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The Palace of Holyroodhouse, the British Royal Family’s official Scottish residence, is opening the doors to Queen Elizabeth II’s private apartments for the first time in honor of what would have been her 100th birthday. Starting May 21, visitors can walk through the east wing rooms where the late monarch lived during her Edinburgh stays—the Royal Breakfast Room, Dressing Room, and Sitting Room—a three-room suite that offers a portrait of the Queen as she actually lived.
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The Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The tours are being offered by the Royal Collection Trust, the charity that manages the Royal Collection (the British royals’ art collection) and the public opening of royal residences across the UK. They will be offered for just 100 days, from May 21 through September 10, 2026.
The suite occupies the palace’s east wing, where 17th-century interiors look out over Holyrood Park. Furniture throughout was crafted by Scottish cabinetmakers Young, Trotter, and Hamilton, with additional pieces drawn from both the Royal Collection and the personal holdings of the Queen and Prince Phillip.
David Cheskin, © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust
The Sitting Room.
The Royal Breakfast Room, where the couple dined privately during their Edinburgh stays, is lined with a suite of mid-17th century tapestries by Flemish craftsman Jacob Wauters—pastoral hunting and sylvan scenes that George V and Queen Mary had installed in the 1920s. In the Dressing Room, three outfits worn by the Queen at notable Edinburgh engagements are on display, including the Karl Ludwig van Rehse tweed coat and crepe dress she wore to host the 8,000-person Garden Party during Royal Week 2017. The Sitting Room is where the Queen reviewed government papers delivered in official red dispatch boxes, and where a low-slung television kept her current on her beloved horse racing.
The art on the walls reflects Prince Phillip’s taste more than hers—he was a committed champion of contemporary Scottish painting and served as Patron of the Royal Scottish Academy of Art—including Flowers, Cornfield, Pale Sun by Josh Houston above the fireplace and David Young Cameron’s The Heart of Perthshire.
David Cheskin, © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust
The Breakfast Room.
Tours run in small guided groups capped at 25 visitors per entry slot, offered alongside the standard palace visit, which covers the ceremonial State Apartments and the historic chambers associated with Mary, Queen of Scots. General sale opens Thursday, March 12, priced at £71 ($91) in advance or £75 ($96) on the day. With 100 days of availability and just a couple dozen guests per slot, the window is narrow. Tickets are available here.
Julia Cancilla is the engagement editor at ELLE Decor, where she oversees the brand’s social media and writes about the intersection of design, pop culture, and emerging trends. She also authors the monthly ELLE Decoroscope column. Her work has appeared in Inked magazine, House Beautiful, Marie Claire, and more.