Sites like Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle and Westminster Abbey are highlights of any tour of the U.K., and for royal fans, they’re on the top of most people’s bucket lists. Finding a guided tour that’s entirely royally focused is tough to find, but Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, is partnering with Great Rail Journeys in 2027 to provide the ultimate royal experience.
Offered monthly from April through October 2027, “Premium London and Scotland” is a seven-day luxury U.K. vacation featuring a talk with Burrell and other private royal experiences that will give travelers the inside stories behind iconic buildings.
“I am looking forward to showing these palaces to people for the first time through my eyes,” Burrell tells Marie Claire. “I know these buildings intimately as they were my home too, and I can share special stories which took place behind closed doors.”
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A day at Windsor Castle is included in the seven-day tour.
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Paul Burrell will give a special talk to travelers about his time working for the Royal Family.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Great Rail Journeys and Heron Agency)
The trip is capped at 24 guests per group, providing a more intimate way to experience the places that shaped the Royal Family’s lives—including Diana’s former home, Kensington Palace.
After touring the palace, guests on the tour will be treated to a private talk with Burrell, who says he’s excited to share stories “of our Royal Family from my personal experience of over 21 years.”
“I will bring you a personal and unique insight of this journey whether serving Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle, living with Princess Diana at Kensington Palace or sailing around the world on HMY Britannia,” Burrell says.
A tour of Westminster Abbey, home to hundreds of years of royal coronations and weddings, is included in the the trip.
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Guests will travel to Edinburgh to see the Palace of Holyroodhouse on the luxury rail journey.
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Along with visiting Kensington Palace, travelers will experience Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and Windsor Castle before heading north to Edinburgh, Scotland. Exclusive experiences include early morning access to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Royal Family’s official Scottish residence, a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia and a private gala dinner at the five-star Balmoral Hotel.
When asked what his favorite royal residence is, Burrell notes that while Buckingham Palace “is the seat of the British Royal Family” and served as his home for more than a decade, Scotland has his heart. “Balmoral has always been my favorite and is the favorite of many in the family including the late Queen, who spent her last days here,” he says. “It is a very special and magical place with a unique atmosphere—a fairytale castle set amongst the heather-covered mountains of the Scottish Highlands.”
The vacation includes five-star hotel accommodations, guided excursions, daily breakfast, five dinners and first-class rail travel, with itineraries starting at $6,999 per person.
