Author Topic: Royal Interiors, Part II  (Read 199001 times)

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Offline Eddie_uk

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Royal Interiors, Part II
« on: December 08, 2009, 01:30:40 PM »
Yesterday I attended an interesting tour of Marlborough House, does anyone have any photos of the interior during the Royal Occupations? There was still a few lovely items of furniture no doubt left from Queen Marys time, one particular beautiful table that has been insured for £2 million! There was also two beautiful marble busts of Edward & Alexandra and also two plaster busts of George and Mary. There was also a lovely oak overmantel with the date 28 April 1863 on the top, the date Edward & Alexandra moved in and on the bottom the date 4April 1903 for when George & Mary moved in - a very nice touch! We saw the state dining room, with original ceiling put in by Edward VII, where Edward VIII  dined in 1936 prior to announcing to Queen Mary, in her apartments upstairs, his intention to marry Mrs Simpson!!! Through the window I could see Queen Marys thatched revolving summer house (to keep out the sun), still there! And saw both staircases which she must have swept down in all her glory!!!
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Eric_Lowe

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2009, 03:56:30 PM »
That is new information. When is Marlborough House open to the public ? Maybe it is a one shot deal ?

Offline Eddie_uk

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2009, 01:00:19 AM »
No you have to email them and ask them for the dates of the tours.
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CHRISinUSA

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2009, 08:20:54 AM »
From the Commonwealth Secretariat's website (which incidentally has a virtual tour of the house on it):
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/34467/marlborough_house/


Historical tours of Marlborough House can be arranged subject to the availability of the Fine Rooms and the tour guide.

Tours usually take place every Tuesday morning subject to the availability of the rooms and the guide.The tours are normally two hours long and take in all the fine rooms, the history of the building and the gardens and the Work of The Commonwealth Secretariat. Groups should be a minimum of 10 and maximum 25.

Eric_Lowe

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2009, 01:36:51 PM »
Thanks ! I will try to arrange it the next time I go London. It will be such a treat !

Lindelle

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2009, 05:44:50 AM »
An exterior shot of staff at the Royal Mews, Buckingham Palance, 1847. Why do so many Victorians look like criminals?!


I believe it was because in those days they had to wait so long for picture to be taken they got bored

Offline TampaBay

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2010, 02:24:14 PM »

I'm not suggesting a massive redecoration is in order, or even that Her Majesty hang a Warhol in place of a Gainsborough.  But for God's sake, in 150 years you'd expect at least a table to be moved from one side of a room to another, wouldn't you??? 


It my understanding that The Queen HATES change.

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CHRISinUSA

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2010, 09:50:45 AM »
Quite clearly true TB  ;D   From the antique radio and light at her breakfast table, to the unaltered state of her rooms, to the running of her household.... Her Majesty is obviously no fan of change.

Which will make it all that much more interesting to see what happens after the present reign ends.  If The Queen lives to the same age as her mother, she will have reigned for some 75 odd years at her death, and over 80% of her subjects will have been born during her reign.  Given three quarters of a century of consistency, even minor changes made by Charles (or William) will seem enormous by comparison!

Example:  Let's say the next King decides to adopt the practice of the monarchs of Scandinavia, Spain and Belgium, who all live in a suburban residence, while the main capital city royal palace is used only for receptions and court functions.  Perhaps we'd then have the King living at Windsor Castle and coming to BP only for investitures, receptions and audiences? 

To most people that might seem unheard of - but then, prior to 1901 the monarch spent much of the year outside London anyway. 

PAVLOV

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #8 on: January 07, 2010, 08:22:14 AM »
Historically, Buckingham Palace has never been a favourite of any of the Royal Family since Queen Victoria's day. She stayed there only when she had to.

Perhaps in futute it will be used for ceremonial purposes, I would imagine that it is not a very private or quiet place to live. Prince William is a very sociable person and a bit of a party animal, so I am sure there will be a lot of renovating going on.

It does not look as if the Queen has made any real changes during her reign. Unlike Edward VII and George V, who renovated furiously, she has just maintained basically.       

CHRISinUSA

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #9 on: January 07, 2010, 11:04:57 AM »
If I'm not mistaken, the only major change to the palace during the present reign is the addition of the new Queen's Gallery.  Minor changes discussed elsewhere in the forum include a few of the state rooms being redecorated (the Throne Room and the Portrait Gallery are two in particular that have changed color and/or gotten new carpets). 

As far as I can tell, the rest of the state rooms haven't changed at all since before the present Queen's succession.

Eric_Lowe

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #10 on: January 07, 2010, 11:12:57 AM »
Yes. The Royals regarded "Buck House" as more office than residence.

CHRISinUSA

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #11 on: January 08, 2010, 08:19:50 AM »
I can certainly understand why - BP seems to afford them little privacy or quiet.  For one thing, the Queen's apartments are far from "private" - ministers and ambassadors arriving for audiences apparently walk down the private corridor right past the Queen's bedroom to reach her audience chamber!  And the rooms used by Andrew, Anne and Edward/Sophie are all in the East Range overlooking the Forecourt, so tourist and traffic noise must be constant - day and night.

Windsor certainly affords the Queen more quiet and private accommodations.  Does anyone know if the other royals occupy rooms in the east range (above George IV's new private apartments), or above the guest rooms in the South Range overlooking the Long Walk?

PAVLOV

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #12 on: January 08, 2010, 11:26:41 AM »
As far as I know Windsor has guest suites, and these are allocated to them and other guests when they stay, unlike Buckingham Palace where they have permanent apartments, which they occupy when in London.

Eric_Lowe

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #13 on: January 08, 2010, 11:30:48 AM »
I think Buckingham Palace had guests rooms too. When Princess Andrew of Greece was at her last illness, she was invited to stay there. She joked that the only reason her brother Louis, Earl Mountbatten came to see her is to get to write on Buckingham palace note paper. Her daughters Margarita & Sophie also came to keep her company then.

CHRISinUSA

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #14 on: January 08, 2010, 01:31:02 PM »
From the BP floorplans I've studied, that's correct Eric.  BP has guest rooms on the State Floor of the East Range, with the Yellow Drawing Room and the Chinese Dining Room at either end, and the Center Room in the center, obviously.  The  apartments of Andrew, Anne and Edward are directly above those on the 2nd (Chamber) floor.  There are also guest rooms  on the Chamber floor in the north range, above the private apartments of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.  An early floor plan I saw showed one of those apartments being occupied by someone other than a senior royal (I don't recall whom, perhaps a cousin or other relative).