The Queen's Palaces

Last updated

The Queen's Palaces
The Queen's Palaces titlecard.jpg
Genre Documentary
Written by Fiona Bruce
Directed byIan Leese (1,2)
Deborah Lees (3)
Presented byFiona Bruce
ComposersChris Nicolaides
John Chilton
Peter Linlor
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes3
Production
Executive producerBasil Comely
ProducersIan Leese (1,2)
Deborah Lees (3)
Running time55-60 mins
Production companyBBC Production
Release
Original network BBC
Original release12 September (2011-09-12) 
26 September 2011 (2011-09-26)

The Queen's Palaces is a 2011 documentary in three parts written and presented by Fiona Bruce that tells the story of the Queen's three official residences, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse which are amongst the few working royal palaces in the world today. [1]

Contents

Episode one: Buckingham Palace

Bruce charts the history of the palace from its days as a hunting forest for Henry VII and a mulberry garden of James I. Buckingham House was built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham, and it was later purchased in 1761 by George III for his wife Charlotte and 14 of their 15 children were born there. George removed many of the ornate features but invested heavily in art from Europe. George IV wanted a grander building and with architect John Nash transformed the house into a palace, full of art and sculpture. By the time of his death, the project had overspent its budget by four times, and it was proposed to use it instead as a replacement parliament building. In 1837 Queen Victoria moved in and when she married Prince Albert they commissioned Edward Blore to move the Marble Arch and build a new wing across the front, which included the now-famous balcony, as well as a new ballroom. On Albert's death in 1861 Victoria retired and rarely used the palace. On her death Edward VII remodeled many rooms and installed toilets. In 1913 the last major work was when George V had the front refaced in white Portland stone, and during World War II it received minor bomb damage.

Episode two: Windsor Castle

Bruce charts Windsor Castle, the oldest and the largest inhabited castle in the world dating back to the 11th century. Originally built in the Norman period, the castle was the inspiration behind the formation of the Order of the Garter by King Edward III of England much like the glory of the court of the Round Table of King Arthur. The first tournament of the Order was held at Windsor Castle on Saint George's Day 1349. The castle also houses the grand medieval Saint George's Chapel which is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter. The castle was neglected until the Glorious Restoration of the monarchy by King Charles II who returned the castle to its former splendour by sumptuously redecorating it. The castle was again neglected for many years until the reign of King George IV who completely reinvented it. He doubled the height of the Round Tower by adding 30 ft in height. His greatest monument was the Waterloo Chamber, decorated with portraits of the key players who helped defeat Napoleon. During the First World War King George V changed the family name from the Germanic Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the more English House of Windsor as a symbol of strength and sovereignty. The castle suffered damage during World War II, and also the fire of 20 November 1992. Many of the castle's state rooms were destroyed but were all later restored after a £37 million programme was launched.

Episode three: Palace of Holyroodhouse

Bruce charts the history of the Palace from its early days as an Augustinian abbey. Around 1501 James IV decided to convert the buildings into a palace. His daughter Mary, Queen of Scots returned from France to the palace at the age of eighteen after the death of her husband, the King of France, who had died after three years of marriage. Her disastrous second marriage to Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, the 1566 murder of her private secretary David Rizzio and the mysterious death of Darnley. The Palace also holds the last picture of Mary at the time of her execution. Later, the Civil War in England led to the neglect of the house until 1660 when Charles II of England was restored, and he updated the palace into a building never seen before in Scotland with classically themed French tapestries favoured at the time. He ordered a grand staircase and the Great Gallery, containing contemporary portraits of every Scottish monarch then known. In 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie used the house as a campaign headquarters during his attempt to reclaim the throne for the Stuarts. George IV of the United Kingdom, born a German, was the first king to visit in over 150 years and, as his portrait in the palace testifies, the first one to wear tartan. The final stage covered is that of Queen Victoria, and the bequeathing in 1868 of an elaborate Flemish cabinet.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buckingham Palace</span> Official London residence of the British monarch

Buckingham Palace is a royal residence in London and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monarchy of the United Kingdom</span> Function and history of the British monarchy

The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. The current monarch is King Charles III, who ascended the throne on 8 September 2022, upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary of Teck</span> Queen of the United Kingdom from 1910 to 1936

Mary of Teck was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 6 May 1910 until 20 January 1936 as the wife of King-Emperor George V.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of the Garter</span> Order of chivalry in England

The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, the only decorations which outrank it in precedence are the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. The Order of the Garter is dedicated to the image and arms of Saint George, England's patron saint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Standard of the United Kingdom</span> Flags used by the British Monarchy

The Royal Standards of the United Kingdom presently refer to either of two similar flags used by King Charles III in his capacity as Sovereign of the United Kingdom, the Crown dependencies, and the British Overseas Territories. Two versions of the flag exist, one for use within Scotland and the other for use elsewhere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge</span> Son of King George III (1774–1850)

Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, was the tenth child and seventh son of King George III and Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom. He held the title of Duke of Cambridge from 1801 until his death. He also served as Viceroy of Hanover on behalf of his brothers George IV and William IV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex</span> British prince; sixth son of George III

Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, was the sixth son and ninth child of King George III and his queen consort, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He was the only surviving son of George III who did not pursue an army or navy career. A Whig, he was known for his liberal views, which included reform of Parliament, abolition of the slave trade, Catholic Emancipation, and the removal of existing civil restrictions on Jews and Dissenters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Augusta of Cambridge</span> Grand Duchess consort of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

Princess Augusta of Cambridge was a member of the British royal family, a granddaughter of George III. She married into the Grand Ducal House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and became Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St James's Palace</span> Royal palace in London, England

St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, the capital of the United Kingdom. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster in London. Although no longer the principal residence of the monarch, it is the ceremonial meeting place of the Accession Council, the office of the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, and the London residence of several members of the royal family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarence House</span> Royal residence in London

Clarence House is a royal residence on The Mall in the City of Westminster, London. It was built in 1825–1827, adjacent to St James's Palace, for the royal Duke of Clarence, the future king William IV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronation Chair</span> Wooden chair used in British coronations

The Coronation Chair, also known as St Edward's Chair or King Edward's Chair, is an ancient wooden chair on which British monarchs sit when they are invested with regalia and crowned at their coronations. It was commissioned in 1296 by King Edward I to contain the coronation stone of Scotland—known as the Stone of Destiny—which had been captured from the Scots. The chair was named after Edward the Confessor and was kept in his shrine at Westminster Abbey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kew Palace</span> British royal palace within Kew Gardens

Kew Palace is a British royal palace within the grounds of Kew Gardens on the banks of the River Thames. Originally a large complex, few elements of it survive. Dating to 1631 but built atop the undercroft of an earlier building, the main survivor is known as the Dutch House. Its royal occupation lasted from around 1728 until 1818, with a final short-lived occupation in 1844. The Dutch House is Grade I listed, and open to visitors. It is cared for by an independent charity, Historic Royal Palaces, which receives no funding from the government or the Crown. Alongside the Dutch House is a part of its 18th-century service wing, whilst nearby are a former housekeeper's cottage, brewhouse and kitchen block – most of these buildings are private, though the kitchens are open to the public. These kitchens, the Great Pagoda and Queen Charlotte's Cottage are also run by Historic Royal Palaces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Throne room</span> Room in the official residence of the crown

A throne room or throne hall is the room, often rather a hall, in the official residence of the crown, either a palace or a fortified castle, where the throne of a senior figure is set up with elaborate pomp—usually raised, often with steps, and under a canopy, both of which are part of the original notion of the Greek word thronos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Archives</span>

The Royal Archives, also known as the Queen's or King's Archives, is a division of The Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It is operationally under the control of the Keeper of the Royal Archives, who is customarily the Private Secretary to the Sovereign. Although sovereigns have kept records for centuries, the Royal Archives was formally established as recently as 1912 and occupies part of the Round Tower of Windsor Castle. Since the Royal Archives are privately owned, requests for public access must be approved based on the needs and qualifications of the researcher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windsor Castle</span> Official country residence of British monarch

Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Collection</span> Art collection of the British Royal Family

The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Descendants of Queen Victoria</span>

Queen Victoria, the British monarch from 1837 to 1901, and Prince Albert had 9 children, 42 grandchildren, and 87 great-grandchildren.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holyrood Palace</span> Residence of the British monarch in Scotland

The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse has served as the principal royal residence in Scotland since the 16th century, and is a setting for state occasions and official entertaining.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle</span> Royal chapel in Windsor Castle, England

St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England is a castle chapel built in the late-medieval Perpendicular Gothic style. It is a Royal Peculiar, and the Chapel of the Order of the Garter. St George's Chapel was founded in the 14th century by King Edward III and extensively enlarged in the late 15th century. It is located in the Lower Ward of the castle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State funerals in the United Kingdom</span> For a monarch or approved by the monarch

In the United Kingdom state funerals are usually reserved for monarchs. The most recent was the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on 19 September 2022.

References