Buckingham Palace

This weekend, with it being the second Saturday in June, the Trooping of the Colour and the King’s Birthday Parade take place. The procession starts from the building in the picture above, Buckingham Palace, surely one of the most famous “homes” in the world. The official residence of the British monarch since the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837, its current incumbent is King Charles III.

The palace took its name from its original inhabitant, the Duke of Buckingham and Normanby, for whom it was built in 1703. Initially known as Buckingham House, it became a palace once Victoria, a reigning monarch, took up residence.

Many official and ceremonial events take place within the palace’s walls, but the part of the building best known to the public must surely be the famous balcony behind the columns at the centre of the front façade. In 1851, Queen Victoria was the first to make a public appearance there, unwittingly starting a tradition. It is on the balcony that newly married royal couples wave to the public, the monarch greets their subjects on coronation day, and the royal family appear during times of national celebration, all to the cheers of the thousands of visitors who pack the area in front of the building. Buckingham Palace and a sighting of members of the royal family is surely on the bucket list of many visitors to London.

Fun stats: The palace has 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms and 52 royal and guest rooms, as well as 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms. It also has 760 windows, 1,514 doors, and over 350 clocks and watches. No wonder it’s reported that there are about 800 cleaners on staff, although only around 30-40 work every day.

Thanks to Wikipedia for historical information and Tootbus for the fun facts. You can find out more about visiting the palace here.