The inspiration for this post came from a Bits discussion regarding the possible move of Will and Kate into Fort Belvedere, located in Windsor Great Park.
This will be an ongoing series, starting with some of the most recognizable of our British Royal Family hangouts.
Buckingham Palace History
Figured we’d start with the most famous of the lot, the architectural face of the British Royal Family.
George III purchased the original structure, Buckingham House, from Sir Charles Sheffield in 1761 and it was intended as a private retreat for Queen Charlotte (with 15 eventual children, I’d need a private retreat too). The house was then known as The Queen’s House and remodeling began.
Buckingham Palace became the principal royal residence with Queen Victoria and has been such ever since. Starting with this week and featured over the next few weeks, we’ll take a look at some of the rooms inside the palace, and how the current Queen has used them. Our Baguette, Royal Warrant, has graciously volunteered as our tour guide.
Throne Room
The Throne Room is used frequently for photos and is a favorite for family and wedding photos because the dais works well for arranging rows of people.
On this crimson-carpeted dais, is the literal Seat of the Sovereign: the throne, or, rather, the Chair of Estate.
This beautiful, ornamented ceiling is acknowledged to be one of the finest examples of early 19th-century craftsmanship. It is illuminated by seven crystal chandeliers. The Queen’s Chair of Estate from her Coronation is on the dais; below, is Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Throne chair from the 1937 Coronation.
A good view of the Queen’s cipher, embroidered onto silk damask, on her Chair of Estate.
A look at the room from the other end. Notice the Royal Alcove, framed by winged figures of Victory.
To accommodate the number of people involved in the Queen’s coronation, the photographers captured a wider angle, which shows how spacious this area is!
These chairs and table are from Kensington Palace and were made for King George I. This is an imposing doorway.
This is a detailed, close-up, view of the artistry and gilding on the Royal Alcove.
The Queen isn’t often photographed actually seated on the throne in this room but there are dozens of photos of her around the dais. In this photo for her 1977 Jubilee celebrations, she sports both the Imperial State Crown and Robe of State, as well as a wide smile.
We are featuring the Centre Room in today’s other posts. In the next installments, we’ll tackle some more of the interior rooms of these palaces
In the meantime, do you have a favorite Throne Room photo? Any photos of the exterior or gardens? Share them in the comments!