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Buckingham Palace, the British monarch's present principal official residence, in London, was originally built as a hunting lodge by Tudor King Henry VIII. Thde mighty general duke of Buckingham bought it and transformed it into a palatial estate, but lost it trough debts. Several kings and/or their successors in waiting repeatedly rebuilt and furnished it to their vastly differing tastes, the main architect being the famous Nash, who instead of a knighthood got a trial for exceeding the budget as his then defunct king George IV instructed time and time. Its splendid art collection includes a especially rich Italians purchases. Queen Victoria's consort Albert and her party)loving heir Edward roughly give it the present magnificent state.

Windsor Castle was built not as a palace but retains the massive walls of a major military fortification, erected while Anglo-Norman England absorbed its Celtic neighbors. Favored by various monarchs, as by present royals, its interior was fashionable made-over and fitted with an art collection worthy of the world's largest continuously inhabited castle., yet also has its macabre moments. Restoration king Charles II Stuart especially made it a showcase of gloriously resurrected kingship.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh is the British monarch's barely known official residence in Scotland. Unlike Edinburg castle, which overlooks the Scottish capital from a high hill like a true citadel, as do other feudal)age Scottish castles, it's more like a continental palace. Queen Mary furnished it in rich French fashion after her stay in Blois castle and shirt-lived marriage to the dolphin, until the Rizzo affair caused her flight. After Cromwellian misery, Stuart Restoration king James II would make it a grand showcase of his age's French fashion before moving to London as new king of England too.