Clarence House: Inside Charles & Camilla's London Home

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• The News Explained
• When did Prince Harry last visit the UK?
• Queen Camilla attends Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral
• William, Catherine, Harry and Meghan reunite as they…
• The Queen celebrates winners of the 2022 Queen’s…
• The history of Clarence House, one of London’s last remaining aristocratic townhouses

The room is laden with gloomy paintings by John Piper, who had been requested to paint Windsor Castle during the war, for fear it would be damaged; the project was called ‘Recording Britain’. George VI remarked that he must have had bad weather each time he painted as the colours were dark and foreboding, but it was, in fact, Piper’s style. The front entrance used to be in this room, but was then rearranged to the end of the corridor, which stretches the entire length of the house, in the 1870s.

The News Explained

The Queen Mother oversaw renovations and redecorations of her own, many of which have remained. For nearly two centuries, Clarence House has been home to senior members of the British royal family. Nowadays, the house is known as one of the London homes of King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, but the residence has a fascinating history of its own, and has undergone many a reinvention over the years. The royal couple's residence has a fascinating history, and has been redecorated several times over. Also attending will be representatives from across the Invictus Games participating nations, including members of the wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veteran community. Private sitting rooms lie on the first floor, with bedrooms and offices for the Royal Couple, and officially, Prince Harry (though he lives at Kensington Palace), on the second and third floors; staff rooms are also situated at the top of the house.

When did Prince Harry last visit the UK?

Perhaps as a tribute to his beloved grandmother, much of the decor remains as it was when she lived there, including many pieces from her extensive art collection. William became King in 1830, but unlike his predecessors, chose not to move to St James’ Palace. Instead, he remained at Clarence House, his only concession being the addition of a corridor that connected to the State Apartments at St James’. He remained here until his death in 1837, at which time the house was passed to his favorite sister, Princess Augusta, who lived there until her death in 1840. The following year, Queen Victoria granted the use of the house to her mother, The Duchess of Kent, who retained the residence until her death 20 years later.

Queen Camilla attends Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral

On The Mall, next to St James’s Palace, you’ll find an aristocratic townhome, Clarence House. It’s the current residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla and a home that has housed many generations of the British royal family. Many of the items in the house reflect the style and interests of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who lived in Clarence House for five decades, from 1953 until her death in 2002. "Their Royal Highnesses love Clarence House and although they have made it their home with their own personal touches, The Queen Mother's legacy lives on and is evident throughout the house," says a Clarence House spokesperson. This portrait of her, by Augustus John, still hangs above the fireplace in The Dining Room.

William, Catherine, Harry and Meghan reunite as they…

King Charles leaves Clarence House after receiving more cancer treatment in London - as he heads back to ... - MSN

King Charles leaves Clarence House after receiving more cancer treatment in London - as he heads back to ....

Posted: Mon, 22 Apr 2024 00:27:51 GMT [source]

The arrangement of the rooms and their art and antique collections have mostly remained as they were in Queen Elizabeth's time, with much of Her Majesty's collection of works of art and furniture in their former positions. Clarence House became the London home of Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh, following their marriage in 1947, until her accession as Queen in 1952. The Victorian interiors were given a fresh new appearance, under The Duke of Edinburgh's guidance. The electric wiring, heating and hot water systems were modified versions of what had been laid on in 1874. Post-war restrictions on building and materials meant that there was still an overall simplicity to the furnishings.

Prince Harry visits cancer-stricken King Charles at Clarence House after arriving in UK without Meghan Markle - Page Six

Prince Harry visits cancer-stricken King Charles at Clarence House after arriving in UK without Meghan Markle.

Posted: Tue, 06 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

A baby grand piano sits in the corner too, with numerous family photos on its surface. This piano was played by Sir Noel Coward on his many visits to see The Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret, an accomplished pianist, learned on this very instrument. Years later, in 1961, The Queen Mother was presented with the portrait and loved it! Two portraits by Savely Sorine sit in the Library – one of The Duchess of York, and one of Queen Elizabeth II (see it here in situ). These two pictures were formerly on separate levels of the house, but Prince Charles had them moved to be near one another, as the muted colours and similar style match the room well. Others include a portrait of a sleeping George Bernard Shaw (seen in the top right of the Morning Room photo), George V and his racing manager (top left), drawings of her corgis, animals by Landseer, and portraits of herself and her family.

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It is used as a waiting room for visitors to the house, and is home to eight watercolours of Windsor Castle, painted by John Piper during the early 1940s. The arrangement of the rooms and the groupings of their contents remain much as they were in Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s time, with important works from Her Majesty’s collection of art in their original positions. A tour of the House includes five rooms on the ground floor where official engagements are undertaken. The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aimsof The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion ofaccess and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.

The history of Clarence House, one of London’s last remaining aristocratic townhouses

After William IV’s death in 1837, Clarence House passed to the King’s unmarried sister, Princess Augusta, until her death three years later. During this time the Princess’s old house, which was attached to Clarence House on the south side, was demolished, opening up Clarence House to the enclosed garden of St James’s Palace to the south. Her rooms were redecorated with pale painted papers, replacing the old and dark damask hangings. Gilding was introduced on the mouldings of the Drawing Rooms and Dining Room with the same intention of making them appear lighter.

In his memoir Spare, Harry writes Camilla turned his bedroom into a dressing room when he moved out. Harry also writes about introducing Meghan to his father at the estate; when they drove into Clarence House, he says, "the lush gardens...made Meg gasp." Each summer for the month of August, the house is open to visitors for tours of the ground floor, as Charles and Camilla holiday at Birkhall.

Since Charles inherited the house he has preserved its style and character, as well as introducing organic gardening methods and planting a new garden in memory of the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother had her more intimate dinners in the library, but for entertaining larger groups of guests she would use the Garden Room, which was created from the merge of Princess Margaret's old rooms in 1960. When in the capital the King and Queen Camilla stay at the house just a stone's throw from Buckingham Palace, which has been undergoing extensive renovations. When a Knight or Lady of the Garter dies, their standard, which was displayed in the spiritual home of the order, St George’s Chapel, Windsor, is returned to the Monarch.

For example, the Horse Corridor reflects the late Queen Mother's passion, with works by FW Sperling and Sawray Gilpin. Elsewhere are examples of Chinese porcelain, some originally made for the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, a Tompion clock made for William III at Kensington Palace, and works by Veronese and Carracci. May's event will see the Prince return to the UK for the first time since flying over to see his father King Charles following his cancer diagnosis in February. A sombre-looking Prince Harry has arrived at Clarence House this afternoon as he rushes to be at his father King Charles' side following his shock cancer diagnosis. The house is currently closed to visitors, however when it is open tourists can enjoy admiring five opulent reception rooms on the ground floor, where many royal engagements are held. To prepare the building for Charles, Clarence House underwent extensive refurbishment and redecoration.

After the death of the Duchess of Kent, Clarence House was left vacant for five years until 1866, when Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Victoria’s second son, moved in, and made sweeping changes. A Russian Orthodox Chapel was installed on the first floor of Clarence House for her. This was dismantled following the Duchess’s departure after her husband’s death in 1900. Most years, the house opens its doors to visitors in August for tours of the ground floor, while Charles and Camilla spend the summer at their Scottish residence, Birkhall. However, in 2019, Clarence House remained closed throughout the summer for essential maintenance work and it is currently closed to visitors due to coronavirus. The Queen Mother passed away in 2002, and after some much-needed renovations, Clarence House became the official residence of the Prince of Wales, the future King Charles III, and his family in August 2003.

Arthur, Duke of Connaught, the third son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, moved into Clarence House with his wife after redecorations had been carried out in 1901. 200 staff of the Foreign Relations Department maintained contact from Clarence House with British Prisoners of War abroad and administered the Red Cross Postal Message Scheme. In May, The Sunday Times reported that Charles is planning to open up the royal palaces to the public for longer periods of the year when he becomes king. Clarence House is open to the public during the summer months, with visitors given a guided tour around the five rooms and adjoining spaces on the ground floor.

King Charles informed Harry of his illness over the phone, in what is said to have been a warm conversation, before the formal announcement was made by Buckingham Palace yesterday. It comes after the King returned to London from Sandringham to begin his cancer treatment. The Royal Standard has been raised over Buckingham Palace indicating the King is in London.

Having housed a number of members of the Royal Family across the centuries, Clarence House has an interesting history. The Duke of Clarence (future William IV), along with a number of his siblings, resided at St James’s Palace, the redbrick Henrician creation on the Mall. Following the deaths of Princess Charlotte and her son in 1817, and then George III and The Duke of Kent in 1820, William, Duke of Clarence, became heir. If you've ever wondered what it really looks like inside, we've gathered a selection of pictures to give you a peek. From the opulent Morning Room, where the royal couple often host dignitaries, to the Garden room, filled with ornate paintings, take a look inside the much-loved family house.

In a post shared by the Invictus Games' official Instagram account on Sunday, it has been revealed that actor Damian Lewis will also be in attendance at the thanksgiving service to celebrate ten years of the event. Understands that their during upcoming trip to Nigeria the Duke and Duchess will visit various organisations, wth exact details made available at a later date. The surprise trip was arranged after the Chief of Staff extended an invitation to the couple and everyone is incredibly excited about the upcoming visit. The couple are understood to have been invited by the Chief of Defence Staff, the highest-ranking military official in Nigeria, who Harry previously met at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf last September. No details have been shared on the kind of cancer the king has, the stage of the cancer, or his prognosis.