Marlborough House

Advertisements
Previous page: Introduction

MARLBOROUGH HOUSE

This red brick mansion, which is separated from St. James's Palace by the road leading into the park, was built by Wren, on Crown land, for the great Duke of Marlborough.

In 1817 it came to the Crown and after being tenanted by various members of the royal family, it was, in 1852, provided by Queen Victoria to house a school of design.

When the school was removed to South Kensington, Marlborough House became the residence of the Prince of Wales (afterwards King Edward VII), who lived here from 1861 until his accession. It was in the garden of Marlborough House that he received the detachment of the Honourable Artillery Company of Boston that visited England in 1896.

After the death of King Edward, Marlborough House was occupied by Queen Alexandra.

It is now the residence of the Commonwealth Secretariat. The detached Chapel near Marlborough Gate was built originally for Henrietta Maria, the Roman Catholic consort of Charles I, and then formed part of St. James's Palace.