Surprising item 'hidden' on Buckingham Palace balcony for royal family during official appearances
The royal family reportedly hides TVs behind the red cloth...
Everything may seem steeped in tradition when the royal family steps onto the Buckingham Palace balcony, but there’s apparently something behind the scenes you’ve never noticed.
According to HELLO!, televisions are discreetly tucked behind the balcony’s iconic red draping, giving the royals a live feed of The Mall and their own televised image.
‘Hidden TVs’ on the Buckingham Palace balcony during official appearances
“They are placed in the corners of the balcony, slightly canted,” an insider reportedly claimed. “The balustrade is covered in red fabric, so all the equipment can be hidden behind it.”
The unusual addition stems from an architectural choice.
The Queen Victoria Memorial, which sits in front of the palace gates, apparently blocks the royal family’s view of The Mall. The solution? Televisions are set up just behind the fabric-draped stonework it’s said.
While the public looks up at the royals, it seems the royals can watch the event unfold from their side too.
The Buckingham Palace balcony is far more than a photo op; it’s one of the monarchy’s most symbolic stages.
They are placed in the corners of the balcony, slightly canted.
Every June, it plays host to Trooping the Colour, the king’s official birthday parade, where the royals gather in coordinated outfits to watch the flypast and acknowledge the crowds.
It has also served as the backdrop for key historical royal moments including Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee, VE Day, and King Charles’ coronation.
And of course, the balcony is where royal newlyweds share a kiss for the cameras.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana inaugurated the now-tradition with their post-wedding kiss in 1981. They were followed by Prince William and Princess Catherine’s double-kiss moment in 2011.
The tradition dates back even further. As per the royal family’s website, the first recorded balcony appearance happened in 1851, when Queen Victoria stepped out during the celebrations for the opening of the Great Exhibition.
Balcony ‘rules’ for the royal family
The royals access the balcony via the Centre Room in Buckingham Palace’s East Wing. Adorned with a glass chandelier shaped like a lotus flower, the room offers a peek into the royal vantage point.
Visitors can glimpse this themselves on the East Wing Exclusive Guided Tour. The tour includes access to the Centre Room and a look through the very windows the royals use. The balcony itself is surprisingly modest in size, far smaller than it appears on TV.
The tours, priced at £100 per person, currently run until March 30, 2026, every Sunday, Monday, Friday, and Saturday.
Meanwhile, what may appear to be a spontaneous wave on the balcony is, in reality, carefully choreographed. From who stands where to how long they remain, royal balcony appearances are steeped in protocol and symbolism.
The monarch always stands front and centre, flanked by their heirs.
The only exception to the monarch holding the central position? Royal weddings.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and later William and Kate, shared post-wedding balcony moments and kisses. However, others were notably absent.
Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, did not make a balcony appearance following their weddings.
Royal Insider has contacted reps for Buckingham Palace for comment.
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