House dates from 1631 and was initially owned by wealthy silk merchant Wife of George III and mother to 15 childrenFrom pampered princess to elderly empress: wife, mother and queenIt was a place where they could be private, domestic, and live normal lives unencumbered by the trappings of ceremony and deference. A leader in mental health treatment, his regime was at times brutal and included isolation and restraint, but eventually the King recovered.We should not call George 'mad' today, but when he first fell ill he suffered additionally from the primitive medical treatment that leading doctors forced upon him in the seclusion of Kew.George and Charlotte took a keen and surprisingly personal interest in their many children, perhaps making up the paternal affection George himself missed out on after his father’s early death.
Kew Palace’s life as a royal residence began in the most pedestrian fashion: In 1728, Queen Caroline, wife of the new king, George II, had run out of room at her nearby house, Richmond Lodge, and needed Kew as overflow accommodation. From their early years, George and his eldest brother lived in the old house, also now known as Kew Palace. The King was incarcerated there during his first bout of ‘madness’ in 1788. His father installed an astronomer, John Desaguliers, in the attic of the White House at Kew, and he and leading scientists would come to lecture the royal family.When staying out of the public eye at Kew, the children were lodged in several houses, with the eldest boys George (later George IV) and Frederick at today's Kew Palace, where their father had been brought up.Royal Kew was transformed during George III's lifetime. Though there were occasions when the windows of the royal coach were broken by the mob, the King emerged still popular with his people.At home, George and Charlotte joined the royal band in music-making, both playing the harpsichord and George also the flute. To learn more or change your settings, please see our However, despite his best intentions, George's parenting style veered into the domineering.George's daughters did not fare much better as a result of their father's doting, but controlling, parenting style.Prince George was home-schooled, mostly at Kew, against the background of The Age of the Enlightenment. Historic Royal Palaces is an independent charity. We rely entirely on your support.Included in all admission tickets (members go free)The most intimate of our six royal palaces, Kew was built as a private house in 1631 and used by the royal family between 1729 and 1818.
They looked to the Germany for inspiration. He George, Prince of Wales writing about himself in the third person at 17 years oldGeorge III was born on 4 June 1738, during a period of cultural, as well as political revolutions.
Kew Palace
The international marriage market for suitable princesses (who had to be Protestant) was small, and Princess Charlotte (1744-1818) from the minor German Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was rather surprised to be made Queen of Great Britain in 1761 at the tender age of 17.In our home section you will find stylish lifestyle home accessories and furnishings, including cushions, tapestries, ornaments and much more which will add those finishing touches to make your room complete.Art and science flourished under George's patronage. It became a royal residence during the early 18th century when it was known as the Dutch House. As a result of the Coronavirus global pandemic, we have taken the difficult decision to close Kew Palace and the Great Pagoda until March 2021. The King had Chambers build an observatory in the park, where George became fascinated with the pursuit of accurate time-keeping and the world very nearly ended up with Kew - instead of Greenwich - mean time!After independence, the King found it difficult to deal with political opponents who had been emboldened by this failure and the revolutionary stirrings at home and especially in France.