Buckingham Palace 🇬🇧

Located in the City of Westminster in London, England, Buckingham Palace serves as an administrative headquarters and royal residence for the monarch of the United Kingdom. The landmark frequently hosts official state hospitality and formal occasions, serving as a prominent focal point for the public during moments of national celebration and mourning.

The core of the site began as Buckingham House, a large townhouse constructed in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham and Normanby. King George III purchased the residence in 1761 as a private retreat for Queen Charlotte, leading to its designation as The Queen's House. In the early nineteenth century, architects John Nash and Edward Blore expanded the building by adding three wings around a central courtyard. The property officially became the London home of the British sovereign upon the accession of Queen Victoria in June 1837.

Further structural developments occurred over the following century. Between 1847 and 1849, the East Front was constructed to enclose the quadrangle, incorporating the well-known balcony where the royal family gathers to greet crowds. Architect Aston Webb refaced this principal façade in Portland stone in 1913 to align with the Victoria Memorial standing outside the main gates. After WWII bombing destroyed the palace chapel in 1940, the King's Gallery was constructed on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to display art from the Royal Collection.

Inside, the palace encompasses 775 rooms, while the surrounding grounds feature the largest private garden in London. Original early nineteenth-century interior elements remain, including bright scagliola and blue and pink lapis details. Subsequent redecoration under King Edward VII introduced a Belle Époque scheme of cream and gold, while smaller reception rooms were furnished in a Chinese regency style using items relocated from Carlton House and the Royal Pavilion at Brighton.

Members of the public are permitted to tour the palace's state rooms, which continue to be used for official entertaining. These public openings take place annually for most of the summer, alongside additional entry dates offered during select days in winter and spring.

Buckingham Palace in pictures