St James's Palace

St James’s Palace stands in the City of Westminster, its red-brick Tudor walls rising behind iron railings on Marlborough Road. Built in the 1530s for Henry VIII on the site of a leper hospital, it was once a hunting lodge with deer park and gardens. Four enclosed courtyards remain, while Friary Court opens to the street for public gatherings. The north gatehouse, with octagonal towers and a 1731 clock, shows the king’s initials above the arch. Clarence House, added in the 1820s, now sits beside the palace on the same grounds. The palace carries the weight of monarchy without being a private home. It hosts the Accession Council when a new sovereign takes the throne and remains the official London residence of several royals. All foreign ambassadors present their credentials to the Court of St James’s, and the Chapel Royal still hosts royal christenings and weddings. After Whitehall burned in the 17th century, St James’s became the monarchy’s administrative centre and has kept that role ever since. Inside, parts of the 17th-century interior survive, though much was remodelled in the 19th century. The Queen’s Chapel, built in the 1620s, holds services for the royal family. State apartments line the upper floors, while offices and official societies occupy the lower rooms. Outside, the palace fronts a broad roadway where crowds gather, and beyond lie the green spaces of St James’s Park.