Buckingham Palace and other royal residences in Britain

1.

Buckingham Palace and other royal residences
in Britain

2.

The Royal family has a number of
different residences in the UK that
they stay at depending on the time
of year and occasion.
Each place has its own purpose,
though they all share one thing
in common...they are all massive!
The royal family has two different
types of residence- the official state
owned royal residences, and their
privately owned property.
Those included in the former include
Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle
and Holyrood Palace, whilst the latter
includes Balmoral Castle and
Sandringham House.

3.

It’s no secret that London is widely considered
to be one of the greatest cities in the world.
In fact, more than 16million people visit London
each year.
There’s plenty of things to see in Britain’s capital,
including art museums, beautiful parks, and a
wide assortment of tourist attractions.
And of course, one can’t forget London’s many
majestic royal palaces.
The Royal Palaces in London are some of the
most incredible places a person can see.
When you visit one of these palaces, you’ll be
going back to a time when kings and queens
ruled the land. These are some of the world’s
most significant works of architecture, and they
contain some of the most famous works of art as
well.
Here are a few of the incredible palaces that
London has to offer.

4.

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 meters
long across the front, 120 meters deep
(including the central quadrangle)
and 24 meters high.

5.

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.

6.

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.

7.

Buckingham Palace may well be the most
well known of royal residences.
In the heart of the capital, Buckingham
Palace has been the official London
residence of the British sovereign
since 1837.
Queen Victoria was the first monarch
to settle in the 775-room palace.
She found the original palace lacking
in certain features – in particular a grand
room in which to entertain.
She added a large room which was,
at the time of construction in 1853-5,
the largest room in London.
The 40-acre garden sets the scene for
summer garden parties and the palace itself
is home to the private offices and
apartments of the Duke of Edinburgh,
the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess
of Wessex, the Princess Royal,
and Princess Alexandra.

8.

Banqueting House, Whitehall
The Banqueting House is the last surviving
remnant of the Whitehall Palace, which was
the residence of King Henry VIII. After a fire
destroyed most of the palace, the Banqueting
House still remained. It is considered to be an
important work of architecture, as it is the first
English building to be built in the
neoclassical style.
Today, there is still much to see and do
at this magnificent palace.
You can take a walk through its grand hall, the
ceiling of which contains nine paintings by
Peter Paul Rubens. You can also visit the
execution site of King Charles I., and there are
paintings and sculptures of King James I and
King Charles I to be seen.

9.

Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace features both
Tudor and Baroque architectural styles
which makes it one of the unique Royal
palaces in London. It was once the home
of King Henry VIII and the site where he
finally had his son. Later, it was expanded
by King William III in an effort to rival the
Palace of Versailles in France.
A favorite thing to do when
visiting Hampton Court Palace is to
explore its famous hedge maze.
You can also check out the Abraham
Tapestries in its magnificent Grand Hall
or let the kids play in its Magic Garden.
There are also many famous works of art
and even a historic tennis court.

10.

Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace was initially built in the 17th
century by King William III and Queen Mary II.
Today Kensington Palace is famous for being the
former residence of Princess Diana.
It is also the current home of the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William and
Catherine) along with the Duke and Duchess
of Sussex (Prince Harry and Meghan) and many
other members of the royal family.
Along with being a place of residence for some
members of the royal family, it also acts as a
museum containing many royal paintings and
artifacts. Thus, certain sections of Kensington
Palace are open to the public throughout the year.
Fans of Princess Diana will also be thrilled to see
an exhibit dedicated to her fashion choices over
the years. You can even take a tour of the
Kensington Palace gardens while learning
more about its history.

11.

Kew Palace
Of all the Royal Palaces in London, Kew
Palace is the smallest. It was initially part
of a more massive structure, but much of it
has been torn down over the years.
What remains is a beautiful mansion full
of majesty and wonder.
It is also well-known for being the place
of residence for King George III during his
bouts with mental illness.
One of Kew Palace’s most celebrated
attractions is its royal kitchens.
Remarkably, these kitchens have remained
relatively unchanged for the last 200 years.
You can also explore the royal princesses’
bedrooms or take the kids to the Here Be
Dragons exhibit.
Of course, don’t forget to check out the
incredible Kew Gardens while you’re there.

12.

Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace is the official place
of residence for the Archbishop of Canterbury.
It is almost 800 years old, making it one of the
oldest Royal palaces in London.
Its beautiful gardens are often used to host
a variety of different events during the
summertime.
The Lambeth Palace Library is one
of its most significant claims to fame as
it contains over 120,000 books and religious
records, some of which date all the way back
to the 12th century.
It’s also known for its Tudor gatehouse which
was built in the 1490’s. You’ll want to check out
its Great Hall, Chapel, and Crypt while you’re
there. Not to mention the beautiful St. Mary-atLambeth church.

13.

Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, more commonly
known as the House of Parliament, is almost
a thousand years old. It was the home of the
kings until 1547 when it was destroyed in a fire.
Since then, it has become the Parliament’s
home, making it one of the most important
buildings in London.
This palace is known for being the location
of Big Ben, one of London’s most celebrated
attractions. Tourists can also visit the
Westminster Hall.
This is the oldest part of the palace and has been
the site of many important historical events.
It is also possible to take guided tours of the
palace or watch debates as they’re taking
place. Nearby is also Westminster Abbey where
many royal wedding, coronations and funerals
have taken place.

14.

St. James’ Palace
St. James’ Palace was initially built by King
Henry VIII on the site of a former leper
hospital and was dedicated to St. James the
Lesser.
It was the home for British monarchs for
several centuries. Today, it is used for a
variety of official functions along with being
the home of several members of the royal
family.
Of all the Royal Palaces in London, St.
James’ Palace is considered one of the best
examples of Tudor architecture.
Although the building itself is not open to the
public, there are many things to do in its
vicinity.
You can attend services at the Royal Chapel
and Queen’s Chapel. You can also visit the
bronze memorial to Queen Alexandra.

15.

Whitehall Palace
The Whitehall Palace served as the official
residence of the English kings for many years.
It used to be the largest palace in Europe with
over 1500 rooms.
This made it even more extensive than the
Palace of Versailles.
This was before it was destroyed in a fire
in 1698.
The only significant part of the complex that
remains is the aforementioned Banqueting
Hall.
Although most of the palace has been
destroyed, you can still see some of its
remains.
In particular, it’s still possible to visit King
Henry VIII’s wine cellar.
The east side of the site was also redeveloped
into the MOD Main Building, which houses the
country’s Ministry of Defense.

16.

Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle has been occupied longer than
any of the other palaces on this list.
It was initially built for William the Conqueror
in the 11th century.
Today, Windsor Castle is well-known for being
the preferred home of Queen Elizabeth II.
It is used for official banquets and ceremonies
almost as often as Buckingham Palace.
Windsor Castle is a major tourist attraction,
and there’s plenty of things to do when you visit.
In particular, you’ll want to see St. George’s
Chapel, which is the burial site for many English
kings. The castle also contains much of the
Royal Collection of art.
And of course, you can also spend quite a bit of
time exploring the castle gardens.

17.

Visit one or more of
these Royal Palaces
in London
as part of a London
Highlights Tour.
You’ll get a glimpse into
the life of former and
current monarchs that
have helped to shape
London
becoming one
of the most beloved and
visited cities in the world.