Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace. . [Left side] , Buckingham Palace is the principal official residence of the British Monarch. It stands on the site of a country house, built for the Duke of Buckingham, which was purchased in 1761 by George III and re-modelled by Sir William Chambers. In 1825 George IV commissioned John Nash to transform the house into a palace where he could hold courts and conduct official business., Nash's design, which retained the feel of a country house, was completed with some modifications by Edward Blore in 1837 when Queen Victoria moved in. At that time the east front facing you, was open towards a deep forecourt at the entrance of which stood the Marble Arch commemorating the victories of Trafalgar and Waterloo. In 1840 a new wing was added closing the east side of the courtyard, and the Marble Arch was removed to its present position at the north east corner of Hyde Park., In 1913 the east facade was refaced to the design you see today by Sir Aston Webb who was also responsible for the central island surrounding the Victoria Memorial designed by Sir Thomas Brock. The memorial includes not only a marble statue of Victoria and figures of Victory, Courage and Constancy, but also the ornamental gates facing the palace given by (left to right) Australia, South Africa and Canada., Buckingham Palace is the focus of attention at great moments in the Nation's history. George VI and Queen Elizabeth appeared on the balcony with their daughters and Winston Churchill on VE Day 1945. The monarch appears there after the Birthday Parade and on great occasions such as Jubilees. Royal brides have traditionally been cheered by the crowds , from Princess Mary in 1922 to Catherine Middleton in 2011. At the time of the Golden Jubilee, Brian May played “God Save The Queen” on the roof, and in 2012 the Queen Victoria Memorial was the site of a Jubilee pop concert, with projections onto the Palace façade, fireworks and The Queen lighting the last of over 4,500 beacons across the globe. For the remainder of the present Queen's reign, Buckingham Palace will be floodlit every night., This Golden Wedding panel was originally unveiled by , HRH The Duke of Gloucester KG GOVO , on 28th April 1998. , [Right side] , Jubilee Walkway Route Map , The Jubilee Walkway was established to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1977. It encircles the centre of London, embracing many historic buildings and views. It is approximately 15 miles (24 km) in length., Follow the Jubilee Walkway on foot using the circular walkway plates embedded in the ground around London., For leaflets and further information on walks in London telephone 0870 240 6094.