Adorned with opulent tapestries, magnificent chandeliers, and modern art pieces, these rooms truly embody regal luxury.

For the first time ever, the private chambers of Queen Elizabeth II at the Palace of Holyroodhouse will be accessible to the public.

Situated in Edinburgh, these apartments served as a residence for the Queen and her late husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, during their visits to the city.

Among the rooms now open to the public is the Queen’s Dressing Room, where she prepared for her official duties, and the Sitting Room, a space for both work and relaxation.

Visitors can also explore the Royal Breakfast Room, where the royal couple dined privately at a circular table draped with a white linen tablecloth, surrounded by Flemish tapestries dating back to the 1650s.

Emma Stead, the curator of the palace, expressed that Queen Elizabeth II’s deep affection for Scotland will be highlighted through this rare opportunity to view her private apartments, offering insights into both the formal and informal aspects of the royal palace in Edinburgh.

The Queen hosting a garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in 2017

One of the private apartments going on show

Each year in late June or early July the Queen would stay in the suite of private rooms at the palace for Holyrood Week and host a garden party for 8,000 guests.

Small groups will be given a rare glimpse of the royal family’s life behind closed doors by expert guides who will share the history of the spaces – used by successive monarchs since Queen Victoria.

In the Sitting Room, the Queen would carry out her official duties by reviewing the papers and documents presented in her red boxes.

The room, which features a large central chandelier, is also where the Queen would hold private audiences, working from a small antique desk facing the central window, overlooking the gardens.

On show in the Dressing Room, to give a sense of how the Queen would prepare for her official engagements, will be three ensembles from her wardrobe, each worn for a key occasion in Edinburgh.

A purple coat made of a silk-wool blend with a green silk-crepe and lace dress, and a shawl of purple and green Isle of Skye tartan, woven on the Isle of Lewis, was chosen by the Queen for the official opening of the Scottish parliament on July 1, 1999. 

The matching Philip Somerville hat was trimmed with a bow made of the coat’s silk-wool fabric, and also curled dark-green feathers.

The Queen’s style that graced the Scottish parliament opening in 1999 (left)

The Queen’s private rooms at the Palace of Holyroodhouse are to be opened to the public for the first time

Also on display will be a white, pink, gold and cream beaded and sequinned silk gown, embroidered with gold thread, which the Queen wore to a Commonwealth Heads of Government reception held at the palace in 1997.

A white tweed coat, highlighted with accents of pink, yellow and green within the weave, and a pink wool crepe day dress which the Queen wore to a garden party in 2017 will also be displayed.

The nation’s longest serving monarch died at Balmoral in September 2022 after reigning for 70 years. The centenary of her birth is on April 21 this year.

The tours, which will run from May 21 to September 10, must be booked in addition to the standard admission ticket to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. 

Royal Collection Trust email subscribers will be given priority access to book tickets at an offer price of £61 from March 9, with remaining tickets, costing £71 in advance for adults or £75 on the day, going on general sale on March 12.