International Author and writer Andrew Sercombe visits London’s most famous residence... 

Well, in some ways it is. Entrance hall, stairs, landing, dining room, upstairs and downstairs loos, kitchen, bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms, front gate, garage, back garden with ornamental pond and gravel path – as I meandered along I felt like a prospective buyer taking in the latest property.

There again, in so many ways it isn’t. The main difference is size. It is, shall we say, grand. Wonderfully grand! Forget swinging a cat, this is designed to be big enough to swing several visiting dignitaries around, plus a corgi or two! After all it is the base of the Royal Household, the official London residence of the Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II.

So what do you get to see? Very little until you’ve passed the British Bobbies at the entrances and made your way through Security (Remember, a real queen works in here). Donning the essential and inclusive headset I press the ‘go’ button and follow the crowd. The corridors, courtyard, the entrance hall - each aspect of the place is splendid, huge and perfectly proportioned. The décor, the chandeliers, the mirrors and mouldings are elegant in the extreme. But there’s more to it than elegance. The opulence of this palace, official home to the monarch of fifteen countries around the world, is tastefully understated, nothing brash or loud in here. It all blends together into a magnificent harmonious whole. What a pad!

When did you last stand in a Throne Room? Now you can. This one takes your breath away. And the more you look the more you see. Listen carefully to the electronic guide – it’s a bit like having a panel of specialist historians available at the press of a button – and you’ll be let into the hidden secrets of the past. Crests, paintings, secret doors, fine furniture, everything has a unique vibrant history to justify its place.

Then there are the family portraits. No homemade snaps popped into a Woollies frame. The Royal Collection is part of the Buckingham Palace tourists’ trail. I entered room after room of captivating grandeur. On into the Ball Supper Room displaying the clever Coronation frieze “scribbled” into existence by the remarkable Feliks Topolski and the Norman Hartnell designed Coronation Dress. Next was the Ballroom, the White Drawing Room , the Blue Room, the Music Room. The Green Drawing Room was in there somewhere too! Take time to enjoy these to the full. And enjoy pretending. I imagined myself with my knee on the little stool and the Queen putting her famous sword on each shoulder… “Rise, Sir Andrew!” Ah well.

My favourite spot? The State Dining Room. Brits know how to do this sort of thing, and it amused me that Nash, the eighteenth century designer responsible for all this, was fired for overspending on this room! The priceless treasures all around are brought to life by the amazing chandeliers sparkling with a thousand hand-cut crystal lights. For those of us who love a touch of pomp and ceremony, this has to be the ultimate eating venue. And as a bonus, on warm summer evenings the honoured guests can take in the stunning view from the tall windows, over the manicured lawns towards the mature trees and the lake beyond. (The gardens comprise of thirty acres of peace, a “walled oasis” in the very heart of London.) What a place for supper! Listen carefully and you will be able to imagine the important chatter of guests, in accents from across the world, amid the clink of silver service on finest bone china.

Book your tickets - you’ve got to go! Buckingham Palace is truly beautiful in a rich, tasteful, gracious sort of way. Regardless of your politics or thoughts about royalty, you can enjoy this amazing home simply for what it is: an outstanding statement of English culture (and have a great day out.)

Andrew Sercombe is a freelance writer, international author, and founder of Powerchange.