Membership FAQs

At Our Palaces

Visit any of our ticket offices to join as a member and start enjoying your benefits right away. Please check palace opening times on our website.

Online

You can buy your membership here. You'll receive a confirmation email right away which you can show to enter our palaces for free. Your membership number will be provided within three working days so you can book your free or discounted member tickets, and your membership card will be delivered within 28 days.

With the Membership Team

Download our form, complete your information and email it to members@hrp.org.uk.

Already bought your day entry tickets? Upgrade to membership on the day of your visit or within two weeks, and we will discount the price of eligible tickets from your membership.

For Individual and Family 1 memberships, one adult or one concession ticket can be put towards a membership. For Joint or Family 2 memberships, two adult/concession tickets can be put towards a membership. Child tickets will not be used to be put towards a membership.

At Our Palaces

Visit our ticket office and our team will be able to put eligible tickets towards your membership.

With the Membership Team

Download our form and email to members@hrp.org.uk. We require a photo of tickets bought at our palaces, or the booking reference number of tickets booked online. Please note, it can take up to 10 working days for us to process your upgrade.

• Individual: One named adult (16 years or over).
• Joint: Two named adults (16 years or over) living at the same address.
• Family 1: One named adult (16 years or over) and up to six named children within the family (aged 5 – 15).
• Family 2: Two named adults (16 years or over) living at the same address, and up to six named children within the family (aged 5 – 15).

For all memberships, one card is issued. Only members named on the membership card can enjoy member benefits. Joint and Family 2 members are able to visit individually, there is no need to visit together every time. Memberships are non-transferable. If you wish to change the second named adult on a Joint or Family 2 membership, please contact the membership team at members@hrp.org.uk ahead of your renewal.

Life memberships include a guest per member, but our current membership options do not include un-named guests.

Currently we do not offer a concession category for membership, but concession day tickets can be put towards upgrading to a membership.

If you need to visit the palaces with a carer you are entitled to add a carer to your membership for free. This carer is not named and therefore can be different each time you visit. However, please be aware, your membership does not allow the carer to visit any of the palaces by themselves.

To add a carer to your membership, please contact the membership team by emailing members@hrp.org.uk.

If you're a non-UK resident with an overseas address it is still possible to purchase a membership in exactly the same way as a UK resident. We can send membership materials to international addresses but please do be aware that delivery times may be a little longer.

Please ensure you give us your email address when you join to ensure you are kept up to date about all your membership has to offer.

Within three working days of joining, you will receive a welcome email (if you have provided your email address). This will include your membership number, so that you can pre-book your free or discounted member tickets to visit, your discount code for our online shop and for booking discounted tickets to Kew Gardens, and other information to help you make the most of your membership.

If you have bought your membership online or directly with the membership team, your membership card may take up to 28 days to arrive in the post.

If joining by Direct Debit, you will usually be charged one or two months after visiting, due to the time it takes to set up new Direct Debit Instructions. We will always write to you to confirm the date and amount of the membership payment. Membership fees are collected as a full annual amount; we do not offer a monthly Direct Debit option.

Yes, you can pay by card for our standard prices. However, if you have a UK bank account you can save £10 on your first year of membership by Direct Debit.

If you have recently joined as a member online, we will send you a welcome email within three working days of joining including your membership number so that you can log in to book your free ticket to visit our palaces and gardens. 

Until you receive this, you can start enjoying your membership immediately and can visit the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens for free, within opening hours, by showing your confirmation email as proof of your membership.

If you have joined as a member at one of our palaces, you will receive your membership card immediately - your membership number will be printed on your card. 

If you have joined online, you will receive your membership number by email within three working days, as soon as it has been generated. You can still visit the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens for free immediately by showing your confirmation email as proof of your membership.

If you are buying your membership through the Membership team, due to upgrading tickets for example, please note it can take us up to 10 working days to process your membership and provide your membership number.

Your membership number will also be included in any letters that we send to you regarding your membership.

Once you have received your membership number, you can click on the Member Login link at the top of our website and login using your membership number and surname (please note, if you have a two person membership, this will be the surname of the lead member). You will then be able to select the tickets for the palace or event you would like to book. 

Upon entry, you will be asked to present your membership card and member ticket booking. Please be prepared to show a form of ID to verify your details, or show your membership confirmation email if you have not yet received your card. 

The membership and any associated benefits are non-transferable and can only be used by the named member(s) on the membership card.

Our staff are ready and waiting to welcome you.

If you join at one of our palaces, you’ll receive your membership card immediately. If you join online or through the Membership team, your membership card will be delivered within 28 days.

We recommend pre-booking your free or discounted member tickets every time you visit to guarantee your entry. Please visit the ‘Member login’ section of our website and log in using your membership number and your surname. Please note, if you have a two person membership, this will be the surname of the lead member. Free or discounted member tickets can only be booked for those included in your membership.

Once you have logged in and selected your ticket/s, please use the same email address and postal address which we have on record for your membership.

If you have recently joined online, please be aware it can take up to one week for your membership number to be emailed to you, as soon as it has been generated. If you have joined at one of our palaces, your membership number will be printed on your membership card.

If you need to change your tickets, you can book again at your desired date and time and email us at members@hrp.org.uk to let us know which tickets you need to cancel.

Please see our website for important information about each of our palaces, including accessibility information and opening times:

• Tower of London
• Hampton Court Palace
• Banqueting House
• Kensington Palace
• Kew Palace
• Hillsborough Castle and Gardens

Simply show your membership card in our shops and cafes to enjoy your 10% discount. We will also provide you with a discount code for our online shop when you join.

We will keep you up to date via our regular e-newsletters. Please contact members@hrp.org.uk if you are not receiving these, or check your junk folder. You can also visit our website what’s on page and tick the box ‘for members’ to see all upcoming member events.

As a member you benefit from a 10% discount on admission into Kew Gardens. Once inside, you can visit Kew Palace, Queen Charlotte's Cottage and the Great Pagoda during their seasonal opening hours. 

To pre-book online, please follow these steps:

1. Visit Royal Botanic Gardens Kew website
2. Click on ‘Book tickets’, then ‘Book your time slot’
3. Select 'All Other Visitors'
4. Select the date and time you would like to visit
5. Enter your Historic Royal Palaces members-only discount code when the promotional code box is offered, which will provide you with the option to purchase tickets for a discounted rate. 

Alternatively you may show your Historic Royal Palaces' membership card at Kew Gardens' ticket office to purchase a discounted ticket in person.

Your member-only discount code can be found in your membership welcome email or letter. To be reminded of the code, please contact us providing your membership number. Please note that discounted tickets may only be purchased for those named on the Historic Royal Palaces membership. A valid Historic Royal Palaces membership card must be presented on admission.

As a member, you will receive Inside Story, our member magazine, three times per year for free. The magazine is published seasonally in spring, summer and autumn. We welcome your suggestions and input: please email insidestory@hrp.org.uk with any feedback about the magazine.

Please email members@hrp.org.uk if you need to update your email address or postal address, so we can send important information about your membership to the correct place.

We may need to update your email address on your record, or change your preferences to ensure you’re receiving information from us regularly.

Please email members@hrp.org.uk with your membership number and we can check this for you.

Joint and family memberships must have a named second adult. It is not an open membership and names are non-transferable, so only those named on your membership can enjoy member benefits. If you would like to change the names of those included, this can be done before your membership renews for another year. Please contact our team at members@hrp.org.uk ahead of your renewal.

Any child who is 5 years and above requires a palace ticket or can be added to a family membership. When children reach their 5th birthday you will be able to upgrade your membership to a family membership and simply pay the difference. This applies to joint membership holders as well. Please notify us of this change in advance of your visit so we can update your membership and send you a new membership card.

Once your child has reached their 16th birthday, they will no longer be covered by your Family membership, but they can of course purchase their own membership which will enable them to continue to enjoy the many benefits that membership brings.

If you have recently joined, your card will be delivered within 28 days. Until then, you can use your membership number to pre-book your free or discounted member tickets. Please note that you may be asked to collect a temporary membership card from our palace ticket offices.

If you have lost your card and need a replacement, you can either visit our palace ticket offices where one of our team will be able to print you a replacement card, or you can email members@hrp.org.uk and we will issue a replacement to be posted to you. Please note, this can take up to 10 working days.

If you would like to upgrade your membership, for example from an Individual to a Joint, within your membership year, please contact the membership team at members@hrp.org.uk. The upgrade fee will be the price difference between your current and new membership.

If you would like to ‘downgrade’ your membership, for example from a Joint to an Individual, this can be processed at the end of your membership year before your membership restarts. Please get in touch with us ahead of your renewal to let us know.

If you have joined by Direct Debit, your membership will automatically renew each year. We will send your new membership card with a reminder about your automatic membership payment in the last month of your membership year.

If you pay by card, please visit our website to download a renewal form and send it to members@hrp.org.uk.

If you’d like to cancel your membership, we are sorry to see you go. Please email us at members@hrp.org.uk to request that your membership is cancelled.

Please note, if you pay by Direct Debit, your membership will automatically renew annually. We will always write to you to remind you of this payment in advance and the deadline of informing us of your desire to cancel, so it is important that if your contact details change you let us know. You are protected by the Direct Debit guarantee and are entitled to cancel your Direct Debit at any time via your bank.

The Membership team are available to support with any questions regarding membership by email at members@hrp.org.uk. Please note, as we answer every email personally, our current response time is approximately 10 working days.

There are two options if you would like to buy a membership for someone else to enjoy.

Buying a gift voucher

Vouchers are sent to you (the payer) to give to your loved one and are active for 12 months from date of purchase, so this is the ideal way to buy membership for someone who may want to begin their membership at a later point.

Buying a membership by card

If you would like to buy a membership for someone else to start immediately, you can buy a membership by card (not by Direct Debit) on our website and input their details for the email address, postal address and member information instead of your own. 

Currently our website can only record the details of the person purchasing the gift voucher. If you would like the gift voucher to be posted directly to the recipient, please email members@hrp.org.uk as soon as you have made your purchase with the recipient's details and we will send it directly to them within 7 days. 

You'll receive a voucher in the post which includes the type of gift membership you purchased and a code to redeem the voucher. We aim to deliver this via post within 7 days of purchase, but please note this may take slightly longer during busy periods or to an address outside of the UK. Your recipient will have 12 months from the date you purchased the gift to redeem that voucher and start their year of membership. 

If you have received a voucher, please complete the form included with your voucher. You can take this to one of our palace ticket offices where our team will be able to redeem your membership straight away and you'll be able to visit the same day. You can also send it freepost to our membership office and we will set up your new membership. If you don't have the physical voucher but have the voucher redemption code, please email members@hrp.org.uk with this and your name, contact email and phone number, and address, and we will set up your membership as soon as possible. 

Please email us at members@hrp.org.uk to enquire about life membership and we’ll respond as soon as possible within 5 working days.

Our Life members enjoy all the benefits of annual membership. Please note, membership benefits are subject to change. Additionally, Individual Life members can also visit with one un-named guest, and Joint Life membership can visit with two un-named guests.

If you already hold a Historic Royal Palaces membership, when you upgrade to Life membership we will take the amount you have already paid for your current year of membership off the overall cost of your Life membership. 

We accept payment via debit card or bank transfer. Unfortunately we don’t have the facility to offer payment via instalments. We are not able to process life memberships by Direct Debit; the membership must be paid in one full amount.

Life membership makes the perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions. Please email us at members@hrp.org.uk to enquire about gifting Life membership and we’ll respond as soon as possible within 5 working days.

Gift Aid is a government scheme which helps charities. Historic Royal Palaces is a self-funding charity, and if you choose to opt-in, the Gift Aid scheme will increase the value of your membership or donation by 25%, at no cost to you or our charity. For example, if your membership costs £100, we receive an extra £25 from the government. We put this extra funding towards restoring our historic palaces, researching history, and inspiring new generations in special places and it makes a real difference. Once you've opted-in to Gift Aid, we can apply this to any eligible donations you've made in the past four years and in the future, unless you decide to cancel your declaration. 

When you first join, you will be asked to tick the box for Gift Aid. If you are already a member, you can Gift Aid your membership by emailing members@hrp.org.uk.

Please note, it is not possible to Gift Aid a Life membership due to the inclusion of un-named guests.

You are eligible for Gift Aid if you pay enough tax each year to cover the amount we would reclaim on your membership or donations, which is 25%. For example, if your membership this year costs £100, HMRC will give £25 to Historic Royal Palaces, and you must have paid at least £25 in tax in the same year. This may be the case if you are still paying tax on a private pension plan, savings account, or capital gains. If you opt-in to Gift Aid but think you aren't paying enough tax, you can always cancel your Gift Aid declaration by emailing members@hrp.org.uk. 

Yes, as long as you pay enough tax in the year to cover the amount that the charities would reclaim on your donations or memberships, which is 25%. 

No. We claim Gift Aid from HMRC from tax that you have already paid, so there is no cost to you or to our charity. However, if you pay less income tax or capital gains tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all of your donations in a tax year (to all charities), it is your responsibility to pay any difference. Ticking the box for Gift Aid does not change your tax status. 

Yes, you can cancel at any time. If you no longer pay sufficient tax and wish to cancel your Gift Aid declaration, please email us at members@hrp.org.uk. 

Annual support from patrons is invaluable in helping to ensure that we can give the palaces the care they deserve. Patrons of Historic Royal Palaces receive a number of exclusive benefits including unrestricted access to the palaces, invitations to openings, newsletters and much more. Find out more about becoming a patron here.

If you’d like to make an individual donation, thank you. Please give as much, or as little as you like, and don’t forget to tick the box for Gift Aid. There are many projects that represent Historic Royal Palaces’ key principles of Guardianship, Discovery, Showmanship and Independence and these would not have been possible without support from individuals.

Every legacy is important to Historic Royal Palaces and makes a real difference to our work as a charity, helping us to preserve these special places. You can find out more on our website or by emailing development@hrp.org.uk.