Buckingham Palace destruction of the Palace of Westminster by fire in 1834, William considered converting the palace into the new Houses of Parliament. Buckingham Palace finally became the principal royal residence in 1837, on the accession of Queen Victoria, who was the first monarch to reside there; her predecessor William IV had died before its completion. While the state rooms were a riot of gilt and colour, the necessities of the new palace were somewhat less luxurious. For one thing, it was reported the chimneys smoked so much that the fires had to be allowed to die down, and consequently the court
The Six Wives of Henry VIII Live at Hampton Court Palace The Six Wives of Henry VIII Live at Hampton Court Palace The Six Wives of Henry VIII: Live at Hampton Court Palace is a live album from English keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman, released through Eagle Records on 5 October 2009. The album is a live recording of the second of two sold-out concerts on 2 May 2009 at Hampton Court Palace in London. It documents the first live performances of Wakeman's 1973 instrumental concept album "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" in its entirety, in celebration of the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession to the throne. Wakeman performs