Behind this ultra-photographed facade, an object systematically goes under the radar.
At each official appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, everything seems to be like clockwork. The smiles are calibrated, the gestures controlled, the decor immutable. However, saccording to the magazine HELLO!, a detail has accompanied these appearances for years, without ever being spotted by the spectators gathered on the Mall in London. A technical choice, dictated by the architecture of the place, which says a lot about the way in which these moments are orchestrated.
The balcony of Buckingham Palace overlooks the Victoria Memorial, this imposing monument dedicated to Queen Victoria. While it offers the public a spectacular setting, it has a major drawback for those who stand there: it blocks a large part of the view of the Mall! In other words, members of the British royal family do not always see what the crowd sees, nor what is happening remotely at large gatherings. However, these appearances are not improvised. They are part of very codified ceremonies, such as the Trooping the Color parade in June, when the family attends the Royal Air Force flypast, or during historical events such as jubilees, the commemoration of VE Day, the coronation of Charles III or even the centenary of the RAF…
The balcony has also seen scenes that have become legendary, from the kiss of Charles and Diana after their marriage in 1981 to the double kiss of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. In short, in this surprisingly narrow space, accessible from the Central Salon of the East Wing, every centimeter counts. It is also this living room, with its crystal chandelier in the shape of a lotus flower, that visitors can now discover during the guided tours offered until March 2026. By standing behind the windows, we quickly understand that the perspective from the balcony is very different from that offered by the images broadcast on television.
To compensate for this visual constraint, a solution was therefore put in place, completely invisible to the public. “These objects are placed in the corners of the balcony, slightly inclined. The balustrade is covered with red fabric, allowing all the equipment to be hidden behind it”entrusts an internal source to HELLO!. And, these objects are none other than televisions, allowing the royal family to simultaneously follow what is taking place on the Mall and how the event is broadcast.
This revelation thus gives another reading to the balcony sequences which have become cult, in particular those where the young Prince Louis multiplies the grimaces and spontaneous gestures. It’s hard not to smile at the idea that he too can take a look at what’s going on behind the railing.
