Discover a royal masterpiece and home of the Rubens ceiling
Admire the epic Rubens' ceiling and discover the site of Charles I’s execution at Banqueting House, Whitehall.
Banqueting House 2025 open days
Banqueting House remains closed while essential conservation is completed but we re-opened for private events from October 2025. We will also be open to the public on selected dates in November, as well as for Members-Only Days later this year. Please see our opening and closing times page for more information.
Historic Royal Palaces is grateful to the Garfield Weston Foundation and Wolfson Foundation, whose generous support of the project will help us to conserve this magnificent building for generations to come.
The execution of Charles I
Killing of a 'treasonous' King
As a King, Charles I was disastrous; as a man, he faced his death with courage and dignity. His trial and execution were the first of their kind.
The rise and fall of Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset
Poison, passion, and King James's love
Historian Gareth Russell picks up the tale of a scandal that no one had foreseen when the inoffensive Robert Carr arrived at James VI's court.
Take a closer look at Peter Paul Ruben’s painted masterpiece
Discover the stories depicted in the nine painted panels and secrets of the Banqueting House with Google Arts and Culture. Zoom in to see details of the paintings in incredible detail online.
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