November 2005 Newsletter: Featuring Buckingham Palace & King Juan Carlos of Spain

[GrandDuchess]

THE ROYAL FORUMS' NEWSLETTER – NOVEMBER 2005 *

Welcome to the November 2005 edition of The Royal Forums’ newsletter.


In any job, there is some component of team work, although some jobs require more of a team effort than others. And when good teams have been assembled, the results are remarkable and work can be a pleasure and hardly seem like work at all.

I am fortunate to have a very good friend at work in my art director. She is really like a big sister to me, and is more than just a colleague. If we have to work for a living, then all the better when you get to work with people whose company you truly enjoy. It certainly makes a day pass a lot quicker!

I am also fortunate that I have such a great team of colleagues and friends at The Royal Forums. The TRF Team really is a great group of individuals who care about the forum but also about each other.

Some of us have weathered personal crises in our lives this past year, and without fail and without hesitation or complaint, other members of the team pitched in and did extra work so that the moderator dealing with personal matters could focus on that aspect of his or her life. And when good news came our way, everyone was swift in their heartfelt congratulations. There are also the daily moments of working together when we help to solve problems, brainstorm ideas to make the forum better, and those moments when we make each other laugh till we cry.

Contrary to what some members may think, being a member of the moderating team is not as glamorous as it seems! It is a lot of hard work – work that is put in by everyone on the team of their own freewill. It means free time in our personal lives spent away from our families, friends, taking care of our homes and other activities that we could otherwise be enjoying. That this group of 16 individuals does this on a daily basis, happily and enthusiastically – not to mention without any perks or salaries – is a true credit to the individuals they are.

I’ve worked on a lot of different teams in my life, and I have to say that this is the best team I’ve ever had the good fortune of working with. Everyone has a phenomenal work ethic, a terrific – if sometimes wicked – sense of humour, endless enthusiasm and creativity, thoughtfulness towards the forum and to each other, a sense of fairness and respect, and a laundry list of other amazing qualities.

I hope that this sense of team work and effort is reflected in our work around the forum. I know that I certainly feel it in my daily work and communications with other members of the team.

Cheers to an amazing moderating team!


/Alexandria, GrandDuchess & The Royal Forums Team

PS. If there is a royal person or residence, or a special piece of jewellery you would like to see covered in a future issue of our newsletter, please let us know here. Our member comments and suggestions are always welcome.


FORUM NOTES

A reminder about how to go about starting Polls at the forum. Please do not simply start threads as Poll: Question. This is confusing as it is impossible to track and appears as a regular thread rather than as a poll.

[GrandDuchess]

THE ROYAL CALENDAR


Birthdays

Queen Sofia of Spain (2 November 1938)

Queen Desideria of Sweden (8 November 1777)

King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden (11 November 1882)

Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg (11 November 1981)

The late King Hussain of Jordan (14 November 1935)

Peter Phillips (15 November 1977)

Alexandra Princess zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (20 November 1970)

Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia (28 November 1959)


Anniversaries

Wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (20 November 1947)


Dates of Note

State Visit from Russia to The Netherlands (1-2 November)

Official Visit to the U.S.A. by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall (1-8 November)

Offical Visit from Norway to Denmark in connetion with the Norwegian centennial (7-8 November)

State Visit from Sweden to Australia (7-12 November)

Anniversary of enthronement ceremony of the late Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg (12 November 1964)

Wedding of Princess Sayako of Japan and Yoshiki Kuroda (15 November)

State Visit from Great Britain to Malta (23-26 November)

Anniversary of enthronement ceremony of King Juan Carlos of Spain (25 November 1975)

Anniversary of the death of Princess Sibylla of Sweden (mother of the current King of Sweden) (29 November 1972)

[GrandDuchess]

ROYAL QUICK HITS

Here are five threads we feel are of note and worthy of a look at

As King Juan Carlos of Spain celebrates his 30th anniversary on the Spanish throne, and as Prince Albert of Monaco prepares for a formal celebration of his ascent to the Monagasque throne, here is a thread on the Enthronement and Coronation dates of various kings and queens throughout history.

On 15 November, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko's only daughter, Princess Sayako will marry Yoshiki Kurodo. You can see full coverage of their wedding here. The engagement and wedding of Princess Sayko's oldest brother Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan to Masako Owada is here.

On 7-8 November, King Harald, Queen Sonja, and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway will pay a visit to Denmark. Visit this thread for full details and images.

Meanwhile, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden will make a state visit to Australia from 7-12 November, which you can get coverage of here.

Between 1 to 8 November, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall wil make their highly anticipated Official Visit to the U.S.A., marking the Duchess' first high profile visit abroad, and a time where we will for the first time see her as a representative of Britain abroad during a major occasion. The thread for this visit can be found here.

November 11 is a day in which we honour our war veterans who fought so bravely for the freedom and liberties we cherish today. Each year, the British Royal family honours war veterans, which you can review in this thread. Lest we not forget.

[GrandDuchess]

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is undoubtedly the most famous and recognizable royal residence in the world, to both royal watchers and non-royal watchers. But before Buckingham Palace achieved its palatial status, it was a humble townhouse owned by the Duke of Buckingham.

More than half a million people visit the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh annually. It has been the official residence of British sovereigns since 1837, when Queen Victoria moved in and called it home. Despite its grandeur, its internationally recognized quality, and its important function within the British royal family, in a March 2005 poll, Buckingham Palace – or the “The Palace" as it is sometimes referred to – was voted the fourth ugliest building in London.

Whatever its public aesthetic appeal, Buckingham Palace is the largest working palace in the world and is the epicenter of all activity for the British royal family.

History
Buckingham Palace was originally a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703. William Winde was the original architect of Buckingham House. Winde’s original design was a three-storey central block home with two smaller flanking service wings.

Nearly 60 years later, in 1762, King George III bought Buckingham House from Sir Charles Sheffield, who had inherited the home. King George III’s intended to make the house a private residence for his wife, Queen Charlotte, as a family escape away from St. James’s Palace where royal functions took place. Buckingham House was dubbed the “Queen’s House,” and 14 of King George III’s 15 children were born there.

Over the years, throughout the reigns of various sovereigns, Buckingham Palace underwent several major renovations and expansions, under the visions of several architects, particularly John Nash and Edward Blore.

John Nash
Following King George III’s death in 1820, his son, King George IV, began an enlargement project of Buckingham House, which would allow for official functions to be divided between St. James’s Palace and Buckingham House. Plans changed in 1826 when King George IV decided to convert the house into an official royal residence with complete amenities. Architect John Nash was brought on to make King George IV’s dream a reality.

The British architect – whose other projects include Brighton Pavillion, The Royal Mews, Haymarket Theatre, and what is now Trafalgar Square– had a most majestic vision: Buckingham House would form the core of the new palace, and from it, three other facades would be built so that with Buckingham House, the new palace would form a quadrangle. The additional facades would be faced with Bath stone and styled with French neo-classical influences. A new suite of rooms was added to the west-facing side of the gardens. Although Parliament allotted £150,000, at the King’s insistence, the budget for the renovations was increased to £450,000.

William Blore
Renowned Scottish-born architect William Blore was brought on to continue renovations after King George IV’s death by his successor, King William IV, who had dismissed Nash because of the ballooning budget and the incomplete status of the palace. If Nash was idealistic and visionary in his approach to the palace, Blore was practical and professional.

Rather than rip down or re-do what Nash had managed to complete, Blore retained all of Nash’s completed work and carried on his vision of the palace, albeit in a less grand manner.

When all was said and done, Buckingham Palace was completed at a cost of £719,000.

During Queen Victoria’s reign, to meet the needs of her and Prince Albert’s growing family, a new wing (the East Front), which would face east towards The Mall, was added. As part of this wing, the balcony from which the royal family waves to the crowds on special occasions such as Trooping the Colour, was built.

[GrandDuchess]

Exteriour pictures

[GrandDuchess]

Effects on the façade

1: Brightening up London during the holidays 2003, 2: Brightening up London during the holidays 2003, 3: Brightening up London during the holidays 2003, 4: Brightening up London during the holidays 2003, 5: Party at the Palace, Golden Jubilee, 2002, 6: Party at the Palace, Golden Jubilee, 2002, 7: WWII projections July 2005, 8: WWII projections July 2005, 9: WWII projections July 2005

[GrandDuchess]

Interior décor

The palace has nearly 600 rooms. There are 19 state rooms, 52 principal bedrooms (Buckingham Palace is the London base for the Prince Andrew and the Earl and Countess of Wessex), 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms. While it is one of the largest working palaces today, it is small in comparison to other grand residences of history, such as the Papal Palace in Rome.

Over the years, the interior of the palace has undergone some changes, all dependent on the fancies and preferences of its owners. The palace was originally decorated in the Georgian style, with brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis. King Edward VIII redecorated the palace in Belle époque creams and golds. Some reception rooms were done in the Chinese regency style with furniture and fixings such as fireplaces, brought over from the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and Carlton House.

Queen Mary, whose husband King George V had ascended to the throne in 1911, was a connoisseur of the arts and took a great personal interest in the Royal Collection of art and furniture. During her husband’s reign, Queen Mary restored many of the pieces in the Royal Collection, as well as adding new pieces. New fixtures and fittings, such as a pair of marble Empire-style chimney pieces, were installed in the Bow Room at Queen Mary’s insistence. The Blue Drawing Room was also Queen Mary’s doing. Formerly the South Drawing Room, the 21 metre-long room features a coffered ceiling with large gilt console brackets done by John Nash, which is said to be among his finest work.

The Picture Gallery is 50 metres long and upon its walls hangs works by the finest artists throughout history, including works by Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt van Rijn, Jan Vermeer, and Sir Anthony Van Dyck.

The Throne Room was designed by Nash but completed by Edward Blore during the reign of William IV. Below the gilded ceiling is a frieze, designed in 1828, which depicts the Wars of the Roses. The throne arch is supported by two Winged Victories. The thrones on the dais under the arch are the ones made for the Queen and Prince Philip in 1953; thrones from earlier reigns are placed at intervals around the room. The gilded trophies on the wall either side of the throne are thought to have come from the throne room at Carlton House, George IV's previous residence. The room is illuminated by seven chandeliers made of glass and bronze.


1: Members of the staff adjusts a painting in the East Gallery, 2: A member of the staff polishes a chandelier in the Ballroom, 3: A member of staff in her palace office, 4: The Music Room, 5: The State Dining Room, 6: The Queen’s Gallery, 7: The Throne Room, 8: The White Drawing Room, 9: The Ballroom

[GrandDuchess]

The Sovereign's Official Residence

Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to make Buckingham Palace her home, when she took up residence in July 1837, only three weeks after her accession. (King George IV never moved into the palace.) She was the first British sovereign to leave from Buckingham Palace for her coronation.

During the early years of Queen Victoria’s reign, with Prince Albert at her side, great musicians of the day such as Felix Mendelssohn and Johann Strauss II were invited to play at the palace, which was also the site for lavish costume parties and grand ceremonies of the British royal court. But upon Prince Albert’s death in 1862, Queen Victoria withdrew from public life and abandoned Buckingham Palace for Windosr Castle, Balmoral Castle, and Osborne House.

The accession of jet set King Edward VII and his wife Queen Alexandra saw life being revived back into Buckingham Palace again. The new King and Queen’s circle of friends had been dubbed the Marlborough House set, comprised of the most eminent and fashionable elite of British society. King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra once again hosted grand parties of the kind Queen Victoria had been known for.

During World War II, Buckingham Palace was an obvious target – the Nazis thought that the destruction of Buckingham Palace would destroy the moral of the British people. As such, the palace was bombed at least seven times, including one bomb which fell in the palace quadrange whle King George VI and Queen Elizabeth I were present. Fortunately, no one was hurt and no serious damage other than shattered windows was reported. In 1940 however, the palace chapel was bombed, and during the King and Queen’s inspection of their ruined home, Queen Elizabeth I remarked, “I’m glad we have been bombed. Now I can look the East End in the face.” When WWII ended, on VE Day (8 may 1945), the palace was the natural place for the British people to convene. The King and Queen, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret appeared on the balcony waving to the crowd below in the Mall, blacked out windows behind them.

[GrandDuchess]

A working palace

Whether its perceived as such or not, Buckingham Palace is the “office” of about 450 people who co-ordinate the calendars for members of the royal family, prepare for state visits and special ceremonies, and other activities.

Today, the Throne Room is used for formal ceremonies and addresses to the Queen, as well as for formal wedding portraits.

The Victorian Ball Room, which was built in 1854, is the largest room in the palace at 123 feet by 60 feet. It is here that the Queen conducts investitures, – 21 a year – when she confers knighthoods by tapping recipients on their shoulders with a sword. (When The Beatles were honoured at the palace, they admitted to smoking pot in the palace washrooms to help them relax.) State banquets also take place here, where more than 150 guests in formal attire and royals in tiaras will dine, mix and mingle.

The 1844 Room hosts smaller ceremonies in the Queen’s presence, such as receptions welcoming new ambassadors or small lunch parties and Privy Council meetings. (Larger lunch parties take place in the curved and domed Music Room or the State Dining Room.)

The Music Room has been used for many a royal baptism. Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew were baptized here, as was Prince William. (Prince Harry was baptized at St. George’s Chapel Windsor.) It is also used to formally present visitors to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

[GrandDuchess]

A working palace, pictures