Royalty in 1900 London: Clarence House

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Arthur H. Beavan, in his survey of London's royal residences in Imperial London, 1901, turned his attention to Clarence House:

In the year 1873, the Duke of Edinburgh was betrothed to the Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna, only daughter of the Emperor Alexander II of Russia, and on January 23, the following year, the wedding took place at the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, according to the rites of the Greek Church, and afterwards in accordance with those of the Church of England, when Dean Stanley officiated.

Clarence House, the town residence then assigned to the Royal couple, was originally built for the Duke of Clarence in the reign of George III, upon a portion of the site of two structures that formerly flanked the Palace on the west, and were subsequently converted into Harrington Houses.

(After the death of the Duke of Coburg, the use of Clarence House was offered by the Queen to the Duchess Marie, and after her refusal of it, it was granted to the Duke and Duchess of York.)

During the visit of the allied sovereigns to London in 1814, the King of Prussia resided at Clarence House, and Princess Augusta used it as a town house until her demise in 1840; after which the Duchess of Kent lived there whenever she was in London.

The Duke of Clarence occupied it from time to time, and continued to do so for a brief period after he became King.

Previous to his marriage, the Duke of Edinburgh considerably enlarged and altered Clarence House, at his own expense.

He added a wing and offices, removed the old portico, and erected a new entrance facing St. James' Park.

It was a plain, uninteresting building, but its interior bore evidence of taste and refinement.

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