KEW PALACE
This palace was built by Samuel Fortrey in 1631. The building was originally a manor house of moderate proportions, situated opposite the old Kings' Palace. It belonged to the Levett family, who inherited it from King George III. The property remained in the family for a long time, and was rented from time to time to royalty, notably Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales, who was particularly fond of coming to Richmond. George III briefly took up residence here, and had a Gothic palace built. The new palace was still not ready in 1810, and the king's madness forced him to withdraw from public life and leave the palace. His successor did not like the design of the new palace, and had part of the project dismantled and destroyed, moving the staircase, for example, to Buckingham Palace. George III's wife, Queen Charlotte, died at Kew in 1818. Queen Victoria, on her accession to the throne, donated most of the gardens to the nation, retaining only a small summer pavilion for her personal use. The building, restored and reopened in 2006, was used to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday. The history of the building can be retraced inside the palace, which is open to the public. Visit the royal kitchens, unchanged for 200 years, and discover the culinary secrets and gourmet habits of the crowned heads of the 18th and 19th centuries... A treat in the heart of sublime Kew Gardens. In April 2020, the 300th anniversary of the death of George III was commemorated here.
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