Buckingham Palace. Is That A Fact?

Buckingham Palace has become a household name and yes, indeed, it is the London home of Queen Elizabeth.  We found some interesting things about “Buck House” as we like to call it.

Yes, the Queen, her husband, Prince Philip, and her blessed corgis all live at Bucking Ham Palace when they are in London.  But in this huge palace which boasts 775 rooms, including 19 State rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms some of the roughly 800 staff also live right there.

When the Queen is in residence, you may not see her jolly face …

… but, you will see the Royal Standard (pictured) flying.  That tells the whole world that the Queen is in residence.

The original building was owned by John Sheffield, the Duke of Buckingham (and called Buckingham House, pictured), and later bought by King George III in 1761 as a gift for his wife.

It is not until 1837 when Queen Victoria moved into Buckingham Palace that it became the official residence of the reigning monarch.  With a few grand architectural changes, this has been known as that ever since.

Rumor has it that there are secret tunnels located under the historic palace.  According to “Travel & Leisure”,  the Queen Mother revealed in 2006 that she had gone into the hidden tunnels once and met a squatter, who’d been living there for years!

Among the full time staff who the Queen employs is at least one, if not two, horologists (clockmakers) to make sure her 1000 clocks are all in working order.  Apparently, half of those clocks are inside Buckingham Palace.

When the Royals have a very important announcement to be made, social media is not the first place it lands. Instead, if someone dies, it is posted onto the Buckingham Palace gates and when a new little Royal comes along, that big announcement is placed on an easel at the gates.

Obviously, as with everything these days, social media is abuzz simultaneously!

The Queen’s first riding lesson was at the age of 3 and took place in the Royal Mews which is where the horses that pull the carriages are stabled.

When visiting Buckingham Palace you can also visit the Royal Mews.  Animals are very dear to Queen Elizabeth and she rides at Windsor Castle to this day.

Apparently, working in the royal kitchens is exactly as it is depicted on Downton Abbey!  There is a whole other world down there – one full of life!

If you find yourself in London, find out if they are giving tours of the Palace at that time.  They do have tours but we believe they are in the summer months whilst Queen Elizabeth is at her beloved Balmoral Castle in  Scotland.