York House, St James's Palace facts for kids
York House is an old part of St James's Palace in London. It was built in 1736 for Frederick, Prince of Wales, when he got married. You can find it in the northwest of the palace. It used to be where soldiers had a canteen. York House looks out over Ambassadors' Court and Cleveland Row. Prince Frederick lived there for about a year. He left after a disagreement with his father, King George II.
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History of York House
York House has been home to many important people over the years. In 1795, Princess Caroline stayed here. This was before she married the Prince of Wales, who later became King George IV.
Royal Residents Over Time
Many members of the royal family have lived in York House.
- Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland lived there for many years. He later became the King of Hanover.
- The Duchess of Cambridge lived there from 1851 until she passed away in 1889.
- The future King George V also lived in York House.
- From 1936 to 1970, Prince Henry and Princess Alice, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, called it home.
- More recently, Princes Charles, William, and Harry used York House. They lived there before moving to Clarence House.
Edward VIII's Time at York House
Before he became King, Edward, Prince of Wales, lived in York House. He stayed there until he renovated Fort Belvedere in Windsor Great Park.
Inside York House
The building has several interesting features. On the ground floor, there are rooms with somewhat low ceilings. The first floor has several drawing-rooms, which are formal living rooms. At the back, there is a corridor.
Building Layout and Design
The servants' rooms are on the top floor. All these rooms face Cleveland Row. The ceilings on the top floor are low. This was a common design choice in London mansions during the 1800s. Builders made the top floor ceilings lower to make the drawing-room floor ceilings higher and more grand.
Other York Houses
The name "York House" has been used for other buildings too. These were also homes for different Dukes of York. Some of these buildings are now known by other names. These include Cumberland House, Dover House, Lancaster House, and The Albany.
