The Pictorial History of Buckingham Palace

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THE PICTORIAL HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE BY MARGUERITE D. PEACOCKE BUCKINGHAM PALACE is known all over the world as the home of Britain's kings and queens. The familiar picture of the greyishwhite rectangular building, töpped by the Sovereign's gold-emblazoned standard, framed in the green treetops of the Royal parks and guarded by scarlet-coated sentries, is a message from home to Britons in every corner of the earth and a symbol of unity to the millions of men and women of the British Commonwealth. Yet few people know the storv of this six - hundred - roomed Palace. Not everyone even realises that it contains a magnificent suite of State Apartments, a positive treasure house of works of art conservatively valued at four millión pounds. Fewer still know anything of the simple, digniíied Royal home which, though it lies behind the tall iron gates of a Palace, is in its essentials so like thousands of other homes all over Britain. The outside world, too, knows little of the suite of offices, historic in their significance yet up-to-date in their efficiency, which are the background to The Queen's public work, the setting in which she plays her part in the life of a constitutional monarchy. From the outside of the Palace it is possible to catch a glimpse of the vast organisation within. If the Royal Standard is flying Her Majesty is "in residence," though not necessarily at home, for it is lowered only when she departs to spend the night elsewhere. At night-time the Standard is flood-lit. A policeman goodhumouredly waving back the small crowd which is usually gathered round the gateway indicates the imminent departure of a Royal resident or a distinguished caller such as the Prime Minister. The large centre gate is opened only when the Sovereign drives through in State. Otherwise even Royalty use one of the side gates, driving through the arch to enter the building from the Quadrangle. These gates are closed at midnight and alsó when large crowds are gathered outside. The small door on the left, as you face the Palace from the Mail, is known as the Visitors' Entrance, and a visitors' book is kept inside. This is signed not only by people visiting in the normál way but alsó by those who observe the old custom of "calling'* to pay their respects after a Royal birth, death or illness has been announced from the Palace. Each book* with 500 gilt-edged pages specially bound in blue leather and stamped Page 1 Vissza