ROYALRESIDENCES

ROYAL RESIDENCES

See Also: HERITAGE; KEW GARDENS The Royal Botanic Gardens; PALACES; ROYAL RESIDENCES, DISAPPEARED; TOWNHOUSES; TOWNHOUSES, DISAPPEARED; MENU

Clarence House

The Duke of Clarence succeeded his elder brother King George IV in 1830, becoming King William IV. Like his sib, Clarence had been partial to the work of the architect John Nash. Following his accession, William continued to reside in Clarence House because the construction of Buckingham Palace was still ongoing.

Clarence House was the residence of Queen Elizabeth II prior to her accession to the throne in 1952, after which it became the home of her mother the Queen Mother, and then that of Charles, Prince of Wales until he moved to St James's Palace.

Location: Stable Yard Road, SW1A 1BA (blue, pink)

Website: www.royal.uk/royal-residences-clarence-house www.rct.uk/visit/clarence-house

Marlborough House

In 1817 the Churchill family's lease upon Marlborough House expired and, despite the heavy hints that they made, the property reverted to the Crown. Since then, the building's uses have included housing assorted royals, the likes of the future King Edward VII (d.1910) and his Danish wife the very popular Queen Alexandra, their son the future King George V and his wife Queen Mary.

Location: Marlborough Road, SW1A 1DD (blue, yellow)

See Also: TOWNHOUSES Marlborough House

Website: https://thecommonwealth.org/marlborough-house

Somerset House

Somerset House (1786) stands on the site of one of the great mansions that spread out westwards from the City of London along the Thames's northern shore. In the mid-16^thC its owner was the 1^st Duke of Somerset, the uncle and Lord Protector of the young King Edward VI (Henry VIII's only son). In 1552 the building passed into the Crown's possession.

That Somerset House was never used as the sovereign's residence may have stemmed from its being located too close to the City for comfort. Instead, it became a place where royal wives and widows were housed.

Queen Charlotte was the last royal consort to live there. In 1775 her husband King George III gave her Buckingham House into which she moved.

Somerset House was rebuilt (1776-86) so that it could provide accommodation for various departments of state. It was the first purpose-built set of government offices in Britain. The Sir William Chambers-designed building also housed a number of learned societies.

The complex's two wings are 19^thC additions.

Location: Strand, WC2R 1LA (orange, purple)

See Also: CHURCH OF ENGLAND CHURCHES St Mary-le-Strand; CIVIL SERVANTS Mandarins; GRAVEYARDS The Courtyard Courtiers; LEARNED SOCIETIES Burlington House; PHILANTHROPY The Royal Foundation of St Katharine; WHITEHALL

Website: www.somersethouse.org.uk

David Backhouse 2024