Buckingham palace (London). The official London residence of Her Majesty the Queen. Buckingham House (as it then was) was built in 1702–5 for John Sheffield, 1st duke of Buckingham, by the architect William Winde (d. 1722). Its style is classical, essentially that of a country house set in an English park. Buckingham House was bought in 1762 by George III, who had it altered and enlarged by Sir William Chambers in 1762–9. In 1825 George IV approached his friend John Nash for designs, and in 1825–30 Nash incorporated Buckingham House in Buckingham palace. On Nash's dismissal in 1830 he was replaced by Edward Blore (1787–1879), who had assisted with Abbotsford for Sir Walter Scott. Blore completed Nash's work at Buckingham palace, adding an attic on the garden front (1832–7), then converting the south-east conservatory into a chapel (1842–3), and in 1847–50 building the east wing facing the Mall; in 1913 this was refaced by Sir Aston Webb, who also laid out the rond point with radiating avenues in front of the palace. Its interiors are sumptuous, and some of the rooms were opened to the public in 1993 to help pay for the rebuilding of parts of Windsor castle after the fire in 1992. Apart from the rich décor, the visitor may see examples of works of art from the royal collections, supplemented by the changing exhibitions in the nearby Queen's Gallery, converted in 1962 from the palace chapel.

Peter Willis

Buckingham Palace London residence of British sovereigns since 1837. Formerly owned by the Dukes of Buckingham, it was purchased by George III in 1761, and remodelled into a 600-room palace by John Nash in 1825. Sir Aston Webb redesigned the east front in 1913. The changing of the guard ceremony takes place here daily.

Buckingham Palace the London residence of the British sovereign since 1837, adjoining St James's Park, Westminster. It was built for the Duke of Buckingham in the early 18th century and bought by George III in 1761, and redesigned by John Nash for George IV c.1821–30; the facade facing the Mall was redesigned in 1913.