Royal Interiors

[Eric_Lowe]

Yes...Where ? 

[amedeo]

Here it is Sandrinham ground floor plan.

[Leuchtenberg]

The plan of St. James' Palace came out of an old book I found in a library in Edmonton, Alberta.  This was about five years ago and the book was VERY old.  It was musty and dusty and I had an allergic reaction  and was ill for days afterward.  If memory serves, the book was published in the late 1890s and was called simply "St. James' Palace."

[Eric_Lowe]

Wow !!! I wonder if it istill available in out-of-print shops in England. 

[gleb]

Thanks for the info!

[CHRISinUSA]

Ground floor of St. James' Palace 1890s.

Clarence House in red.

State Apartments in green.

Residence of Princess Victor von Hohenlohe (widow of Queen Victoria's nephew) in yellow.

Residence of Sir Francis Knollys in pink.

Residence of Col A. J. Bigge (later Lord Stanfordham) in charcoal grey.

York House residence of Georgie and May in aqua.

The Lord Chamberlain in dark blue.

The rooms used by Prince Charles as his home after his separation from Diana.  His offices were in part of York House.

St. James is rather a odd designed royal palace, itsn't it?  Quite broken up, no large grand suite of state rooms.  Oh, I know this is the ground floor plan, and there is a suite of larger state rooms on the first floor above the yellow and green dotted rooms.  Nevertheless, it's quite an unflattering and uncomfortable residence for what was, in the 17th and 18th century when among the world's most influential monarchs resided there. 

[boffer]

Well it was orignally built by Henry VIII merely as a retreat next to his newly aquired hunting ground (St James's) and it wasnt changed much untill Whitehall burned down and then it became the Base of Soverign. (Whitehall itself althought the largest royal palace in the world was described as a miseray of different ages and style buildings in no order or pattern). The lay out of St James's was distrupted further when it caught fire in the late 1700's - it was rebuilt with the additions of Clarence House and York House (now Lancaster House) - this was the first stage of moving from St James's to Buckingham.
What i thinkam trying to say is that St James's was never intended as the seat of the sovereign merely a retreat. Untill another Palace burnt down and it itself caught fire, which ultimately made it "all over the place" as it is now. Not to mention the several alterations that it has undergone since its last major rebuild with the buildings being divided, reopened and divided again as different apartments and offices have been created. St James's never had the planning of a grand palace like Buckingham Palace did, even though it shared the role of Buckingham Palace for many years.

[Eric_Lowe]

Thanks for the info...

[Leuchtenberg]

edited because of a boo boo.   

[Leuchtenberg]

Ground floor of St. James' Palace 1890s.

Clarence House in red.

State Apartments in green.

Residence of Princess Victor von Hohenlohe (widow of Queen Victoria's nephew) in yellow.

Residence of Sir Francis Knollys in pink.

Residence of Col A. J. Bigge (later Lord Stanfordham) in charcoal grey.

York House residence of Georgie and May in aqua.

The Lord Chamberlain in dark blue.

The rooms used by Prince Charles as his home after his separation from Diana.  His offices were in part of York House.

St. James is rather a odd designed royal palace, itsn't it?  Quite broken up, no large grand suite of state rooms.  Oh, I know this is the ground floor plan, and there is a suite of larger state rooms on the first floor above the yellow and green dotted rooms.  Nevertheless, it's quite an unflattering and uncomfortable residence for what was, in the 17th and 18th century when among the world's most influential monarchs resided there. 

A plan of St. James' Palace first floor (second floor in North America) in 1772 before fire ravaged a good portion of the building.   It comes out rather small, but if you are using Firefox, you can right click on the picture and then on the menu click on "view image" and a new window will open with a larger plan.

Modern day St. James' is a mishmash and not very comfortable looking.  There is a story (possibly apocryphal) that George V hated Buckingham Palace and wanted to demolish it and move to Kensington Palace.  If true, I am sure he would never have considered moving into St. James' even though as Duke of Cornwall and York he and May lived in part of it.

[Leuchtenberg]

 Oh, I know this is the ground floor plan, and there is a suite of larger state rooms on the first floor above the yellow and green dotted rooms. 

The main State Rooms are where you indicated.  I've done a poorly adapted plan showing which rooms are above Princess Victor's apartment.

"A"  is what was usually referred to as "Queen Anne's Drawing Room".  "B" is "The Drawing Room" and sometimes referred to as "King William's Drawing Room" as at one time a huge painting of William IV was hung above the chimney piece.   "C"  is "The Throne Room" which on the 1772 plan is called the Council Chamber.

There isn't much individuality about these rooms!  They are all papered with crimson damask silk with white wainscoting which is partially gilt, and crimson curtains.  I gather they are meant to function and not impress.

[Eric_Lowe]

Thanks...But who is Princess Victor ? do you mean Princess Victoria ("Toria") ? 

[Leuchtenberg]

Thanks...But who is Princess Victor ? do you mean Princess Victoria ("Toria") ? 

No.  Princess Victor was married to Queen Victoria's nephew Victor von Hohenlohe-Langenburg.  She was was born Laura Seymour, an Englishwoman.  It caused a scandal in Germany because the marriage was morganatic.  She was created Countess Gleichen and Victor used the title of Count Gleichen. The couple resided in England and he served in the British navy.  He resumed using the title of Prince in 1885. And in Britain, due to the favour of Queen Victoria, his wife was recognized as Princess.  In Germany she remained Countess Gleichen, however.

After Victor's death, Queen Victoria granted his widow rooms at St. James'. 

[Eric_Lowe]

Thanks for the info...I knew something about that in QV's letters but didn't know that she lived in St.James. thought Kensinston Palace was more a grace & favour residence ?  Would really want to know about this interesting couple. 

[grandduchessella]

Thanks...But who is Princess Victor ? do you mean Princess Victoria ("Toria") ? 

No.  Princess Victor was married to Queen Victoria's nephew Victor von Hohenlohe-Langenburg.  She was was born Laura Seymour, an Englishwoman.  It caused a scandal in Germany because the marriage was morganatic.  She was created Countess Gleichen and Victor used the title of Count Gleichen. The couple resided in England and he served in the British navy.  He resumed using the title of Prince in 1885. And in Britain, due to the favour of Queen Victoria, his wife was recognized as Princess.  In Germany she remained Countess Gleichen, however.

After Victor's death, Queen Victoria granted his widow rooms at St. James'. 

Just as a side note, not to get off-topic, but it was after attending Victor's funeral in Dec 1891 (in the cold rain, hatless) that Eddy became ill.

I started a thread on them if anyone wants to continue the discussion.

Count Gleichen (an accomplished sculptor) established an artist's studio, continued on by his sculptor daughter Feodore, in his apartments at St James's.