The official residence of the
British Monarch in
London. It has over 600 rooms (though
the Queen and Prince Philip live in a suite of only 12). When H.M. Queen is in residence then her
standard flies above the palace.
It was originally bought in 1761 by
George III as a townhouse for his wife Queen Caroline. It was George IV who started having it remodelled as a palace but it was
Queen Victoria who became the first ruling tenant when she took up residence in July 1837.
Marble Arch which stands in the North East corner of
Hyde Park (at the West end of
Oxford street) was the original entrance to the palace but was moved in Victoria's time to make way for an extension.