‘Robbed by royals!’ Reviewers slam palace gardens
THE QUEEN may be famous for her garden parties but the grounds of her London residence Buckingham Palace have been criticised by some visitors as “dismal” and a “rip-off”, with even the tea bitterly disappointing.
Since 1993 Buckingham Palace has been open to the paying public, with the pandemic forcing it to close last year.
The garden has now been added to the areas tourists can explore, with visitors urged to “discover its sights before enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to picnic on the lawn with views of the
Palace”.visitors are advised to “follow a route around the garden at your own pace and experience the beauty and calm of this walled oasis in central London”.
But many were left less than impressed after paying £16.50 for an adult ticket, and vented their disappointment on Tripadvisor. Some complained their visit was over too quickly as there was very little to see.
A visitor wrote this month: “Gardens a waste of time and money. Large portions cordoned off.takes less than one hour to get around. Expensive coffee and cake.”
Others said queues for the airport-style security were too long, there was an “army of stewards” keeping visitors “under tight surveillance” and a catering van served expensive refreshments and “awful” tea. One reviewer wrote: “Beware of complete rip-off! I am very disappointed and feel robbed by royals.”
Another said: “It could have been magical. Instead it felt like it was just a money-making machine.” One added: “Gardens were dismal but the staff were top notch.” The Royal Collectiontrust said it was pleased to receive a good deal of positive feedback from many visitors, while all feedback is important and is considered for future planning.
Thetrust said: “A ticket allows visitors to take in two-thirds of the garden.this is detailed on the Royal Collectiontrust website at the time of booking.
“The opportunity to enjoy a picnic on the lawns is also part of the visit for the first time and short talks and QR codes offer visitors more information about the garden and its history.”