The Tower of London has doubled the cost of attending the late-night Ceremony of the Keys, from cheap to still very affordable.

The Ceremony of the Keys is the formal locking up of the tower, and it takes place every single evening at 10pm. Although it’s a private event inside the Tower, each evening a small group of people are allowed to watch. And you can apply to be in that group.

Attending the ceremony used to be free of charge, but you also had to write in for tickets and usually wait several months for a date to be available.

The Tower introduced a £5 per person charge in July 2021, and it’s been set at that price ever since.

It’s now… ceremonial drum roll.. going to cost £10 per person.

As an event, it’s something that probably a thousand or so people a year get to see, but when you think about the population of London, the UK and wider afield, there’s still a decent chance that hardly anyone you know will have even heard of the ceremony, let alone attended it.

Considering you’re going to be in the tower long after the tourists have left, and observe an ancient ceremony in the privacy of the tower, £10 isn’t that bad a price.

Tickets are released monthly, and the next batch will be available here on 1st July, so pop that in your diary.

Personally, I think it’s better in the autumn/winter months, when it’s darker, and the tower is spookier, so maybe put 3rd August in the diary to get tickets when it’s darker.

Photography is not permitted during the ceremony itself.

Visitors will be admitted to the Tower under escort at 21.30 precisely. Please arrive by 21:25 at the latest to have names checked etc, and the ceremony will be completed by 22:05, after which you will be let out of the tower through a small door.