Inside The $5 Billion Buckingham Palace

I must say, a few things make an unparalleled combination of elegance and majesty, striking the same chords of pure royalty, glamour, and perfection. This one stood tall and strong over the centuries, housing monarchs who shaped the world and also home to some of the finest jewels. Let me take you on this luxury tour of the five billion dollar Buckingham Palace. The fact that Buckingham Palace has been around since the fifth year of the 18th century is known in royal history. King James I was the original Buckingham Palace owner, or at least when it didn't have that name and hadn't been renovated into what it is today. The building eventually fell into the hands of the Duke of Buckingham, who sold it to George III around 1762. George purchased the building for his dear Queen Charlotte as a home for the family. That way, they'd have time away from St. James' Palace, which was used to handle court matters. A few years later, the ruling monarch, Queen Victoria, complained about the palace not being big enough to accommodate the royal family and entertain visitors. It was during this major renovation ordered by the Queen that the famous balcony was built. Thanks to Queen Torrey, balcony appearances have become a tradition by the royals. Picture standing on an elevated platform and waving at the people during a ceremonial event. That's majestic. Fast forward all the way down to King Charles III's reign, the palace has a more modern and expensive look with a billion dollar aura. Thousands flood its gates regularly, and they make a fortune off tourist attractions to the palace. Let's look at some of the magnificent structures and parts of this magnificent palace called Buckingham Palace. The palace's entrance is the most populated area, usually by citizens and tourists who want to get a feel around. The front of the palace has a floor space of over 830,000 square feet, one of the largest floor spaces owned by a palace. It is at this entrance that you'll also find the delectable Queen Victoria Memorial. If you've never seen this memorial before, you're surely missing one of the most astounding sights your eyes will see. The first thing about this memorial that screams wealth is the 25-meter-high monument of Queen Victoria. It is made from pentelic marble weighing 2,300 tons, one of the best-priced marbles on the market. The monument also consists of other statues that complement it and represent the qualities of constancy, charity, courage, motherhood, and truth. It was created by Sir Thomas Brock. Still touring through the memorial, you'll find the Australia Gate, the Canada Gate, and the South and West Africa Gate, all collectively referred to as the Dominion Gates. And if you think this grand entrance has everything imaginable, then wait till you see the memorial gardens. Wonderfully constructed flowerbeds lay around the semi-circular design of the memorial. These beds need up to 22,500 plants during the summer and up to 50,000 during the winter. Who said life wasn't a bed of roses? Or should I say, a bed of exotic flowers? Not to forget, thumbs up to Sir Aston Webb, who designed this amazing structure for the crown. One thing peculiar about the wealthy is that they are known to go for only the best of everything. Cars, houses, outfits, and even palace interiors. The palace's interior is so large and excellent that one cannot help but understand why the British monarchy is one of the most powerful in the world. And trust me, it's not only about these interiors. The Buckingham Palace rooms are 775 in number. These are divided into staff bedrooms, numbering 188, offices numbering 92, 52 principal bedrooms, 19 staterooms, and 78 bathrooms. Did you also wonder if every one of these bathrooms is in use? Well, it's the palace. After all, nothing's regular here. Once the door to this masterpiece of grandeur is opened, what greets you, aside from your guide's face, is the state-of-the-art Buckingham Palace staircase. The grand staircase is one of the most iconic structures you'll find inside. Covered with red carpet, this antique yet modern staircase, with balusters made of gilded bronze, is indeed a sight for sore eyes. Samuel Parker delivered this masterpiece in 1828 to 1829, and it was worth £3,900. The area above the stairs is complemented by a golden-white scheme, courtesy of King Edward VII. Directly above is the dome, which lets in natural light, giving the area a radiant look. The dome's made from panes of glass, 40 in number, with angelic figures engraved in them. Talk about heaven on earth. What other exciting inclusions can be seen around the stairs? Well, of course, the portraits. The excellent Queen Victoria had portraits of family members hung upon the walls. This gives the palace a feel of home and ancestry. George III, Queen Charlotte, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and her favourite uncle, William IV, and his bride, Queen Adelaide, it's already settled then. Before you meet the Queen, you've got to first meet her ancestors. The staircase is just one of the highlights of the palace's expensive interior. I am sure by now many of you believe that it can't possibly get any more luxurious than this. Well, wait till you see the throne room. This is where the king and royal family members have their meetings and special occasions. There is almost no other room in the palace that screams pure elegance, importance, and high taste. For two centuries now, this room has hosted some of the biggest names from all walks of life. Grand balls, investitures, success celebrations, and even private parties amongst royals and their loved ones. The throne room is more than a work of art. The dramatic design of the canopy and arch over the two thrones, or what is popularly called the chairs of estate, was designed by the famous architect John Nash, who was also into theatre set designs. The central focus of this room are the two chairs of the estate that sit side by side. These chairs were used for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation ceremony in 1953. The Queen used this particular chair with the E-I-I-R embroidery until the end of her coronation ceremony. The throne room also has a mantelpiece in front of a large mirror. With a French clock from the 18th century, gilt bronze figures of the three Harate brothers collecting swords from a man can be seen around the clock. This room is nothing short of excellence. From the glass doors, to the plaster frieze that runs around the ceiling with engraved images telling a war story, to the magnificent windows and angelic statues. After watching this video, dear friend, no one needs to tell you that your Buckingham Palace tour is not complete without a visit to the throne room. Next is the white drawing room. This isn't your standard drawing room. I can assure you the golden white glory of this room leaves its visitors in awe and yearning for more. The drawing room is aesthetically pleasing to look upon, especially if you're one with an eye for art. This beautiful stateroom has some immersive artifacts that'll take your breath away. Let's take, for example, the grand piano. Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, loved music and had pianos installed in private apartments of every residence they owned. Although the piano was initially designed as a showpiece for the palace's staterooms, Queen Victoria still had Erard, an artist, include the singeries among other instruments decorations. You'll also be interested in this lovely lamp stand called Torchère. You'll find them at different places around the palace, most often used to support exotic candelabras. The details of this stand are exceptional, with the cranes supporting the tray on top, the gold designs, and the electric candles. Simply exquisite. One more thing we find in this room that is worthy of mention, not just because it's in this room, but because it's sensational, is a Buckingham Palace painting many don't get to see, the portrait of the beautiful Queen Alexandra. Above the fireplace, you'll find the sensational painting of Queen Alexandra, made by Francois Flameng, the artist. This sophisticated artwork complements the white background of the wall, giving it a divine look with the candelabras beside it. This room is one big show of glamour. The sofas, fireplaces, glass doors, and everything else you can find just screams money. The one thing about the British monarchy we all know, like almost any monarchy worldwide, is that they're heavy on art. And not just artworks native to the Brits, but even artworks from places like Africa, Rome, and many others. The Queen's Gallery is a place where the best artworks in the world, by some of the finest artistic minds, like Leonardo da Vinci, are found in this vast collection of artworks. The Gallery, which was constructed out of the bombed ruins of the old chapel, rotates artworks from the Royal Collection occasionally. This means they take new sets of artifacts from the collection to the Queen's Gallery from time to time. The Royal Collection is where all the artworks acquired by the Crown or individual royal family members are kept. You'll find paintings, furniture, paperwork, and many other precious objects here. The Buckingham Palace Gallery displays an average of 450 artworks from the Royal Collection. Now that's a lot of art right there. There are annual programs held by the Gallery from time to time for the exhibition of these artworks to visitors. The artworks here are awe-inspiring and beautiful. One can get lost in the vast display of different works from different times. Lastly, I'm wrapping this up with a tour of one of the most essential parts of the Palace, the Belgian Suite. The Buckingham Palace Belgian Suite is exclusive for only the most essential people visiting the Crown. Yes, and I'm not kidding at all. Usually, when high-status individuals are invited to the Palace or visit, they are entertained by the Monarch in the expensive Belgian Suite. The Belgian Suite is a fascinating place in the Palace, with facilities befit only for kings and queens. It is an extensive suite of rooms, which you'll find on the ground floor of the garden wing facing north. Many notable people have been hosted here at the Belgian Suite, including Barack Obama and Angelina Jolie. Visitors coming to the suite for the first time are driven in a carriage to the suite. The rooms are well-decorated with the best materials, and no one enters without leaving stunned. Not just by the beauty and elegance, but also by the perfect reception of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It is integral for the Royal Family to occasionally host unique and highly esteemed personalities, no matter what part of the world they may come from. While you certainly enjoyed that tour as much as I did, why not check out more luxury stuff? Click any of the cards on your screen to watch more interesting content like this!