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- [00:00]
Advertiser
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Order Taker
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- [00:13]
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- [00:21]
Narrator
Mmm.
- [00:22]
Advertiser
McCain surecrisp fries. Go the distance. See how far our fries can take your business@surecrisp.com Delivery It's May 21, 1914.
- [00:38]
Narrator
Early morning in central London. The streets are bustling with horses, carts and carriages, while pedestrians weave their way along the busy pavements as stallholders set up for the day. An open topped bus rattles west along Oxford street, then slows as it approaches Grosvenor Square near Marble Arch. As it comes to a stop, a young lady steps off. Wearing a brimmed hat and long coat, she's taken a day off from the school where she teaches to come to an important event. Once inside the square, the teacher meets around 200 other women, smartly dressed, some with purple and green sashes that mark them out as members of the suffragette movement dedicated to achieving votes for women. The chatter dies down as a serious looking woman emerges from the crowd and steps onto a wooden platform. The young teacher recognizes her as the suffragette leader, Emmeline Pankhurst. Clutching a sheath of paper in her fist, Pankhurst explains that she's come here today with a petition for the King demanding votes for women and the fair treatment of suffragettes who have been imprisoned for their activism. Today they will march together to the gates of Buckingham palace to deliver it. With a roar of approval, the women set off arm in arm, out of the square, along Park Lane and onto the tree lined avenues of green Park. Blossom filled branches bend over their path and a grin spreads across the young teacher's face. It's impossible not to get caught up in the excitement of their rebellion. But as they march, word reaches them that some of their comrades, using a different route, are already being prevented from reaching their destination by police. As the group nears the huge white edifice of the palace, their enthusiasm turns to dread. Through the trees they can see suffragettes being held back by police, hundreds of them, including dozens of mounted officers. Truncheons raised, helmets lowered, the men appear ready for war. As individual women try their luck trying to get through the police lines. They're thrown back into crowds of angry civilian men who waste no time throwing kicks and punches, even calling for their victims to be burned. But Pankhurst, a seasoned protester, is not deterred. Following her lead, the teacher heads through the trees Emerging behind the line of police and heading quickly to the palace gates unimpeded. It doesn't take long for the police to realize what's happened, and the order is given to turn around and deal with it. But by then, the teacher is almost at the gates. Policemen surge forward and the suffragettes start running. Those who are caught are clamped in handcuffs and dragged along the ground. HORSES WHINNY while the policeman and the unruly mob accompanying them shout in fury, swamping the women. The teacher finds herself next to Pankhurst, and it's clear that she has no intention of fleeing. Together, the women elbow their way through the turmoil, dodging batons and slipping out of the grasp of the police again and again. But then the teacher feels a strong pair of arms wrestling her backwards alongside her leader. She is dragged away, kicking and screaming as they are bundled into an awaiting police van. Emmeline Pankhurst cries, Arrested at the gates of the palace. Someone tell the King. But feet away, inside the hallowed halls of Buckingham palace, no one pays any attention. The suffragette march on Buckingham palace in 1914 was intended to be peaceful, but resulted in the arrest of Emmeline Pankhurst, along with that of 66 other women. Their demonstration was not the first to target the grand residents, nor would it be the last. As the official seat of Britain's monarchy for almost 200 years, Buckingham palace has provided the stage and the backdrop to countless events that have shaped the history of the monarchy, the nation and the wider world. An iconic building, a family home, a nucleus of political power, it is one of the nation's most expensive estates, with a history stretching back to the days of William the Conqueror. But how did a singular building become such a staple part of Britain's landscape? How did the royal headquarters develop? And what is its future in the 21st century and beyond? I'm John Hopkins from the Noise Network. This is a short history of Buckingham Palace. Buckingham palace was not always a palace, or even a royal home, for that matter. But the land on which it's eventually built has always carried a certain amount of prestige. Philip Scott is a City of Westminster tour guide with an interest in Buckingham palace, as well as a former teacher of history and politics.
- [06:22]
Historian
Buckingham palace is actually built on land that at one time was owned by William I, William the Conqueror. He reigned from 1066 to 1087.
- [06:38]
Narrator
Known as the Manor of Ybri, the land on which the complex now stands is located just half a mile away from the palace of Westminster, the political power hub of Norman England. With the River Tyburn meandering through its marshy plains, Ybry consists of three Hyde in the north, Knight in the south and Eyre in the middle. Following William's victory over the Anglo Saxon king Harold Godwinson in 1066, the Ebry Estate is owned by the monarch and let out to senior members of the aristocracy, including the monks of Westminster Abbey. Its entry in the Domesday Book records ybry's population of 24 households, making it one of the largest Norman settlements in London. However, the Eya portion of the Ebri estate undergoes change in the 17th century with the arrival of King James I.
- [07:41]
Historian
In about 1609, James I of England, who was also James VI of Scotland, organised a plantation of mulberries for rearing silkworms. The underlying idea was to start a silk industry to rival those of France and Italy.
- [08:06]
Narrator
Having secured sizable loans from his aristocratic friends, James imports hundreds of mulberry bush saplings for the silkworms to feed on. However, it turns out that the King has been mistakenly advised on the particulars of the tree species needed. Instead of ordering the Morris alba trees which silkworms thrive on, he buys the Morris nigra variety. He learns the hard way that silkworms are picky eaters.
- [08:34]
Historian
The whole project was an abysmal failure. The wrong type of mulberry bush was planted and the scheme totally failed and it was abandoned.
- [08:51]
Narrator
In the decades following, King James failed. Silk farm the 1st Earl of Arlington purchases the Eyre estate and constructs a townhouse, Arlington House. Its architecture is impressive. There are two arching galleries, lodging rooms for servants, Greek, Tuscan and Doric pillars framing elegant piazzas, and a collection of classical sculptures. The beautiful gardens of Arlington House are open to the public and draw in members of the aristocracy who come to admire the expansive grounds. In 1698, the land exchanges hands yet again, and it's with this new owner, the Duke of Buckingham, that the palace we now know really gets started. Believing Arlington House's architecture to be somewhat outdated for the new century, the Duke knocks it down and builds his own, even more impressive stately home, Buckingham House. It consists of a spacious easterly court, two modest wings, views overlooking St. James park and palace. There's even a deer park for hunting. But so exquisite is the estate that it catches the eye of another royal. In 1761, when Buckingham has passed away, King George III persuades the Duke's family to sell him the property for £21,000, over 800 times the average yearly salary. From this moment on, Buckingham House is a royal home.
- [10:35]
Etsy Advertiser
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- [10:39]
Narrator
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- [10:41]
Etsy Advertiser
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- [10:56]
Narrator
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- [10:58]
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- [11:00]
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- [12:05]
Historian
George III bought Buckingham House from the Duke of Buckingham for his new wife and Queen consort, Queen Charlotte. She gave birth to 14 of their 15 children in Buckingham House.
- [12:24]
Narrator
Though George III purchases Buckingham House, it's his wife who spends the most time there, raising their children while her husband attends court at St James's Palace. Queen Charlotte's constant presence earns it the moniker the Queen's house. In 1762, in order to accommodate their ever growing brood, George III orders significant expansions to be made to the family home. Scottish Swedish architect and personal adviser to the King, Sir William Chambers, is brought in to oversee the renovations. Chambers greatly alters the house. The exterior is transformed from a decorative baroque style into a neoclassical design with symmetrical columns and soft bath stone. The forecourt is raised to hide the basement and four libraries are added to house the King's enormous collection of books, maps and medals. These exclusive rooms are accessible only via the King's private bedroom. Chambers also puts in new ceilings and hires an Italian artist to decorate them. The additions make the interior of Bucknam House one of the most sophisticated of its time, but it's also intended to have a homely feel.
- [13:43]
Historian
And it was very much used as a house as opposed to a palace. In fact, the official royal palace at the time was St. James's Palace. About a quarter of a mile down the road from Buckingham House, George III, he didn't particularly like St James's Palace. In fact, on one occasion he said it was a dust trap. The King, his Queen consort and their children, they actually spent a lot of time in the garden of Buckingham House. There were one or two exotic animals kept in the garden. There were zebras and there was even an elephant.
- [14:28]
Narrator
But though George III and Charlotte enjoy many happy years at Buckingham House, it's under the reign of their eldest son and heir, George iv, that the house undergoes the most significant changes to date. Having served as the Prince Regent for nine years during his father's mental illness, George IV already has something of a reputation by the time he becomes king in 1820. Profligate and hedonistic, he drinks, feasts and gambles to excess, and has a string of mistresses at his beck and call. He's also a lifelong architecture enthusiast. And while he was Prince of Wales, he converted his modest seaside lodge in Brighton into a grand pavilion. Inspired by Mughal and Islamic styles, the flamboyant building, with its onion domes and minarets, cost an astounding half a million pounds. In keeping with this reputation for extravagance, George IV now employs the pavilion's architect, John Nash, to transform Buckingham House from a family home into a residence fit for a king. And transform it he does. With a budget of £450,000, Nash doubles the size of the property. He knocks down the existing wings before rebuilding them on an immense scale and adding a new suite of west facing rooms. Within the two wings is a grand forecourt modeled on the French neoclassical style. And it's in the middle of this that Nash plans to erect his most flattering tribute to the King.
- [16:15]
Historian
John Nash was the favorite architect of King George iv, and Nash designed a massive expansion of Buckingham Palace. But he also designed a grand gateway. The plan was to create a triumphal arch with a statue of King George IV on top on a horse.
- [16:47]
Narrator
Nash also designs Roman and Greek style friezes, classical sculptures and engravings depicting Britain's victories in the battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo. However, though George IV swoons at Nash's extravagant plans, his happiness isn't necessarily shared by his subjects. The first seeds of the Industrial Revolution are being sown, causing overcrowding in cities and a drop in living conditions. Working men and women resent the luxury the King lives in. And then there's the government. Having spent over a decade fighting and funding the Napoleonic Wars, Britain has racked up a horrifying debt of £1 billion. Needless to say, Parliament is hesitant about the costs.
- [17:40]
Historian
The arch and the extensions to Buckingham palace cost half a million pounds. The whole project was way over budget. And when King George iv died in 1830, Nash was sacked by the then Prime Minister, the Duke of Wellington, for overspending.
- [18:03]
Narrator
Massively, Nash is replaced with architect Edward Blore, who's given a strict schedule and smaller budget. Blore scraps most of Nash's work on the 45 foot marble arch and creates a far more modest structure which is erected in the forecourt in 1833. But not even a commemorative arch can make the new king, William Ivan, fall in love with Buckingham House. He far prefers to reside a short distance down the mall, away from the Constant Building works in Clarence House, another of London's 10 royal homes. In fact, so ambivalent is he about Buckingham House that when a fire destroys Westminster palace in 1835, he offers it to Parliament as a new home. Similarly unimpressed by the expensive ever renovated property, they politely decline. One person who needs no persuading to live in Buckingham House is Queen Victoria. In 1837, when the teenager ascends to the throne following the death of her uncle, she quickly exchanges her unhappy childhood home of Kensington palace for Buckingham House. For Victoria, Kensington was a gilded cage. As the only legitimate heir to the monarchy, she was hawkishly guarded by her mother. Prohibited from even walking down the stairs without holding the hand of a maid, and fed a diet of safe, bland foods. She was even forced to sleep in the same room as her mother. So when she finally has the chance for independence, Victoria wastes no time. She instructs her servants to pack up her possessions and moves three miles down the road to Buckingham House, immediately taking advantage of its 700 rooms and four sprawling floors. One of her first actions is to banish her mother to a distant wing of the house far away. She'll struggle to manipulate her again. With the arrival of the new Queen, Buckingham House's status is elevated from part time royal residence to permanent home of the monarch. As such, its name changes to Buckingham Palace. But though Victoria may be enamored by her new freedom, it comes with a certain amount of danger. In 1838, just one year into Victoria's reign, teenager Edward Jones develops an obsession with the young queen and steals into the palace on numerous occasions. He's found spying on Victoria as she undresses, perusing the priceless sculptures in the marble hall, sitting on the thrones and even hiding under a sofa in the Queen's dressing room. His break ins continue until 1841, when he is caught tearing down the corridor, his pockets overflowing with the Queen's underwear. He's finally arrested and transported to Australia. It's perhaps because of these break ins that Victoria's new husband, her German cousin Albert, insists the palace undergo serious changes, and not just in terms of security.
- [21:28]
Historian
Prince Albert and Queen Victoria were married in 1840, and he reorganized lots of the offices in Buckingham palace. And he put into practice a plan to improve the ventilation. There was some really serious problems with ventilation in the palace.
- [21:54]
Narrator
Albert also complains about the size of the palace, finding that there aren't enough rooms to host guests or spaces to entertain. And though all 15 of Queen Charlotte and King George III's children live there, Albert believes its nurseries are inadequate for his and Victoria's growing family. In 1845, Victoria takes Albert's grievances to Prime Minister Robert Peel somewhat reluctantly. Given the palace's expensive history, Parliament agrees to renovate it once more and architect Edward Blore is rehired. However, this time Parliament is determined that the palace will not rack up the same expenses as it did under Victoria's profligate uncle. So, taking the lead on the renovations, they sell the former King's luxurious seaside property, Brighton Pavilion, and use these funds to pay for the repairs. The following year, building work commences.
- [22:55]
Historian
A new wing was built, designed by Edward Blore and actually built by Thomas Cubitt, a famous builder who happens to be the great grandfather times three of Queen Camilla, the Queen Consort. It was during this time that the brunt at the east was added. It's hard to imagine Buckingham palace without a front, but the front was actually added to the palace in the 1850s.
- [23:37]
Narrator
The new wing, built from French corn stone, encloses the forecourt, adding a facade to the palace as it's built from funds gleaned from the sale of the Brighton Pavilion. Many of its rooms are filled with the pavilion's old furniture, giving it an eastern atmosphere. The center room, yellow drawing room and Chinese dining room in the East Wing are filled with Asian artifacts, including chinoiserie panels, porcelain pagodas, a set of vases and oil lamps, and an eight light candelabra. Though this reuse of exotic items might be down to a parliament eager to save money, it flatters Victoria. By now, in the 1850s, she's Empress of countless countries. Thanks to Britain's ever expanding empire, she's head of State in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, parts of Africa and Hong Kong. Much to her frustration, though limited transport prevents her from traveling Further than Europe. So if she can't go to her countries, they'll come to her. Victoria continues her ancestors magpie like collecting and fills her palace with items from all over the empire. Another significant change that takes place during this period is the removal of the marble arch in order to make way for a fourth wing to create a quadrangle. The structure is dismantled brick by brick, a process that takes three months, and moved to the north corner of Hyde Park. Though the move is meant to be temporary, once building on the palace is finished, there's little need for the arched entrance and so the park becomes its permanent home. But even an extension, brand new entrance and rooms full of oriental furniture aren't enough to satisfy Albert. Aware of the importance of visibility, he dreams up something that will connect the monarch to her subjects. Something to enable the people of Britain to see their beloved queen. It's September 14, 1854. In the courtyard of Buckingham Palace, a company of soldiers stands to attention with mounted cavalry behind them. The men in their stiff red jackets and tall black hats are part of the British army. They're here today to receive the Queen's blessing before setting out to fight in the Crimean War. A teenage soldier stands at the back of the group, trying hard not to fidget against the scratchy neck of his wool coat and the uncomfortable white gloves. Then a trumpet sounds and the sergeant begins to state his instructions. The soldiers are to march through the palace on his orders. If the Queen or Prince Consort wish to receive them, they must stop and stand to attention. On his command. The company start to march. Those in front peel off in pairs and the young soldier eventually follows them across the stony courtyard, up the stairs to the back of the east wing. When he steps inside, his jaw drops. It is the most exquisite sight the teenager has ever seen, his boots thudding softly across the thick carpets. He stares wide eyed at paintings of heroic battles he learned about in school and enormous portraits of long dead royals, making sure to look straight ahead as his training demands. Out of the corner of his eye he sees a delicately painted map of the world. Somewhere on there must be Crimea, where he'll soon be headed. All too soon, sunlight is again shining in his eyes, streaming in from the enormous doors at the end of the hall and beyond them the distant sound of a crowd outside. His whistle stop tour of the palace is over and he didn't get to see the Queen. But as he steps outside and begins to cross the vast courtyard in front of the palace, the soldiers in front slow to a stop. At a command, they look Up a little to their left and snap their arms into a salute. Following suit, the teenager raises his arm and he can't help but grin. There, sitting high above the huge central entranceway, is a bright white balcony divided by two towering pillars. Standing in the middle, her shimmering crown reflecting the sunlight, is Queen Victoria. She and her husband Albert, wave respectfully to each soldier, showing their eternal gratitude to these young men about to fight for their country. Two years later, the royal couple stand on the balcony to welcome their troops home. Though it's a bittersweet moment, as the British Empire has lost over 22,000 men in the war, in the following years, the royals appear time and again on the balcony to celebrate royal births, weddings and other important events and commemorations.
- [29:14]
Historian
Basically, the balcony was a way in which the monarchy could be seen in the flesh by the public. It enhanced the prestige of the monarchy and it also enhanced royal occasions. It's become a key feature of royal life ever since.
- [29:37]
Narrator
Victoria's reign sees another tradition move to Buckingham palace the changing of the guard. In the now iconic ceremony, the new Guard, dressed in their scarlet tunics and bearskin hats, march from St James palace to Buckingham palace, where they take over protection of the monarch from the old guard. But despite their proximity to the Queen, the behavior of her men isn't always up to royal standards. One afternoon, Victoria calls in unexpectedly on her cavalry guards and finds them drinking and gambling. Appalled at such debauchery, she orders an inspection to take place every day at 4pm for the next 100 years. Like many traditions begun by Victoria, it will outlast her reign and continue into the 21st century. As the decades pass, Victoria, Albert and their nine children spend many years in Buckingham Palace. But when Albert dies in 1861, the Queen is plunged into a dark depression. Consumed by grief, she can no longer stand the vibrant, bustling atmosphere of the palace. So she exchanges its busy halls for the more rural settings of Windsor Castle in Berkshire. Though she returns to Buckingham palace for occasional state functions, she'll never call it home again. Her children, however, aren't so quick to dismiss it. When her eldest son becomes King Edward VII following her death in 1901, he moves into the palace and commissions a monument to Victoria outside. It's every bit as formidable as the former Queen herself. Made from 2,300 tons of marble, the memorial is decorated with figures representing victory, truth and justice. On the northeast side of the monument, facing the Mal, is a statue of the King's late mother. Though it's a touching tribute when the structure is unveiled a decade later in 1911, it reveals an embarrassing issue. The new bright white stone contrasts sharply with the color of the palace itself, which has been darkened by decades of London smog. The facade is rebuilt in Portland stone, which is far better suited to the English climate than the elegant but soft French caen stone that the previous inhabitants of the palace had so loved.
- [32:16]
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- [32:48]
Narrator
Did you know that the team behind this show has other podcasts too? Discover them all@noiser.com or wherever you get your podcasts. By the early 20th century, Buckingham palace is one of the most important and most recognizable buildings in Britain. Esteemed guests and heads of state from all corners of the world pour in to enjoy elegant banquets and balls, and tourists flock in their thousands to peek between the gates in the hope of catching a glimpse of one of the royals. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's car speeding from Downing street to the palace courtyard for an audience with the king is a weekly fixture. But being so renowned comes with consequences, and neither the palace nor its residents can control what events take place around it. In May of 1914, Emmeline Pankhurst leads an army of 200 suffragettes to the gates of Buckingham Palace. She is determined to force King George V to sign her petition, which will guarantee fairer treatment of suffragette prisoners, many of whom are going on hunger strikes. Pankhurst also hopes support from the king will be a vital step towards giving women the vote. But though the arrests that follow undoubtedly publicize the suffragette movement, the protest itself is unsuccessful. Other political events around the palace are more positive. On armistice Sunday in November 1918, crowds flock in their thousands to Buckingham palace to celebrate the end of the First World War. The Mall is filled with a sea of Union Jack waving supporters as civilians and soldiers alike clamber onto the Victoria Memorial. Meanwhile, the royal family, King George V and Queen Mary, watch over the celebrations from the palace's balcony. The years pass and Britain changes. Pankhurst's efforts are finally rewarded when women over the age of 30 are granted the vote. London's roads see motor cars replace horses and carriages. Britain's empire starts to decline and a new family moves into Buckingham Palace. In 1936, King Edward VIII scandalously chooses to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. But to do so, he must give up the crown. So his brother becomes George VI's and moves in with his Queen and their two daughters, 10 year old Elizabeth and 6 year old Margaret. Keen for their daughters to have as normal an upbringing as possible, the King and Queen arrange for them to be part of the Girl Guides and Brownies, organizations that teach girls adventure and outdoor skills. Their parents want the Princesses to have fun trekking through wildlife, sleeping under the stars and earning badges for their skills. So much the better if they make friends in the process. And so, in 1937, the first ever Buckingham palace company is formed, made up of 20 guides and 14 brownies, most of whom are daughters of the Royal household and their employees. The Queen Consort herself becomes a patron of the Guides and decides that for the girls, headquarters, a summer house in the palace gardens will suffice. To an outsider, the gleaming white facade, crystal chandeliers and priceless artifacts may give the impression that Buckingham palace belongs more to the realm of fairy tales than reality. But inside, there are elements of normalcy, and King George and his family strive to make the palace an ordinary family home. But not even the King has the power to completely change the building's profile. And with such celebrity comes grave danger. It's September 13, 1940, on the ground floor of Buckingham Palace's eastern wing. Two footmen enter a drawing room. One carries a silver tray laden with china cups, a teapot and a small dish of sugar, while the second follows behind, ready to assist if necessary. The tray is carefully set on the table in front of the King and Queen. Then the two men bow before leaving the way they came. Once out in the corridor, the footmen wait patiently. Juan gazes out of the window, where in the distance he can see scars from the blitz. Though the bombing campaign began just a few days ago, there's already enough damage to make it appear that it's been going on for years. The footman straightens his jacket, knowing it could be a while before he's summoned. Then there is a worrying sound. A low rumble to begin with, but it's getting louder. He exchanges a worried glance with his colleague. Then, abandoning any protocol, they neglect their posts and rush towards the window. Below the clouds is the silhouette of a German bomber. Soaring low over the palace, it looks as though it's about to crash. Then a deafening explosion shakes the entire corridor. Paintings clatter from the walls, mirrors and windows smash, and the floor shudders. Before the servant has a chance to respond, a second explosion follows. Amidst the chaos, the drawing room doors swing open and the King and Queen emerge, both remarkably calm. Without hesitating, they order the servants to come away from the windows and follow them to the palace's bunker. As though in a dream or nightmare, the servants rush along with the King and Queen down the palace's never ending corridor. Crouching low as they run, all four of them shield their heads with their hands to avoid the falling debris. Four more explosions shake the palace and the corridor becomes a lethal obstacle course. Furniture rocks and falls. Upturned heirlooms lie haphazardly as shards of glass, china and porcelain crunch beneath their feet. Eventually, the shocked, breathless foursome descend the stairs to the housemaid's living room that's being used as a temporary bunker. One young servant wrenches open the heavy iron door, which gives way to a cool, quiet room. As he ushers the King and Queen in, the dozen members of the royal household already inside turn to greet them. A group of maids huddle in the corner, their faces pale with fear. A few senior staff members try to calm those in shock, while several footmen clear furniture to make space for the new arrivals. The young servant from upstairs watches in admiration as the King and Queen take their seats among their employees, offering words of comfort. In this moment, there is no hierarchy dividing monarch or subject, royalty or servant. They are all united in their fear. The German attack on Buckingham palace sees six bombs fall on the building, causing widespread damage.
- [40:45]
Historian
The private chapel was completely destroyed during that bombing raid, and on the site of that chapel today is the King's gallery. The damage on that day was extensive. Other parts of the palace were also badly damaged. The Victoria Memorial, which is at the front of Buckingham palace, that was also damaged during that particular bombing raid. The King and his Queen consort, Queen Elizabeth, were at the palace. Fortunately, they were not injured, but four people were injured, and one of those people later died from their injuries.
- [41:35]
Narrator
Unscathed from the attack. Queen Elizabeth later admits that her own experience gives her a sense of what ordinary people are going through, especially those in the neighborhoods of London facing some of the heaviest bombardments. I am glad we have been bombed, she says. It makes me feel I can look the East End in the face. Following the disaster, the royal family is encouraged to move out of the city to safety. Elsewhere yet they refuse.
- [42:09]
Historian
They were most insistent that they wanted to stay in London. The view seemed to be that they wanted to be with the people of London. They felt that it would be very good for morale if they stayed and that it would have been rather bad for morale had they left the capital. When asked about whether or not the Royal family were going to leave London, Queen Elizabeth famously said that the children will not leave without me. I won't leave the King and the King will never leave. So she was quite clear the Royal family were not quitting London.
- [42:58]
Narrator
Five years after the attack, the end of the war sees a happier memory. Made at Buckingham palace on May 8, 1945. Thousands of civilians and soldiers flock to the palace to celebrate victory in Europe. The royal family makes no fewer than eight appearances on the royal balcony. But during the final few, two notable members are missing. 19 year old Elizabeth and 15 year old Margaret sneak off and immerse themselves in the celebrations below, ecstatic with relief that the war has been won, none of the revelers notice that they're partying with two princesses. However, even in times of peace, safety at the palace is far from guaranteed. In the summer of 1982, the palace makes front page news around the world when it becomes the subject of a bizarre break in. During the early hours of July 9, a 31 year old painter from London, Michael Fagan, breaks in. Taking advantage of the worryingly laxed security, Fagan scales the 14 foot wall around the courtyard's perimeter, climbs a drainpipe to reach the first floor, kicks off his shoes and socks, then slips inside through an open window. For 15 blissful minutes he wanders around the palace completely undisturbed. Creeping through corridor after corridor, he manages to cut his hand on some glass. But not letting the injury ruin his fun, he continues on his journey until he reaches a bedroom. Curious to discover who might be sleeping inside, Fagan pulls aside a curtain draped across the grand four poster bed. There, sitting upright, wearing a liberty patterned dressing gown and a look of polite alarm on her face, is Queen Elizabeth ii. What happens next depends on who you ask.
- [44:57]
Historian
It's possible that Michael Fagin and the Queen had a brief conversation, but Michael Fagin actually said that the Queen left the room fairly soon after he had arrived. She went to get help, but no help came initially. Eventually help did come. Michael Fagin was arrested and he ended up going into a psychiatric hospital for three months.
- [45:30]
Narrator
Though the exact details of his meeting with the Queen may be lost to history, what's clear is that Fagin's attempt should not have been possible at all.
- [45:40]
Historian
Fagin's entry into the palace actually exposed two major security lapses. Fagin triggered an alarm when he managed to get over the wall of the palace grounds. But incredibly, the police that were on duty adopted the view that the alarm was faulty. And also the police officer who should have been guarding the Queen's bedroom had gone off duty. It really exposed a significant weakness at the heart of the security apparatus. Now, he had got no intention of harming the Queen. He was an admirer of the late Queen. But everybody at the time was shocked because anybody could have actually got in, avoided security and potentially caused the Queen great harm.
- [46:48]
Narrator
As it turns out, this attempt is not Fagan's first security breach. He reveals to police that a month earlier he snuck into the palace in much the same way and spent around 20 minutes sampling cheese and wine that had been gifted to Prince Charles to celebrate the birth of his son William. He even had a go sitting on the thrones. When it became clear no one was coming to stop him, Fagin got bored and left. These lapses in security are enormous embarrassments for the palace staff and British government, even prompting the Home Secretary to offer his resignation. An investigation is launched into the response of the palace police and new measures are introduced, including round the clock security in the residential wing. But Fagan will not be the last uninvited person to sneak past the palace guards. In 1994, a naked American paraglider lands on the palace roof. And less than a decade later, Daily Mirror journalist Ryan Perry gains access by falsifying references to land a job as a footman. Perry claims his trespass was to highlight the lax security at the palace, which he no doubt succeeds in doing. He reports that he came close enough to the Queen on multiple occasions that he could have harmed her had he wanted to. The following year, 2004, sees a campaigner from the pressure group Fathers for justice dress up as Batman and climb the royal balcony to unfurl a banner promoting his organization. But perhaps not all visitors need to dodge security to get in. Rumor has it that two ghosts haunt the corridors of Buckingham Palace. One is said to be that of a monk draped in a brown hood who walks the rear terrace at night. Perhaps one of the Westminster monks who rented the land during William the Conqueror's reign. Another apparition is said to be the ghost of Major John Gwynne, former private secretary to Edward vii. Ashamed by the social scandal of his divorce, he allegedly shot himself in the first floor office, a room that some staff continue to Avoid to this day. Now in the 21st century, Buckingham palace is over 300 years old. It's been the official residence of Britain's monarchy for well over a century and a half. And its story is inextricable from that of the famous families that have walked its halls, eaten at its tables and slept in its beds. Royal traditions permeate right to the perimeters of the palace. Announcements of royal births and deaths are displayed on the railings and via its flagpoles. The palace even has its own coded system for letting the public know when the King or Queen is home.
- [49:53]
Historian
When the monarch is in residence at Buckingham palace, the Royal Standard flies. The Royal Standard, it's never lowered to half mast. When somebody dies, it flies high. When the late Queen passed away, she was staying at Balmoral Castle. The Royal Standard was not lowered to half mast. This represents the continuity of the monarchy.
- [50:30]
Narrator
But that's not to say everyone is happy with this system. Following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997, some criticized the fact that the Royal Standard wasn't lowered. To placate these grievances. A Union Jack was raised instead and flown half mast in honor of the late Princess. Buckingham palace continues to be so much more than a royal headquarters. Since the 1990s, it's been one of Britain's most popular tourist destinations, with over a million visitors paying for entry each year. A scheme introduced to raise funds after a fire at Windsor Castle. And despite its age, it's still an astonishing place, boasting 775 rooms, including 52 bedrooms, 78 bathrooms, a cinema, swimming pool, post office, police station, doctor's clinic and the largest private garden in London. Some even claim there are secret tunnels only accessible to the monarch, or hidden rooms that have been sealed for centuries. For some, though, its sprawling opulence is exactly what makes it contentious.
- [51:42]
Historian
Buckingham palace. It does attract controversy. Some people feel that the palace should be open for more weeks per year. It costs around about 16 million pounds a year to maintain. And at the moment, the palace is being renovated and the cost of the renovations is around £369 million. So there are some people who are not happy about the cost. Buckingham palace arousing controversy is nothing new. Around about 50 years ago, there was a rather controversial Labour MP called Willie Hamilton, and he was an anti monarchist and he wrote a book called My Queen and I in 1974, which was very controversial at the time. And he was very critical of the Royal family and he was very critical about the fact that that they lived in Buckingham palace, which he described as the largest council house in the country. So these criticisms, they're nothing new.
- [53:03]
Narrator
Even so, some efforts are made to share the palace's grandeur with the British people. Three parties are held in the palace gardens every summer, hosting about 30,000 guests from around the world in honor of their achievements. For the millions of others not invited, they can make do with peering through the palace railings, taking selfies with the guards, waiting to watch a royal balcony wave. In the days before Charles III's coronation in 2023, many even camp outside the palace in the hope of catching a glimpse of the new king, who himself was born within its walls. For many people across the globe, the magic of Buckingham palace is eternal, as permanent a fixture as the institution of the monarchy itself.
- [53:55]
Historian
Buckingham palace is still so popular because it's become not just an icon of the royal family and the institution of monarchy, but it's very much an icon of London and the whole United Kingdom. It's become one of the most recognizable sites in the world. And visitors to London love Buckingham Palace. As a tour guide, I can tell you that it's one of the places that my clients get the most excited about. I think in many ways, certainly, certainly in the eyes of foreign visitors to London, it almost is the quintessence of British culture.
- [54:52]
Narrator
Next time on Short HISTORY of We'll bring you a short history of the Panama Canal.
- [54:58]
Order Taker
The construction of the Panama Canal was such a spectacular project on every level, really. It was arguably the largest human infrastructural project in history up to that time. It changed the Western Hemisphere in the ways that it created these new demographic migratory flows. The human level of effort and sometimes joy and sometimes pain and tragedy of so many humans, lives permanently changed by this. Both within Panama, across much of the rest of Central America, the Caribbean and the United States. It's just a tremendous level of change. So by any measurement, the construction of the Panama Panama Canal is just a spectacular thing.
- [55:57]
Narrator
That's next time. If you can't wait a week until the next episode, you can listen to it right away by subscribing to Noiser+ head to ww.comscriptions for more information.