Travel Stories

Buckingham Palace

Built As A Townhouse By The Duke Of Buckingham In 1709

Amid the splendor of modern cities it's hard to imagine what places looked like before they became what we know today. In a previous incarnation, the grounds where Buckingham Palace now stands was a mulberry garden cultivated by King James I as food for silkworms. The silk industry he hoped to nurture never materialized, and eventually a roadhouse was built there, followed in due course by Blake House, Goring House, and Arlington House.

Originally known as Buckingham House, built as a townhouse by the Duke of Buckingham in 1709, the estate was acquired by King George III in 1762. After a great deal of growth and expansion transforming a "House" into a "Palace," the Buckingham estate was first embraced by Queen Victoria, who moved in just three weeks after her accession to the throne in 1837, marking the first sovereign to take up residence there. Buckingham Palace has served as the royal residence ever since.