Her Majesty's Theatre provided the first alternative to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, built in 1663 and the Lincoln's Inn, founded in 1660 (forerunner of the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, built in 1728). The theatre's site is the second oldest such site in London that remains in use. These three post-interregnum theatres defined the shape and use of modern theatres. The land for the theatre was held on a lease renewable in 1740 and was ultimately owned, as it is today, by the Crown Estate. Building was delayed by the necessity of acquiring the street frontage, and a three bay entrance led to
Theatre in the Victorian era section of the society, with some representation from the aristocracy. The great alteration, however, didn't come until the middle of the Victorian era. The greatest work done to improve theatre’s perception was done by none other Queen Victoria. The Queen’s encouragements of the theatre not only pumped fresh air into the London theatre, but theatre was also understood as “something destined to yield a rich harvest in the future” (9). The new audiences which were being built in both the metropolitan and provincial areas demanded new theatres. It was also the need of the time to remodel the old theatres.