5 across 108 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in London, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 2.5-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace?
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Around 38 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in London can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in London and add a light layer if any part of the 2.5-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central London within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in London?
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London's best attractions split cleanly: the museums are free and need no booking, so the paid market is about views, theatre and getting out of the city for a day. That makes value scoring unusually important here, and the Outty Ranking penalises anything charging premium prices for access you could get for nothing. On Outty we rank every London experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include The Great British Rock and Roll Walking Tour, Soho Music & Historic Pubs Tour, London Small Group Tour of Historical Pubs. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit London?
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May to September for long evenings, December for the Christmas markets. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in London?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace?
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Included: Entrance to the State Rooms (if selected at check out); Knowledgeable Guide and Royal history walk; The history of tea drinking in England; Small Group, maximum of 10, typically 4-6 guests; and A Private Table at the Afternoon Tea Venue. Not included: Private Transport; No entrance to Palaces / Walking tour (unless selected at check out); Bus fare - please bring a Contactless Card or Oyster Card; and Alcoholic beverages. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Where is the meeting point for Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace?
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We are meeting at the Park Gate between Ritz Hotel and the Station Entrance where the Black Gates are. Under the porch of Green Park Station Street Level. Nearest Underground: Green Park Hotel pickup is not included, so plan your own transport and arrive 15 minutes early.
What languages is Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace offered in?
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It runs in English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace if the weather is bad?
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It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in London. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
What do travelers say about Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace?
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Across 108 reviews averaging 4.9 out of 5, recurring themes include knowledge and storytelling, the guide. Reviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
What booking options are available for Buckingham, St James Palace & Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace?
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There are 5 options to choose from, including Private Option - No Pal Entry, Tour & Tea with Ken Pal Ticket, Tour & Tea -no Entry to Palace, Private Tour & Ken Pal Ticket. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.
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