St James's Palace: From Leper Hospital to Royal Court

In this first modern history of St James’s Palace, the authors shed new light on a remarkable building that, despite serving as the official residence of the British monarchy from 1698 to 1837, is by far the least known of the royal residences. The book explores the role of the palace as home to the heir to the throne before 1714, its impact on the development of London and the West end during the late Stuart period and how, following the fire at the palace of Whitehall, St James’s became the principal seat of the British monarchy in 1698. The arrangement and display of the paintings and furnishings making up the Royal Collection at St James’s is chronicled as the book follows the fortunes of the palace through the Victorian, Edwardian and Elizabethan periods up to the present day. Specially commissioned maps, phased plans and digital reconstructions of the palace at key moments in its development accompany a rich array of historical drawings, watercolours, photographs and plans. Edited by Simon Thurley; with contributions by Rufus Bird, Simon Thurley and Michael Turner. Hardcover 30 x 24.5 cm 308pp plus 4 large-scale plans