Clarence House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clarence House |
|
|---|---|
April 2006 image
|
|
| General information | |
| Type | British royal residence |
| Architectural style | Regency |
| Address | The Mall |
| Town or city | London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°30′14″N 0°08′19″W / 51.5040°N 0.1385°W |
| Elevation | 16 m (52 ft) |
| Named for | William, Duke of Clarence |
| Construction started | 1825 |
| Completed | 1827 |
| Owner | King Charles III in right of the Crown |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | John Nash |
Clarence House is a royal home located on The Mall in London, England. It was built between 1825 and 1827, right next to St James's Palace. The house was originally made for the royal Duke of Clarence, who later became King William IV.
This four-story house has light, smooth walls (called stucco). Over the years, it has had many changes and repairs. It was especially damaged during World War II by bombs during a time known as The Blitz. Not much of the original design by John Nash is left today. Clarence House is considered a very important historical building in England, known as a Grade I listed site. You can visit the house for about one month each summer, usually in August.
Clarence House is currently the London home of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. King Charles has lived there since 2003. Before him, from 1953 to 2002, it was the home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Even before that, it was the official home of her daughter, Princess Elizabeth, who later became Queen Elizabeth II.
Contents
History of Clarence House
Building the Royal Home
Clarence House was built between 1825 and 1827. It was designed by a famous architect named John Nash. The house was ordered by the Duke of Clarence, who became King William IV of the United Kingdom in 1830. He preferred living in Clarence House over the older St James's Palace next door, which he found too small.
Even after he became king, William IV stayed at Clarence House instead of moving to Buckingham Palace. He even had John Nash create a direct path from Clarence House to the State Apartments of St James's Palace. This allowed him to easily go there for royal duties. Clarence House is built on palace grounds, facing green space and The Mall. It is also near Stable Yard road, across from Lancaster House.
Royal Residents Over Time
After King William IV, Clarence House was passed to his sister, Princess Augusta Sophia of the United Kingdom. When she passed away in 1840, it became the home of Queen Victoria's mother, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, the Duchess of Kent. In 1866, it became the London home of Queen Victoria's second son, Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, until he passed away in 1900.
Queen Victoria's third son, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, lived in the house from 1900 until his death in 1942. For a short time in the 1930s, the library of the School of Oriental and African Studies was located there. However, all universities in London were moved out in 1939 due to the war.
Wartime and Post-War Use
During World War II, Clarence House was damaged by enemy bombs during the Blitz (1940–1941). After the Duke of Connaught passed away in 1942, the house was used by the Red Cross and the St John Ambulance Brigade as their main office for the rest of World War II.
After their wedding in 1947, Princess Elizabeth (who later became Queen Elizabeth II) and her husband, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, lived in Clarence House. Their daughter, Princess Anne, was born there in August 1950. Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 and moved to Buckingham Palace the next year. Her mother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and sister, Princess Margaret, then moved into Clarence House.
Princess Margaret later moved to an apartment in Kensington Palace after she got married in 1960. The Queen Mother continued to live in Clarence House until she passed away in March 2002.
Current Royal Occupants
King Charles III, who was then Prince of Wales, moved into Clarence House in 2003. Clarence House was also the official home of Prince William from 2003 until April 2011. Prince Harry also lived there from 2003 until March 2012.
Today, Clarence House is the London home of King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla. They plan to continue using Clarence House as their London residence at least until 2027. This is because Buckingham Palace is undergoing renovations. Buckingham Palace will still be the main office for the monarchy and where big state events happen during this time.
Who Lived at Clarence House?
- King William IV and Queen Adelaide (1827–1837)
- The Duchess of Kent and Strathearn (1841–1861)
- Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, and Maria, Duchess of Edinburgh (1866–1900)
- Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, and Princess Louise, Duchess of Connaught and Strathearn (1901–1942)
- Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1947–1952)
- Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1953–2002)
- Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (1953–1960)
- King Charles III and Queen Camilla (2003–present)
- Prince William of Wales (2003–2011)
- Prince Harry of Wales (2003–2012)
See also
In Spanish: Clarence House para niños
