Lecture | St James’s Palace: The Ancient, Accidental Palace
Sunday, May 7, 2023
St James’s Palace: The Ancient, Accidental Palace
Presented by Rienzi, the MFAH house museum for European decorative arts
With the first coronation of a British monarch in 70 years scheduled for May 6, author Rufus Bird visits the MFAH the same weekend to talk about another splendid backdrop to royal pageantry: St James’s Palace, a remarkable building at the heart of the British monarchy. In spite of the palace’s pivotal role in British history—from medieval origins as a leper hospital to its current role as residence of Charles III—it remains the least-known of the royal residences.
The King and Queen Consort live at Clarence House, part of the sprawling mass of buildings that emerged from the Tudor palace constructed in the 1530s. The palace’s history includes family arguments, lavish royal apartments, a lost masterpiece building by architect William Kent, dilapidation, fire, reconstruction, and even murder.
About the Speaker
Rufus Bird is a furniture specialist and co-author of the new book St James’s Palace: From Leper Hospital to Royal Court. When he served as surveyor of the Royal Collection Trust, his office was in the heart of St James’s Palace for more than 10 years.
Plan Your Visit
This program is included with general admission. The lecture takes place in Lynn Wyatt Theater in the Kinder Building on the MFAH main campus, with seating on a first-come, first-served basis. On Sundays, the Museum is open from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Education programs at Rienzi receive generous funding from the Sterling-Turner Foundation; Alkek and Williams Foundation; Carroll Sterling and Harris Masterson III Endowment; and the Caroline Wiess Law Endowment for Rienzi.