State Visit from the President of Singapore: October 21-24, 2014


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Duc_et_Pair said:
The royal couple, the presidential couple and all the other guests looked abfab at the State Banquet. The venue however is arch-ugly. I know that taste is in the eye of the beholder and no insult intended, but all that frou-frou here and frou-frou there, the furniture shattered over the place, the carpets here and the carpets there and that organ in the banqueting hall. No..., when I think about the usual venues of the other European monarchies, then the banqueting hall at Buckingham Palace is really the ugliest in style and interior.

The British however also have one of the most beautiful and impressive banqueting halls (St. George's Hall at Windsor Castle). That loooong table is impressively amazing. Only minus there are the hideous lampshades on the immense candelabras, seems unique, one does not see these lampshades outside the UK (real candles are preferred).

:flowers:

I think Buckingham Palace would really get a revamp when a skillful hand re-decorates the palace ("Less is more") and is able to remove the pile of antique. After all: one fantastic pendule with two vases on a table in a large room attracts all attention. Four fantastic pendules with two vases each in one room, fighting for attention with three sofas, four side-tables, two pianos, a chamber-screen and two sculptures are 'drowning' in a cluttered and congested room. Empty those rooms! Store the items in depôts and rotate! Other monarchies do and it looks so much better. Just an advice.
Click to expand...


I agree with you wholeheartedly Duc.
I suspect that the reason BP's interiors looks the way they do is up to the fact that the Queen is of the age she is and also that she was as young as she was when she took over from her father.
I also think that's the reasons for the British monarchy looking the way it does in general. The Queen was very young when she inherited her position and for many years she left most things as they had been in her parents days and they in turn had done most things the way the Kings parents had before them.
Had QEII come into office ten years later I'm sure that she and Philip had begun the process of downsizing in the way the other European monarchies have done.
Sorry for the long and not at all on the subject of the state visit post.


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For me it is on topic, the discussion was initiated seeing the pictures with the Singaporean guests making their way through stuffed rooms in Buckingham Palace.
 
Duc_et_Pair said:
The royal couple, the presidential couple and all the other guests looked abfab at the State Banquet. The venue however is arch-ugly. I know that taste is in the eye of the beholder and no insult intended, but all that frou-frou here and frou-frou there, the furniture shattered over the place, the carpets here and the carpets there and that organ in the banqueting hall. No..., when I think about the usual venues of the other European monarchies, then the banqueting hall at Buckingham Palace is really the ugliest in style and interior.

The British however also have one of the most beautiful and impressive banqueting halls (St. George's Hall at Windsor Castle). That loooong table is impressively amazing. Only minus there are the hideous lampshades on the immense candelabras, seems unique, one does not see these lampshades outside the UK (real candles are preferred).

:flowers:

I think Buckingham Palace would really get a revamp when a skillful hand re-decorates the palace ("Less is more") and is able to remove the pile of antique. After all: one fantastic pendule with two vases on a table in a large room attracts all attention. Four fantastic pendules with two vases each in one room, fighting for attention with three sofas, four side-tables, two pianos, a chamber-screen and two sculptures are 'drowning' in a cluttered and congested room. Empty those rooms! Store the items in depôts and rotate! Other monarchies do and it looks so much better. Just an advice.
Click to expand...

Believe me, I have tried to persuade the Dutch government to help us out here in the UK with refurbishing and redecorating of the palaces, but they just don't seem too keen :lol:

With regard to the candelabras at Windsor, I believe they contain real candles and there would be enough guests to save the day in case one of the shades caught fire.

In all honesty, if I was invited to Buckingham Palace for a banquet, I wouldn't be taking any notice of the furniture, more so the menu and what's for dessert!

I personally believe that the difference between the old fashioned styles one sees here in the Uk as opposed to the more modern and stylish styles one see in Europe seems in my view to have much to do with psychology, culture and taste - it's a complicated theory of mine, which I should discuss in another thread sometime.
 
I like the display of stuff from the royal collection that put out for viewing after the lunch. Letter saying America is lost from George III for US visit - got it. It looked like there was a wooden ship on display yesterday.


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I agree that BP could do with redecorating. Duc et Pair.. since as corrrectly stated it hasn't been redone since the accession of Edward vii in 1901.

IF and when it does get done it is unlikely to get simpler, but rather more elaborate and detailed since [in line with current ideas on the rstoration of historic buildings], it will probably be restored to the way it was when first built by George iv. All the original furniture is still extant, and it merely needs the copies of the original wallhanging, curtains and passementerie to be remade.

This was what was done to the George iv rooms at Windsor Castle when they were remade after the fire, and this is what is likely to happen in the future.

As for the Ballroom.. this originally neo-Renaissance addition for Queen Victoria [who wanted, and recieved] the organ.. was redecorated as neo Louis xvi by Edward vii, and it is difficult to simplify further. The Shamiana over the thrones comes from the Dehli Durbar in 1912.. and is an historic artifact of considerable importance..

I hope the work will be done during the reign of Charles iii, who has taste, rather than under William v, who is more likely to have it entirely cleared, painted white and furnished by IKEA !

If Versailles, Fontainbleau, The Tuileries and St Cloud hadn't been variously empted or burnt down by revolutionary ferment in your country..I imagine they would be just as 'cluttered' !
 
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Tilia C. said:
In the last picture, that is Princess Alexandra, isn't it? And who is the lady beside her? One of the ladies-in-waiting?
Click to expand...

Yeah, the Ladies-in-Waiting wear tiara's too.

Buckingham Palace is a beautiful place and the Ballroom used to look better with the bare floor but they covered it up in carpet.
 
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Good speech from The Queen yesterday. I'm very impressed, she is almost 90.

The state rooms at Buckingham Palace is actually very impressive, but repairs is needed. Have you been there?
 
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Oh yes, some palaces and castles indeed "need" to be cluttered because that was the style back then.

For an example, look at this 17th C salon (Huis ten Bosch Palace, The Hague): http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/tqgr/image/421/2237345-800-530.jpg

Or Frederik VIII Palace (the residence of Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary): http://multimedia.pol.dk/archive/00420/Frederik_d__8_pal__420555a.jpg

A salon at the royal castle of Gripsholm, Sweden:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmuseum_stockholm/5095773241

These are examples of how emptying the room improves the whole appearance.
 
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KittyAtlanta said:
Buck House is fine just the way it is.
Click to expand...

Have you recently been there? Many rooms are in need of repair or refurbishment: colors of curtains and wallhangings faded away, damaged silk upholstery on lots of furniture, visibly outdated wiring, damages from leaks, moist, damp or even broken glass panels. The light domes of some staircases are downright dirty or damaged. The façade has visible problems with crumbling of stones. The palace really is in need for a close down for a couple of years to make a from bottom to top restoration.

:flowers:

Advantage: for such a process all the piles collected by the royal hoarders have to be stored in depots. When the new wallhangings, tapestries, coverings, etc. and the new lighting scheme is working, hopefully the royals will be stunned by the beauty of it all and will think twice before cramming it all up again with all possible funiture and clashing styles.

:flowers:
 
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Duc_et_Pair said:
The royal couple, the presidential couple and all the other guests looked abfab at the State Banquet. The venue however is arch-ugly. I know that taste is in the eye of the beholder and no insult intended, but all that frou-frou here and frou-frou there, the furniture shattered over the place, the carpets here and the carpets there and that organ in the banqueting hall. No..., when I think about the usual venues of the other European monarchies, then the banqueting hall at Buckingham Palace is really the ugliest in style and interior.

The British however also have one of the most beautiful and impressive banqueting halls (St. George's Hall at Windsor Castle). That loooong table is impressively amazing. Only minus there are the hideous lampshades on the immense candelabras, seems unique, one does not see these lampshades outside the UK (real candles are preferred).

:flowers:

I think Buckingham Palace would really get a revamp when a skillful hand re-decorates the palace ("Less is more") and is able to remove the pile of antique. After all: one fantastic pendule with two vases on a table in a large room attracts all attention. Four fantastic pendules with two vases each in one room, fighting for attention with three sofas, four side-tables, two pianos, a chamber-screen and two sculptures are 'drowning' in a cluttered and congested room. Empty those rooms! Store the items in depôts and rotate! Other monarchies do and it looks so much better. Just an advice.
Click to expand...

Redecorate? I think it needs some serious structural repairs before they start with paint and wallpaper.

Everyone looked wonderful - especially the Queen
 
Skippyboo said:
I like the display of stuff from the royal collection that put out for viewing after the lunch. Letter saying America is lost from George III for US visit - got it. It looked like there was a wooden ship on display yesterday.


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Click to expand...
Now that letter would be an artifact that I would love to see!!!!
 
Princess Michael's polka dot scarf/collar looked very awkward. It is surprising that Prince Charles and Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall, skipped this state visit.
 
Al_bina said:
Princess Michael's polka dot scarf/collar looked very awkward. It is surprising that Prince Charles and Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall, skipped this state visit.
Click to expand...

That was polka dot? I thought it was dalmatian fur!
 
Skippyboo said:
I believe for a state visit you get to pick your venue of BP or Windsor. They might be a bit sensitive after the fire at Windsor to use real candles on a table. BP hasn't be redecorated since Edward VII.


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Click to expand...


You mean it has not been redecorated since over 100 years, not even after WW2 in which the Palace has been hit heavily?! Very hard for me to imagine!
I like it the way it is and a royal banqueting hall should look like: lots of red and gold, two huge thrones under a royal canopy in the background!
I dare not think how William might change it one day (hope Charles keeps it the way it is)...! But everything is better than the newly decorated Palais of Amalienborg Castle, Copenhagen, of Frederik and Mary of Denmark .
 
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State visit of the President of Singapore: 21-24 October 2014

The royal chapel got hit with a bomb and that area became the Queen's gallery which is exhibition space for the royal collection that is open to the public year round. The back of the palace where the state rooms are didn't get hit.

My info came from Fiona Bruce's Queen's Palaces tv documentary. Apparently Victoria didn't really stay at BP after Albert died and it was pretty gloomy. Edward VII redid the color scheme to white with gold and installed toilets. The stone front seen today was installed by George V.

The monarchy website says that the state rooms are George IV/ John Nash design with the furniture coming from the Royal pavilion for some rooms.


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[FONT=verdana, arial][FONT=verdana, arial]From CC:

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh gave a State Banquet this evening in honour of The President of the Republic of Singapore and Mrs. Tony Tan Keng Yam at which The Duke of York, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy and Princess Michael of Kent were present.

The following had the honour of being invited:

Suite of The President of the Republic of Singapore and Mrs. Tony Tan Keng Yam:
Ms. Grace Fu (Minister, Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources and Second Minister Foreign Affairs), Dr. Mohamad Maliki Osman (Minister of State, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of National Development) and Madam Sadiah Binti Shahal, Her Excellency Ms. Foo Chi Hsia (High Commissioner for the Republic of Singapore), Mr. Arthur Fong (Member of Parliament), Mr. Sitoh Yih Pin (Member of Parliament), Mr. Lee Kok Fatt (Principal Private Secretary to The President), Mr. Simon Wong (Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Mr. Dominic Goh (Director-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Mr. Michael Tan (Chief of Protocol).

Specially attached to The President of the Republic of Singapore and Mrs. Tony Tan Keng Yam:
The Hon. Dame Annabel Whitehead (Lady in Waiting), the Viscount Hood (Lord in Waiting) and the Viscountess Hood, Mr. Antony Phillipson (British High Commissioner to the Republic of Singapore), and Commander Andrew Canale RN (Equerry in Waiting).

Diplomatic Corps:
His Excellency the Ambassador of the State of Kuwait and Mrs. Al-Duwaisan, His Excellency the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China and Madame Hu Pinghua, His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia and Mrs. Lastry Thayeb, His Excellency the High Commissioner for the Republic of India and Mrs. Mathai, His Excellency the High Commissioner for Malaysia and Datin Rosilawati Abd. Raffar, and the Commonwealth Secretary-General and Mrs. Sharma.

The Cabinet and Government:
The Prime Minister and Mrs. Cameron, the Chancellor of the Exchequer (the Rt. Hon. George Osborne MP), the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Mrs. Hammond, the Secretary of State for Defence and Mrs. Fallon, the Secretary of State for Education and Mr. Jonathan Morgan, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Mrs. Javid, the Leader of the House of Lords (the Baroness Stowell of Beeston), the Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords and the Lady Wallace of Tankerness, the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Mrs. Clark, and the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (the Rt. Hon. Hugo Swire MP).

Special Invitations:
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Tan, Mr. John Abbott, Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Agius, Professor and Mrs. Bertil Andersson, Sir John and Lady Boyd, Sir David and Lady Brewer, Ms. Fiona Bruce and Mr. Nigel Sharrocks, Ms. Jennifer Carmichael, Mr. Andy Cheah, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Chen, Mr. Stanley Cheuk, Mr. and Mrs. Chua Thian Poh, Sir Kim and Lady Darroch, the Lord Speaker (the Baroness D'Souza), Sir James and Lady Dyson, Sir Vernon Ellis, Mr. Ang Eng Seng, Professor and Mrs. Jeremy Farrar, Sir Simon and Lady Fraser, Professor Alice Gast and Dr. Bradley Askins, Sir Christopher and Lady Gent, Professor and Mrs. Andrew Hamilton, Mr. and Mrs. John Hardie, the Rt. Hon. Harriet Harman MP, Mr. Ivan Heng and Mr. Tony Trickett, Mr. Gregory Hodkinson and Ms. Siobhan O'Connor, Sir Bernard and Lady Hogan-Howe, Sir Henry and the Hon. Lady Keswick, Sir Julian King, Mr. and Mrs. Kwek Leng Beng, Ms. Liz Chi Yen Liew and Mr. Øyvind Aamli, the Rt. Hon. the Lord Mayor and Mr. Nicholas Woolf, Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Menezes, Mr. and Mrs. John Nelson, the Lord and Lady Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Sir Paul and Lady Nurse, Mrs. Mavis Oei, Mr. and Mrs. Ong Beng Seng, the Lord and Lady Oxburgh, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart and Lady Peach, the Lord Powell of Bayswater, Mr. John Rishton, Mr. Jaspal Singh, Sir Richard and Lady Sykes, Ms. Laurentia Tan and Mrs. Jannie Tan, Mr. Tan Chong Lee, Professor Sir Mark and Lady Wolpert, and Ms. Yong Ying-I. [/FONT][/FONT]
 
Now I see! You mean they didn´t change the style, but of course carpets and tapestries etc were renewed from time to time (like in every household). I remember the Queen from a documentary in the 1990s choosing the colour of a new carpet for the palace. But I guess she took care shades, structures etc. didn´t alter and remained like the old ones...?
 
This is how the George iv state rooms at BP are likely to be re-done in any putative refurbishment plan... fabrics rewoven to the original designs, more saturated colour, more generous folds in drapery, higher quality passementerie..[ all in keeping with the original designs, that were progressively 'watered down' in subsequent renewals ].

It is indeed a far cry from etiolated Scandinavian taste, which has NO PLACE in a late Georgian ENGLISH Palace...The Red Drawing Room C.jpg:)

The Red Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.
 
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wyevale said:
This is how the George iv state rooms at BP are likely to be re-done in any putative redecoration plan... fabrics rewoven to the original designs, more saturated colour, more generous folds in drapery, higher quality passementerie..[ all in keeping with the original designs, that were progressively 'watered down' in subsequent renewals ].

It is indeed a far cry from etiolated Scandinavian taste, which has NO PLACE in a late Georgian ENGLISH Palace...View attachment 292454:)

The Red Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.
Click to expand...

If Buck House was just primarily a royal residence, I'd be all for a make over of the place but what we're looking at here is not only a residence of the monarch, but also a palace that in and of itself, is a museum of British history. It should be refurbished rather than redecorated IMO.

To totally make over rooms at BP would be like renovating the Mona Lisa and having her hair styled in a mullet. :eek:
 
Osipi said:
If Buck House was just primarily a royal residence, I'd be all for a make over of the place but what we're looking at here is not only a residence of the monarch, but also a palace that in and of itself, is a museum of British history. It should be refurbished rather than redecorated IMO.

To totally make over rooms at BP would be like renovating the Mona Lisa and having her hair styled in a mullet. :eek:
Click to expand...

The private rooms are decorated according to the tastes of the occupants but the state rooms are now kept as they were redone by Queen Alexandra in 1901.
 
She spent too much money on them and the family has decided to wait until they can afford to redecorate.
 
Duc_et_Pair said:
Oh yes, some palaces and castles indeed "need" to be cluttered because that was the style back then.

For an example, look at this 17th C salon (Huis ten Bosch Palace, The Hague): http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/tqgr/image/421/2237345-800-530.jpg

Or Frederik VIII Palace (the residence of Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary): http://multimedia.pol.dk/archive/00420/Frederik_d__8_pal__420555a.jpg

A salon at the royal castle of Gripsholm, Sweden:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmuseum_stockholm/5095773241

These are examples of how emptying the room improves the whole appearance.
Click to expand...
I love my Royal Family but have to admit my taste in furniture and style is difinitely 17th Century as displayed. Now you have just gone and made me all picky and thinking the Red Room would have benifitted from the removal of many overstuffed dust catchers.
 
State visit of the President of Singapore: 21-24 October 2014

To me it's not a question of gutting the place it's about making the rooms and their contents look their best. That could mean removing things, change the lighting, adding things... We might not think so but even the way royal palaces are presented is up to the contemporary taste. The way BP is furnished today reflects the way classical styles was viewed when the refurbishment was done which isn't always how it was intended to be in the first place and at the same time we have a different way of looking at it than they did.




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Princess Michael attended but not Prince Michael. I guess Princess Michael was Prince Andrew's 'date'.

If Prince Charles redecorates BP, IMO, he will keep it to the same style as it is now with the same amount of 'clutter'. He and Camilla do not mind family pieces 'cluttering' their houses.

I totally agree about William having minimalistic taste. If he furnishes BP, it would look like a real estate staged house rather than a lived in house/Palace.
 
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