The Royal Collection

Virtual reality tour of Buckingham Palace launched

Written by Joseph Nordqvist

Published: 23:03, January 20, 2016

The general public can now go on an online virtual reality tour of the UK’s iconic Buckingham Palace.

The immersive experience, which allows visitors to explore the heart of the Royal Family’s London residence, was created by Google as part of its Expeditions Pioneer Program.

With a virtual tour, you can show off your business and what you believe makes you different from the rest.

The tour takes users on a trip through some of the Palace’s State Rooms and highlights works of art from the Royal Collection that furnish them.

The Royal Collection
The Royal Collection © 2002, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Photo: Derry Moore

Visitors are not able to move but can do 360-degree turns to view the Palace in all its glory.

Jemima Rellie, from the Royal Collection Trust which collaborated with Google as part of the project, said:

“For schoolchildren, Buckingham Palace is one of the most iconic, magical buildings in the world.

“We’re terrifically excited that, thanks to the virtual reality potential of Google Expedition, children, their teachers and families can visit the palace wherever they live.”

Starting at the Grand Staircase, visitors can learn about the history of the Palace as a royal residence and find out how the State Rooms are used today by The Queen for official events.

Google set up sixteen cameras placed in a circle – known as a Jump camera rig – to capture images inside the Palace – creating a realistic 3D effect with a high level of depth.

The Buckingham Palace Expedition:

To experience the tour in VR (virtual-reality) or 360 format, view through the YouTube app on a smartphone.


The tour can be viewed in 360 format or in virtual reality (VR).

Other experiences that Google has created include the White House, the Great Barrier Reef and the Borneo rain-forest.

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