Banqueting House Whitehall (2024) by Nick GuttridgeHistoric Royal Palaces
1. The Lost Palace
The Banqueting House is the last surviving building from the magnificent Whitehall Palace.
At its peak, Whitehall was probably the largest palace in Europe.
The site started life as home to the Archbishops of York - including Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.
Henry VIII seized 'York Place' from Wolsey in 1530 after he failed to secure the King's annulment from Katherine of Aragon.
Henry turned Wolsey's lavish London home into the perfect royal palace.
Whitehall was built for work and play. As well as the apartments, where state business took place, it included tennis courts, jousting tiltyards and cockfighting pits.
Elizabeth I (1533-1603) (1580/1585) by British School, 16th centuryRoyal Collection Trust, UK
2. The First Banqueting House
In 1581, Elizabeth I needed somewhere impressive to negotiate a marriage treaty with France.
She decided to build a new Banqueting House at Whitehall Palace.
The hall (top centre) was made of brick, wood and canvas with 292 glass windows. The ceiling was painted with vines and tendrils of fruit.
Over 375 men worked day and night to have the building ready in just three months. Two builders even broke their legs in the process.
Inside the brand new hall, the French ambassadors were treated to grand feasts and royal entertainment.
The marriage alliance was unsuccessful. However, Elizabeth's Banqueting House stood for over 25 years.
James VI and I (c.1606) by de Critz, John the elderDulwich Picture Gallery
3. A New Era
James I (VI of Scotland) replaced Elizabeth's Banqueting House in 1609.
However, this second building was cramped, poorly lit and disappointing. James was probably relieved when it burnt down ten years later! He commissioned architect Inigo Jones to build him a new one.
Jones was inspired by 'palladian' architecture - a classical, Italian style based on buildings from Ancient Rome.
This third Banqueting House was completed in 1622. Though some parts were renovated in the 1820s, this stunning building is what still stands to this day.
View of Whitehall, with the Banqueting House and the Holbein Gate (c1744-48) by After Antonio JoliHistoric Royal Palaces
Today Jones' masterpiece blends in with the rest of Whitehall. But when completed in 1622, its bold design was a modern marvel.
Can you see how the Banqueting House (left) stands out against the rest of the Tudor Palace?
James adored his new Banqueting House. He included the unfinished building in this portrait as a striking symbol of the Stuart dynasty.
Apollo and Diana by Gerrit van HonthorstHistoric Royal Palaces
4. Party Palace
Both of King James' Banqueting Houses hosted 'masques'. These were extravagant performances of costume, poetry, theatre and dance - embellished with elaborate sets and special effects.
This painting gives us an idea of a masque's lavish style and symbolism.
During a masque, this whole hall would be lit with flaming torches and full to the brim with people.
In 1618, one witness described the scene as 'so crowded and uncomfortable that it had not been for our curiosity we would have given up or expired'.
The Banqueting House wasn't just for public parties.
Hidden beneath the main hall is the 'undercroft', designed by Inigo Jones as a private drinking den for the King and his closest companions.
The Banqueting House Ceiling The Banqueting House CeilingHistoric Royal Palaces
5. The Rubens Ceiling
This painted ceiling was commissioned by Charles I as a tribute to his father, James I & VI, after his death in 1625.
Created by Flemish artist and diplomat Sir Peter Paul Rubens, it is the only one of his ceiling paintings still found in situ.
Installed in 1636, the painted area measures a total 225 square metres and hangs nearly 15 metres above ground.
The three largest canvases were too big for Rubens' studio. Miscommunication meant they had to be trimmed and extended before they finally fit the ceiling's frames.
To protect the paintings from flames and smoke, Charles I banned the performance of masques at the Banqueting House.
Instead, the hall was mainly used as a royal presence chamber. Here, the King held audiences with guests and diplomats from his Chair of State.
Por Charles I EnglandLIFE Photo Collection
6. Execution
On January 30th, 1649, Charles I walked under the Rubens ceiling to his death.
Charles was beheaded outside the Banqueting House - the only English monarch executed for treason. His death is still remembered with a service held in the hall on the anniversary of his death.
Euro(Bri) London Palaces White HallLIFE Photo Collection
7. Pomp and Ceremony
The Banqueting House also hosted special royal ceremonies. For example, Monarchs from Charles II to Victoria used it to distribute 'Royal Maundy' to the poor.
Maundy usually included money, food and clothes - but before the 18th century, monarchs would even wash the poor's feet!
The hall also hosted the 'Touching for the King's evil' - an ancient ceremony where people believed that a monarch's touch could heal skin diseases like scrofula.
In his first six months as King, Charles II used the Banqueting House to touch over 7000 people.
Henry VIII's Kitchens, Hampton Court Palace (2017) by Simon JarrattHistoric Royal Palaces
8. Fire
Whitehall Palace caught alight on January 4th, 1698. This was not the first fire at the palace, but it was the most catastrophic.
Firefighters fought the blaze for two days using water pumps and even explosives. Meanwhile, others tried to rescue the priceless art kept inside.
To protect the Rubens ceiling and prevent the fire from spreading, King William III ordered that the Banqueting House's south window be sealed off with bricks.
In the end, the hall was the only building left standing.
Euro(Bri) London Palaces White HallLIFE Photo Collection
9. After the Fire
Sir Christopher Wren converted the Banqueting House into a Chapel.
Apart from ceremonies like Royal Maundy, it was mainly used for public preaching and later as a military chapel.
In 1895, the hall became home to the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) museum - an eclectic treasure trove of naval and military history.
The collection included relics from famous ships like Henry VIII's Mary Rose and iconic figures like Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson.
The Great Hall at Banqueting House Whitehall (2024) by Richard Lea-HairHistoric Royal Palaces
10. Today's Banqueting House
The Banqueting House re-opened to the public as a historic building in 1964.
Taken over by Historic Royal Palaces in 1989, James's perfect party venue still dazzles to this day!
