Home is where the Queen lives

Yesterday, my group and I visited Buckingham Palace. Although we have seen the outside so many times due to our documentary topic, we were further intrigued to get a closer look into where the royal family spends their time. The other palaces we have visited including Windsor, Leeds Castle, Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace have all been similar to me in the sense that they all did not feel like homes. Granted, these spaces were built for royalty but royalty or not, they are still people. The rooms had no sense of intimacy and felt rather cold. I could never imagine myself living in a space that I was not comfortable in or that did not feel  “homey”.

Before going to Buckingham I expected to experience the same feeling as I did when I visited the other palaces, especially that Buckingham Palace is where the Queen mainly works and sometimes lives. It is a rather intimidating place due to the gated front and the many guards ensuring the Queen’s safety.

While walking through Buckingham, I had to admit to myself that preexisting thoughts were far from true. Yes, Buckingham Palace is extravagant and very large but there was something about it that felt passionate, intimate and real. The colors of the rooms were very homey and warm-livable to me. My favorite room in the house was the music room. Music is a huge part of my life and is a passion of mine, which immediately drew me to this room. The room was gorgeously decorated with orchids on the piano. Orchids happen to be my favorite flowers so I was in heaven. The chandeliers glistened up above and I could just imagine the Queen sipping tea on the couch while listening to Mozart or Bach. My next thought was of myself in this room sipping tea and listening to Mozart or Bach, but I was quickly snapped back to reality when I was stepped on by a clumsy tourist.

The rest of the palace was lovely and I could honestly say that I was lost in the beauty of it. The palace pleasantly surprised me. I know I did not see all that there is to see of the palace but from what I did see, I think that I got a better understanding of the Queen from my visit.

Quite sadly, I am writing this blog on my last Tuesday in London. I may not be in the music room of Buckingham palace but I am in my lovely flat, sipping tea listening to Demi Lovato. Definitely isn’t Buckingham but there’s no other place I’d rather be.