Description of the attraction
St James's Palace is one of the oldest palaces in London. Although the British monarchs have not lived in it for more than two centuries, it continues to be considered the official residence of the Queen, and foreign ambassadors are accredited precisely "at St. James's Court", although they present their credentials to Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
The palace was built in 1531 - 36 by order of Henry VIII on the site of the former leper colony, St. Jacob's hospital. The Tudor-style red brick building served as London's second palace, with Whitehall being the main one at the time. After the fire of 1698 that destroyed Whitehall, the official residence was moved to St. James's Palace, although it is clearly too small for this, and the royal court complained about the cramped and unsuitable palace.
In 1837, with the accession to the throne of Queen Victoria, the royal residence was moved to Buckingham Palace.
Currently, Saint James's Palace is active, although the queen herself does not live in it. It is the official London residence of Princess Anne, Princess of Great Britain and Princess Alexandra, Noble Lady Ogilvie (daughter and cousin of the Queen, respectively).
The palace is closed to the public, but the Queen's chapel is sometimes open. The palace is guarded by Royal Guards in red uniforms and bear hats.
