The short answer
Avoid it. Do not photograph the royal palace gates, the police or the military; guards may stop you. The palace itself is not open to visitors. The Kasbah around it has plenty to photograph instead: Bab Agnaou, the carved 12th-century Almohad gate, the Saadian Tombs and the ruins of El Badi with storks on the walls.
In more detail
The Royal Palace sits just north of the Agdal Gardens, which belong to the same royal estate. The Agdal usually opens only on Fridays and Sundays and closes when the King is in residence, which is a good clue to how the area is treated.
If a guard waves you on or asks you to put your camera away, do so without argument. It is not personal; it is the rule for royal and security buildings across Morocco.
For a photograph that includes the Kasbah's walls, try El Badi's ramparts in the late afternoon, which give a view over the quarter.
The same rule applies elsewhere in Morocco: royal palaces, police stations and military sites are not for photographs. Your guide will tell you when to put the camera away, and it is wise to follow their lead.
Good to know
- Keep cameras away at palace gates and police posts.
- Use El Badi's ramparts for views over the Kasbah.
- Photograph Bab Agnaou in late-afternoon light.