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| St. James's Palace, London. Image by James Cadman via Wikimedia Commons |
1. The Tudor style palace was constructed by Henry VIII
between 1531 and 1536 in order to serve as his “escape” residence from state
duties.
2. Previously standing on the site was a hospital for
women lepers, dedicated to Saint James The Less.
3. The Palace was mainly built out of red bricks, and
though they do not cost a fortune these days, only the wealthy could afford to
use bricks for their homes during that time.
4. It is the oldest royal palace in the whole of United
Kingdom.
5. Aside from being the most senior palace, St. James’s Palace is still the official residence of
the Sovereign, although since 1837, Buckingham Palace became the principal royal home. Thus, to this day, it is still an official working palace and the Royal Court is still formally based there.
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| Image by Corel Professional Photos via Wikimedia Commons |
6. Its infamous north gatehouse as well as state
apartment fireplaces still bears the engraved initials “H.A.”, which stands for
Henry VII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn.
7. It was the very palace where Queen Elizabeth II was
proclaimed and gave her first speech as Queen.
8. Elizabeth I would often stay in the palace, and is even believed to have spent the night here while waiting for the Spanish Armada to sail up the English Channel and before delivering her historic Tilbury speech.
9. This is where Charles I of England spent his last
hours prior to his execution in 1649.
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| Changing Guard in Friary Court, St. James's Palace in 1935. Image by Leonard Bentley via Wikimedia Commons |
10. Queen Anne, Charles II, Mary of York, James II, and
the Old Pretender, James Francis Edward Stuart were all born and baptized in
the palace.
11. Some parts of the palace, including the monarch’s
private apartments which were never replaced, were annihilated after a fire
broke out in 1809. This is what caused the isolation of the Queen’s Chapel from
the palace.
12. Two of Henry VII’s children took their last breath in
the palace—Henry Fitzroy, his illegitimate son; and, Mary, The Queen of
England.
13. It is where George I and George II “kept” their
mistresses, Duchess of Kendal and Countess of Suffolk, respectively.
14. William IV was the last monarch to inhabit the
palace.
15. The state apartments are embellished with utterly
precious implements including marble tables, gold chandeliers, silver
tapestries, and Malachite vases.
16. St. James' Palace complex is composed of : York House, once the London home of the Prince of Wales and his sons, Princes William and Harry; Lancaster House, which functions as government reception during official functions; and Clarence House, which is the current primary residence of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
16. St. James' Palace complex is composed of : York House, once the London home of the Prince of Wales and his sons, Princes William and Harry; Lancaster House, which functions as government reception during official functions; and Clarence House, which is the current primary residence of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
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| St. James's Palace east side. Image by camerawalker via Wikimedia Commons |
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3 Comments
You might check your facts on #6. Henry VIII (8) not Henry VII (7) was married to Anne Boleyn as his second wife. (Even this American Colonists knows that) :)
ReplyDeleteYou might check your facts on #6. Henry VIII (8) not Henry VII (7) was married to Anne Boleyn as his second wife. (Even this American Colonists knows that) :)
ReplyDeleteIt's HENRY VIII not Henry VII married to ANNE boleyn. Come on....
ReplyDelete