Clarence House has been a Royal residence since its construction between 1825 and 1827. The building was originally designed by British architect John Nash, who was also responsible for other notable areas, like the development of Regent's Park and Regent Street in London.
It was commissioned by Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence, and has served as the residence for many members of the Royal family over its almost two decades in use. Former residents have included the now-late Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) and The Duke of Edinburgh, after their marriage in 1947, and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who resided there from 1953 until 2002.
Most recently, Clarence House served as the official residence of the former Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, now King Charles III and the Queen Consort, who will move to Buckingham Palace following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
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The title of Prince and Princess of Wales will now be taken up by Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The residence recently hit the headlines, with The Guardian reporting that staff were left "visibly shaken" after receiving news that there would likely be redundancies amongst private secretaries, the finance office, communications team, and other household staff following the ascension of King Charles III.
Clarence House said that some redundancies were unavoidable, but they were working to find alternative employee roles.
Is Clarence House open to the public?
Clarence House is traditionally open to the public during the month of August, where visitors are given a guided tour of the five rooms (and adjoining spaces) on the ground floor. Prices are currently listed as follows:
- Adult - £11.30
- Over 60 / Student - £11.30
- Child (5-16) - £6.80
- Disabled - £6.80
- Under 5 - Free
However, (as with many things) the Royal ascension could make this subject to change. The latest information on visiting Clarence House is available on The Royal Collection Trust's website.
Where is Clarence House?
The official address of Clarence House is 8 Cleveland Row, St. James's, London, SW1A 1BA.
However, the visitor entrance is on The Mall (Clarence House, St James's Palace, London, SW1A 1BA).
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