London: Afternoon Tea at Buckingham Palace with Champagne

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Duration2h

GroupPrivate

Mobile ticketAccepted

Afternoon Tea Facing the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace

You arrive at The Rubens at the Palace Hotel, sit in the Palace Lounge facing the Royal Mews, and work through a three-tier stand of sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and preserve, and pastries made in-house that day. Tea comes from a proper selection, champagne is optional, and you set your own pace. Arrive 15 minutes early in smart casual dress, and if you have dietary needs, flag them 72 hours ahead.

Step-by-step itinerary

Enjoy traditional afternoon tea

Arrive at The Rubens at the Palace
Relax in the Palace Lounge
View royal carriages and stables
Eat selection of sandwiches
Enjoy traditional and flavored scones
Sample assorted pastries
Choose from fine teas

The Experience

The Palace Lounge opens onto the view the moment you step in — the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace laid out in front of you, bright and unhurried. You're seated in a space designed to let that sight do the work, and the tiered stand arrives with sandwiches already waiting: smoked Scottish salmon with horseradish cream cheese, coronation chicken with toasted almonds, egg and watercress, cucumber and cream cheese, ham with tomato chutney. Nothing fussy about it, just the real thing, made that morning.

The scones come warm — plain, or honey and white chocolate — with homemade seasonal fruit preserve and clotted cream on the side. You build them yourself, which is half the point. Then the pastries: The Crown (cinnamon chocolate mousse, brownie biscuit, coconut marshmallow), Fruit from the Queen's Orchard (seasonal glazed fruit mousse with compote), Royal Macaron with caramelised apples and coffee ganache, a seasonal éclair chosen by the pastry chef that day, and a few others that shift with what's in season. It's the kind of menu that doesn't announce itself — it just arrives and you work through it at whatever pace feels right.

Tea comes from P.M. David Silva & Sons: black, green, white, herbal, all the usual routes. If you've chosen the champagne option, that arrives too, and you can time it however you want — with the sandwiches, with the scones, at the end. The whole thing takes as long as you take it. You arrive 15 minutes before your booked time, dress smart casual (no sportswear or flip-flops), and the hotel handles the rest. If you have allergies or dietary needs, you tell them 72 hours ahead and they work with you — vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free all possible, though they ask you to contact them after booking to confirm what they can do.

Cancellations up to 24 hours out get a full refund or date change; anything closer than that and you're charged in full. Wheelchair accessible, prams welcome, public transport nearby if you need it.

What’s included

Your afternoon tea includes a three-tier selection of sandwiches (smoked Scottish salmon, coronation chicken, egg and watercress, cucumber and cream cheese, ham and tomato chutney), warm scones with homemade seasonal fruit preserve and clotted cream, a choice of pastries made daily (The Crown, Fruit from the Queen's Orchard, Royal Macaron, seasonal éclair and others), and a choice of fine teas from P.M.
David Silva & Sons.
If you select the champagne option, a glass is included.
Vegetarian, vegan, halal and gluten-free options are available with 72 hours' notice.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Evan Evans Tours

Is this one for you?Right for anyone who wants a proper afternoon tea in a room overlooking Buckingham Palace without arranging it themselves — the hotel handles the timing, the menu, and the view, so you just arrive and sit down.