NOT long to go until Buckingham Palace opens its doors to the public for its annual summer opening and this year’s added bonus is that we get the chance to see how the royals like to shake their stuff and party.


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Well not exactly, but one of the themes for 2009 is music and its place in the rituals of the Queen’s residence.

There’s a display in the sumptuous Ball Supper Room featuring musical instruments used at official balls, an audio tour with the voices and sounds of the famous names who have performed for the Queen and fancy dress costumes worn at parties by royals of times past, probably not including Prince Harry’s unfortunate Nazi uniform fashion blunder.

The many pieces composed for the royals include a waltz by Johann Strauss and jazz great Duke Ellington’s The Queen’s Suite. That gives a clue to the range of people invited into Club Buckingham over the years and these days they’ll even let you lot in.

Buckingham Palace summer opening is from 26 July to 30 September.