Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. A symbol of home and of the monarchy, it is where state occasions are held and Royal Hospitality such as the Queen’s annual Garden Parties.
Built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1705, Buckingham Palace finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837.
According to a book published by the Royal Collection Department, the Palace has 19 state rooms, 52 principal bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms, and the largest private garden in London.
The state rooms, used for official and state entertaining, are open to the public each year for most of August and September, as part of the Palace’s Summer Opening.
Earlier this year, the Queen revealed her thoughts on the Palace’s public tours; “Do you know, everyone shuffles along in a line. This means that they push all the carpet pile in one direction, so the following year we have to turn all the carpets round so they can push it back the other way!”
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