The story of Buckingham Palace spans generations of British rulers. It was built by the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 as a neoclassical townhouse before it was acquired by King George III in 1762. At that time, it was known as the Queen’s House and St James' Palace remained the official seat of the court.

However, Buckingham Palace was lavishly enlarged in the 18th century and Queen Victoria became the first monarch to take up residence in 1837.

The palace has 775 rooms, stretching across an area of 39 acres (15.8ha), and if the monarch's royal standard is billowing high above the roof, you know he’s in. When the Union Jack is flown instead, as seen here, he is elsewhere.

Unlocking the secrets and of Britain's most famous palace