St James's: where royal London lives and works

Royal London is not one palace but a cluster of them, built over four centuries within a few minutes of each other. This walk starts with the one everyone knows and then moves into St James's, where the older houses stand, ending at the art school the crown helped to found.

Buckingham Palace: a townhouse that became a palace

Buckingham Palace began in 1703 as a townhouse for the Duke of Buckingham and Normanby. George III bought it in 1761 for Queen Charlotte, and John Nash and Edward Blore then enlarged it around a courtyard. Victoria was the first monarch to live here, from 1837. The face you see from the Mall is later still: Aston Webb redesigned the east front in 1913.

Buckingham PalaceLandmarkStand at the railings by the Victoria Memorial for the east front, with the balcony where the family greets crowds on big occasions. The state rooms open to visitors in the summer, with a few dates in winter and spring. Then walk up the Mall towards Clarence House.Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0

Clarence House: a family home beside the Mall

Clarence House is a good deal smaller. Nash designed it for the Duke of Clarence, the future William IV, and it was finished in 1827. Princess Elizabeth lived here before she became queen, and the Queen Mother was its resident from 1953 until 2002. Today it is the London home of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Clarence HouseLandmarkYou see the pale, plain front from the pavement or the garden railings. It is a private home and opens to visitors only for a short season in summer, so pass by unless you have a ticket. The next palace is just ahead.Photo: ChrisO, CC BY-SA 3.0

Saint James's Palace: the senior royal palace

Saint James's Palace was built for Henry VIII between 1531 and 1536, on the site of a hospital for lepers. The red-brick gatehouse still has its octagonal towers, and the initials H and A, for Henry and Anne Boleyn, appear in the building. Foreign ambassadors to Britain are still accredited to the Court of St James's, a title taken from this building.

Saint James's PalaceLandmarkFind the clock on the gatehouse from the street, which dates from 1731. The palace is used for official business and is not open for visits. Carry on east along Pall Mall to the next big house.Photo: Steven Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0

Marlborough House: Wren's house for a duchess

Marlborough House was finished in 1711 for Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, who thought the Wrens, father and son, were too grand and took over the design herself. Since 1965 it has been the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat. Inside, the saloon has wall paintings of the Battle of Blenheim by Louis Laguerre.

Marlborough HouseLandmarkThe red-brick front is best seen from the street. It is a working office, open to the public mainly on Open House Weekend in September, so pass by on other days. Walk north up to Piccadilly for the last stop.Photo: CMallwitz at English Wikipedia, Public domain

Royal Academy of Arts: George III's school of artists

George III signed the foundation of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768, with Joshua Reynolds as its first president. It has been in Burlington House since 1868. Its Summer Exhibition has run every year since 1769 and accepts work from anyone who submits it. Inside is Michelangelo's marble Taddei Tondo, the only marble by him in Britain.

Royal Academy of ArtsMuseumGo in to see the Taddei Tondo, then look at the courtyard from Piccadilly. Some exhibitions need a ticket, so check what is on before you go.Photo: William Shipley, Public domain

From a home that grew into a palace to a school the crown founded, the walk shows royal London as a set of working places, most of them seen best from the street.