What Is Buckingham Palace?
Buckingham Palace has been the headquarters of the British monarchy since 1837!
What Makes It Historical?
Powerful as it was, the British crown was still subject to the forces of nature! After fire destroyed Whitehall Palace in 1698, and a different fire destroyed most of St. James’s Palace in 1809, King George III turned his attention away from Kensington Palace and toward Buckingham House, which he’d bought for his new bride, Charlotte, in 1761, and where 14 of their 15 children were born! One of those kids, who became George IV in 1820, decided to overhaul the House into a Palace with the help of renowned architect, John Nash! Mr. Nash really leaned into royal opulence and blew past Parliament’s original allotment of £150,000, with luxurious embellishments like the famed Marble Arch that cost him his job and left the palace unfinished by the time the king died in 1830!
George’s successor, William IV, brought on the more economically minded Edward Blore to finish the job, but Buckingham Palace wasn’t considered a royal residence until 1837 when Victoria moved in! Over the next ten years, she directed Mr. Blore to move the Marble Arch and build a fourth wing for nurseries and visitor rooms. Much of the Palace’s modern appearance (1911-1914) is in Victoria’s memory, from the Portland stone façade to the Central Gate to the forecourt, where the Changing of the Guard takes place every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday! This famous, hour-long ceremony features the Kings Guard, founded as the Royal Body Guard by Henry VII, and formally relieves the Old Guard of duty to allow the New Guard to take the next shift. It’s accompanied by flags, a brass band, and huge hats!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
The intersection of Constitution Hill, The Mall, and Spur Road
London SW1A 1AA
United Kingdom
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The Palace is open for tours daily from early July until the end of September, opening at 9:30 AM and closing at 7:30 PM (6:30 in September)! For tours outside these months, you’ll want to check their website! Of course, if you want to see the Changing of the Guard, visit on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday and snag yoru spot before 11:00 AM!
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