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The Queen offers fans unheard of access inside private home

The monarch has allowed a first at Buckingham Palace

the queen
Bridie Wilkins
Senior Health & Fitness Writer
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The Queen has officially announced that her main royal residence along with Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace in London will be open to visitors this year.

From July to September, self-guided tours will be permitted in the gardens of the house for the very first time, as well as the opportunity to set up and your own picnic on the lawn.

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WATCH: The Queen unveils stunning Buckingham Palace gardens

The Royal Collection Trust explained: "Visitors will be free to explore a route through the garden that encompasses the 156-metre Herbaceous Border, plane trees planted by and named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and views of the island and its beehives across the 3.5-acre lake."

MORE: Inside the palace's secret rooms

Can't wait until July? For anyone happy to go ahead with a guided tour of the grounds, they can do so on weekends in April and May.

MORE: 9 fun facts about Buckingham Palace

buckingham palace© Photo: Getty Images

Buckingham Palace in London

Come May, the inside of the property will also open its doors for guided tours. "Visitors will see many of the Palace’s magnificent State Rooms, furnished with some of the greatest treasures of the Royal Collection including paintings by Benjamin West and Franz Xaver Winterhalter, exquisite Sèvres porcelain and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world," the Royal Collection Trust shared.

In total, the house spans a mammoth 829,000 square feet with 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 92 offices, 78 bathrooms and 188 bedrooms for the household staff.

buckingham palace balcony z© Photo: Getty Images

Buckingham Palace's iconic balcony

Buckingham Palace is also home to some of the most iconic royal features, including the famous balcony where the royal family often gather for Trooping the Colour and to celebrate occasions such as royal weddings.

The house has been the monarch's main royal residence since Queen Victoria decided to renovate the previously vacant property in 1837, but Queen Elizabeth also owns several other properties, including her second home at Windsor Castle. 

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