Through the royal keyhole: Google offers virtual tours of Buckingham Palace so you can be guided around the Queen's official residence from the comfort of your own home 

• Users can take a free ‘virtual field trip’ of the palace from anywhere in the world, simply by using their smart phone 
• Trip takes visitors around five of the 19 State Rooms, starting with the Grand Entrance – where visitors are greeted
• Segments are guided by palace staff including the Queen’s Master of the Household and Curator of Paintings
• Her Majesty hasn't tried the experience yet but is understood that she has given the project her seal of approval  

Ever wondered what it must be like to live in the Queen’s official residence, Buckingham Palace, if you can’t visit it yourself?

Well, a new virtual reality tour of the famous royal home is about to bring it to life.

The Royal Collection Trust, the charity which manages the historic building, has teamed up with Google Expeditions to take users on a free ‘virtual field trip’ of the palace from anywhere in the world, simply by using their smart phone, from today.

And while the Queen hasn’t had the chance to try out the experience for herself as she is still in residence at Sandringham, it is understood that she is aware of the project and has given it her seal of approval.

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Users can now take a free ‘virtual field trip’ of Buckingham Palace from anywhere in the world, simply by using their smartphone

The tour takes people on a trip through five of the 19 State Rooms the palace has to offer, including The Picture Gallery, above 

The Buckingham Palace Expedition contains material shot at the residence just last week, using 16 ‘Google jump cameras’ on a circular tripod, each taking a different picture shot at the same time.

These have been knitted together to make one seamless piece of panoramic footage which will allow anyone viewing it to experience the scene in every direction, as if they were in the room themselves.

The high resolution technology is now so sophisticated that it is impossible to see the borders where the pictures are spliced together, offering viewers an uncannily realistic experience.

Users will be taken on a guided tour of seven State Rooms, starting with the Grand Entrance – where VIP visitors and carriages are greeted and boasts 104 pillars each hewn from a single block of marble excavated in Tuscany – up the John-Nash Grand staircase and through to the Green Drawing Room, where a harpist entertained guests at William and Kate’s 2011 wedding.

The tour then moves through to the Throne Room, the Picture Gallery and then the Ballroom – where state banquets are held –before finally concluding in The White Drawing Room, where a secret door leads to the Queen’s private apartments.

Several segments are guided by members of palace staff Tony Johnstone-Burt, the Queen’s Master of the Household, and Curator of Paintings, Anna Reynolds.

Users can learn both about the history of the palace, which began life as a smaller private home in the 18th Century, and how the State Rooms are used today by the Queen for official events.

The Google Expeditions project already includes more than 150 trips to extraordinary locations around the world such as the Great Barrier Reef, Mount Fuji and the Borneo rainforest to Mars and the moon.

But Buckingham Palace was chosen after children from the UK, Ghana, Canada and the US, where the Expeditions programme was road tested last year, were asked where they most wanted to look around.

According to Google’s Programme Manager, Jennifer Holland, the Queen’s official residence was by far and away the most requested location, as well as The White House and Space.

‘Buckingham Palace was the number one spot that kids around the world wanted to see,’ she said.

‘The palace is not just an historic residence, there is something quite mystical and majestic about it as the Queen lives there and it is a working royal residence. It is of endless fascination.’

Users can learn both about the history of the palace and are given a 360 view of State Room, The Green Room is pictured 

The tour includes a walk-through The White Drawing Room, above, where a secret door leads to the Queen’s private apartments

The 360 Buckingham Palace experience can be viewed on the YouTube channel using a tablet or smart phone. Viewers simply need to move their device to watch the camera swing round the room, as if they were standing in it themselves.

Users can also pop their smart phone in a Google Cardboard viewer, which has two plastic lenses that turns the footage into a complete virtual reality experience. These viewers were unveiled by the company last year costing less than £10.

There is also a teacher-led, interactive version of the experience which is available to schools signed up to Google Expeditions Pioneer Programme. Further details of this are available at www.google.com/edu/expeditions/

Jemima Rellie, Director of Content and Audiences at the Royal Collection, said: ‘Virtual reality technology is a game changer. It is the most immersive experience you can get without being at the palace.

‘It won’t replace visiting Buckingham Palace but is the next best thing if you can’t go there.’

She added: ‘It has all happened very quickly but has come together very well. The Queen is very much aware of the initiative.’

Ms Rellie said she didn’t believe the virtual reality tour would affect visitor numbers at the palace, which opens each summer to the public when the Queen is in Scotland to raise funds for its upkeep. Around 500,000 people tour the residence each year.

‘I think this experience will be a wonderful experience for those with an interest in the palace who might never be able to visit and encourage those who can to see it in person,’ she explained.

She added: ‘For schoolchildren, Buckingham Palace is one of the most iconic, magical buildings in the world. We’re terrifically excited that, thanks to the VR potential of Google Expedition, children, their teachers and families can visit the palace wherever they live.’

Asked why they were investing so much in a free app, Google’s Jennifer Holland added: ‘We feel we have a moral obligation to offer these engaging and immersive experiences.

‘The reaction we have already experienced for students who have used this technology to actually go to The Great Wall of China or go inside the body to see how blood flows has been immensely rewarding. It does seem to help them retain the information better.

‘The chance to see inside the Queen’s own residence is hugely exciting.’

 

Marble Hall: The entrance with 104 pillars carved from one block of marble that was transported along the Thames

Buckingham Palace wasn't always a palace and was a much smaller house called Buckingham Hall, which belonged to the Duke of Buckingham. 

It was bought by George III, whose son George IV commissioned architect John Nash to develop the rooms in the 1820s. 

Several segments are guided by members of palace staff including Tony Johnstone-Burt, the Queen’s Master of the Household (pictured), who begins the tour in the Marble Hall, above 

In the Marble Hall he was the floor lowered so the ceilings appeared higher and he created a magnificent staircase, which leads to the state rooms in the palace. 

The Marble Hall originally had 104 marble pillars, which were created from one block of marble. The block was transported along the Thames before it was taken to the palace by 17 horses.  

 

Grand Staircase: Impressive gold spiral staircase that is the most expensive feature in the entire Palace

The room boasts the most expensive thing in the palace - the balustrade, which makes up the banister. 

The banister is made up of gilt bronze and is covered in gold. As people make their way up to the stairs from the Marble Hall it creates a magnificent feeling.   

The tour then moves through to the Grand Staircase, leads the way to the State Rooms, and boasts one of the palace's most expensive features, a banister made up of gilt bronze and covered in gold

 

The Green Drawing Room: So-called because the walls have been hung with green silk, replaced every 30 years

It's easy to understand why this room is called the Green Room. The walls have been hung with green silk, which is replaced every 30 years, and the room is decorated with green upholstery and ornaments. 

To the right of the door leading to the Throne Room hangs a picture of George III's three daughter who lived in the palace before it was a palace. 

The room was where a harpist entertained guests at William and Kate’s 2011 wedding. 

Users can also look around The Green Drawing Room which was originally the Duchess of Buckingham's Saloon before the home was made into a palace

The room, which is decorated in green silk, was where a harpist entertained guests at William and Kate’s 2011 wedding. The silk is replaced every 30 years

 

Throne Room: Queen Victoria's ballroom but now used for investitures and ceremonial receptions of dignitaries 

In the early years of the reign of Queen Victoria, it was also used by Her Majesty as a ballroom. 

The Queen was very fond of music and dancing, and before the death of Prince Albert in 1861, numerous concerts and balls were held at Buckingham Palace. 

Staff show users around the Throne Room, which was designed for investitures and ceremonial receptions of dignitaries. Her Majesty's throne is on the left and Duke of Edinburgh's throne is on the right 

The room was designed by a theatre designer and swags of curtains in the room look like they should be closed on stage

Her Majesty's throne is on the left and the Duke of Edinburgh's throne is on the right. 

The room was designed by a theatre designer and swags of curtains in the room look like they should be closed on stage.  

 

Picture Gallery: Displays some of the greatest paintings in the Royal Collection including masterpieces by Canaletto

The 47-metre room was designed as a setting for the George IV's magnificent picture collection.

The theme of painting is echoed in the Picture Gallery’s four marble chimney pieces. 

Both Dutch and Italian artists have created the majority of the paintings in the room, and one includes the View of Venice by Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto.

As part of the 360 Buckingham Palace experience, users see the 47-metre Picture Gallery, which was designed as a setting for the George IV's magnificent picture collection

Today the gallery is used as setting for receptions hosted by The Queen and members of the Royal Family to recognise achievement in a particular walk of life or sector in the community

The Picture Gallery has always served as one of the Palace’s principal rooms for official entertaining. 

Today it is the setting for receptions hosted by The Queen and members of the Royal Family to recognise achievement in a particular walk of life or sector in the community.

 

Ballroom: The hub for State Banquets and functions that was first opened to celebrate the end of the Crimean War

At 36.6m long, 18m wide and 13.5m high, the Ballroom is the largest multi-purpose room in Buckingham Palace. 

It was opened in 1856 with a ball to celebrate the end of the Crimean War. 

One of the most extravagant rooms shown as part of the tour is the Ballroom, which was opened in 1856 with a ball to celebrate the end of the Crimean War

The room is used for state visits and state banquets, where guests are served a four course meal and five types of wine before they are entertained by 12 pipers

The Ballroom is the centre piece of a state visit or state banquet. The Queen, who sits at the top table, the event for 171 guests and the tables are covered in 5,500 pieces of silver and 1,000 Georgian glasses. 

Guests are served a four course meal and five types of wine before they are entertained by 12 pipers for the finale. 

 

White Drawing Room: The extravagant room with the Queen's secret door that leads to her private apartments

The White Drawing is one of the most extravagant out of the 19 state rooms. 

The room, used for receiving guests, is decorated with yellow furniture and contains a gold piano bought by Queen Victoria, who played it with her husband. 

Other features include a desk from the 18th century and a secret door which leads to the Queen's private apartments. 

The White Drawing room is used for receiving guests, is decorated with yellow furniture and boasts huge chandeliers 

To the left of the rooms fireplace, and what looks like a cabinet, is a secret door which leads to the Queen's private apartments. Above, Curator of Paintings for the palace Anna Reynolds opens the door 

The rooms also contains a decorative gold piano bought by Queen Victoria, who played it with her husband