THECATCH-UP
& HER SECRETS
BuckinghamBuckingham Palace
WE uncover some of the lesser known facts
about the British royal family’s residence.
BY EL BROIDEE
VERvisitedBuckinghamPalace?Mosttouristsonly
experiencewhattheexteriorofthepalacehastooffer,
ortourthe 19 staterooms;eveninvitedguestsdon’t
knowthetruemagnitudeoftheBritishroyalresidence,
andthereis somuchmorethanmeetstheeye.
BuckinghamPalacefirststartedtotakeshapein 1703 andhas
beenexpandedovertheyearstothemassiveresidencethatit is
today– in fact, the palace houses 775 rooms,makingit oneofthebiggestresidencesintheworld;a residencethat,forthepast 67
years,QueenElizabethIIhascalledhome,so,naturally,sheknows
it betterthananyoneelse.
Thequeenstillhostsa varietyofstatebanquets,lunches,dinners,
receptionsandgardenpartiesandinsidersrevealthataround
50000 peoplearehostedinsidethepalaceeachyear.The
structurehasanarrayofexcitingfeaturesandstories and we set
out to uncover some of its most interesting.PrinceAlbertLeftHisMark
QUEENVICTORIAwasthefirstmonarchtomove
intoBuckinghamPalace,twomonthsbeforeshegot
married;herhusband,PrinceAlbert,wasinchargeof
puttingonthefinishingtouches.Albertcommissioned
thepalace’sgrandballroom,whichstartedhousingthe
palace’slavishcostumeballs.Thevenueis spectacular
andit’sbeenreportedthattheceilingis equaltothe
heightofthreedoubledeckerbusses!
It wasAlbertandVictoriawhocommissionedthe
buildingofa fourthwingbecausetherewassimplyno
roomtohousethenumberofvisitorstheywanted.
Albertalsoinstalledthepalace’s first nursery when he
and Victoria had children.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert The Grand Ballroom
PICS: MAGAZINE FEATURES/ AAIFOTOSTOCK