Standing beside St. James' Palace, Clarence House was the London home of The Queen Mother from 1953 until 2002. Built in 1825 by the Duke of Clarence, later to become King William IV, the house has been a Royal residence for over 170 years and is now the official London home of The Prince of Wales and his wife, The Duchess of Cornwall.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, later to become Queen Elizabeth II, also lived at Clarence House following their marriage in 1947 and prior to Elizabeth's accession to the throne in 1952. Clarence House is very much a home rather than a place of State entertaining and still houses many pieces from the Bowes-Lyon's art collection brought to the house by The Queen Mother.
Parts of the building are open to the public during summer months.
Kensington Palace
As home to The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke and Duchess of Kent, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Kensington Palace has a central role within the Royal family.Princess Margaret, Diana, Princess of Wales and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester have all lived in and had their offices within the palace.
During his engagement to The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, The Duke of Edinburgh stayed at Kensington Palace at his grandmother's apartment.
The palace was also Queen Victoria's birthplace and childhood home. However, following her accession in 1837, she moved to Buckingham Palace and never again stayed at Kensington Palace.
The palace is home to the Royal Ceremonial Dress collection and some parts are open to the public.
So there you have eight of the finest homes in Great Britain, all of which are a cultural investment for the future of both the Monarchy and the nation.
Although the House of Windsor has lost some of its previous respect, the Monarchy has a strong place in British history and will undoubtedly continue to feature long into the foreseeable future.