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Buckingham Palace
History of the house and who has lived there
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 and in use for the many official events and
receptions held by The Queen. The Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and
guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.
Buckingham Palace (then Buckingham House) once stood on the edge of the City of Westminster, at the
western end of the Tudor hunting park of St James's in the early 1600s. However it wasn't until 1837 that
Buckingham Palace became the official seat of the court.
Buckingham House
The history of the site where
Buckingham Palace stands can be
traced back to the reign of James I in
the early 17th century. He started a
plantation of mulberries for the
rearing of silkworms where the Palace
Gardens are now located. Charles I
then gave the garden to Lord Aston in
1628 and it is clear from records that a
large house already existed on the site
at this time. The house had many
owners and tenants until, in 1698, it
was let to the man who gave the house its name – John Sheffield, later the Duke of Buckingham.
The Duke found the house old-fashioned, so it was demolished to create the new ‘Buckingham House’,
which stood where Buckingham Palace is today. It was designed and built with the assistance of William
Talman, Comptroller of the Works to William III, and Captain William Winde, a retired soldier. John Fitch
built the main structure by contract for £7,000.
‘The Queen’s House’
Buckingham House remained the property of
the Dukes of Buckingham until 1762, when
King George III acquired the whole site as a
private and comfortable family home for his
wife, Queen Charlotte, and their children.
It was known as ‘The Queen’s House’ and 14 of
their 15 children were born there. St James'
Palace, which was close by, remained the
official seat of the court and where many court
functions were held.
Sir William Chambers was put in charge of remodelling and modernising the house between 1762 and
1776, at a cost of £73,000. With ceilings designed by Robert Adam and painted by Giovanni Battista
Cipriani, The Queen’s rooms on the principal floor were among the most sophisticated of their time.
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King George IV
When George III’s son, George IV acceded to the throne in 1820, he 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 and he set about transforming the house into a palace with
the assistance of his architect, John Nash.
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 ‘Marble Arch’ as the centrepiece of an enlarged courtyard to
commemorate the British victories at Trafalgar and Waterloo.
Buckingham Palace in 1846, showing the Marble Arch in the centre of the Forecourt
Nash's Buckingham Palace was widely regarded as a masterpiece but it came at a considerable cost. By
1828 Nash had spent £496,169 on the changes to the building, far above budget. Soon after the death of
George IV, the Prime Minister dismissed Nash from his post for over-spending. Lord Duncannon, First
Commissioner of Works, took over the project to finish the Palace. Duncannon appointed a new architect,
Edward Blore, who extended the east façade at both ends and created a new southern side entrance.
The furnishing stage had not been reached at Buckingham Palace during George IV’s lifetime. His
successor in 1830, his brother William IV, showed no interest in moving from his home at Clarence House,
and, when the old Houses of Parliament were destroyed by fire, he offered the still-incomplete
Buckingham Palace as a replacement. The offer was respectfully declined, and Parliament voted to allow
the ‘completing and perfecting’ of the Palace for royal use.
Under Duncannon and Blore’s supervision, the State Rooms were completed between 1833-34. They were
furnished with some of the finest objects from Carlton House, George IV’s London home when Prince of
Wales, which had been demolished in 1827.
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Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to take up residence
and rule from Buckingham Palace in 1837 and in 1838 she
was the first British Sovereign to leave from Buckingham
Palace for a Coronation.
The Queen’s marriage to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and
Gotha in 1840 set the seal on the use of Buckingham
Palace as a royal family home and as a place of
entertainment and official business. Her marriage 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.
In February 1845, eight years after ascending the throne, Queen Victoria complained to the Prime Minister,
Robert Peel, about the lack of space in Buckingham Palace for accommodation and entertaining. The only
solution was to move the Marble Arch and build a fourth wing, thereby creating a quadrangle.
Edward Blore was instructed to prepare plans for a new wing, enclosing Nash’s forecourt on its eastern
side. By far the most significant element of Blore’s design was the central balcony on the new main façade,
which was incorporated at Prince Albert’s suggestion. From here Queen Victoria saw her troops depart to
the Crimean War and welcomed them on their return.
Queen Victoria on the balcony to welcome soldiers returning from the Crimean War
The cost of the new wing was largely covered by the sale of George IV's Royal Pavilion at Brighton (£53,000).
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.
In 1855 the architect James Pennethorne completed the Ball and Concert Room and the Ball Supper Room,
linked by galleries to Nash’s State Apartments at their southern end. As part of the overall redevelopment,
the triumphal arch, now known as Marble Arch, was moved to the north-east corner of Hyde Park where it
can be seen today. The Renaissance-style interiors of the new rooms placed Buckingham Palace in the
avant-garde of decoration in England, leading the critic of The Builder to designate the Palace as
the ‘Headquarters of Taste’.
Over a period of 20 years, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert transformed the Palace into the centre of an
energetic, cosmopolitan court. Apart from State concerts, entertainment at the Palace came to an abrupt
end after Prince Albert’s untimely death in 1861. Queen Victoria was absent from Buckingham Palace for
long periods of time after her husband’s death, and by the end of her reign in 1901, the Palace had begun
to look neglected and the soft French stone on the East Front was showing signs of deterioration.
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King Edward VII
King Edward VII and his consort Queen Alexandra were
determined to revive the high standards of royal
entertaining during his short reign from 1901-1910.
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 and throughout his reign, the
Palace was the focus of fashionable social life in London.
King Edward VII redecorated the interior of the Palace
during his reign and the new white and gold decorative scheme can today be seen in a number of the State
Rooms, including the Ballroom.
King George V
Queen Mary, wife of King George V, had a strong
knowledge of furniture and decoration and, advised by
curators from the Victoria and Albert Museum, restored
Regency character to the rooms after Edwardian
alterations made during the reign of King Edward VII. 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.
During the reign of King George V, 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.
The decision was also taken to reface the front of Buckingham Palace. Sir Aston Webb, with a number of
large public buildings to his credit, was commissioned to create a new design. Webb chose the harder-
wearing 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.
Completed in 1914, this is the grand façade that overlooks the Mall today.
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King George VI
King George VI ascended the throne on the abdication of his brother King Edward VII in 1936. The King and his consort Queen Elizabeth stayed at Buckingham Palace during World War Two, leaving the Palace during the
evenings to spend them with their daughters, Princesses
Elizabeth and Margaret, who had been moved to Windsor Castle for safety.
In September 1940 part of the East Front of Buckingham
Palace was damaged after bombing raids, and the
Victorian private chapel in the south-west pavilion 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. King George died in his sleep on 6th February 1952 at the age of 56.
Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh
Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926, the
first child of the Duke and Duchess of York who later
became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She was
educated privately at home and began to undertake
public duties during the second world war.
In 1947 she married Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, a former
prince of Greece and Denmark with whom she has four
children; Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew
and Prince Edward.
Upon the death of her father in February 1952 she became Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth
and queen regnant of seven independent commonwealth countries; the United Kingdom, Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon. Her Coronation took place on 02 June 1953.
Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning British monarch. Celebrations took place for the following
Jubilees: 1977 Silver (25 yrs), 2002 Gold (50 yrs) and 2012 Diamond (60 yrs). The Queen is also the first
British monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee, 65 yrs on the throne, and the occasion in 2017 was marked
with a 41-Gun Salute in London’s Green Park.
In 1962, on the initiative of The Duke of Edinburgh, The Queen's Gallery was created from the bombed-out
ruins of the former Private Chapel. The Queen's Gallery was completely refurbished and expanded in 2002
to mark Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee.
Buckingham Palace is the working headquarters of the Monarchy, where The Queen carries out her official
and ceremonial duties as Head of State of the United Kingdom and Head of the Commonwealth.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh live in the private apartments on the north side of the Palace, while
rooms on the upper floors of the north and east sides are occupied by other members of the Royal Family.
Much of the ground floor and the south wing of the Palace are used by staff who work for the Royal
Household. The State Rooms occupy the main west block facing the gardens.
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How the Palace is used 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 held at the Palace throughout the year recognise the work of industry, government, charities,
sport, the Commonwealth and many more areas of life and the Palace is often a focal point for significant
national celebrations and commemorations.
Diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace
The Diplomatic Reception is the main diplomatic social event of the year in London and reflects
The Queen’s importance in the country’s diplomatic relations. It is the largest reception held at
Buckingham Palace and takes place annually in early December.
Members of the public who are awarded an honour in either the New Year's Honours List or The Queen's
Birthday Honours List receive their award at a ceremony known as an Investiture. Around 25 Investitures
are held each year which usually take place in the Ballroom.
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 Fly-past 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.
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The State Rooms
When you visit the Palace during the summer, you enter the State Rooms by walking up the Grand
Staircase. Designed by John Nash and inspired by his experience working in London theatres, it provides
a sense of excitement and expectation for the rooms that follow.
Full length portraits of immediate members of Queen Victoria's family decorate the upper part of the
staircase. These include her grandparents George III and Queen Charlotte, by Sir William Beechey, her
parents the Duke and Duchess of Kent, by George Dawe and Sir George Hayter, and her uncle, William IV,
by Sir Thomas Lawrence.
The State Rooms occupy the heart of Buckingham Palace and are the public rooms in the Palace where
The Queen and members of the Royal Family receive and entertain their guests on State, ceremonial and
official occasions. There are 19 State Rooms, which mainly reflect the taste of King George IV, who
commissioned the architect John Nash to transform Buckingham House into a grand palace in 1825. The
State Rooms are furnished with many of the greatest and outstanding treasures from the Royal Collection,
including paintings by Van Dyck and Canaletto, sculpture by Canova, Sèvres porcelain, and some of the
finest English and French furniture in the world.
Ball Supper Room
Today, the Ball Supper Room is used as a ballroom during The Queen’s Diplomatic Reception and
Christmas Dance. When the Palace is open during August and September, a special display is mounted
here as part of the tour of the State Rooms. Originally, it was intended to provide refreshment for several
hundred guests at a time in the adjoining Ballroom. The design of both rooms was undertaken by
Pennethorne and it was the Supper Room that finally put paid to the shell of George III’s Octagon Library,
which formerly occupied this site. Pennethorne’s design envisaged a continuous serving table 41 metres
in length arranged in a horseshoe shape.
Ballroom
When first completed in 1855, this enormous room was known as the Ball and Concert Room. The
musicians’ gallery is today occupied during investitures by musicians of the Household Division. At the
other end of the room, plaster statues by William Theed stand on top of a triumphal arch, flanked by
sphinxes and enclosing the throne canopy. The winged figures at the summit of the arch symbolise History
and Fame. They support a medallion with the profiles of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
The throne canopy was created in 1916 using heavy gold embroidered velvet hangings salvaged from the
imperial canopy, or shamiana, made for King George V and Queen Mary’s appearance at the Delhi Durbar
of 1911.. The two thrones were made for the coronation ceremony of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra
in 1902 by the Parisian firm Carlhian & Baumetz.
The painted decoration of the organ case
is all that survives of the elaborate
scheme devised for the room by Prince
Albert with his artistic adviser Ludwig
Grüner. The organ itself was supplied for
the Music Room at Brighton Pavilion by
Henry Cephas Lincoln in 1817, and was
moved to Buckingham Palace following
the sale of the Pavilion in 1848. The
tables contain some of the finest silver
gilt in the Royal Collection, with pieces by Paul Storr, Nicholas Sprimont and Peter Carter. The two
tapestries are part of the series telling the story of Jason, by the French Gobelins tapestry firm.
8
Blue Drawing Room
The Blue Drawing Room originally served as the ballroom of the Palace, before the addition of the present
Ballroom in 1855. A number of fine Sèvres pieces purchased by George IV for his home at Carlton House
are displayed, amongst them the magnificently painted and glazed Vase royal. The fabulous astronomical
clock on the mantelpiece contains three enamel dials which indicate the times of sunrise and sunset, the
state of the moon and the sign of the zodiac.
The most important piece in this room is the
Table of the Great Commanders, a circular table
in porcelain again made by the Sèvres
factory. The top contains portraits of great
leaders of antiquity, from Alexander the Great
to Julius Caesar, Hannibal and Pompey.
The table was commissioned in 1806 by
Napoleon at the height of his success, although
it wasn't finished until 1812, and remained in
the Sèvres factory until after Napoleon's defeat
in 1815. In 1817, Louis XVIII, the restored French king, presented the table to George IV in gratitude for the
allied victory over Napoleon, and it quickly became one of George IV's prized possessions, appearing in the
background of all of his state portraits.
Bow Room
Originally intended as a library, this room is now used as a waiting room for those receiving a private
audience with The Queen, and is the room through which guests reach the garden when attending one of
The Queen's Garden Parties.
The ovals on the walls represent members of European royalty related
to Queen Victoria, under whom this room was redecorated. The
'Mecklenberg' dinner service is displayed in the cabinets. This
elaborate service was ordered by George III and Queen Charlotte from
the Chelsea Porcelain Works. It was given as a gift to Charlotte's
brother, Duke Adolphus Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in
1764. Having passed down through the family, it was presented to
Queen Elizabeth in 1947 to celebrate her silver wedding anniversary.
East Gallery
The first room from the Victorian additions to the Palace,
Winterhalter's famed portrait of Queen Victoria's family is
displayed here, alongside Sir George Hayter's depiction of
Queen Victoria's coronation. The East Gallery also contains a
number of works associated with the family of George III, with
a number of works by Benjamin West including portraits of
the king, his wife, Queen Charlotte, and a work
commemorating their infant son, Prince Octavius. The
imposing clock was made by the Parisian bronze
manufacturer De La Croix around 1775, and may have been
purchased by George IV from Charles X of France. The unusually shaped pair of Sèvres vases, flanked with
female figures of Victory, were also purchased by George IV.
9
Grand Entrance & Marble Hall
The Marble Hall lies directly underneath the Picture Gallery,
and was designed for the display of sculpture. The works now
shown include three pieces by the famed Italian sculptor
Antonio Canova, acquired by George IV (Dirce, Fountain Nymph
and Mars and Venus), as well as a number of works that were
commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. These
include pieces by Joseph Engels, Emil Wolff and Carl
Steinhauser. Many of these were brought to Buckingham
Palace from Osborne House, when King Edward VII presented
the house to the nation following his mother's death.
The two pier tables were originally made for Kensington Palace – the gilded table, by James Moore, was
provided for George I, whilst the marble-topped table is a rare example of a piece by Thomas Pelletier, the
Huguenot Cabinet Maker in Ordinary to Queen Anne. The pair of large Chinese vases were a coronation
gift for King George V and Queen Mary, from the Emperor of China. There are portraits of Queen Victoria
and her family, including a number by Franz Xavier Winterhalter. The portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince
Albert were much copied, becoming regarded as official likenesses.
Grand Staircase
Queen Victoria fitted the walls of the upper part of the staircase with
full length portraits of members of her immediate family. These
include her grandparents George III and Queen Charlotte, by Sir
William Beechey, her parents the Duke and Duchess of Kent, by George
Dawe and Sir George Hayter, and her immediate predecessor, her
uncle, William IV, by Sir Thomas Lawrence.
Two of the sculptures were commissioned by Queen Victoria as
birthday presents for her husband and were originally at Osborne
House, where they displayed a lot of neo-classical works. The
Huntress, by Richard James Wyatt, and Love and Malice, by the Belgian
sculptor Jean Geefs, depict two of the Goddess Diana's nymphs.
Green Drawing Room
So called as the room has always been hung with green silk, the decorative innovation introduced at
Carlton House by George IV has been continued here. As in the Blue Drawing Room, the wall coverings
have been matched with the grounds of the Sèvres porcelain, in this case using green. One of the most
striking examples here is the pot-pourri vase in the shape of a ship, which originally belonged to Madame
de Pompadour, mistress of the French king Louis XV. and was purchased by George IV in 1817.
George IV was also responsible for the purchase of much
of the furniture in this room. This includes the
magnificent cabinet by Adam Weisweiler, from around
1785. It is inlaid with panels depicting botanical
subjects, and the two central panels appear to have
been made in Florence, in the late sixteenth
century. The second cabinet was made by Martin Carlin,
again in France, and incorporates panels depicting
fruit. These were almost certainly made at Louis XIV's
royal workshops at Gobelins, and so date from the mid-
seventeenth century.
10
Guard Chamber
The chamber contains a number of sculptures with connections to
Queen Victoria, including the final birthday present that she gave to
Prince Albert, Benjamin Edward Spence's Lady of the Lake.
Prince Albert had commissioned the statue of himself, in ancient
Greek costume, from Emil Wolff. It was presented to Queen Victoria
on Christmas Day, 1849.
Other members of Queen Victoria's family are depicted as children -
Princess Louise, Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, and Princesses
Victoria and Maud, granddaughters of Queen Victoria, children of the
future King Edward VII. Theses sculptures were made by Mary
Thornycroft, a favourite artist of Queen Victoria and now remembered
chiefly for these works of children.
Ministers’ Landing & Staircase
The walls are hung with two panels from a set made at the Gobelins royal
manufactory in France from the mid-eighteenth century, depicting scenes
from the story of Les Amours des Dieux.
The wonderful barometrical clock was made by Alexander Cumming, a
Scottish clock maker. This is perhaps the finest of the scientific instruments
that were assembled by George III, both for its mechanical complexity and the
design of its case.
Music Room
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were both
extremely musical and spent many happy
hours at Buckingham Palace playing the
piano and singing together.
The Music Room is the central room on the
West Front of the Palace and is used for royal
christenings, as well as for entertaining . The
three eldest children of The Queen were
christened here.
The armchairs and settees were supplied by
the leading French chair and bed maker
Georges Jacob for George IV at Carlton
House. The Sèvres vases were also acquired for George IV, and include a fine example of a vase à panneaux,
complete with maritime scenes. The grand piano, by John Broadwood & Sons, hints at the use of the room
for occasional recitals.
11
Picture Gallery
John Nash, the architect who oversaw the transformation of Buckingham House into Buckingham Palace,
designed the Picture Gallery as a space to display the magnificent picture collection assembled by George
IV and his predecessors, and that is the role that the Gallery continues to fulfil. It is home to some of the
most famed works within the Royal Collection, with paintings by Holbein, Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto
and Van Dyck amongst many others lining the walls. The Picture Gallery is also the principal reception
space of the Palace, hosting events for several hundred guests at a time.
Some of the most popular works in the Royal
Collection are hung in the Picture Gallery. The
arrangement changes regularly, and works
are often lent to other museums and galleries
for exhibitions. Visitors can usually see Van
Dyck's portrait of Henrietta Maria, wife of
Charles I, a self-portrait by Rubens, a number
of scenes of Venice, by Canaletto, and perhaps
the most famous work in the Royal Collection,
Vermeer's Music Lesson.
As well as the magnificent collection of
paintings, there are fine examples of Chinese and Japanese porcelain, many of which were acquired by
George IV for the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, and excellent pieces of French furniture by Georges Jacob and
Adam Weisweiler.
State Dining Room
The State Dining Room was unfinished when Victoria arrived at Buckingham Palace in 1837. Fond of food,
and partial to hosting dinners, Victoria wasted no time in completing the work, arranging the paintings on
the long wall and adding her cipher above the doors.
During Victoria’s reign, dessert consisted primarily of fruit in a variety of forms as well as nuts and ices. On
special occasions, the Royal Confectionery produce an elaborate centrepiece similar to designs by Charles
Elmé Francatelli, Chief Cook to Queen Victoria.
Preparations for a State Banquet begin
well over a year in advance, but the final
build of the State Banquet table starts
around five days ahead of the arrival of
the visiting Head of State. The Master of
the Household’s department take the
main bulk of the responsibility for
ensuring the Banquet runs according to
plan.
After the Banqueting table is put
together, and the decorative display is
delivered, unpacked and positioned in
place, the final touches are added.
Preparations in the kitchens of Buckingham Palace begin as close to the event as possible — with every dish
handmade from scratch. Every element of the State Banquet is inspected, checked and approved by The
Queen, right down to every last detail.
12
Throne Room
Central to the room are the pair of throne chairs, made in late seventeenth-century style, for the coronation
ceremony of Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh in 1953. There are also chairs made for
the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937, and a single throne chair made for Queen
Victoria in 1837.
Much of the interior decoration comes from
George IV and Carlton House, including the
magnificent pair of council chairs made by
Tatham, Bailey & Sanders. The design of these
was based on that of ancient chairs studied by
Tatham in Rome.
The sculptures include a superb likeness of
Prince Arthur (son of Queen Victoria) by Carlo
Marochetti who was one of Queen Victoria's
favourite sculptors. There are also busts by him
of the Queen herself, as well as the Duchess of
Teck (mother of the future Queen Mary).
White Drawing Room
One of the more intimate State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, the White Drawing Room is regularly used
for audiences and small gatherings. The Queen enters the room via a hidden door disguised as a mirror
and cabinet before receiving guests. Ambassadors and High Commissioners from across the world present
their 'credentials' (a kind of formal CV) to Her Majesty when they take up their positions in London.
For larger events, the room is often used for key guests to be presented to The Queen before everyone
moves into the surrounding State Rooms to mingle. Over the years, the space has also been used for
Christmas Broadcasts and as the setting for formal family photographs.
The striking piano, in a gilded case,
was supplied by S & P Erard, and
incorporates elements of an earlier
piano owned by Queen
Victoria. The roll-top desk by Jean-
Henri Riesener was probably made
for one of the daughters of Louis
XV, before being purchased by
George IV in 1825. Complete with
beautiful fret marquetry, the lower
drawers can only be opened once
the roll-top is fully open, which is
typical of Riesener's work. The two pairs of cabinets, with inlaid panels depicting flowers and birds, were
adapted to fit the room in the 1830s, but were possibly at Carlton House before that. Behind one, in the
northwest corner of the room, is a concealed door, providing a discrete means for the Royal Family to enter
the State Rooms. Above the fireplace, the portrait of Queen Alexandra is perhaps one the highlights of
early twentieth century royal portraiture. Painted by the French artist François Flameng in 1908, Queen
Alexandra wears the small diamond crown made for Queen Victoria in the latter years of her reign.
The following are not included in this descriptive list... Ambassadors’ Entrance, Lower Corridor, Silk Tapestry Room and Vestibule.