Most visitors worry about the wrong things at a royal palace. Nobody will quiz you on titles, and you will not be expected to curtsy at the ticket desk. The awkward moments come from something smaller: a sleeveless top turned away at the entrance, a tripod left with security, a selfie taken in a chapel where cameras are banned. Palaces are working buildings. Many still host state ceremonies, audiences and receptions, and a few remain private homes, so the rules on dress, cameras and behaviour are stricter than at a typical museum — and staff do enforce them. Know them in advance and you can spend the visit looking at the ceilings rather than the signs.
Dress Codes: Modest, Comfortable, One Layer Warmer Than You Think
Dress rules at royal palaces fall into two groups: the ones printed on the website, and the ones a steward applies at the door. Most palaces ask for a reasonably modest standard — covered shoulders and knees — and the stricter sites apply it year-round, not only in high summer. This is especially true of chapels and places of worship within a palace complex.
- Covered shoulders and knees. A light scarf in your bag solves most problems in seconds.
- Clean, sensible shoes. Stiletto heels damage old parquet and polished stone; some palaces hand out shoe covers or ask you to change.
- No beachwear and nothing with offensive slogans.
- Hats off indoors for men at most sites; formal hats worn by women are often fine, but follow what staff say.
- A layer you can add or remove. State rooms are cool in spring and autumn and stuffy in July, and you will be on your feet for an hour or two.
Large backpacks, big umbrellas and bulky coats usually have to be checked or left behind, and not every palace offers storage. Check before you travel — a bag you cannot take in can end the visit at the door.
Photography: Where the Camera Stops
Photography is permitted in a surprising number of state rooms and banned in a surprising number of others, so never assume. Look for the small crossed-out camera signs, which are usually posted at the door of a room rather than at the entrance to the building.
Where photography is allowed, these limits normally still apply:
- No flash. It damages textiles, works on paper and old paint surfaces, and guards will ask you to stop.
- Hand-held only. Tripods, selfie sticks, gimbals and drones are almost always refused.
- Video and live streaming are often restricted even where still photographs are fine.
- No photographing staff or other visitors without asking first.
- Commercial, wedding and drone shoots generally need a permit arranged weeks ahead.
Some palaces allow cameras in the state apartments but not in the throne room, the chapel, or a special exhibition of loaned objects. If you are unsure, ask a steward before you raise the camera. And step out of the doorway first: that is where crowds jam, and the visitor framing a shot in the middle of one quickly becomes the least popular person in the palace.
Behaviour Inside the State Rooms
One rule covers almost everything: look with your eyes, not your hands. Gilding, silk wall coverings, tapestries and veneered furniture are delicate, and oils from fingers do visible damage over a season.
- Stay behind ropes and off marked floor areas.
- Do not sit on chairs, thrones, window seats or steps, even for a photograph.
- Silence your phone, and take calls outside.
- No food, drink or gum in the state rooms.
- Keep children close; if strollers are not allowed, a carrier is easier on stairs.
- Do not open closed doors or wander off the route.
The best-behaved visitor is the one the staff forget was there.
On a guided tour, stay with the group and ask questions at natural pauses rather than mid-sentence. Palaces sometimes host events while open, so a room may close without notice. Accept it, and ask a steward what else is worth seeing instead.
Guards, Staff and Formal Occasions
Guards at a royal palace are on duty, not on display. Do not stand in their path, lean on the sentry box, touch a uniform, or try to make them laugh — most are trained not to respond, and you will simply be the person holding up the crowd. At ceremonies such as a changing of the guard, arrive early, stand behind the barriers and keep the roadway clear.
Stewards are the best source of information on the day: which rooms are open, where the exit is, when a procession will pass through. Ask them about the building, but avoid pressing them on the private lives of the family who live there, or on politics. It is not their job, and it puts them in an awkward position.
If you are invited to a formal event — an investiture, a garden party, a reception — the invitation states the dress code for a reason. Reply promptly, arrive slightly early, follow the ushers, switch your phone off, and do not approach a member of the royal family unless you are introduced or they come to you. If a handshake happens, keep it brief and say what you want to say in one sentence.
Bags, Timing and the Small Frictions
Security at royal palaces is closer to an airport than a museum: bag checks, sometimes scanners, and limits on what you can carry inside. Travel light and arrive with time to spare.
- Check whether there is a cloakroom. Many palaces have none.
- Bring photo ID if tickets are collected on site.
- Empty loose change and keys from your pockets before the scanner.
- Ask ahead about step-free routes if anyone in your group has mobility needs; historic buildings mean stairs, narrow doors and long galleries.
- Book a timed slot early in peak season — the first hour is the quietest.
A Five-Minute Check Before You Go
Run through this the night before and almost nothing will catch you out.
- Re-read the dress code on the palace's own website: shoulders, knees, hats, heels.
- Pack a scarf, a light layer and flat shoes.
- Settle your camera plan: hand-held only, no flash, no sticks.
- Confirm bag rules and whether there is anywhere to leave one.
- Check opening hours and any room closures on the day.
- Set your phone to silent before you step inside, and keep it in your pocket in the chapels.
Etiquette at a royal palace is not about formality for its own sake. It keeps fragile rooms intact for the next visitor and keeps a working household running while thousands of people file through it. Follow the signs, ask when you are unsure, and the visit will feel far more relaxed than the rules suggest.
Photo: NoName_13 / Pixabay
