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.
“The first farmer was the first man, and all historic nobility rests on possession and use of land.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“When other helpers fail and comforts flee, when the senses decay and the mind moves in a narrower and narrower circle, when the grasshopper is a burden and the postman brings no letters, and even the Royal Family is no longer quite what it was, an obituary column stands fast.”
—Sylvia Townsend Warner (1893–1978)
“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)