Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837. It evolved from a town house that was owned from the beginning of the eighteenth century by the Dukes of Buckingham.
Today it is The Queen's official residence. Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The Queen, areas of Buckingham Palace are opened to visitors on a regular basis.
The State Rooms of the Palace are open to visitors during the Annual Summer Opening in August and September. They are lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection - paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer, Poussin, Canaletto and Claude; sculpture by Canova and Chantrey; exquisite examples of Sevres porcelain; and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world.
The State Rooms are the heart of the working Palace and are lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection. A complimentary audio tour provides a lively introduction to centuries of royal history and includes interviews with Royal Household staff about the working palace and the magnificent works of art.
Afternoon tea was invented by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford. Every afternoon, the duchess experienced a "sinking feeling." One afternoon she instructed her servants to serve tea and little cakes in her boudoir. The experience was so delightful that Anna then repeated it every afternoon. Soon others followed the Duchess' lead, and in a short time the custom of "taking tea" in the afternoon had become popular. Finish your afternoon by experiencing the ultimate English tradition of afternoon tea at The Selfridge Lounge in The Selfridge Hotel, including assorted finger sandwiches, traditional scones with clotted cream and preserves. |
