Why go
Today the palace houses a number of official offices, societies and collections and all ambassadors and high commissioners to the United Kingdom are still accredited to the Court of St James's. The offices of the Royal Collection Department, the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, the Chapel Royal, the Gentlemen at Arms, the Yeomen of the Guard and the Queen's Watermen are all housed at St James's Palace.
What to look for
- Mainly built between 1531 and 1536 in red-brick, the palace's architecture is primarily Tudor in style.
- Charles II, James II, Mary II and Anne were all born at the palace.
- The nearby Queen's Chapel, built by Inigo Jones, adjoins St James's Palace.
The full story
Located in the City of Westminster, although no longer the principal residence of the monarch, it is the ceremonial meeting place of the Accession Council and the London residence of several members of the royal family. Built by Henry VIII on the site of a leper hospital dedicated to Saint James the Less, the palace was secondary in importance to the Palace of Whitehall for most Tudor and Stuart monarchs. The palace increased in importance during the reigns of the early Georgian monarchy, but was displaced by Buckingham Palace in the late-18th and early-19th centuries. After decades of being used increasingly for only formal occasions, the move was formalised by Queen Victoria in 1837. A fire in 1809 destroyed parts of the structure, including the monarch's private apartments, which were never replaced.
Your next visit
Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.
Outdoor visit · 52–105 min
World planning estimate; admission, opening, visit duration and access need checking.