Buckingham Palace, or Buck Palace, as it is informally known amongst the British, is the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II. In the summer months, the palace opens its doors to tourists and visitors. It was acquired by King George III as a house for his wife, Queen Charlotte. It became known as the Queen's House and 14 of George III's children were born there. When George IV rose to the throne, he had the house converted into a palace. The size of the house was doubled and a new building wing was added which was of a French neoclassical style. Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to live in Buckingham Palace and she had a fourth wing added to the building. In 1911 the front court was added. This is where the Changing of the Guard takes place.
The State Rooms of the palace are accessible to visitors. These rooms are still officially used by the Royal family to receive and entertain important State guests. The interiors of the palace are lavishly decorated and contain some of the most valuable paintings by Rembrandt and Rubens, as well as some of the finest French and English furniture in the world.
