Buckingham Palace- London Info - London Museums - Parks - Attractionss - London Buckingham Palace To website George III bought Buckingham House in 1761 for his wife Queen Charlotte to use as a comfortable family home close to St James's Palace, where many court functions were held. Buckingham House became known as the Queen's House, and 14 of George III's 15 children were born there. In 1762 work began on remodelling the house to the King's requirements, to designs by Sir William Chambers, at a cost of £73,000. George IV, on his accession in 1820, decided to reconstruct the house into a pied-à-terre, using it for the same purpose as his father George III. As work progressed, and as late as the end of 1826, the King had a change of heart. With the assistance of his architect, John Nash, he set about transforming the house into a palace. Parliament agreed to a budget of £150,000, but the King pressed for £450,000 as a more realistic figure.

Nash retained the main block but doubled its size by adding a new suite of rooms on the garden side facing west. Faced with mellow Bath stone, the external style reflected the French neo-classical influence favoured by George IV. The remodelled rooms are the State and semi-State Rooms, which remain virtually unchanged since Nash's time. Many of the pieces of furniture and works of art in these rooms were bought or made for Carlton House (George IV's London base when he was Prince of Wales), which was demolished in 1827. The north and south wings of Buckingham House were demolished and rebuilt on a larger scale with a triumphal arch - the Marble Arch - as the centrepiece of an enlarged courtyard, to commemorate the British victories at Trafalgar and Waterloo. By 1829 the costs had escalated to nearly half a million pounds. Nash's extravagance cost him his job, and on the death of George IV in 1830, his younger brother William IV took on Edward Blore to finish the work. The King never moved into the Palace.

Indeed, when the Houses of Parliament were destroyed by fire in 1834, the King offered the Palace as a new home for Parliament, but the offer was declined. Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to take up residence in July 1837, just three weeks after her accession, and in June 1838 she was the first British sovereign to leave from Buckingham Palace for a Coronation. Her marriage to Prince Albert in 1840 soon showed up the Palace's shortcomings. A serious problem for the newly married couple was the absence of any nurseries and too few bedrooms for visitors. The only solution was to move the Marble Arch - it now stands at the north-east corner of Hyde Park - and build a fourth wing, thereby creating a quadrangle. Blore, the architect in charge, created the East Front and, thanks largely to his builder, Thomas Cubitt, the costs were reduced from £150,000 to £106,000. The cost of the new wing was largely covered by the sale of George IV's Royal Pavilion at Brighton.

Blore added an attic floor to the main block of the Palace and decorated it externally with marble friezes originally intended for Nash's Marble Arch. The work was completed in 1847. By the turn of the century the soft French stone used in Blore's East Front was showing signs of deterioration, largely due to London's notorious soot, and required replacing. In 1913 the decision was taken to reface the façade. Sir Aston Webb, with a number of large public buildings to his credit, was commissioned to create a new design. Webb chose Portland Stone, which took 12 months to prepare before building work could begin. When work did start it took 13 weeks to complete the refacing, a process that included removing the old stonework. Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the sovereign, and was first opened to the public in 1993. Entry to Buckingham Palace is via Ambassador's Court on Buckingham Palace Road. The Grand Hall is on the original site of the old entrance hall, dominated by the Grand staircase aptly named, because of its winding proportions and floral gilt-bronze balustrade.

Royal Residences: Buckingham Palace | The Royal Family Royal Residences: Buckingham Palace Gàidhlig The Royal Household © Crown Copyright Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of the UK’s sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch. Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The Queen, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors every summer. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. In measurements, the building is 108 metres long across the front, 120 metres deep (including the central quadrangle) and 24 metres high. Buckingham Palace today Today, Buckingham Palace is very much a working building and the centrepiece of the UK’s constitutional monarchy, serving as the venue for many royal events and ceremonies from entertaining foreign Head of States to celebrating achievement at Investitures and receptions. More than 50,000 people visit the Palace each year as guests to State banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and Garden Parties.

Her Majesty also holds weekly audiences with the Prime Minister and receives newly-appointed foreign Ambassadors at Buckingham Palace. Receptions are held at the Palace throughout the year to recognise the work of industry, government, charities, sport, the Commonwealth and many more areas of life. For example, in 2013 The Queen hosted a reception to celebrate the Commonwealth, Youth and Education, which was attended by 350 guests from academic institutions around the world and included a performance by the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and choir and more recently, in 2015, Her Majesty hosted a reception for players, organisers and supporters of the Rugby World Cup. Buckingham Palace is often a focal point for significant national celebrations and commemorations. In 2002, a music concert was staged in the garden of Buckingham Palace to mark The Queen’s Golden Jubilee, which included a unforgettable performance of ‘God Save The Queen’ by Brian May from the roof of the Palace and at Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 members of the public were invited to have a special picnic in the Buckingham Palace garden. The balcony of Buckingham Palace is one of the most famous in the world.

The first recorded Royal balcony appearance took place in 1851, when Queen Victoria stepped onto it during celebrations for the opening of the Great Exhibition. Since then, Royal Balcony appearances have marked many occasions from The Queen’s annual official birthday celebrations to watch the RAF Flypast at the end of Trooping the Colour, Royal Weddings, as well as special events of national significance such as the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Whilst Buckingham Palace is seen as the administrative hub of the Monarchy, it is also very much a family home, in addition to holding The Queen's Gallery and the Royal Mews. The Queen gave birth to Prince Charles and Prince Andrew at the Palace, and to this day notice of royal births and deaths are still attached to the front railings for members of the public to read. The christenings of The Prince of Wales, The Princess Royal, The Duke of York and Prince William took place in the Music Room and many Royal Weddings have been celebrated at Buckingham Palace, most recently The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s.

The offices of those who support the day-to-day activities and duties of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and their immediate family, such as the Private Secretary’s Office and the Privy Purse and Treasurer’s Office are located at Buckingham Palace. Did you know? The site where Buckingham Palace now stands was originally a mulberry garden planted by King James I (r. 1603-25) to rear silkworms. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong kind of mulberry bush, and silk production never took off in Britain. History of Buckingham Palace George III bought Buckingham House in 1761 for his wife Queen Charlotte to use as a comfortable family home close to St James's Palace, where many court functions were held. Buckingham House became known as the Queen's House, and 14 of George III's 15 children were born there. George IV, on his accession in 1820, decided to reconstruct the house into a pied-à-terre, using it for the same purpose as his father George III. As work progressed, and as late as the end of 1826, The King had a change of heart.

With the assistance of his architect, John Nash, he set about transforming the house into a palace. Parliament agreed to a budget of £150,000, but the King pressed for £450,000 as a more realistic figure.Nash retained the main block but doubled its size by adding a new suite of rooms on the garden side facing west. Faced with mellow Bath stone, the external style reflected the French neo-classical influence favoured by George IV. The remodelled rooms are the State and semi-State Rooms, which remain virtually unchanged since Nash's time. The north and south wings of Buckingham House were demolished and rebuilt on a larger scale with a triumphal arch - the Marble Arch - as the centrepiece of an enlarged courtyard, to commemorate the British victories at Trafalgar and Waterloo. By 1829 the costs had escalated to nearly half a million pounds. Nash's extravagance cost him his job, and on the death of George IV in 1830, his younger brother William IV took on Edward Blore to finish the work. The King never moved into the Palace.

Indeed, when the Houses of Parliament were destroyed by fire in 1834, the King offered the Palace as a new home for Parliament, but the offer was declined. Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to take up residence in July 1837 and in June 1838 she was the first British sovereign to leave from Buckingham Palace for a Coronation. Her marriage to Prince Albert in 1840 soon showed up the Palace's shortcomings. A serious problem for the newly married couple was the absence of any nurseries and too few bedrooms for visitors. The only solution was to move the Marble Arch - it now stands at the north-east corner of Hyde Park - and build a fourth wing, thereby creating a quadrangle. The cost of the new wing was largely covered by the sale of George IV's Royal Pavilion at Brighton. Blore added an attic floor to the main block of the Palace and decorated it externally with marble friezes originally intended for Nash's Marble Arch. The work was completed in 1847.By the turn of the century the soft French stone used in Blore's East Front was showing signs of deterioration, largely due to London's notorious soot, and required replacing.

In 1913 the decision was taken to reface the façade. Sir Aston Webb, with a number of large public buildings to his credit, was commissioned to create a new design. Webb chose Portland Stone, which took 12 months to prepare before building work could begin. When work did start it took 13 weeks to complete the refacing, a process that included removing the old stonework. The present forecourt of the Palace, where Changing the Guard takes place, was formed in 1911, as part of the Victoria Memorial scheme. The gates and railings were also completed in 1911; the North-Centre Gate is now the everyday entrance to the Palace, whilst the Central Gate is used for State occasions and the departure of the guard after Changing the Guard. The work was completed just before the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Visiting Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace is open to the public during the summer months and for a limited number of tours in December, January and at Easter each year. Find out more about visiting the Palace on the Royal Collection Trust website . Share this article: PBS : Empires : Queen Victoria : Her Majesty : Her Homes The Royal palace.

Buckingham Palace King George III bought Buckingham house in 1761 for his wife Queen Charlotte to use as a comfortable family home close to St. James' Palace, where many court functions were held. George IV, with the assistance of his architect John Nash set about transforming the house into a palace. Nash retained the main block, but doubled its size, the external style reflecting the French neo-classical influence favored by the King. The remodelled rooms remain virtually unchanged since Nash's time. The north and south wings of Buckingham House were demolished and rebuilt on a larger scale with a triumphal arch -- the Marble Arch -- as the centerpiece of an enlarged courtyard, to commemorate the British victories at Trafalgar and Waterloo. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to take up residence in July 1837, just three weeks after her accession, and in June 1838, she was the first British sovereign to leave from Buckingham Palace for a coronation. Her marriage to Prince Albert in 1840 soon illustrated the Palace's shortcomings. A serious problem for the newly married couple was the absence of any nurseries and too few bedrooms for visitors.

The only solution was to move Marble Arch -- it now stands at the northeast corner of Hyde Park -- and build a forth wing, thereby creating a quadrangle. Blore, the architect in charge, created the east front and, thanks largely to his builder, William Cubitt, the costs were reduced from �150,000 to �106,000. The work was completed in 1847. By the turn of the century, the soft French stone used in Blore's east front required replacing, largely due to London's notorious soot. The present forecourt of the palace, where changing the guard takes place, was formed in 1911, as part of the Victoria memorial scheme. Balmoral Castle Built in the 15th Century, Balmoral castle was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852. Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone of the new building on 28th September 1853. The castle was built from granite from the neighboring quarries of Glen Gelder, which produce a near white stone. The original castle was demolished and a plaque on the front lawn marks the position of the front door of the old castle.

The building was finally completed in 1856. After Albert's death in 1861 (aged 42), Queen Victoria increasingly spent more of her time at Balmoral, famously befriending her gillie John Brown. When Queen Victoria died in 1901, Balmoral Estates passed, under the terms of her will, to King Edward VII, and from him to each of his successors. Improvements continue to this day, notably by the current Duke of Edinburgh, who has enlarged the flower and vegetable garden, and created the water garden. Originally consisting of over 11,000 acres, over the years further land has been acquired, bringing the total to around 50,000 acres. As most of the land is mountainous, at present only about 450 acres are farmed. The estate houses many important species of plants and animals, and is monitored closely by the ITE (Institute for Terrestrial Ecology). The 2,500-acre Ballochbuie forest, originally purchased by Queen Victoria in 1878 to save it from a timber merchant, contains one of the largest remnants of Caledonian Pine forest left in the country.

Twenty-five years ago, a small area known as the "tennis court" was enclosed in a regeneration trial suggested by the Duke of Edinburgh. In 1979, when the success of the experiment became clear, a further 50 acres was enclosed, and in 1992, a further 750 acres. In addition to this, nearly 5,000 acres of the estate have been planted with trees, providing shelter for red deer. Osborne House For Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Osborne House was a haven of tranquillity, far from the formality of court life at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. When they bought the building in 1845, it was a relatively small Georgian house. It was modified to accommodate the regent by Thomas Cubitt (see Buckingham Palace), who redesigned it in an Italianate style, contrary to the more common gothic style of the time. The gardens too were styled similarly by both Cubitt and Prince Albert. The completion of Osborne in 1851 coincided with the Great Exhibition, Prince Albert's greatest achievement, held in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park.

The young royal couple, with their many children, embodied the family ideal and helped restore respect for the monarchy after the low esteem in which it was held under George IV and William IV. Although of necessity State affairs took place at Osborne, it was essentially a family holiday home. Shortly after her death, Edward VII gave Osborne House to the nation, one of the most evocative memorials to Britain's longest reigning monarch. Windsor Castle Originally, Windsor was a village on the edge of a forest that was visited from time to time by Saxon kings, who used the nearby woods to hunt. William the Conqueror chose Windsor as his home because of the forest and its closeness to water. Also, it was close enough to London to ensure safe control. By 1272, the castle at Windsor had taken the shape that it is known for today (as it's remained for 700 years), a castle on a hill, a round tower on a mound, two wards with walls and towers round them, all for power and prestige. By the time of Victoria, Windsor had become a symbol for the Empire, and was used as such. State visits were held there. It was a mix of regal and private family life.

Victoria lived there on and off for 64 years, longer than any other monarch. It was in the Private Apartments that she first laid eyes on Albert when he was at Windsor in 1839, and it was in the same apartments that he died on December 14, 1861, in the room where George IV and William IV had also died. The room was kept as a shrine until her own death in 1901. While Osborne and Balmoral were his and the Queen's private homes, which they had created together, Windsor was the official residence of the monarch, and the Queen dominated it even Prince Albert's lifetime. Life as lived by the Queen at Windsor was divided into two parts -- the everyday life in the Private Apartments and the occasional event in the State Apartments. The Queen occupied the rooms in the Southeast (soon known as the Victoria) Tower. Prince Albert used George IV's rooms, but seems to have slept with the Queen until his final illness. The nurseries were over the Queen's rooms; and the happy family life of the Royal couple was much celebrated by her subjects.

The Queen gave private audience to her Prime Ministers and other public figures in the Private Audience Room, a little high-ceilinged room in the south range, close to her tower, which had been decorated with some richness under Prince Albert's direction. She gave unofficial audiences, or saw her family or friends, in her sitting-room, and it was here that she sat at her desk writing her multitudinous, heavily underlined letters and reading the unofficial papers that came to her in mounting numbers of red boxes, until she was sometimes starting work at six in the morning. State visits gave the whole castle a new function. Such visits were a new development. As in earlier centuries, kings and queens had not left their kingdoms, except in war, and did not entertain other kings or queens except as prisoners or by accident. Their palaces had no accommodation for them. By the turn of the 18th century, royalty had become more mobile. The first proper state visits to England were those of the Emperor of Russia and the King of Saxony to London in 1814. But Windsor Castle was an ideal venue in which to entertain and impress visiting royalty, and state visits to it became a feature of Victoria's and all subsequent reigns. Loading Page...

Buckingham Palace: First sovereign to take residence of Buckingham Palace was Queen Victoria Buckingham Palace Written by Norm Katz Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and is also the administrative headquarters of the British Monarchy. It houses the offices of those who support the day-to-day activities and duties of Her Majesty and His Royal Highness,The Duke of Edinburgh and their immediate family. Buckingham Palace is the centre for State ceremonies and official entertaining for The British Monarchy and is one of the few working royal palaces left in the world today. The Changing of the Guard, probably the best known aspect of Buckingham Palace, dates back hundreds of years when the ruling monarch had absolute power and needed protection from enemies. Touring Buckingham Palace Visitors may visit the State Rooms, (August 4 to September 30, 2001, 9:30- 4:30), and the Royal Mews, (Monday to Thursday, 12:00-4:00 October-July, 10:30-4:30 August and September.

Visitors may also watch the Changing of the Guard, which takes place in the forecourt of the Palace at 11:30 each day during April and May, and on alternate days during the rest of the year. The ceremony takes 45 minutes. Arrive early for a good view. The State Rooms The State Rooms are lavishly furnished with some of the world's great art including paintings by Rembrandt and Rubens, sculpture by Canova and Chantrey, and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world. The Royal Mews The Royal Mews is one of the finest working stables in existence. It houses the Monarch's State carriages, including the Gold State Coach built in 1762. The Queens Gallery The Queen's Gallery is currently undergoing redevelopment that will double the size of its display space to create year-round exhibitions of paintings, drawings and watercolors, jewellery, furniture, porcelain and other magnificent works of art from the Royal Collection. The Queen's Gallery reopens for the Golden Jubilee in 2002.

History Of Buckingham Palace King George III bought Buckingham House in 1761 for his wife Queen Charlotte to use as a comfortable family home close to St James's Palace, where many court functions were held. In 1826 King George IV decided to transform the house into a Palace. Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to take up residence in 1837, and the first British sovereign to leave from Buckingham Palace for a Coronation. The present Forecourt of the Palace where the Changing of the Guard takes place was formed in 1911. Buckingham Palace is located on Buckingham Palace Road, SW1, London, England. The State Rooms will be open to visitors from August 4 to September 30, 2001 between 9:30 and 4:30. The Royal Mews is open Monday-Thursday 12:00-4:00 October-July. August to September 10:30-4:30. Visiting The State Rooms: Tickets may be purchased in advance or on the day From the Ticket Office in Green Park, open 9:00-4:00, July 28 to September 30.

Adult - 11.00 Pounds; Over 60- 9.00 Pounds; Under 17- 5.50 Pounds; Under 5-Free; Family (2 Adult, 2 Under 17)- 27.50 Pounds. Advance Tickets: may be ordered through the Royal Collection Website or by telephoning (+44) (020) 7321 2233. A booking fee of 1.00 Pounds per ticket applies. All major credit cards are accepted. Visiting The Royal Mews: Buying a ticket: Adult- 4.60 Pounds; Over 60 3.60 Pounds; Under 17- 2.60 Pounds; Under 5- Free; Family- 11.80 Pounds. Groups: please contact the Visitor Office for group rates. Further information is available by telephoning Buckingham Palace in London, England at (020)-7839 1377.

Why Buckingham Palace isn’t The Queen’s official residence – Royal Central Buckingham Palace is the most iconic symbol of the British Monarchy, but far from popular opinion, this 200-year-old building isn’t actually The Queen’s official residence, and this is why… Buckingham Palace remains only the London home of The Queen. Her Majesty’s official residence is, in fact, a few hundred yards down the Mall from Buckingham Palace at St James’s Palace, where the Court is officially based. It is where foreign diplomats are accredited to and new King and Queens proclaimed officially. Prior to the transformation of the former Buckingham House into Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace formed the actual residence of the Monarch. Queen Victoria was the first Monarch to actually take up residence at Buckingham Palace in 1837 – the court, however, remained at St James’s Palace as it does to this day. As well as that interesting fact attached to it, St James’s Palace does have other rather strange characteristics to it. It also happens to be physically attached to Clarence House, a newer building that nowadays is the official residence of Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and formerly Princes William and Harry. The two residences share a garden.

The Captain of The Queen’s Guard and the colour of the regiment on duty are also lodged at St James’s Palace during the guard company’s tour of duty, not at Buckingham Palace which only hosts a detachment of the guard. St James’s Palace – the true official residence of the Monarch. Perhaps even more strangely is that St James’s Palace, despite its multiple claims to fame, is often forgotten both by the public and ironically almost by the Royal Family too. The residence only has apartments for a few members of the Royal Family, none of whom actually occupy them full time. The Royal Collection does occupy St James’s Palace but as a royal home, St James’s Palace appears to be no longer in ‘royal favour’ as it were, with the last person to use it as an official residence being the Prince of Wales. There is talk in the future that Prince Charles could make Windsor Castle the base for his royal court when he accedes to the throne, though because of the convenience of Buckingham Palace being in central London and its iconicity, this has been discounted by many.

Many of the apartments at St James’s Palace are now used for court officials and high-ranking individuals who occupy them on a ‘grace and favour’ apartment basis, though Princess Beatrice and Eugenie and Princess Alexandra are among the royals who have apartments at the Palace. Whether there are changes made in the future to make Buckingham Palace the home of the Monarchy as well as the home of the Sovereign remains to be seen, St James’s could well go the way of Hampton Court and other such palaces in becoming a historic palace, not an occupied/active one, though for now St James’s Palace remains another rather quaint curiosity of the British Monarchy. Photos Copyright to Royal Central Related Items robert It also houses the Chapel Royal where most family rites are performed. Queen Victoria married Prince Albert there. The palace is reputedly very dark and drafty. This is why most royals prefer not to actually live there. British Royals latest Buckingham Palace - Buckingham Palace information and pictures Buckingham Palace - Buckingham Palace information and pictures Tweet Buckingham Palace � Since 1837 Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of the Britain's sovereigns. The first sovereign to take up residence in Buckingham Palace was Queen Victoria.

King George III bought the house form the Duke of Buckingham in 1761 and later King George IV expanded the house and turned it into palace. In 1913 Sir Aston Webb was commissioned to redesign the fa�ade of the palace. A monument of Queen Victoria is erected in front of the palace. Buckingham Palace is situated between Green Park and St. James�s Park at the end of The Mall in London � this broad approach to the palace was also created by Ashton Webb. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. The palace has a floor space of 77,000 sq. m. and measures 180 by 120 metres. The principal floor contains state rooms, including the Music Room, the White and Blue Drawing rooms. The Picture Gallery is found at the centre of the ornate suite, which serves as a corridor and links the state rooms. It is not only the official residence of the British monarch but also an administrative headquarters. About 300 people work here including the domestic staff. The British flag is raised when the Queen is in the palace. Buckingham Palace is decorated with priceless works of art and is lavishly furnished.

It has a 40 meters long ballroom. The State rooms are open to the public during the summer. The Royal Mews are also open to the public and are worth visiting. The Changing of the Guard is one of the top attractions in London so don�t miss it - it takes place at 11:30 daily from May to the end of July. In August the Guard Change is on odd days and in September on even days.(if the weather permits) Where is Buckingham Palace: Buckingham Palace SW1A How to get to Buckingham Palace: Subway - Jubilee, Victoria, Piccadilly lines to Victoria, Green Park and Hyde Park Corner station. Opening Hours: During the summer months from 09:45 - 18:00 For a great selection of places to stay with discount prices visit London Hotels . Buckingham Palace Changing of the Guard Queen Victoria Monument Buckingham Palace Who has lived at Buckingham Palace? What to see and do Who has lived at Buckingham Palace? To discover more about the monarchs who have lived at Buckingham Palace, download our Kings and Queens iPad app .

Queen Victoria (1837-1901) and Prince Albert (1840-61) Queen Victoria (r.1837-1901) was the first sovereign to rule from Buckingham Palace, acceding to the throne on 20 June 1837, following the death of her uncle William IV. Within 48 hours of taking up residence at the Palace on 13 July of that year, the Queen entertained a large party to dinner in the State Dining Room. On 10 May 1838, as part of the celebrations leading up to her Coronation, she held the first State ball in the Palace’s South Drawing Room. The Queen’s marriage to her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1841 set the seal on the use of Buckingham Palace as a royal family home and as a place of entertainment, as well as official business. Lavish costume balls were held throughout the 1840s, and the Queen also gave a series of concerts, with her favourite composer Felix Mendelssohn playing at the Palace on five separate occasions during those years.

Over the course of 20 years, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert transformed the Palace into the centre of an energetic, cosmopolitan court. The State concerts continued regularly after Prince Albert’s untimely death in 1861, but all other entertainment came to an abrupt end. Queen Victoria was absent from Buckingham Palace for long periods after her husband’s death, preferring to spend her time at Windsor Castle, Balmoral Castle in Scotland or Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. By the end of her reign in 1901, the Palace had begun to look neglected. King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra (1901-10) The King and his consort Queen Alexandra were determined to revive the high standards of royal entertaining. The Coronation Banquet of August 1902 comprised no fewer than fourteen courses. The King would preside at Evening Courts seated on the throne, and a new dais and canopy were set up in the Ballroom for this purpose. Throughout King Edward VII’s reign, the Palace was the undisputed focus of fashionable social life in London.

King George V and Queen Mary (1910-36) Queen Mary had a strong knowledge of furniture and decoration and, advised by curators from the Victoria and Albert Museum, soon set about making up for the Edwardian alterations to the Palace by restoring more of a Regency character to the rooms. In 1935, a year before the end of George V’s reign, the Palace was the focus of national celebrations for the King's Silver Jubilee. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (1936-52) During Germany’s night offensive on London, from early September to mid-November 1940, the King and Queen would leave the Palace each evening for Windsor and return the next morning. In September 1940 the north screen of the East Front was damaged after bombing raids, and the Victorian private chapel in the south-west pavilion on the garden front was destroyed. When the war in Europe ended on 8 May 1945, the King and Queen, their daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, and the Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony before huge crowds.

This scene was repeated when hostilities finally came to an end in the Far East, on 15 August, VJ Day. Family tree of the Royal House of Great Britain - hellomagazine.com, HELLO! - hello! Online Britain Buckingham Palace The official London residence of the British sovereign, originally known as Buckingham House, was bought in 1761 by King George III to be used by his wife Queen Charlotte as a family home. The Royal Family had previously resided in St James's Palace. When the Houses of Parliament were destroyed by fire in 1834, the King volunteered Buckingham Palace, which had been reconstructed eight years earlier by John Nash, as a new home for the government - but the offer was declined. Eleven years on, Queen Victoria became the first ruler to take up permanent residence and discovered many shortcomings - too few bedrooms for visitors and an absence of nurseries. The solution was to built a fourth wing, which entailed moving Marble Arch - formerly the centrepiece of a Palace courtyard - to where it now stands on the north-east corner of Hyde Park.

The Palace has been open to the public since 1992, with the royal standard being flown and the ceremony of changing the guard taking place daily when the Queen is in residence. The official royal website can be found at © 2000-2017, HELLO! Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace NOTE: The Queen's Gallery is currently closed for major refurbishments and will reopen in 2002 Royal Mews: CLOSED Ascot Week and on ceremonial occasions Changing of the Guard: Alternate days (never on Sundays) at 11.30 For more complete information call 0839 123411 or see below. Admission Fees: Groups of 15+: &pound9.50 per person > NOTE: Tickets are available from the Ticket Office in Green Park during August and September Victoria, St. James Park, Green Park Standing guard at the Palace Palace History Britain's monarchs have changed their official residences throughout the centuries from The Tower of London to Westminster to Whitehall to Kensington and St. James's, and finally to Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace is now the official London residence of the reigning monarch.

The royal residences or palaces were individually tailored to suit each monarch, consequently subjecting the buildings to virtually incessant remodelling, rebuilding and repairs. Buckingham House, named for the original red brick structure, was built in 1703- complete with mulberry garden for silk production- by the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. The manor attracted the eye of King George III; and because of its close proximity to St. James' Palace, the king bought it as a dower house in 1762 for the 17-year-old Queen Charlotte. That same year Sir William Chambers was hired to remodel the residence with a budget of &pound72,000 ($126,000.) Buckingham house was then renamed Queen's House in 1774 and all but one of George III's 15 children were birthed there. Five years after George IV's ascession to the throne in 1820, the king hired architect John Nash to transform Queen's House into a palace of the the pied-a-tarre style.

The new palace exterior was constructed of honey-hued Bath Stone in the Neo-classical French design favored by George III and boasted a marble arch, the centerpiece of the enlarged courtyard that was built to commemorate the British victories at Trafalgar and Waterloo. Nash's extravagance, however, cost him his job in 1829 when project expenses soared to over &pound500,000, far exceeding the &pound150,000 Parliament allotment. King George IV died the following year, never having lived in his newly reconstructed palace. William IV then employed Edward Blore to complete the palace left undone by the termination of John Nash. When Parliament was nearly completely destroyed by fire in 1834, King William IV offered the new Buckingham Palace as the new Parliament building, but his offer was declined. Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to take up residence in Buckingham Palace in July 1837 and her June 1838 coronation was the first State procession to leave from there. Due to the lack of any nurseries and an insufficient number of guest rooms, Victoria and Albert hired Edward Blore to build a 4th wing on to the palace in 1840.

This addition necessitated the removal of the marble arch to the northeast corner of Hyde Park, where it stands today. Most of the expansion project work was financed by the liquidation of George IV's Royal Pavillion in Brighton. The construction was completed well under budget in 1847. The forecourt of Buckingham Palace, where the Changing of the Guard takes place, was formed and Victorian memorial wrought iron gates and railings were commissioned in 1911. The north center gate secures the everyday entrance to the palace while the center gate provides entrance for state occasions or officials. George V subsequently employed Sir Aston Webb to reface the crumbling Bath Stone of the east facade in 1913 with Portland Stone. It required 12 months to prepare the stone, yet only 13 weeks to complete the refacing. The gates and refacing were completed in 1914. Buckingham Palace has endured few changes since. Sir Aston Webb is the architect primarily responsible for the palace's current aspect of reserved grandeur. The palace interior and grounds also underwent a gradual metamorphosis into the stately, 600 room royal palace it is today.

The Palace bosts a 40 acre garden, a movie theater, swimming pool and the Queen's private art collection (opened to the public in 1962.) In addition, the Royal Mews, designed by Nash in 1825, house the state carriages and royal ceremonial apparel. Regular investitures held by the Queen afford guests rare views of the Mews unavailable to tourists. The Summer Opening of the Palace from early August to late September is the only time tourists are allowed in the palace to view the State Rooms, resplendent in gilding, fine art, priceless heirlooms, antique furniture and, of course, thrones. Guests can, however, visit the Queen's Gallery and the Royal Mews throughout the year. The Palace Today Beautiful Buckingham Palace as seen from St. James' Park Buckingham Palace is one of the most visited attractions in London and is a source of fascination for many royal-watchers. The old rule that when the Union Jack flies full mast above the palace, Queen Elizabeth II is in residence is no longer accurate. The Queen changed that policy in 1998 probably for security purposes. This rule affects all the royal palaces and residences.

The palace is surrounded on three sides by parks, St. James' Park, Green Park and Hyde Park. There are also 40 acres of gardens on palace grounds, complete with statuary, pool and fountain. Queen Elizabeth's own private suites overlook Green Park, a lovely, tree-lined preserve virtually overflowing with daffodils in the spring. Between St. James' Park, the oldest of the nine royal parks, and Green Park lies The Mall. The Mall begins at the gates of Buckingham Palace and ends at Trafalgar Square. It is the route most commonly taken by royal processions on state occasions. The royal family lives here at the palace when in London. They are: Their Majesties the Queen, Elizabeth II and her husband/consort, Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh; their daughter, Princess Anne; their eldest son, Prince Charles of Wales; their second son, Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and their youngest son, Prince Edward and his wife Princess Sophie, Earl and Countess of Wessex. The second in line for the throne, Prince William of Windsor, is the first son of the late Princess Diana of Wales and her ex-husband Prince Charles of Wales. The other son of the couple is Prince Harry.

The Changing of the Guard The world-famous Changing of the Guard is a definite must-see for any London traveler interested by the pageantry associated with Britain's monarchy. This ceremony can be seen at one of several royal palaces, Buckingham, St. James', Windsor Castle and the Horse Guards at Whitehall Palace. The bearskin-capped, crimson-coated royal guards march to Buckingham Palace from St. James's Palace at 11:15am and return at 12:10. The guard is changed at Buckingham Palace on alternate days at 11:30. At Windsor Castle, the changing of the guard occurs on alternate days during the winter and daily during the summer at 11:00, but never on Sundays. The horse guard near the former Whitehall Palace is changed every other day at 11:00. At all locations, the ceremonies are cancelled in inclement weather. The Palace Today Buckingham Palace 2014 © Buckingham Palace Tours, England,. Privacy and Contacting Us Accessibility Who lives at Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of Britain's monarchy since 1837, in fact Queen Victoria was the first monarch to have Buckingham Palace as her main residence. Buckingham Palace is also the residence of the Duke of York Prince Andrew, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex (Prince Edward and his wife Sophie) and their daughter. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip have offices within Buckingham Palace but also a number of state apartments used to accommodate guests during important visits to the UK and London. IWhen is the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace? The Changing the Guard ceremony takes place in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace at 11.30 every day in summer, every other day in winter. The new Guards march from Wellington Barracks to the Buckingham Palace with the Guards band, the Old Guards hand over in a ceremony during which the sentries are changed and then returns to barracks. The whole ceremony lasts around 45 minutes and is free he Queen's Guard and Queen's Life Guard are soldiers charged with guarding the official royal residences in London.

The British Army has had regiments of both Horse Guards and Foot Guards and since the reign of King Charles II these soldiers have been responsible for guarding the Sovereign's Palaces since around 1600. Please note that Changing of the Guard is subject to weather conditions, and you can watch from outside the Palace for Free. OPENING TIMES Did you know? The very first State Ball was held in the Blue Drawing Room in May 1838 Buckingham Palace has over 700 rooms, this includes 19 State rooms, 52 royal bedrooms and guest bedrooms, 78 bathrooms, over 90 offices, a post office, a cinema and a swimming pool. Understandably it has its own police station. 400 members of staff work at Buckingham Palace and the Queen has two members of staff just to wind over 290 clocks within the Palace. Not all rooms are open for public access, and official tour rooms are subject to changes at any time.

Question: Who was the first British sovereign to take up residence at Buckingham Palace?
Answer: Queen Victoria