The first home on the site of Kew Palace was built by Samuel Fortrey, a Flemish merchant, in 1631. The house was made of red brick and was known as the Dutch House. It stayed in the Fortrey family for another generation. Then, it was passed through a succession of tenants. In 1729, the house at Kew attracted the attention of Queen Caroline of Ansbach, wife of King George II. Caroline felt the house would be suitable for her three oldest daughters: Anne, Caroline, and Amelia. Meanwhile, Frederick, Prince of Wales, rebuilt a house that was opposite the present palace, know as the White House. This began an association between Kew and the Princes of Wales. The White House was given to the Princes of Wales to live until they came of age.
The Madness of King George III
In 1788, King George III was declared insane after the onset of porphyria, a hereditary blood disorder. Severe cases of the disorder can cause temporary bouts of insanity. The king would usually recover within a few months, but when he was struck, he would be kept at Kew in the White House. In 1800 the king commissioned James Wyatt to build a Gothic palace beside the original brick house. The White House, and its connection to the king’s madness, was demolished.
Unfortunately, George suffered two more bouts of insanity and was moved to Kew. His queen, Charlotte, lived at Kew Palace with her daughters, who were all unmarried, during this time. The king’s last visit was in 1806 before he descended into insanity permanently.
The Death of Queen Charlotte
In 1818, Queen Charlotte fell ill and was forced to stay at Kew Palace. Soon after two of her sons, the Dukes of Clarence and Kent married two German princesses in a double ceremony at Kew. The dukes were forced to marry in an effort to produce an heir to the throne after the death of Princess Charlotte in 1817. Queen Charlotte died at Kew Palace on November 17, 1818. Her lying-in-state was held in the dining room.
Opened to the Public
After the queen’s death, the palace was largely ignored. In 1898, Queen Victoria opened the palace to the public, with the provision that no alterations were made to the room in which Queen Charlotte died.
In 1996, the palace was closed for a ten-year restoration. On April 21, 2006, Prince Charles hosted a dinner to celebrate the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. A couple of days later, the palace was opened to the public again.
Sources:
Historic Royal Palaces. "Kew Palace" (accessed September 15, 2009)
Royal Botanic Gardens: Kew. "Kew Palace" (accessed September 16, 2009)
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