Queen's Palaces

Queen's Palaces

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace, once an open countryside, has old, dramatic history. It's art and architecture are the statement of the Great Britain in the world.

The river Tibor still flows and follows its ancient rout beneath the Palace.

In the year 1532, Henry VIII, who likes riding before his becoming grossly fat, turned this piece of swampy land into a park for hunting both deers and women!

Years later, in 1608, James I invited the mulberry tree to farm silkworm to harvest silkthread. But , he got the wrong species of the tree.

It's 1708, the House was built in the name of its owner--the Duke of Buckinghum, Lord of all Pride. But not a stone of it is visible today.

In the 1760s, the House was for sale.

George III bought it for his Queen Charlotte, thus making the aristocrats estate into a royal home!!!

It's too flash for George's taste. For the outside, he removed some ornaments; inside, he covered the wall with paintings.

1768, the Royal Academy was found. The rise of new technology and science brought up all sorts of mechanics. Hoard of painting from Venues were added to the Royal art collection.

Different from his father George III who was frugle to the point of stingingness, George IV is "from head to foot, flaccidity of muscle, rotundity of outline"!!! 

He built the Carlton House which is not exist today because he pulled it down for paying other constructions!

The one who reinvented the Buckingham Palace is John Nash. He built the house behind the facade by yellow stones with pick-and-mix of classical style. Of course, the budget was spiraling out of control.

George IV decorated the inside with exotic items from China and France.

When it went into Queen Victoria's hand, it's Prince Albert's job to sort out Buckingham Palace.  The reform included the design for lighting, heating, and hygiene system. 

And as both of them were found of music and dancing, a new ballroom was added hosting court orchestra.

In the late 1840s, the marble Triumph Arch was dismantled  and moved to where it is now--surrounded by traffic; and a new wing was added; and in 1853, the balcony, added at the front of the Palace, had it's debut for Queen Victoria to celebrate the Clemery War.

1901, the Queen Victoria was died. The new King Edward VIA added some loos in the Palace.

Windsor Castle

Being the ultimate monument of English tradition, Windsor Castle stood more as a symbol of momentous change.
It is the oldest, largest enhabited castle in the world.
But not everything about it is as it seems.

With those heavy stones, looming towers, so many articles in the rooms have so many stories to tell, let's see how it transformed into a Palace.

There is a triple headed portrait of King Charles who lost his head in the dark, uncertainty times of the country hanging on the wall in the study.

1070, it's the William the Conqueror selected the location--the top of steep chalk cliff. Because it's the highest spot to see enemy from a long way off commanding all the roofs West of London.

In those early years, it's a military machine.
The original fortress almost hidden from later alterations. But there is a secret passage remained. Built in 1200s, it's wide enough for troops to sneaque from the enemy and attack from the behind.

1327, Edward III, who was prophesied to be the great king who allied the English to against the French, enlarged and highlightened the castle itself.
It became the home of English Chivalry and courtly love.
He set the "Order of the Garter" which was his version of Arthur's round table knights!!!
1349, the St. George's Day was set to honor the order of knights. St. George Chapel is the spiritual home of Garter knights.

There are 76 King' s beasts perch along the top. A powerful symbol.
Bull for bravery; Griffin for vigilance; Unihorn for strength; Swan for grace and perfection.

Those soring windows provides supernaturally lit to make the spacious inside. Rows of carved stone angels. The oldest order of chilvery in the world.

During the 1400s, the castle lived through a time of peace and plenty.

In 1640s, the bitter civil war began. Charles I was prisoned and later beheaded. Olive Crownwell was in charge. The sumptuous castle witnessed a glittering transformation.

1660s, Charles II reconnected it to the Royal past.
With the Broque style, fabulous stage set, he wanted everything go to the plumpest point and spare no expense.
Personally, Charles II was more approachable by showing courtiers closer and closer to the king' s inner bedchamber.
Within two years, in April 1662, Charles married his Portugal wife. But he also had a string of mistresses. The matter of producing a heir haunted her.

Apart of women, Charles also loved art. As a sensuous and serious art lover, he enlarged the Royal Art collection.
Among them is the manuscript of Leonardo Da Vinci. The pieces were cut off and removed for the sake of preservation.

Charles was died in 1685.
The next 100 years, Windsor went decline.

Seen from the drawings then, the door hang off the hingers.
Though, it still was a military garrison, it had run down to the extension of the town, a public thoroughfare.

1776, when George III, a sober, serious-minded "Farmer King" enthroned, Windsor was a dilapidated old castle.
To show, unlike the former German king, he was the English king thorough and thorough, George III began the repair work in 1781. "All ideas of comfort is vanished with it!!!"

George III went mad in his later life. 1789, 50 of age, to celebrate his first recovery from madness, a set of French porcelain were presented.

A portrait of Goerge when his reason deserted him for good!!! He had to be kept in lock and key to protect himself and others. Then, he was hopelessly mad and completely deaf and blind.

It's the George IV. The bloated, self-indulgent, ludicrously extrevegent king.
The unpopular king had gone down in history.
What we saw today is his creation.

1824, the most ambitious scheme started. From the hotch-porch of style to a single Gothic invention.
Building was spiced up with parapet, attaching arrow loops, gargoies, pointed Gothic arches. It's a celebration of British history.
Inside, he looked forward not back. Rooms are filled with his favourite art and furniture. When France was experiencing revolution, and numerous aristocrats were sent to galletin. A culture goldmine of artifacts was there, and George IV just shipped them back to England.

The "Brain"--the art piece: it's from Germany; a depiction of a hunting scene; at the bottom, Hercules props it up. George embellished it more levishly with emerald, ruby, turquoise. (A butterfly mind, a short attention span)
There is also a clock with a music organ at the bottom.

1815, 18th June, the Waterloo battle put Europe into peace.
There is a Waterloo chamber dedicated/bequeathed to those military heroes. George IV put his own picture in it so that he was counted among the heroes.

Windsor was once young Queen Victoria's playground. But later in her life, it became a place of grief for her. After her Prince Albert died in 1861, she secluded behind these walls, shrouded in black and gained the nickname of "the widow of Windsor"

After the WWI, on 17th July 1917, the Royal family got it's name --the House of Windsor!!!

Queen Mary's doll house which is an evocative glimpse of a moment in time was put on the show in the 1924 Empire Exhibition. It's still fully functioning, including garden plumbing.

In 1992, a great fire raged through Windsor. It revealed the medieval timber ceiling above the impressive kitchen.
The beams' design is totally new. But those shells decorated by symbol of every Garter knight  honor them. Those white-painted(colour-removed) ones are for those did something dishonored!!!

Holyrood House

It boasts the most spectacular setting. The extinct volcano Arthur's seat. Mountainous crags dominate the landscape. On the one side, it stands the blooming Edinburgh castle, on the other side, there is the stately and elegant Holyrood House.

During the 500 years, the Holyrood House witnesses the treasure trove, murder, mystery, and struggle for power.  It is far more than a palace, it's a biography in stone!!!

It starts with an ancient Abby, a royal retreat for France, England, and Scotland.

Mary of Scotland is the dominating figure of Holyrood which shaped the course of her tragic life. There is a piece of embroidery stitched by Mary herself: a cat and mice!!! She might think she was the cat, but later she had to realize that she was the mouse.

Her mother is from out of England, her father was dead after certain illness. In Scotland, her mother has to deal with rivals and struggles for power; from England's part, King HenryVIII wants to marry Mary with his son.

1548, only 5 years old, Mary embarked on her journey towards Blois,France. French took her as a brave, interpid heroine from the savage of England. At that time, chateau of Blois was one of the finest in the country. Compared by the fortresses which are mainly of the military purposes back in England, the virtuosity and elegance in France is the symbol and insignia of Royalty.

1558, April, Mary, 15, married 14-year-old Francis. Three years later, Francis dead which left Mary no choice but go home.
To Scots, it's a historic moment of her return. But to Mary, she might find then Scotland little backward. Only when she laid down in bed staring the wood pennelled ceiling which embedded initials of her parents, she might think she was at home.

Had taken the reign of power, did Mary make the court in Holyrood more splendid and add hunting grounds to her own interests.

Soon, Mary had to face her Royal duty--to produce an heir to the throne. It was her disastrous choice of her nephew, Henry who wad an aristocratic thug. He has a portrait wearing black, because the colour black was the most expensive colour of dye then.

1565, July,they got married, and two months later, Mary got pregnant.

He still drunk himself to the limit and chased women all around. She had affairs with her Italian Secretary Rizzio.

On the night of March 9th, 1566, Henry decided to put an end to the relation. He dragged Rizzio who was cowarding in terror aside and stabbed him 50 to 60 times.

Mary fled the palace, soon, delivered a son named James.

One year later, Henry was murdered. Mary married the main suspect. The public thought it was enough and forced her to abdicate. The one year old James was proclaimed as the King of Scotland. His grandmother scheme behind him and had the fervent decisive thought that James would be the King of Scotland and England.

Mary 's situation went from bad to worse. Under Queen Elizabeth's order, she was locked up in close confinement. Later, Queen Elizabeth decided Mary must die. There is a painting of her final moment. Depicted as the martyr and a Catholic icon, it was grisly end indeed for her: the first stroke was on her back skull, and after the second one, the sword' s man had to cut the skin back and forth!!!

It's James VI of Scotland took his second crown--the one of England in 1603.

Well, Holyrood descended to its lowest ebb when Crownwell was in charge. It was badly damaged by fire, looting, etc.

1660, Charles II who was emensely charming like a celebrity without trying started the restoration of the monarch. The restoration of Holyrood was the token of the desire of ruling of both the England the Scotland.
Inside, every view was build to impress. The great staircase. Look up, the vivid plaster work of live-sized angels, crown, swords~~~
The bedchamber for socializing with courtiers.
Grandiose French tapestry was decorated though it's drab and slug due to/considering the fading colour.
There is the great Gallary in which portraits of every Scotish monarch, from the beginning of time, are hung on the wall.

1715, young Bonnie Prince Charlie, the grandson of last Stued King, full of nationalist ardour, led an army of highland clan South. On a wicy early morning, Charlie's army arrived in Scotland, people cheered for him. The Holyrood became his headquarter. Almost a king in the making.

Six weeks later, he hoped he could return in triumph, but he never returned. The battle between his amateur army and the Royal one was a crushing defeat, a blood-soaked massacre. Charlie fled to France.

There was no tartan allowed from then on. Until 60 years later, the traditional Scotish dress was spotted again.

1822, George IV came to Scotland. He was the first English king in 100 years to visit there. It was a reconciliation. The history is behind us. Scotland is fully equal and a member of Great Britain.

1838, Queen Victoria was fascinated by the palace. She ordered that Mary's apartment should  remain untouched. There is a closet with rubies like pulsating hearts, a over the top furniture.

Those old walls still keep secrets!!!