Buckingham Palace


Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch.
Originally Buckingham House, it was built for John Sheffield, Duke of
Buckingham, in 1703, and was purchased from his descendant Sir Charles
Sheffield in 1762 by King George III of the United Kingdom. This relatively
recent addition to the property of the royal family has subsequently been
substantially rebuilt and refurbished. A statue of Queen Victoria stands
outside the main gate. The road leading up to the palace is known as The
Mall.

Buckingham Palace is the venue for the regular ceremony of the Changing of
the Guard, a major tourist attraction. The opening up of parts of the palace
itself to the public was a revolutionary change to tradition when it began
during the 1990s.