St. James's Palace

By Sarah Abeling

St. James's Palace is one of the eldest surviving royal palaces in England. It was commissioned by King Henry VIII between 1531 and 1536. César de Saussure, described St. James's as a palace that "does not give you the impression from the outside of being the residence of a great king, but it is a large and roomy building".  Saussure walked through the palace where the royal family resided.  He visited the apartments of King George I, which were public and easily accessible.

In the entrance to the first court there was a whale's body hung on the wall with iron clamps. As De Saussure passed through several rooms, he noted “the noblemen and officers awaiting opening of the king's apartments. As soon as the signal was given, all these people disappeared inside them” (39).  Inside the king's apartments there was a gallery leading to a chapel through which the court procession must pass through. First passed the yeomen, the servants to a royal household and hold a position that is between a squire and a paige. They carried halberds (weapons that have both an ax and a spear on the end) upon their shoulders. The servants were followed by the gentlemen of the Court: duke of Grafton, the kings's chamberlain, duke of Dorset, Master of the kings's household, two sergeant-at-arms, and a nobleman carrying the sword of state. De Saussure explained there was a room of Yeomen which at the time was filled with guns, pistols, swords, and halberds above the grand staircase. Adjacent to this room was the room named the Presence Chamber for the Gentlemen Pensioners; within this room there were beautiful antique hangings.

As the King appeared De Saussure wrote that the king was “ followed by the three princess who reside with him in the palace; they [were] the Prince of Wales’s three eldest daughters. Each of these young princesses [was] escorted by her squire, the train of her dress being carried by pages” (40).  The princesses are Princess Amelia, Princess Anne, and Princess Elizabeth, the kings’s grand daughters. De Saussure wass surprised when the Court bowed to the king, the king in turn acknowledged his court with a slight inclination of his head. "The Englishmen do not consider their king to be so very much above them, that they dare not salute him, as in France; they respect him and are faithful to him, and often sincerely attached" (41) De Saussure argued.

In the king's chambers there once was a large ante-chamber that led to a bedroom. The bed, placed in an alcove, was shut off from the rest of the room. It was clothed in crimson velvet with gold embroidery.  To the right of the ante-chamber, was the drawing room where King George I received ambassadors and gave audience.

King George I attended services at the Chapel Royal which César de Saussure visits in the interior of the palace. Within the palace enclosure were two chapels. One of which is still called the Royal Chapel today, with no remarkable ornamentation. The king attended service in this chapel on Sunday and feast day. Similar with most Anglican-Protestant services, it was held in an entirely musical manner. The second chapel was completed by Queen Catherine, wife of King Charles II, the son of the beheaded King Charles I. Its use was of Roman Catholics and very finely ornamented.  It is known even in the modern times of today as the Queen's Chapel and was reformed to a place of worship after being made into in barracks during Oliver Cromwell's reign.

Today, St. James's Palace is no longer the main residence of the royal family though it is used still for formal occasions.

View of the exterior of St. James's Palace (Built 1531-1536).

Media Credit

Photo Credit: Sarah Abeling

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