The Royal Transformation of Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace, in the heart of London, has been the official residence and administrative headquarters of the British monarch since 1837. It's a beacon for national celebrations and mourning, a silent testament to its intriguing history. Possibly the first house erected within the site was that of William Blake, around 1624. The next owner was George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich, who from 1633 extended Blake's house, which came to be known as Goring House, and developed much of today's garden, then known as Goring Great Garden.

When the improvident Goring defaulted on his rents, Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington, purchased the lease of Goring House. He was occupying it when it burned down in 1674, following which he constructed Arlington House on the site - the location of the southern wing of today's palace - the next year. In 1698, John Sheffield acquired the lease and later became the first Duke of Buckingham and Normanby. Buckingham House was built for Sheffield in 1703 to the design of William Winde. It was eventually sold by Buckingham's illegitimate son, Charles Sheffield, in 1761 to George III for £21,000. The lease on the mulberry garden site, the freehold of which was still owned by the royal family, was due to expire in 1774.

Under the new royal ownership, the building was originally intended as a private retreat for Queen Charlotte and was accordingly known as The Queen's House. Remodelling of the structure began in 1762. In 1775, an Act of Parliament settled the property on Queen Charlotte, in exchange for her rights to nearby Old Somerset House, and 14 of her 15 children were born there. Some furnishings were transferred from Carlton House and others had been bought in France after the French Revolution of 1789. While St James's Palace remained the official and ceremonial royal residence, the name "Buckingham Palace" was used from at least 1791.

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 Charles III, who continues to reside at nearby Clarence House while conducting official duties at the palace.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons