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INSIDE THE ROYAL RESIDENCES

BUCKINGHAM , CLARENCE & PALACE

Victoria Howard Independence of the Seas, 10th August 2017

Buckingham Palace

• Originally a country house outside of , built in 1708, but has links back to Henry VIII • George III bought it for his wife, Queen Charlotte and their 12 children, as a family home in 1761; he had the fountain removed and statues taken off the roof for his plainer tastes • George IV put much of the grand décor in – at huge cost • made it her principal residence, but it’s not actually the home of the British … • 775 rooms; 1514 doors; 760 windows • Is to undergo £369 million of renovations over the next decade

State Rooms

• 19 state rooms, where the Monarch would hold court, entertain, receive dignitaries • Open from mid-July until October, when The Queen goes to Balmoral • State Dining Room was closed in 2016 due to a dangerous ceiling Queen’s apartments

Clarence House

• Built by for William, Duke of Clarence; completed in 1827 • 4 stories, linked to St James’s Palace next door • Occupants include Princess Augusta, Victoria, Duchess of Kent, Princess Elizabeth and and The Queen Mother. • Open to the public during August

Kensington Palace – Apt 1A

• Originally a small , William and Mary had it expanded • Generally used for lesser Royals related to the Monarch

• Was split into two apartments in 1955 • Lived in by Princess Margaret • Refitted in 2014, including two kitchens • At least 22 rooms • lie elsewhere – apartment 1A

Thanks for joining me!

Henry VIII: man or monster? 10am, 11th August, Theatre

Further suggested reading: • : The Official Illustrated History – John Robinson, 2001 • : Official Souvenir Guide – Jonathan Marsden, 2012 • Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother at Clarence House – John Cornforth, 1996 • Kensington Palace: The History of One of the British ’s Most Famous Residences – Charles River Editors, 2017 • Courtiers: The Secret History of the Georgian Court – , 2011