The Palace of Holyroodhouse is The Queen's official residence in Scotland.
The Palace is used by Her Majesty during 'Holyrood Week' for official functions and events, and by members of the Royal Family at other times of the year.
The State Apartments of the Palace are open to visitors throughout the year when not in use for official ceremonies and entertaining.
To get a idea of what it might feel like to stand in a room at the Palace, explore a Virtual Room, which allows you to have a 360 degree view of the Great Stair, the Morning Drawing Room or the Royal Dining Room.
Featured rooms
The Great Stair was designed by the Scottish architect Sir William Bruce in the 1670s as the first stage in the processional route leading through the State Apartments on the first floor.
The sumptuously decorated Morning Drawing Room was originally the Privy Chamber of Charles II. Today the room is used by The Queen to give private audiences, for example with the First Minister of Scotland, the Lord High Commissioner or other visiting dignitaries.
When the Palace was built in the 1670s for Charles II the Royal Dining Room (as it is known today) was the Queen’s Guard Chamber.It was converted into an elegant neoclassical room, in the style of the Scottish architect Robert Adam, around 1800.
The room was first used as a dining room by Queen Victoria and is still used as such today by The Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
The Great Stair
The Morning Drawing Room
The Royal Dining Room
