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Though many different buildings had previously occupied
the site, the official history of Buckingham Palace begins
in 1698 when the Duke of Buckingham demolished the
existing property and built Buckingham House on the spot
where the palace stands today.
The house remained the property of the Dukes of
Buckingham until 1761, when King George III acquired the
house and its grounds as a private family residence for his
wife, Queen Charlotte. Known then as “The Queen’s House”,
the nearby St James’s Palace remained the official royal
residence.
This changed when George IV came to the throne in 1820
and decided to transform his childhood home into his
official palace. The renowned architect John Nash was
given the task in 1826, and over the next five years extended
the central block and replaced the existing wings to create
an imposing, U-shaped palace.
History
[ The first recorded royal balcony
appearance took place in 1851
with Queen Victoria ]
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