Candid Caller

SO FROM today, Buckingham Palace throws open its doors to the public, not in keeping with tradition, but to help the hard-pushed royals raise the money needed to rebuild Windsor Castle. This week the Candid Caller asked: does a visit to Buckingham Palace appeal to you, and should the royals be charging admittance? Which private building would you like to see opened up to the public?

Mrs Hazel Buckingham of Peterborough: 'I would like to see inside Buckingham Palace, more out of morbid curiosity than anything else. I'm definitely not a royalist and think it says a lot about our royals when the only time they open their doors to the public is when they need the revenue for themselves. I'd like to see the offices of MI5 opened up for all, just to put the cat amongst the pigeons]'

Mr Mark Royal of Bournemouth: 'I won't get to see Buckingham Palace; I reckon it will be impossible to move for tourists and at the end of it you'll see very little - like a day at Blenheim Palace. I'd be more interested in looking around the Kremlin, same sort of thing really.'

Mr Geoffrey King of Brighton: 'I think opening up Buckingham Palace to the public is a great idea. I'm sure thousands of people will go and it will easily raise enough to restore Windsor. I'd like to see inside Jeremy Beadle's mind - although I wouldn't be prepared to pay for the privilege.'

Mrs Jane Oueen of Streatham, London: 'I can't say I really care one way or another. I'm more interested in hospitals staying open - perhaps the money should go there and we leave Windsor as it is, there's more than enough left of the place. I'd like to see 10 Downing Street opened to the public - and John Major taking care of the tours, to put him to some use]'

Mr Jonathan Prince of Maidstone: Opening Buckingham Palace is worth a try, though I won't rush to go myself because I can think of better things to do with my time. I think all the royals should think about opening all their properties to the public and becoming totally self-financing.'

Mrs Gillian Duke of Great Yarmouth: 'I'm a big fan of the royals, they do much more good than they are given credit for. They shouldn't have to open their home to find the money for Windsor, it's part of our heritage so we should all pay. I'd like to look around Michael Jackson's home. I bet it's really tacky]'