Behind-the-scenes, the royals slip beyond the ‘net curtains’ and enter and exit the balcony from the Centre Room. It is here that Prince William and Kate Middleton, newly married and newly titled as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, would have retreated after sharing a kiss on the balcony in the hours after their royal wedding; it is also where King Charles III would have been surrounded by family in the moments before and after his historic post-Coronation appearance – a day that was steeped in memories of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who had herself made countless appearances there.
Along with the rest of the East Wing, the Centre Room underwent a multi-million pound, five-year renovation that culminated in a grand unveiling in 2024.
It was originally decorated by Prince Albert, who was known for his impeccable eye for design. The Prince dutifully brought together pieces from the Royal Family’s collection, including Chinese silk wall hangings in the Centre Room, which were given to Queen Victoria in 1897 for her Diamond Jubilee. As part of the five-year restoration project, the Kylin Clock in the Yellow Drawing Room was dismantled and conserved for the first time in decades, while the hand-painted Chinese wallpaper in the room was removed and carefully cleaned and preserved.
From the balcony, the Royal Family look across the Queen Victoria Monument and down The Mall, as seen on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother
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Other highlights of the East Wing, which is available to tour during the summer opening of Buckingham Palace, include the Principal Corridor, which holds two magnificent State portraits of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, as well as works by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Sir Thomas Lawrence and Thomas Gainsborough.
For now, royal fans will be thrilled to offer a glimpse of the Centre Room at Buckingham Palace by Queen Camilla, who no doubt delighted in letting supporters of the ballet into this important corner of her official residence.