Marlborough House vs. Clarence House

Why did the Queen Mother move into Clarence house rather than the grander Marlborough House? 

I think that Marlborough House was given to the Commonwealth institute, the lucky things. I recall it was no longer a residential building after the Queen ascended. Clarence House seems nice though and close to BP unlike Kensington Palace and of course St James is in use by the Queen and Price Charles. Have been inside St James and rather nice in a Charles II sort of way.

Hi,

Also, remember that Queen Mary was still alive and holding court in Marlborough House.
I don't think I'd want to be the one to tell her she was being evicted!!!

Clarence House is & was perfectly adequate for a London home for the Queen Mother;  and she also had Royal Lodge, Berkhall and the Castle of Mey...

Larry

It also had something to do with $$$$.. Clarnence House had just been remodeled for the Elizabeth and Philip and So very little would have  had to be done for QE the Queen Mum and margaret, when Queen Mary Died, Marlborough House would be empty for a while, and costy to maintain

photos of both/either "house" would be greatly appreciated.

If you Google Marlborough House, you can go to the Commonwealth Institute web pages which has a great pic of Marlborough House.  I would post the link but haven't discovered how!  Incidentally, I am trying to find household records relating to Alexandra and Edward during their time at Marlborough House.  I am trying to discover more wardrobe/expenditure records.  There are none in the Royal Archive and I am drawing a blank pretty much everywhere else.  It seems odd that forty years or so of privy purse etc are not available.  Any ideas anybody?  Thanks

It also had something to do with $$$$.. Clarnence House had just been remodeled for the Elizabeth and Philip and So very little would have  had to be done for QE the Queen Mum and margaret, when Queen Mary Died, Marlborough House would be empty for a while, and costy to maintain

Quite right - I read somewhere (I don't recall where) that The Queen Mother very much wanted to move into Marlborough House, and once referred to Clarence House as "that horrid little house".  But the post-war Government veto'd it on grounds of expense. 

It also had something to do with $$$$.. Clarnence House had just been remodeled for the Elizabeth and Philip and So very little would have  had to be done for QE the Queen Mum and margaret, when Queen Mary Died, Marlborough House would be empty for a while, and costy to maintain

But there where also renovations done at Clarence House for the Queen Mother before she moved in. For example in the morning there was a new plaster ceiling in which was made her own crown at both ends. And a new doorway wad made to onnect the Morning Room with the Library and from there to the dining Room.

Yes, there were some preparations / alterations made for the Queen Mother's residency there.  However, this was a fraction of what Marlborough House would have required.  Plus, Marlborough House is quite a bit larger than Clarence House, and the operating and maintenance costs would have been greater.

Yes, Cookie very much wanted to move to Marlborough House, but the idea was vetoed for a variety of reasons.

The ground floor plan of the house in the late 1800s.



The white walled additions were added to the original Wren house for the occupation of Edward and Alexandra, Prince and Princess of Wales.

A corner of the State Drawing Room after WWII as decorated for Queen Mary.




The Saloon after WWII.




The State Dining Room after WWII.  Queen Mary had a private Dining Room upstairs.

Queen Mary in the smaller Drawing Room.  (lower left corner of the ground floor plan).

The front of Marlborough House today.



The Saloon today.



The garden side today.

photos of both/either "house" would be greatly appreciated.

You are in luck, Puck.  I was at Clarence House exactly a week ago today and can provide these pics from the packet of postcards purchased in the shop.

The Morning Room. 




View of the garden from the Garden Room




The Horse Corridor




The Lancaster Room




The Hall




A corner of the Morning Room showing a portrait of Princess Elizabeth as a young girl.




The Library with doors open to the Morning Room




The desk in the Garden Room




The Garden Room

Thank you Emerald Eyes. I too had wondered what the inside looked like. I didn't get to see it on my trips but maybe next one.