The center area behind the palace’s renowned balcony will be open to groups of people for the first time ever.
At Buckingham Palace, the public is almost getting their turn to enjoy their own balcony moment.
The center area behind the palace’s renowned balcony will be open to groups of people for the first time ever.
“Prince Albert’s idea to have a balcony at Buckingham Palace was because he saw it as a way of enabling the Royal Family to connect with the people, and of course that’s exactly how, in a sense, it continues,” stated Caroline de Guitaut, surveyor of the King’s artwork.
However, it was put to use fairly early in Queen Victoria’s reign, starting in 1851, when she sent the men forth to fight in the Crimean War and welcomed them back.
In order to accommodate Queen Victoria’s expanding family, the palace’s East Wing was constructed between 1847 and 1849, enclosing the previous open horseshoe-shaped royal house.
It has been undergoing refurbishment for the last five years. Over 3,500 artworks needed to be taken down and stored securely. It took over 47,000 floorboards to be taken out and reinstalled.
