Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace (UK: ) is a royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom in London, England. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.

Originally known as Buckingham House, the building at the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham and Normanby in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was acquired by George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and became known as The Queen's House. In the early 19th century it was enlarged by the architects John Nash and Edward Blore, who constructed three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace became the London residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in June 1837. It was occupied by every subsequent monarch until the accession in 2022 of King Charles III, who continues to reside at nearby Clarence House while conducting official duties at the palace.

The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the East Front, which contains the balcony on which the royal family traditionally appears to greet crowds. A German bomb destroyed the palace chapel during the Second World War; the King's Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection.

The original early-19th-century interior designs, many of which survive, include widespread use of brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis, on the advice of Charles Long. Edward VII oversaw a partial redecoration in a Belle Époque cream and gold colour scheme.

Text adapted from “Buckingham Palace” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Buckingham Palace ranks #6 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #1 of the 329 mapped in England. Founded 1703, it is older than 22% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 525 atlas entries founded in the 18th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 149,475 times in the last 60 days, more than 100% of the atlas. 25 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is London, 1 km away. See how England compares in the castle statistics.

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