Queen Elizabeth II’s private rooms at Palace of Holyroodhouse to open to the public

Queen Elizabeth II’s private rooms at Palace of Holyroodhouse are to open to the public for the first time to mark the centenary of her birth.

© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust / Peter Smith

The rooms will be part of a tour with small groups. Guides will help visitors discover how Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip used them during her reign. The tours will run for 100 days.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip occupied a suite of private rooms on the east side of the palace. The rooms date from the 17th century and have been used by various monarchs and other members of the royal family. The rooms are furnished with historic objects from the royal collection, but also from Queen Elizabeth’s personal collection.

Queen Elizabeth II usually stayed at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in late June or early July during the so-called “Holyrood Week”, while she undertook a series of engagements in Scotland.

Emma Stead, Curator, Palace of Holyroodhouse, said, ‘Queen Elizabeth II’s well-known love for Scotland will be given fresh context through this unique and special access to the private apartments, where visitors will enjoy a new perspective into both the formal and more informal use of Edinburgh’s royal palace.’

Queen Elizabeth II Private Apartment Tours will run from Thursday, 21 May to 10 September 2026.