Historic Royal Palaces is an independent charity created in 1998 to manage Britain's unoccupied royal palaces. These are:
- The Tower of London
- Hampton Court Palace
- Kensington Palace (State Apartments and Orangery only)
- Banqueting House, Whitehall
- Kew Palace with Queen Charlotte's Cottage
Historic Royal Palaces is contracted by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to manage the palaces on The Queen's behalf. It receives no funding from the Government or the Crown, depending on the support of visitors, members, donors, volunteers and sponsors. It is a registered charity.
The occupied royal palaces are cared for and maintained by the Royal Household Property Section. They are all open to the public.
Famous quotes containing the words royal palaces, historic, royal and/or palaces:
“What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.”
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 11:7-9.
Jesus speaking about John the Baptist.
“If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the new stand side by side, and admit of being compared; when the energies of all men are searched by fear and by hope; when the historic glories of the old can be compensated by the rich possibilities of the new era?”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Here was a royal fellowship of death.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“We are born each morning, shelled upon
A sheet of light that paves
The palaces of sight, and brings again
The river shining through the field of graves.”
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)