Buckingham Palace is the London residence and ______ _______ of the  monarch of the United Kingdom Located in _____________ the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of _______________ and mourning.

Originally known as Buckingham House, the building at the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the ______________ in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was acquired by _______________in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and became known as The Queen's House. During the 19th century it was enlarged, principally by architects ___________________ who constructed three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace became the London residence of the British monarch on the accession of ______________ in 1837.

The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the East Front, which contains the well-known balcony on which the British ________________ traditionally congregates to greet crowds. A German bomb destroyed the palace chapel during the __________; the Queen’s Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the _____________.

Royal Collection  

Duke of Buckingham 

King George III 

Second World War 

John Nash and Edward Blore 

Administrative headquarters 

The City of Westminster 

Royal family 

National rejoicing 

Queen Victoria