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Lancaster House

Lancaster House

Commissioned in 1825 by the ‘grand old’ Duke of York, York House – as it was then known – was a hub of social and political life throughout the nineteenth century.

When the Duke died, the lease was purchased by the then Marquess of Stafford (later the first Duke of Sutherland) whose family occupied the house from 1829 until 1913. The Sutherlands’ liberal politics and love of the arts attracted many guests, including factory reformer Lord Shaftesbury, anti-slavery author Harriet Beecher Stowe and Italian nationalist leader Garibaldi.

Almost as influential as the visitors was the décor, which was to set the fashion for London reception rooms for nearly a century. The mainly Louis XIV interiors created a stunning backdrop for the Sutherlands’ collection of paintings and objets d’art, many of which can still be seen in the house today.

In 1913, Lord Leverhulme, a Lancastrian, bought the lease for the nation and Stafford House became Lancaster House. At one time home to the London Museum, the house has been an important centre for government hospitality ever since.

Lancaster House is managed by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Situated close to Buckingham Palace, this house is steeped in political history and magnificently preserved. It has been used for receptions and shows during London Fashion Week, and in 2007 various rooms were used in the filming of The Young Victoria, Disney’s National Treasure Book of Secrets, and BBC/HBO’s production of Churchill at War.