Edinburgh tours open Queen Elizabeth II’s private rooms

Name: Queen Elizabeth II Private Apartment Tours
Start: 2026-05-21
End: 2026-09-10
Location: Palace of Holyroodhouse

Culture & Events Desk 2026-09-10 12:33 2 min read

Elegant living room with a coral sofa, crystal chandelier, and traditional oil landscape paintings.

Visitors to Edinburgh can step inside the private apartments used by Queen Elizabeth II at the Palace of Holyroodhouse during a limited 100-day programme running daily from 21 May to 10 September 2026. The tours take place at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX, on the Royal Mile, and cost £60 to £75 per person. They are open to the general public, but must be booked separately from standard admission to the palace.

A rare look at the Queen’s Edinburgh rooms

The private apartments were used by Queen Elizabeth II when she stayed at Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. The 2026 opening marks the centenary of her birth and is available only during this year’s programme, making the tour a specific opportunity for visitors interested in royal history, interiors and the personal spaces behind a working residence.

Small groups will be taken behind the scenes by expert guides. The tour is designed to show how the rooms were used by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, during her 70-year reign, adding personal context to the palace rather than presenting only its public rooms.

What visitors will see inside the Palace

The route includes the Royal Breakfast Room, hung with Flemish tapestries woven around 1650. Visitors will also enter the late Queen’s Sitting Room, where she worked, held private audiences and rested between engagements.

The Dressing Room adds a wardrobe element to the visit, with three ensembles from Queen Elizabeth II’s collection on display. Each was worn during a significant occasion in Edinburgh, linking the clothing to the city and to the Queen’s time at the palace.

Useful details for planning a visit

Detail	Confirmed information
Event	Queen Elizabeth II Private Apartment Tours
Dates	Daily, 21 May to 10 September 2026
Venue	Palace of Holyroodhouse, Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DX
Location	Royal Mile
Price	£60 to £75 per person
Audience	General public
Booking	Limited tours; book in addition to standard palace admission

The source does not provide tour times, accessibility information or additional transport details, so visitors should check the booking information before making arrangements. The event listing is provided by Forever Edinburgh Events, with the tour organised by Royal Collection Trust. As the tours are limited and run only for 100 days, the practical next step is to check availability and secure the separate tour booking before visiting the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Source: Forever Edinburgh Events

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The dates, venue, price, booking requirement and featured rooms were checked against the supplied Forever Edinburgh Events listing.

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