85-563: Wren House is a house on the grounds of Kensington Palace in London . Wren House has been occupied by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent , one of Queen Elizabeth II 's cousins, since 1978. When Kensington Palace was made the Royal Residence, architect Christopher Wren was tasked to expand the existing structure. He added a cluster of cottages that included: Wren House; Ivy Cottage , the home of Princess Eugenie of York ; and Nottingham Cottage ,
170-621: A "pleasant royal house". Two of Henry VIII's children died at Saint James's, Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset , and Mary I . Elizabeth I often resided at the palace, and is said to have spent the night there while waiting for the Spanish Armada to sail up the Channel. Prince Henry, Prince of Wales , the eldest son of King James and Anne of Denmark , lived at St James's Palace until his death in 1612. The gardens were improved for him by Alphonsus Fowle. A riding school, one of
255-408: A central clock dominating the uppermost floor and gable; the clock is a later addition and dates from 1731, refurbished 1834. The palace is decorated with the initials H.A. for Henry and his second wife, Anne Boleyn . Henry had the palace constructed in red brick, with detail picked out in darker brick. The palace was remodelled in 1544, with ceilings painted by Hans Holbein and was described as
340-617: A domestic residence typically used by consorts to live in and entertain. The state apartments were first opened to the public in 1899. The museum closed intermittently during the conflicts of the First and Second World Wars before reopening permanently in 1949. The entryway to the King's State Apartments is marked by the King's Staircase, decorated with a painting by William Kent depicting George I's royal court, completed in 1724. The apartment possesses several reception rooms. The Presence Chamber features
425-469: A drawing room doubling as Diana's office, a sitting room with a television, and a formal dining room. In 1981, the apartments were combined to create a family home for Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales. The residence had a helicopter pad, and many outdoor gardens, including one on the roof and a greenhouse where the family spent many hours. Diana decorated the residence in "bold patterns and lush fabrics", as well as floral wallpaper and
510-537: A fire destroyed part of St James's Palace, including the monarch's private apartments at the south-east corner. These apartments were not replaced, leaving the Queen's Chapel isolated from the rest of the palace by an open area, where Marlborough Road now runs between the two buildings. The royal family began spending the majority of their time at Buckingham House, with St James's used for only formal occasions; thrice-weekly levées and public audiences were still held there. In
595-557: A horse at Hampton Court and was brought to Kensington Palace, where he died shortly afterwards from pneumonia . After William III's death, the palace became the residence of Queen Anne . She had Christopher Wren complete the extensions that William and Mary had begun, resulting in the section known as the Queen's Apartments, with the Queen's Entrance, and the plainly decorated Wren designed staircase, that featured shallow steps so that Anne could walk down gracefully. These were primarily used by
680-488: A limewood fireplace where the monarch received ministers. The Privy Chamber was one of Queen Caroline's favourite entertaining spaces. The Cupola Room has been described as the "most splendidly decorated room in the palace", also by Kent. The King's Drawing Room, where courtiers would come "in search of power and patronage", features a copy of Venus and Cupid by Giorgio Vasari , which Caroline attempted to have removed to no avail. The King's Gallery, built for William III ,
765-480: A mix of modern and antique furniture, upholstered with golden lacquer. From 1997, the apartments have been used as office space for various groups, charities, and staff. Apartment 10 is a residence situated in the north-east section of the palace, in the public gardens. The three-storey apartment holds five bedrooms and five reception rooms. Former tenant Princess Margaret described it as "the doll's house". Named for architect Christopher Wren, Wren House residence
850-561: A number of offices, official societies and collections, and all ambassadors and high commissioners to the United Kingdom are still accredited to the Court of St James's. The palace's Chapel Royal is still used for functions of the British royal family . Official receptions are also regularly hosted at the palace. The palace was mainly built between 1531 and 1536 in red brick , and its architecture
935-402: A place for entertaining. A magnificent 12-hectare (30-acre) baroque parterre , with sections of clipped scrolling designs punctuated by trees formally clipped into cones, was laid out by Henry Wise , the royal gardener. Kensington Palace was the setting of the final argument between Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough , and Queen Anne. The Duchess, who was known for being outspoken and manipulative,
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#17328481694511020-503: A “lovely big apartment”; Apartment 1 is the second-biggest residence in the palace. Previous interior rooms have included the "sizable" library of Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, and the sculpting studio of Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll. Apartment 1A is a royal residence, covering four storeys, with twenty rooms total. It has five reception rooms, each with fireplaces, as well as three bedrooms, dressing rooms and two nurseries. The upper level has nine staff bedrooms, while
1105-576: Is a short drive away. According to Andrew Morton , the palace was a "children's paradise" with its long passageways, a helicopter pad, and many outdoor gardens, including one on the roof where the family spent many hours. Several notable courtiers live or have lived at The Old Barracks building, on the southern end of the palace. Notable residents include: Paul Burrell , Princess Diana's butler; Sir Miles Hunt-Davies, Private Secretary to Prince Philip ; Jane, Lady Fellowes , Diana's sister, and her husband Robert Fellowes, Baron Fellowes , Private Secretary to
1190-567: Is currently the official London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales , the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester , the Duke and Duchess of Kent , Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank and their two sons. Kensington Palace is sometimes used as a metonym for the offices of royals who officially reside there. Today, the State Rooms are open to
1275-473: Is decorated with red accents and golden ornaments, used for exercise and displaying paintings. Featuring numerous works by Kent, it houses Charles I at the Hunt by Anthony van Dyck . The Queen's State Apartments consist of the rooms where Mary II and later royal consorts resided. The Queen's Staircase is "deliberately plainer" than its counterpart, accessible to the gardens. The Queen's Gallery, built in 1693,
1360-529: Is in recognition of the Royal engagements and work for various charities which Prince and Princess Michael of Kent have undertaken at their own expense, and without any public funding." It was announced that from 2010, that Prince and Princess Michael would begin paying rent of £120,000 a year out of their own funds to continue living in the apartment. In 1996, Prince Michael's older brother, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and his wife Katharine moved into Wren House on
1445-410: Is near a cluster of cottages on the grounds of the palace, located north of the main building. It has five bedrooms and five reception rooms. The cottage covers two storeys, and has been noted as one of the more modest residences within the palace. Wren House is said to have the "best view" of the palace's walled gardens. Nottingham Cottage is a residence near a cluster of cottages on the grounds of
1530-464: Is primarily Tudor in style. The Queen's Chapel was added in the 1620s, and Clarence House was built on palace grounds directly next to the Palace in the 1820s. A fire in 1809 destroyed parts of the palace, including the monarch's private apartments, which were never replaced. Some 17th-century interiors survive, but most were remodelled in the 19th century. The palace was commissioned by Henry VIII on
1615-774: Is the most senior royal palace in London , the capital of the United Kingdom . The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's , which is the monarch's royal court , and is located in the City of Westminster in London. Although no longer the principal residence of the monarch, it is the ceremonial meeting place of the Accession Council , the office of the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps , and
1700-470: Is used by HM Government for official receptions, and the attached Clarence House , the former home of the Queen Mother , is the residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla . The palace also served as the official residence of Princess Eugenie until April 2018. The nearby Queen's Chapel , built by Inigo Jones , although since the 19th century across Marlborough Road, is still considered part of
1785-409: Is used to host official receptions, such as those of visiting heads of state, and charities of which members of the royal family are patrons. It forms part of a sprawling complex of buildings housing Court offices and officials' apartments. The immediate palace complex includes York House , the former home of Charles III and his sons, Princes William and Harry . Lancaster House , located next door,
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#17328481694511870-664: The Charter of the United Nations . The Proclamation Gallery is a part of St James's Palace, and it is used after the death of a reigning monarch. The Accession Council meets to declare the new monarch. Once the monarch has made a sacred oath to the council, the Garter King of Arms steps onto the Proclamation Gallery, which overlooks Friary Court , to proclaim the new monarch. Such an event last occurred on 10 September 2022 at
1955-506: The Dutch garden fashion. The royal court took residence in the palace shortly before Christmas 1689. For the next seventy years, Kensington Palace was the favoured residence of British monarchs, although the official seat of the Court was and remains at St. James's Palace , which has not been the actual royal residence in London since the 17th century. Additional improvements soon after included Queen Mary's extension of her apartments, by building
2040-521: The English Commonwealth period. The palace was restored by Charles II following the demise of the Commonwealth, landscaping St James's Park at the same time. Mary II and Anne, Queen of Great Britain , were both born at the palace. It became the principal residence of the monarch in London in 1698, during the reign of William III , after Whitehall Palace was destroyed by fire, and became
2125-522: The King's Watermen are all housed at St James's Palace. Since the beginning of the 2000s, the Royal Philatelic Collection has been housed at St James's Palace, after spending the entire 20th century at Buckingham Palace . On 1 June 2007, the palace, Clarence House and other buildings within its curtilage (other than public pavement on Marlborough Road) were designated as a protected site for
2210-428: The crown moulding . Mary's bedroom, where she entertained friends, is included in the apartments. Apartment 1 is a royal residence located in the southwest wing of the palace. During its vacancy from 1939 and 1955, it was divided into two, with a separate Apartment 1 and Apartment 1A within the space. The apartment has 21 rooms and a walled garden, as well as adjoining doors to Apartment 1A. It has been described as
2295-463: The Balkan states and Turkey following the two Balkan Wars . Edward VIII when Prince of Wales used the palace as his 'town' residence until he moved into Marlborough House , and George VI as Duke of York resided there prior to his marriage in 1923. The Second Round Table Conference (September–December 1931), pertaining to Indian independence, was held at the palace. On 12 June 1941, Representatives of
2380-688: The Colour Court, the Ambassador's Court, the Engine Court, and the Friary Court . The four courts remain enclosed, except for Friary Court, which in modern times is only enclosed by apartments on three sides, with the fourth side open to Marlborough Road to accommodate public gatherings. The most recognisable feature of the palace is the north gatehouse; constructed with four storeys, the gatehouse has two crenellated flanking octagonal towers at its corners, and
2465-610: The Duke's aged mother Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester , from Barnwell to Kensington Palace where she died in her sleep on 29 October 2004 at age 102. She holds the record as the oldest person in the history of the British royal family . The Queen gave the keys to the five-bedroom, five-reception grace-and-favour Apartment 10 to Prince and Princess Michael of Kent on the occasion of their marriage in 1978. Their children, Lord Frederick Windsor and Lady Gabriella Kingston , were raised at
2550-495: The Garter . The walls and woodwork were painted brown and gold to contrast with the white marble pilasters, doorways and niches which were surmounted with gilded statuary. George I was pleased with his work, and between 1722, and 1727, Kent oversaw the decoration and picture hanging for all of the royal apartments at Kensington Palace. Kent's final commission was the King's Grand Staircase which he painted with 45 intriguing courtiers from
2635-492: The Georgian court, including the King's Turkish servants Mahomet and Mustapha, Peter 'the wild boy' as well as himself along with his mistress. King George I enlarged the palace with the addition of an apartment, built on the north-west side, to house his mistress, Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal . The last reigning monarch to use Kensington Palace was George II , who did not undertake any major structural changes to
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2720-740: The Kensington Palace estate. In 1981, in the part of the palace that King George I had built for his mistress, the Duchess of Kendal , Apartments 8 and 9 were combined to create the London residence of the newly married Prince of Wales and his wife, Diana, Princess of Wales . It remained the official residence of the Princess after their divorce until her death. Her sons, Princes William and Harry , were raised in Kensington Palace and went to local nursery and pre-preparatory schools in Notting Hill , which
2805-507: The London residence of several members of the royal family . Built by order of King Henry VIII in the 1530s on the site of an isolated leper hospital dedicated to Saint James the Less , the palace was secondary in importance to the Palace of Whitehall for most Tudor and Stuart monarchs. Initially surrounded by a deer park and gardens, it was generally used as a hunting lodge and as a retreat from
2890-782: The Palace. While the Queen's Chapel is open to the public at selected times, the Chapel Royal in the palace is not accessible to the public. They both remain active places of worship. The offices of the Royal Collection Department , the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps , the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood , the Chapel Royal , the Gentlemen at Arms , the Yeomen of the Guard and
2975-674: The Privy Chamber, the Cupola Room and the Withdrawing Room. He hired the unknown William Kent in 1722 to decorate the state rooms, which he did with elaborately painted trompe-l'œil ceilings and walls. The Cupola Room was Kent's first commission for the King. The octagonal coffering in the domed ceiling was painted in gold and blue, and terminated in a flat panel decorated with the Star of the Order of
3060-474: The Queen to give access between the private apartments and gardens. Queen Anne's most notable contribution to the palace were the gardens. She commissioned the Hawksmoor-designed Orangery , modified by John Vanbrugh , that was built for her in 1704. The level of decoration of the interior, including carved detail by Grinling Gibbons , reflects its intended use, not just as a greenhouse, but as
3145-441: The Queen's Apartments. The Headquarters of Personnel Section occupied Apartment 34, and as a result the garden was overrun with anti-aircraft guns, sandbags and trenches. Repairs to the palace were not completed for several years, but after the war, Prince Philip stayed with his grandmother, Victoria, Marchioness of Milford Haven in the lead-up to his 1947 marriage with Princess Elizabeth, later to become Queen Elizabeth II . With
3230-509: The Queen's Gallery. After a fire in 1691, the King's Staircase was rebuilt in marble and a Guard Chamber was constructed, facing the foot of the stairs. William had constructed the South Front, to the design of Nicholas Hawksmoor , which included the Kings' Gallery where he hung many works from his picture collection. Mary II died of smallpox in the palace in 1694. In 1702, William suffered a fall from
3315-555: The Queen. Diana's interview with Martin Bashir for the BBC's Panorama programme was recorded in Diana's sitting room at the palace. In February 1987, a thief wearing a ski mask hit police guards with a hammer while in the gardens but did not get inside the palace, where Prince Charles, Diana and other royals were sleeping. Upon Diana's death on 31 August 1997, the gates at Kensington Palace became
3400-580: The United Kingdom, Canada , Australia , New Zealand , the Union of South Africa , and of the exiled governments of Belgium , Czechoslovakia , Greece , Luxembourg , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , and Yugoslavia , as well as General Charles de Gaulle of France, met and signed the Declaration of St James's Palace , which was the first of six treaties signed that established the United Nations and composed
3485-526: The administrative centre of the monarchy, a role it retains, in part. Also, at the time of the loss of Whitehall, the Chapel Royal moved its base into the castle chapel at St. James's. The first two monarchs of the House of Hanover used St James's Palace as their principal London residence. George I and George II both housed their mistresses, the Duchess of Kendal and the Countess of Suffolk respectively, at
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3570-477: The apartment was given to the widowed Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent , and her children until her death in 1969. Louise's younger sister, Princess Beatrice , was given by Queen Victoria the apartments once occupied by the Queen and her mother below the State Apartments. During World War I , George V allowed a number of rooms in the palace to be used by those working for Irish POWs and Irish soldiers at
3655-531: The apartment with her husband, the Marquess of Lorne (later the Duke of Argyll), departing after he was appointed Governor-General of Canada for Rideau Hall . The couple returned after his tenure, and Louise used her art studio at the apartments to design and sculpt the Statue of Queen Victoria, Kensington Palace . The apartment became her primary residence upon her widowhood in 1914 before her death in 1939. In 1955,
3740-502: The basement holds a luggage room, gym, and laundry quarters. There are three kitchens, one for family use and two for the staff. The residence overlooks a large, walled-in garden, hidden from public view in the palace's museum wing by frosted windows. The entrance hall has intricate crown moulding and black-and-white tiling. The apartment features art and furnishings from the Royal Collection . The Duchess of Cambridge decorated
3825-419: The bold use of colours including Margaret's favourites, pink and kingfisher blue. The house was largely designed by Snowdon and Princess Margaret with the assistance of the theatre designer Carl Toms , one-time assistant to Oliver Messel , Lord Snowdon's uncle, and a close friend of the royal couple. The royal couple moved into Apartment 1A on 4 March 1963, prior to the birth of their daughter, Lady Sarah , who
3910-572: The bombing damage and the deaths of Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice, the palace entered a period of neglect. During the 1950s, residents of the palace included the Master of the Horse , Henry Somerset, 10th Duke of Beaufort , who had married Lady Mary Cambridge - a niece of Queen Mary as the daughter of Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge , Sir Alan Lascelles , Queen Elizabeth's private secretary and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, who lived in
3995-511: The ceremony. Her residence was stripped bare and lay vacant for 10 years after her death. It was split back into two apartments, with Apartment 8 being used by four of Charles's charities and Apartment 9 becoming home to the Chief of the Defence Staff . Following their marriage in 2011, the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge used Nottingham Cottage as their London residence. They then moved into
4080-513: The cottage up with lots of pops of colour" and various art pieces. The Old Stables is a residence near a cluster of cottages on the grounds of the palace, located north of the main building. During Sir Alan Lascelles ' occupation, it was described as "lavishly decorated". During the residence of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester , the house was decorated with "old wooden furniture" and "bright turquoise walls". St. James%27s Palace St James's Palace
4165-429: The death of his wife, George II neglected many rooms and the palace fell into disrepair. King George II died at Kensington Palace on 25 October 1760. With the accession of George III in 1760, Kensington Palace was only used for minor royalty. The sixth son of George III, Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex , was allocated apartments in the south-west corner of Kensington Palace in 1805 known as Apartment 1. He
4250-461: The first in England, was built for Henry at St James's Palace between 1607 and 1609, and then a library with sculptural decoration by Maximilian Colt . Henry also installed a menagerie with pet birds including a pair of ostriches . Charles II was born at the palace on 29 May 1630; his parents were Charles I , who ruled the three kingdoms of England , Scotland and Ireland , and Henrietta Maria ,
4335-424: The focus of public mourning with over one million bouquets, reaching 5 feet (1.5 m) deep in places, placed as tribute before them stretching out into Kensington Gardens. The Princess's coffin spent its last night in London at the palace. On the morning of 6 September 1997, a tenor bell signalled the departure of the funeral cortège carrying the coffin from the palace on a gun carriage to Westminster Abbey for
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#17328481694514420-512: The formal court and occasionally as a royal guest house. After the Palace of Whitehall burned down , the palace took on administrative functions for the monarchy. It increased in importance during the reigns of the Hanoverian monarchs but began to be displaced by Buckingham Palace in the early 19th century. After decades of being used increasingly only for formal occasions, the move was formalised by Queen Victoria in 1837. The palace now houses
4505-531: The former home of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex . 51°30′21″N 0°11′20″W / 51.50594°N 0.18898°W / 51.50594; -0.18898 Kensington Palace Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens , in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London , England . It has been a residence of the British royal family since the 17th century, and
4590-521: The four corners, providing more accommodation for the King and Queen and their attendants. The Queen's Apartments were in the north-west pavilion and the King's in the south-east. Wren re-oriented the house to face west, building north and south wings to flank the approach, made into a proper cour d'honneur that was entered through an archway surmounted by a clock tower. The palace was surrounded by straight cut solitary lawns, and formal stately gardens, laid out with paths and flower beds at right angles, in
4675-575: The four-storey, 20-room Apartment 1A, the former residence of Princess Margaret, in 2013. Renovations took 18 months at a cost of £4.5 million, including new heating, electrics and plastering, and the removal of asbestos that required nearly everything to be stripped out internally, as well as a new roof. Kensington Palace became the Duke and Duchess's main residence in 2017, moving from their country home, Anmer Hall . The apartment covers four storeys, with three bedrooms, two nurseries and five reception rooms. In 2016, Diana's former residence, Apartment 8,
4760-465: The front, and decreed that its royal inhabitants adhere to the same rations as everyone else. The royal inhabitants now included Princess Helena, Duchess of Albany ; Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone ; and Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone . In 1921, upon widowhood, Victoria, Marchioness of Milford Haven , moved into a grace-and-favour apartment at Kensington Palace. During this period, her grandson, Prince Philip , lived with her at times as she
4845-469: The household. Princess Sophia fell under the sway of Conroy, who took advantage of her senility and blindness. She frequently served as his spy on the Kensington household, as well as on her two elder brothers. Conroy squandered most of her money until she died in 1848, at Kensington Palace. In 1837, Princess Alexandrina Victoria was awakened to be told that her uncle, King William IV , had died and that she
4930-407: The late 18th century, George III refurbished the state apartments but neglected the living quarters. The last monarch to take up residence at St. James's, at least part of the year, was William IV . He had earlier built Clarence House on adjacent palace grounds and connecting it to the palace. Queen Victoria formalised the move in 1837, ending the status of St James's as the primary residence of
5015-455: The library, were sold after his death. The Duchess of Inverness continued to reside at Kensington Palace until her death in 1873. Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn , the fourth son of King George III, was allocated two floors of rooms in the south-east corner of the palace, below the State Apartments, which he renovated for his use. The apartments were next to his near-blind sister Princess Sophia . His daughter, Alexandrina Victoria ,
5100-632: The location of their household and offices. Kensington Palace contains public and private apartments and residences within the building and its grounds. The palace houses a total of fifty residents. Apart from members of the royal family, it also hosts members of the military, courtiers, staff, and citizens who pay market rent. The King's and Queen's State Apartments are state rooms and private apartments historically used by various monarchs and consorts. The King's State Apartments were used for diplomatic audiences and meetings, described as "opulent" and "surprisingly sparse". The Queen's State Apartments were
5185-424: The main reception rooms, three principal bedrooms and dressing rooms, three principal bathrooms, the nursery accommodation, nine staff bedrooms, four staff bathrooms, two staff kitchens and two staff sitting rooms. Twenty ancillary rooms included a linen store, a luggage room, a drying room, a glass pantry and a photographic dark room for Lord Snowdon. The house in 18th century style, had a modern colour palette, with
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#17328481694515270-413: The monarch; it became used during her reign as a venue for courts, levees and other ceremonies. It was nevertheless where Victoria married her husband, Prince Albert , in 1840, and where, eighteen years later, their eldest child, Princess Victoria married her husband, Prince Frederick of Prussia . In 1912–1913 the palace was the venue for the international conference that arranged the treaty between
5355-557: The much larger Apartment 1A to new designs. In 1960, Kensington Palace was under the auspices of the Department of the Environment. The renovation had to be carried out under the strictest of budgets, with the eventual costs coming in at £85,000, approximately £1.5 million today. By 1962, the whole interior had been gutted. All the floors, except the attic floor, were removed to deal with rising damp. The resulting modern apartment consisted of
5440-568: The palace during his reign, and left the running of the palace to his wife Caroline of Ansbach . At the request of the Queen, Charles Bridgeman , successor to Henry Wise as royal gardener, swept away the outmoded parterres and redesigned Kensington Gardens in a form that is still recognisable today: his remaining features are the Serpentine , the basin called the Round Pond, and the Broad Walk. After
5525-625: The palace until her death in 1981. In 1955, the widowed Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent , moved into Apartment 1, with her children, which had been vacant since Princess Louise's death in 1939. It was at this time that the apartment was divided and Apartment 1A created. The stylish Duchess of Kent continued to live in the apartment until her death at Kensington Palace of a brain tumour in 1968. Following their wedding on 6 May 1960, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon , sister of Queen Elizabeth II, and Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon , moved into Apartment 10, while they set about transforming
5610-406: The palace, located north of the main building. Described as a "cosy property", it contains two bedrooms, two reception rooms, and a small garden. Ivy Cottage is a residence near a cluster of cottages on the grounds of the palace, located north of the main building. The cottage holds three bedrooms. While in residence, Princess Eugenie was reported to have renovated the residence and "brightened
5695-642: The palace. In 1757, George II donated the Palace library to the British Museum ; this gift was the first part of what later became the Royal Collection . George III found St James's unsuitable. The Tudor palace was regarded as uncomfortable and its now built up area as not affording its residents enough privacy, or the space to withdraw from the court into family life. In 1762, shortly after his wedding, George purchased Buckingham House – the predecessor to Buckingham Palace – for his queen, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz . In 1809,
5780-687: The presidency, as he preferred to employ the money in making additions to his library. The Duke of Sussex caused quite a scandal when he married twice in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772 , because it had not been approved by the King. His second wife, Cecilia Underwood, Duchess of Inverness , was never titled or recognised as the Duchess of Sussex. However, she was created Duchess of Inverness in her own right in 1840. The Duke died at Kensington Palace in 1843. As he had lived beyond his means and amassed substantial debts, his possessions, including
5865-551: The proclamation of King Charles III . To allow the Garter King of Arms and the trumpeters access to the balcony, workers removed the centre window the prior day and installed a temporary door. St James's Palace is still a working palace, and the Royal Court is still formally based there, despite the monarch residing elsewhere. It is also the London residence of Princess Anne , Princess Beatrice , and Princess Alexandra . The palace
5950-657: The property until the birth of their son in spring 2019. In April 2018, Princess Eugenie moved from St James's Palace into Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace. She lived there with her husband Jack Brooksbank until November 2020. In September 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, previously residents of Apartment 1, moved to the Old Stables, a smaller home located within the palace's estate. In summer 2022, The Prince and Princess of Wales moved their family residence to Adelaide Cottage near Windsor Castle . Kensington Palace remains their official London residence as well as
6035-546: The public and managed by the independent charity Historic Royal Palaces , a nonprofit organisation that does not receive public funds. The offices and private accommodation areas of the palace remain the responsibility of the Royal Household and are maintained by the Royal Household Property Section. The palace also displays many paintings and other objects from the Royal Collection . Kensington Palace
6120-432: The remote site of a former leper hospital dedicated to Saint James the Less . He first used it as a hunting lodge for his newly enclosed deer park, St. James's Park . The new palace, secondary in the king's interest to Henry's Whitehall Palace , was constructed between 1531 and 1536 as a smaller residence to escape formal court life. Much smaller than the nearby Whitehall, St James's is arranged around four courtyards,
6205-438: The residence. In 2008, there was controversy when it was claimed that the couple paid a rent of only £70 per week, though they fulfilled no official duties on behalf of the Queen. The British Monarchy Media Centre denied these reports and stated that, "The Queen is paying the rent for Prince and Princess Michael of Kent's apartment at a commercial rate of £120,000 annually from her own private funds... This rent payment by The Queen
6290-624: The sister of the French king Louis XIII . James II , the second surviving son of King Charles I and Henrietta Maria, was born at the palace on 14 October 1633. In 1638, Charles I gave the palace to Marie de Medici , the mother of Henrietta Maria. Marie remained in the palace for three years, but the residence of a Catholic former queen of France proved unpopular with parliament and she was soon asked to leave for Cologne . Charles spent his final night at St James's before his execution . Oliver Cromwell then took it over, and turned it into barracks during
6375-438: The space with furniture from IKEA , with the interior featuring "warm beiges and floral pillows", gold trim upholstery, and detailed carpeting. Apartments 8 & 9 are two conjoined chambers situated on the northern-most section of the main palatial building. The apartment covers three storeys. During its use as a residence, the two-room nursery covered the entirety of the top floor. Other spaces included two reception rooms:
6460-475: The summer of 1689, William and Mary bought the property, then known as Nottingham House, from the Secretary of State Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea , for £20,000. They instructed Sir Christopher Wren , Surveyor of the King's Works , to begin an immediate expansion of the house. In order to save time and money, Wren kept the structure intact and added a three-storey pavilion at each of
6545-465: Was born at the palace the following year. Prince and Princess Richard of Gloucester , later Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, moved into Apartment 1 after their marriage in 1972, the 21-room house previously occupied by Princess Marina, where they subsequently raised their three children. In 1994, after the Gloucesters had to give up their country home, Barnwell Manor , for financial reasons, they moved
6630-473: Was born on 24 May 1819, and her christening conducted in the Cupola Room the following month. The Duke of Kent and Strathearn died nine months after the birth of his daughter. She grew up in the confines of the palace in an unhappy and lonely childhood as a result of the Kensington System adopted by her mother, Victoria, Duchess of Kent , and the domineering Sir John Conroy , her mother's comptroller of
6715-456: Was in charge of his education. As a result of the number of royal relatives residing there during the 1920s and 1930s, Edward VIII called the palace "the aunt heap." Kensington Palace was severely damaged during the Blitz of 1940. It was hit by an incendiary bomb that exploded in the north side of Clock Court, damaging many of the surrounding buildings including the State Apartments, particularly
6800-473: Was interested in the arts and science and amassed a huge library that filled ten rooms and comprised over fifty thousand volumes. He had a large number of clocks, and a variety of singing birds that were free to fly around his apartments. He was elected as president of the Royal Society and gave receptions in his apartments at Kensington Palace to men of science. The expense they incurred induced him to resign
6885-603: Was jealous of the attention the Queen was giving to Abigail Masham, Baroness Masham . Along with the previous insensitive acts of the Duchess after the death of Anne's husband, Prince George of Denmark , who had died at Kensington Palace in October 1708, their friendship came to an abrupt end on 6 April 1710, with the two seeing each other for the last time after an argument in the Queen's Closet. Queen Anne died at Kensington Palace on 1 August 1714. George I spent lavishly on new royal apartments, creating three new state rooms known as
6970-553: Was now queen. She took the regnal name of Victoria and held her first privy council in the Red Saloon at the palace. The Queen promptly moved to Buckingham Palace . She granted rooms in Kensington Palace to her family and retired retainers, who included the Duke and Duchess of Teck , parents of Queen Mary (great-grandmother of King Charles III ), who was born at Kensington Palace on 26 May 1867. In 1873, Princess Louise (then Marchioness of Lorne, later Duchess of Argyll), resided in
7055-454: Was originally a two-storey Jacobean mansion built by Sir George Coppin in 1605 in the village of Kensington. Shortly after William and Mary assumed the throne as joint monarchs in 1689, they began searching for a residence better suited for the comfort of the asthmatic William. Whitehall Palace was too near the River Thames , with its fog and floods, for William's fragile health. In
7140-434: Was previously filled with Turkish carpets and oriental artifacts, and was designed as a place for Mary to fulfil "simple pastimes such as walking, reading, and needlework ." The Queen's Dining Room is where Mary and William would take their meals together in private, featuring 17th-century panelling. The Queen's Drawing Room features décor from China and Japan, and features William and Mary's intertwined monogram carved into
7225-437: Was turned into office space for the couple's staff, official duties and charity work. The Duke and Duchess have hosted multiple engagements, receptions, and meetings at the palace. On 28 March 2012, it was announced that Prince Harry had moved his residence from Clarence House to a one-bedroom apartment at Kensington Palace. From 2013, he resided at Nottingham Cottage. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex continued to live at
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