INSIDE THE ROYAL RESIDENCES BUCKINGHAM PALACE, CLARENCE HOUSE & KENSINGTON PALACE Victoria Howard Independence of the Seas, 10th August 2017 Buckingham Palace • Originally a country house outside of London, 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 • Queen Victoria made it her principal residence, but it’s not actually the home of the British Monarchy… • 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 John Nash 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 Duke of Edinburgh and The Queen Mother. • Open to the public during August Kensington Palace – Apt 1A • Originally a small manor house, 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 • Offices lie elsewhere Kensington Palace – apartment 1A Thanks for joining me! Henry VIII: man or monster? 10am, 11th August, Theatre Further suggested reading: • Buckingham Palace: The Official Illustrated History – John Robinson, 2001 • Clarence House: 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 Royal Family’s Most Famous Residences – Charles River Editors, 2017 • Courtiers: The Secret History of the Georgian Court – Lucy Worsley, 2011.