British Monarchy and its influence upon governmental institutions
In March 1989, The Queen appointed Prince Edward a
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.
HRH PRINCESS ROYAL
The Princess Royal, the second child and only
daughter of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, was born at Clarence House,
London, on 15 August 1950, when her mother was Princess Elizabeth, heir
presumptive to the throne. She was baptised Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise at
Buckingham Palace on 21 October 1950.
She received the title Princess Royal from The Queen
in June 1987; she was previously known as Princess Anne. Her Royal Highness is
the seventh holder of the title.
In 1994 The Queen appointed The Princess a Lady of the
Most Noble Order of the Garter. In 2000, to mark her 50th birthday, The
Princess Royal was appointed to the Order of the Thistle, in recognition of her
work for charities.
HRH PRINCESS ALICE
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester is the widow
of the late Duke of Gloucester, third son of George V.
Lady Alice Christabel Montagu Douglas Scott was born
on Christmas Day, 1901 at Montagu House, London. She was the third daughter of
the seventh Duke of Buccleuch, who had been a fellow midshipman of the future
king George V.
Lady Alice was educated at home until the age of 12.
She then went to school at West Malvern, spending a year in Paris before
returning home to be presented at Court in 1920. Lady Alice has greatly enjoyed
outdoor pursuits, including skiing, and has been an accomplished
watercolourist. She also travelled widely, living for many months in Kenya and
also spending time in India on a visit to her brother.
TRH THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER
Born
in 1944, The Duke of Gloucester is the second son of the late Duke of
Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. He is a grandson of
George V and a first cousin to The Queen. He succeeded his father as Duke of
Gloucester in June 1974.
In July 1972 Prince Richard (as he was then known)
married Birgitte Eva van Deurs from Odense, Denmark at St Andrew's Church,
Barnwell, Northamptonshire. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have three
children: (Alexander) Earl of Ulster, born in 1974; The Lady Davina Windsor,
born in 1977; and The Lady Rose Windsor, born in 1980.
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester both carry out a
large number of official engagements each year, individually and together. They
undertake visits in regions throughout the United Kingdom and travel abroad on
official visits and to support their varied patronages.
TRH THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF KENT
Born in
1935, HRH The Duke of Kent is the son of the late Prince George, fourth son of
King George V, and the late Princess Marina, daughter of Prince Nicholas of
Greece. He is cousin to both The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. The present
Duke of Kent inherited his title following the death of his father in 1942.
In 1961 The Duke of Kent became engaged to Miss
Katharine Worsley and they married in York Minster. The couple have three
children: George, Earl of St Andrews, born in June 1962; Lady Helen Taylor,
born in April 1964 and Lord Nicholas Windsor, born on 25 July 1970.
The Duke and The Duchess of Kent undertake a large
number of official Royal engagements. Each has close associations with many
charities, professional bodies and other organisations.
TRH PRINCE AND PRINCESS MICHAEL OF KENT
Prince Michael was born on 4 July 1942 at the family
home in Iver, Buckinghamshire. He was christened Michael George Charles
Franklin and one of his godfathers was President Roosevelt. He is a cousin to
both The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, and his older brother and sister are
The Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra. Prince Michael's father, Prince
George, was the fourth son of George V and his mother, Princess Marina, was the
daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece.
The Prince is a Knight Commander of the Royal
Victorian Order.
HRH PRINCESS ALEXANDRA
Princess Alexandra was born on Christmas Day 1936 at
3, Belgrave Square, her family's London home. She is the second child and only
daughter of the late Duke and Duchess of Kent (her brothers are the present
Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent). Much of her childhood was spent at
their country home, Coppins, in Buckinghamshire. Her father was killed in a
wartime flying accident in 1942 when she was just five years old.
MEMORIAL PLAQUE
HM QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER
4 August 1900 - 30 March 2002
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen
Mother died peacefully in her sleep on Saturday 30 March 2002, at Royal
Lodge, Windsor. Queen Elizabeth was a much-loved member of the Royal Family.
Her life, spanning over a century, was devoted to the service of her country,
the fulfilment of her Royal duties and the support of her family.
HRH THE PRINCESS MARGARET
21 AUGUST 1930 - 9 FEBRUARY 2002
Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret,
Countess of Snowdon died peacefully in her sleep on Saturday 9 February, 2002,
in The King Edward VII Hospital, London.
The younger daughter of King George VI and Queen
Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and sister to The Queen, Princess Margaret was a
hardworking and much-loved member of the Royal Family.
Read more about the Princess and her funeral and
memorial services in this section.
DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES
Diana, Princess of Wales died on Sunday, 31 August
1997 following a car crash in Paris. There was widespread public mourning at
the death of this popular figure, culminating with her funeral at Westminster
Abbey on Saturday, 6 September 1997. Even after her death, however, the
Princess's work lives on in the form of commemorative charities and projects
set up to help those in need.
ART AND RESIDENCES
THE ROYAL COLLECTION
The Royal Collection, one of the finest art
collections in the world, is held in trust by The Queen as Sovereign for her
successors and the Nation. It is on public display at the principal royal
residences and is shown in a programme of special exhibitions and through loans
to institutions around the world.
ABOUT THE ROYAL COLLECTION
Shaped by the personal tastes of kings and queens over
more than 500 years, the Royal Collection includes paintings, drawings and
watercolours, furniture, ceramics, clocks, silver, sculpture, jewellery, books,
manuscripts, prints and maps, arms and armour, fans, and textiles. It is held
in trust by The Queen as Sovereign for her successors and the Nation, and is not
owned by her as a private individual. Curatorial and administrative
responsibility for the Collection is held by the Royal Collection Department,
part of the Royal Household.
The Collection has largely been formed since the
Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. Some items belonging to
earlier monarchs, for example Henry VIII, also survive.
The greater part of the magnificent collection inherited
and added to by Charles I was dispersed on Cromwell's orders during the
Interregnum. The royal patrons now chiefly associated with notable additions to
the Collection are Frederick, Prince of Wales; George III; George IV; Queen
Victoria and Prince Albert; and Queen Mary, Consort of George V.
The Royal Collection is on display at the principal
royal residences, all of which are open to the public. Unlike most art
collections of national importance, works of art from the Royal Collection can
be enjoyed in the historic settings for which they were originally commissioned
or acquired. Much of the Collection is still in use at the working royal
palaces.
The official residences of The Queen have a programme
of changing exhibitions to show further areas of the Collection to the public,
particularly those items that cannot be on permanent display for conservation
reasons. The Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen will be marked by the
creation of two flagship exhibition spaces at Buckingham Palace and the Palace
of Holyroodhouse.
Loans are made to institutions throughout the world,
as part of the commitment to make the Collection widely available and to show
works of art in new contexts. Touring exhibitions remain an important part of
the Royal Collection's work to broaden public access.
Over 3,000 objects from the Royal Collection are on
long-term loan to museums and galleries around the United Kingdom and abroad.
National institutions housing works of art from the Collection include The
British Museum, National Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of
London, the National Museum of Wales and the National Gallery of Scotland.
The Royal Collection is the only collection of major
national importance to receive no Government funding or public subsidy and is
administered by the Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The
Trust was set up by The Queen in 1993 under the chairmanship of The Prince of
Wales, following the establishment of the Royal Collection Department as a new
department of the Royal Household in 1987. Income from the public opening of
Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse and from
associated retail activities supports curatorial, conservation and educational
work, loans and travelling exhibitions and major capital projects. These
projects include the restoration of Windsor Castle after the fire in 1992, the
rebuilding of The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace and the construction of
an entirely new gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
THE ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST
The Royal Collection is the only collection of
major national importance to receive no Government funding or public
subsidy. It is administered by the Royal Collection Trust, a
registered charity established by The Queen in 1993 under the chairmanship of
The Prince of Wales. The role of the Trust is to ensure that the
Collection is conserved and displayed to the highest standards and that public
understanding of and access to the Collection is increased through exhibition,
publication, education and a programme of loans.
These wide-ranging activities are funded by monies
raised through the Trust's trading arm, Royal Collection Enterprises, from the
public opening of Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and the Palace of
Holyroodhouse and from retail sales of publications and other
merchandise. Current projects funded through the Royal Collection Trust
include the major expansion of exhibition space at Buckingham Palace and at the
Palace of Holyroodhouse to mark The Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002.
The Royal Collection Trust determines how the income
generated should be used in pursuit of its stated objectives.
The Trust's primary aims are to ensure that:
-
the Collection is subject to proper custodial control;
-
the Collection is maintained and conserved to the highest possible standards;
-
as much of the Collection as possible can be seen by members of the public;
-
the Collection is presented and interpreted so as to enhance the public's
appreciation and understanding;
- appropriate acquisitions
are made when resources become available.
ROYAL COLLECTION ENTERPRISES
Royal Collection Enterprises Limited, the trading
subsidiary of the Royal Collection Trust, generates income for the presentation
and conservation of the Royal Collection, and for projects to increase public
access. It is responsible for the management and financial administration of
public admission to Windsor Castle and Frogmore House, Buckingham Palace,
including the Royal Mews, and The Queen's Galleries. Royal Collection
Enterprises also promotes access to the Royal Collection through publishing,
retail merchandise and the Picture Library.
PUBLISHING
Publishing forms an important part of the Royal
Collection Trust's ongoing programme to extend knowledge and enjoyment of the
Collection's treasures. Over fifty books about the Royal Collection have
been produced in recent years, ranging from scholarly exhibition catalogues to
books for children.
In the mid-1990s the Royal Collection established
its own imprint to build a definitive series about the royal residences and the
works of art. These books are written by or in consultation with the
Royal Collection's own curators.
Royal Collection publications are available from the
Royal Collection shops at the Royal Mews, Windsor Castle, the Palace of
Holyroodhouse, the Summer Opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace.
All profits from the sale of Royal Collection
publications are dedicated to the Royal Collection Trust.
ROYAL RESIDENCES
The Royal Collection comprises the contents of all the
royal palaces.
These include the official residences of The Queen,
where the Collection plays an important part in the life of a working palace -
Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse (administered
by the Royal Collection Trust); the unoccupied residences - Hampton Court
Palace, Kensington Palace (State Apartments), Kew Palace, the Banqueting House,
Whitehall and the Tower of London (administered by the Historic Royal Palaces
Trust); and Osborne House (owned and administered by English Heritage).
Items from the Collection may also be seen at the
private homes of The Queen - Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle.
ROYAL COLLECTION GALLERIES
Dedicated gallery spaces allow works from the
Collection to be presented and interpreted in different contexts, outside their
historic settings, and give public access to items that cannot be on permanent
display for conservation reasons. The exhibitions in The Queen's
Galleries are accompanied by full catalogues, bringing to the public new
research on the subject by the Royal Collection's curators.
LATEST EXHIBITION NEWS
The new Queen's Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse
in Edinburgh was inaugurated by Her Majesty The Queen on 29 November
2002 and opened its doors to the public the following day, St Andrew's Day. The
inaugural exhibition is Leonardo da Vinci: The Divine and
the Grotesque (30 November 2002 - 30 March 2003), the largest
exhibition devoted to Leonardo da Vinci ever held in Scotland and the first to
examine the artist's life-long obsession with the human form. All 68 works
come from the Royal Collection, which holds the world's finest group of
Leonardo's drawings.
A new exhibition also opened at Windsor Castle in
the Drawings Gallery on 9 November 2002. The exhibition celebrates the
centenary of the Order of Merit with a series of original drawings of holders
of the honour, past and present. It also features manuscripts and badges from
former holders.
LOANS
Some 3,000 objects from the
Royal Collection are on long-term loan to 160 institutions across the UK and
overseas. These include the Raphael Cartoons of The Acts of the Apostles
at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Van der Goes Trinity Altarpiece at the
National Gallery of Scotland, and the Roman sculpture The Lely Venus, at The
British Museum.
Every year hundreds of objects from the Collection
are lent to special exhibitions worldwide. These loans support
international scholarship and enable material to be seen in new contexts.
Touring exhibitions of works from the Royal Library
are an important way to broaden access to items that, for conservation reasons,
cannot be on permanent display. The millennial exhibition Ten
Religious Masterpieces was the year 2000's most popular art exhibition
outside London, attracting over 200,000 visitors over the period of its tour.
THE ROYAL RESIDENCES
The residences associated with today's Royal Family
are divided into the Occupied Royal Residences, which are held in trust for
future generations, and the Private Estates which have been handed down to The
Queen by earlier generations of the Royal Family.
Beautifully furnished with treasures from the Royal
Collection, most of the Royal residences are open to the public when not in
official use.
These pages contain details of the history and role
of these Residences and Estates, and provide information for visitors on
opening times and admission prices for those that are open to the public.
ABOUT THE ROYAL RESIDENCES
Throughout the centuries, Britain's kings and queens
have built or bought palaces to serve as family homes, workplaces and as
centres of government.
The residences associated with today's Royal Family
are divided into the Occupied Royal Residences, which are held in trust for
future generations, and the Private Estates which have been handed down to The
Queen by earlier generations of the Royal Family.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
Buckingham Palace has served as the official London
residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837. It evolved from a town house that
was owned from the beginning of the eighteenth century by the Dukes of
Buckingham. Today it is The Queen's official residence. Although in use for the
many official events and receptions held by The Queen, areas of Buckingham
Palace are opened to visitors on a regular basis.
The State Rooms of the Palace are open to visitors
during the Annual Summer Opening in August and September. They are lavishly
furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection -
paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer, Poussin, Canaletto and Claude;
sculpture by Canova and Chantrey; exquisite examples of Sèvres
porcelain, and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world.
Visits to Buckingham Palace can be combined with
visits to The Queen's Gallery, which reopened in May 2002.
THE QUEEN’S GALLERY, BUCKINGHAM PALACE
The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace is a
permanent space dedicated to changing exhibitions of items from the Royal
Collection, the wide-ranging collection of art and treasures held in trust by
The Queen for the nation. Constructed forty years ago on the west front of
Buckingham Palace out of the bomb-damaged ruins of the former private chapel,
the gallery has recently been redeveloped. It was reopened by The Queen on 21
May 2002 and is now open to the public on a daily basis.
The inaugural exhibition of the redeveloped gallery is
a spectacular celebration of the individual tastes of monarchs and other
members of the royal family who have shaped one of the world's greatest
collections of art. Mixing the famous with the unexpected, the selection of 450
outstanding works for Royal Treasures: A Golden Jubilee Celebration
has been made across the entire breadth of the Royal Collection, from eight
royal residences and over five centuries of collecting.
THE ROYAL MEWS
One of the finest working stables in existence, the
Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace provides a unique opportunity for visitors to
see the work of the Royal Household department that provides road transport for
The Queen and members of the Royal Family by both horse-drawn carriage and
motor car.
The Royal Mews has a permanent display of State
vehicles. These include the magnificent Gold State Coach used for
Coronations and those carriages used for Royal and State occasions, State
Visits, weddings and the State Opening of Parliament. A State motor vehicle is
also usually on display. For much of the year visitors to the Royal Mews can
also see the 30 or so carriage-horses which play an important role in The
Queen's official and ceremonial duties.
WINDSOR CASTLE
Windsor Castle is an official residence of The Queen
and the largest occupied castle in the world. A royal palace and fortress
for over 900 years, the Castle remains a working palace today. Visitors can
walk around the State Apartments, extensive suites of rooms at the heart of the
working palace; for part of the year visitors can also see the Semi State
rooms, which are some of the most splendid interiors in the castle. They are
furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection including paintings by
Holbein, Rubens, Van Dyck and Lawrence, fine tapestries and porcelain,
sculpture and armour.
Within the Castle complex there are many additional
attractions. In the Drawings Gallery regular exhibitions of treasures from the
Royal Library are mounted. Another popular feature is the Queen Mary's Dolls'
House, a miniature mansion built to perfection. The fourteenth-century St.
George's Chapel is the burial place of ten sovereigns, home of the Order of the
Garter, and setting for many royal weddings. Nearby on the Windsor Estate is
Frogmore House, an attractive country residence with strong associations to three
queens - Queen Charlotte, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary.
In celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty
The Queen, a new landscape garden has been created by the designer and Chelsea
Gold Medallist Tom Stuart-Smith. The garden, the first to be made at the
Castle since the 1820s, transforms the visitor entrance and provides a setting
for band concerts throughout the year. The informal design takes its
inspiration from Windsor's historic parkland landscape and the picturesque
character of the Castle, introduced by the architect Sir Jeffry Wyatville for
George IV in the 1820s.
FROGMORE
Frogmore House lies in the tranquil setting of the
private Home Park of Windsor Castle. A country residence of various monarchs
since the seventeenth century, the house is especially linked to Queen
Victoria. The house and attractive gardens were one of Queen Victoria's favourite
retreats. In the gardens stands the Mausoleum where Queen Victoria and her
husband Prince Albert are buried.
THE PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE
Founded as a monastery in 1128, the Palace of
Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh is The Queen's official residence in Scotland.
Situated at the end of the Royal Mile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is closely
associated with Scotland's turbulent past, including Mary, Queen of Scots, who
lived here between 1561 and 1567. Successive kings and queens have made the
Palace of Holyroodhouse the premier royal residence in Scotland. Today, the
Palace is the setting for State ceremonies and official entertaining.
BALMORAL CASTLE
Balmoral Castle on the Balmoral Estate in
Aberdeenshire, Scotland is the private residence of The Queen. Beloved by Queen
Victoria and Prince Albert, Balmoral Castle has remained a favourite residence
for The Queen and her family during the summer holiday period in August and
September. The Castle is located on the large Balmoral Estate, a working estate
which aims to protect the environment while contributing to the local economy.
The Estate grounds, gardens and the Castle Ballroom
are open to visitors from the beginning of April to the end of July each year,
under the management of the Balmoral Estate Office.
SANDRINGHAM HOUSE
Sandringham House in Norfolk has been the private
home of four generations of Sovereigns since 1862. The Queen and other members
of the Royal family regularly spend Christmas at Sandringham and make it their
official base until February each year.
Like Balmoral, the Sandringham Estate is a commercial
estate managed privately on The Queen's behalf. Sandringham House, the museum
and the grounds are open to visitors.
ST JAMES’S PALACE
St. James's Palace is the senior Palace of the
Sovereign, with a long history as a royal residence. As the home of several
members of the Royal Family and their household offices, it is often in use for
official functions and is not open to the public.
KENSINGTON PALACE
Kensington Palace in London is a working Royal
residence. Of great historical importance, Kensington Palace was the favourite
residence of successive sovereigns until 1760. It was also the birthplace and
childhood home of Queen Victoria. Today Kensington Palace accommodates the
offices and private apartments of a number of members of the Royal Family.
Although managed by Historic Royal Palaces, the Palace is furnished with items
from the Royal Collection.
HISTORIC RESIDENCES
Some of the most celebrated Royal residences used by
former kings and queens can still be visited today.
The Tower of London, begun by William I, is a
fascinating complex constructed over several centuries. It provided historic
Royal families with a residence for more than five centuries, and was a prison
for other Royal figures, including Lady Jane Grey. The Tower housed the Royal
Mint until 1810. There were also armouries and workshops in which weapons were
designed and manufactured; items including armour worn by Henry VIII remain
there today. The Tower remains the storehouse of the Crown Jewels and regalia,
as it has done for nearly 700 years. Today the Tower is under the management of
the Historic Royal Palaces Trust.
Hampton Court Palace is also managed by Historic Royal
Palaces. Given by Cardinal Wolsey to Henry VIII c.1526, the palace was a
residence for figures including Mary I and Elizabeth I, Charles I, William III
and Mary II, and retains many furnishings and objects from their times. It
houses some important works of art and furnishings in the Royal Collection.
The Banqueting House in Whitehall is the only
remaining part of London's old Palace of Whitehall. It was created by Inigo
Jones for James I. Charles I commissioned Rubens to paint the vast ceiling
panels, which celebrate kingship in general and the Stuart reign in particular.
It was from the Banqueting House that Charles I stepped on to the scaffold on
30 January 1649. In 1689 the Prince and Princess of Orange went to the
Banqueting House to accept the crown, becoming joint Sovereigns William III and
Mary II. Today the Banqueting House is managed by Historic Royal Palaces.
Other historic Royal residences which can be visited
include Osborne House, the beloved home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on
the Isle of Wight, and the Brighton Pavilion, former residence of George IV
when he was Prince Regent.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Thorpe, Lewis,
trans., Geoffrey of Monmouth: The History of the Kings of Britain, Penguin
Books, London, 1966;
G. R. Elton, Modern
Historians on British History, 1485–1945:
A Critical Bibliography,
1945–1969 (1971);
P. Catterall, British
History, 1945–1987:
C. Read, Bibliography of
British History: Tudor Period, 1485–1603 (2d ed. 1959, repr. 1978);
C. L. Mowat, Great Britain since
1914 (1971);
G. Davies, Bibliography of
British History: Stuart Period, 1603–1714 (1928; 2d ed., ed. by M. F.
Keeler, 1970);
Sir George Clark, ed., The
Oxford History of England (2d ed., 16 vol., 1937–91);
G. S. Graham, A Concise
History of the British Empire (1971);
F. E. Halliday, A Concise
History of England (1980);
F. M. L. Thompson, ed., The
Cambridge Social History of Britain, 1750–1950 (1990);
Encyclopedia Britannica
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