The Court of St. James

The picturesque gateway of the present palace of St. James, London, is all that remains of the old Palace of St. James which enshrined the memory of many historic events. Its name was derived from a religious house dedicated to St. James, situated upon this site before the Conquest. After Westminster was burned, Henry VIII. obtained an Act of Parliament which secured all the land between Charing Cross and Westminster as a Royal Manor. This gave him "York Palace," the residence of Cardinal Wolsey, and St. James. He changed the name of "York Palace" to "Whitehall," and connected it with St. James by St. James' Park. This was the town residence of Royalty from Henry VIII. to William III. (1509-1702). After the burning of Whitehall, William III. bought Kensington, the fourth royal residence, but "St. James" was retained as the "Court Palace." All State Ceremonials have taken place here since the reign of "William and Mary" (1688-1702). Hence the English Government is called "The Court of St. James." Any Englishman who has been presented to the Queen at St. James is entitled to a presentation at any other Court of Europe. Charles I. resided at St. James, here his three children were born, and from here he walked across St. James' Park to the scaffold in front of Whitehall. Queen Victoria was proclaimed Queen and married at St. James, and here her Levees and Drawing-Rooms are held.