Buckingham Palace is without doubt one of the world's most famous landmarks, but The Queen's official London residence has not always presented such a stern and imposing facade. In this illustrated history John Martin Robinson traces the evolution of the Palace from the Duke of Buckingham's elegant villa to the magnificent working institution that it is today. Building his story around the personalities of the monarchs who have lived here - in particular George III, George IV, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert -he describes the changes each made to the building, and the fashions and preferences that influenced the decoration of each room. But this is only part of the story. Many of the finest works of art in the Royal Collection are to be found in Buckingham Palace, often still in the rooms for which they were commissioned. This makes Buckingham Palace a unique royal residence: at once a busy administrative centre and a superb setting for a world-class art collection. With 111 colour illustrations. Формат: 24 см x 28 см.