Buckingham palace

By Dipankar Banerjee

Buckingham Palace, London — one of the most famous addresses of the world for the last 240 years — is the London home of the British monarchy. It is also the very symbol of British sovereignty.

The Palace has an interesting history. In 1702 an English nobleman, John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham commissioned the ‘learned and ingenious’ architect William Winde to design a mansion on the grandest site in London. Thus, came into existence the Buckingham House — a brick mansion with outlying wings connected to the central block by curved colonnades. In 1762 King George III was looking for a suitable home for his wife, if he should die before her. He bought the Buckingham House for £ 28,000 in 1762 and on 22 May, 1762, the King along with his eighteen-year-old consort Queen Charlotte moved in, becoming the first Royal couple to occupy it. The House was now officially named as "The Queen’s House"— but the commoners used the old name—Buckingham House.

The accession of King George IV in 1820 to the throne gave a new lease of life to the Buckingham House. Architects in London had long been favouring the idea of a ‘Royal Palace’. Many plans were submitted but the king ultimately gave the responsibility to the leading architect, John Nash. The decoration and structure of the new palace — as we see it today, are due to Nash and his royal patron, King George IV. At the king’s desire,Nash retained the shell of the earlier house and much of its plan, though the whole structure was now thoroughly renovated and extended with Bath Stone. Though the Buckingham House was now converted into "a Palace fit for a King", the king did not live long enough to witness its completion.

The palace was extended and renovated time to time. In 1847, architect Edward Blore added the East Front and in 1854, the ballroom, a new kitchen and the musicians’ gallery was added by Sir James Pennethorne. Much of the present building, particularly the eastern facade facing the Mall, owes its design to the talents of Aston Webb, who recreated it just before the First World War.

Buckingham Palace is one of the world’s most famous buildings. With its 600 rooms which include 3 State dining rooms, 3 State drawing rooms (blue, white and green), the State ballroom, the Queen’s gallery, Throne room, the Royal Mews, Picture gallery, Post office, the Royal Armoury etc.— the palace is the most visited sight in London, though the palace interior is never open to the public. Only the state rooms are used in ceremonial occasions like state banquet and official receptions. During these official banquets, the splendour of the palace could be felt : servants in scarlet and gold livery, ladies in full-length ball gowns, complete with sparkling diamonds and glittering tiaras and gentlemen in the formal court dress or the ceremonial costume. The Queen is a generous host — on an average thirty thousand guests are entertained annually in different functions in the palace at present.

The royal residence is a working building as well, where the state affairs are handled by an efficient staff of 300 men and women. It is in this building that the Queen receives foreign diplomats and ambassadors. Inside the palace there is a post office to handle royal mails. A special three-man security team equipped with fluroscope examines every piece of mail that arrives at the palace.

The legendary ‘Royal guards’ are in charge of the security of the palace. One soldier is deputed round-the-clock to ensure that the Royal Standard (flag) is flying whenever the Queen is in residence, and to take it down when she leaves the palace. It is his job to watch for the moment when the royal limousine turns into the palace gates — at the very second the Queen enters her palace; and then the Royal Standard is hoisted. Two of the staff of the Royal Collection department have an exclusive duty : to wind and maintain the Palace’s 300 clocks.

This royal palace has a unique distinction. It is the only official royal residence in the world which has kept a name bestowed on it by a nobleman — John Sheffield — the Duke of Buckingham, who constructed the original Buckingham House surrounded by a canal and a vast garden. Today, 40 acres of the palace’s garden provide a peaceful oasis for the royal family at the heart of London where a flock of exotic, pink flamingoes and white pelicans have made it their home.