Buckingham Palace
Every first time visitor to London has got to see Buckingham palace, It is the worlds most famous address and has been the backdrop for some of the worlds most famous events. From the VE day celebrations to the Coronation, to Princess Diana’s funeral and more recently the Jubilee the Palace has set the stage for the nations events.
It is the London home of H. M. the Queen Elizabeth II and the working offices of many of the Royal family.
The palace is a working home and it is to here Presidents and Kings visit, it is here Ambassadors and ministers meet the monarch. Ambassadors to the UK are accredited to the sovereign not the government, it is here also that the great and the good go, to receive Honours and awards at investitures held throughout the year. It is here that the Queen holds garden parties in the summer, as a thank you to those who help or serve in the community.
Buck palace began as the site of the Royal Mulberry plantation in the reign
if King James 1st (1603-25). James 1st wanted to produce his own silk however
England was far too cold and wet for it to succeed and the site passed to
the Dukes of Buckingham who were the Royal favourites and advisors. The Duke
of Buckingham built a house on the site in 1703 it was close enough to London
and the court and yet at the same time was in the countryside and away from
the noise and the dirt of the city.
In 1761 King George 3rd (the one who lost the Americas) bought the house for
his wife, Queen Charlotte, to be used as a comfortable family home away from
the court life of St James's palace (George and Charlotte had 15 children).
The house was remodeled according to the designs of William Chambers at the
cost of 73 000 GBP. It was known as the Queens house or as Buckingham house
(the palace is still referred to as Buck House).
George 4th (formerly the Prince Regent, the one who built Brighton Pavilion) had the house reconstructed on a far grander scale turning it into a palace at a princely cost of 450 000 GBP. His architect was John Nash and the whole building was rebuilt in the neoclassical style. Marble Arch, which was constructed to celebrate the victories of the battle Trafalgar (1805), and the battle of Waterloo (1815) was the entrance to the new palace. It was later moved in Victoria's reign to Hyde park being too narrow for coaches.
In 1830 George 4th was succeeded by his brother King William 4th (Silly Billy), who replaced Nash with Edward Blore because of the mounting bills.
Queen Victoria who came to the throne in 1837 was the first monarch to use the palace as the official residence of the sovereign. Victoria was the first to leave the palace for a coronation, since then all monarchs have left here to go to Westminster Abbey to be crowned.
The Palace was far too small for the newly married Victoria and Prince Albert and the last major phase of building was completed in 1847 at a cost of 106 000 British pounds.
The now famous forecourt is relatively modern being constructed along with the Victoria memorial in 1911. In 1913 the front of the palace was crumbling, and the decision was made to reface the front in Portland stone.
The Palace has around 600 rooms and some 20 hectares of Garden. The Garden has its own artificial lake complete with flamingos. The mall in front of the palace was until Victoria's reign a private road.
The state rooms are open to the public during the summer months of July and August when Her Majesty is not in residence and are well worth visiting especially the Ballroom, where state banquets for visiting dignitaries are held. The Throne Room (where investitures are held) and the Blue and White Drawing Rooms are a must.
Also well worth a visit is the Queens Gallery where parts of the priceless Royal Collection can be viewed (the exhibits are often changed). Paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer, Poussin, Canaletto and others can be seen. (The Royal collection makes the paintings in the National Art Gallery look like the cast offs) furniture and sculpture can also be seen in the Gallery.
The Royal Mews (No, it isn't where the Queen keeps the royal cats) also on the
south side of the palace is worth a look (if you have time). Here the collection
of Royal carriages are kept.
The changing of the guard takes place at the palace every day from April to September (every other day from October to March) as this is free to watch it has to be worth seeing though do get there early in order to get a good viewpoint and who know you might even get a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth II if you are lucky.
For further information on Buckingham Palace click here
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