Kew Palace, England

Kew Palace is a British Royal Palace in Kew Gardens,Kew on the banks of the Thames up river from London. There have been at least four Palaces at Kew, and three have been known as Kew Palace; the first building may not have been known as Kew as no records survive other than the words of another courtier. One survives and is open to visitors. It is cared for by an independent charity,Historic Royal Palaces, which receives no funding from the Government or the Crown.

The first Kew Palace

Not much is known of this building except that Queen Elizabeth I gave this building to Robert Dudley, her childhood friend and court favourite. A letter from another of Elizabeth's courtiers suggests this to have been Dudley's main home near London, it's possible it might have also been called Leicester House.

The second Kew Palace

The old palace was built in 1631 by Samuel Fortrey.

The building formerly belonged to the Smith family, and by marriage became the property of Samuel Molyneux, Esq., secretary to George II.

Frederick, Prince of Wales took a long lease of the house, which he made his frequent residence; and here, too, occasionally resided his favourite poet, James Thomson, author of "The Seasons."

The third Kew Palace

The third Kew Palace near the western corner of Kew Green stands, commenced for George III, under the direction of the late James Wyatt, Esq. The north front possesses an air of solemn, sullen grandeur; but it very ill accords with the taste and science generally displayed by its nominal architect.

The fourth Kew Palace

The building today known as Kew Palace and opposite the old palace, was originally a mansion of moderate proportions known as the Dutch House. It was taken on a long lease by George III from the descendants of Sir Richard Levett, a powerful merchant and the former Lord Mayor of the City of London, who had purchased it from the grandson of the original owner, a Dutch merchant who had built the house in 1663.

George III