The Queen’s House in Greenwich is located in the same area as the Old Royal Naval College, the Maritime Museum, Greenwich Park, and is a short walk away from the Greenwich Observatory and Greenwich Market. Once a royal retreat, it is now a free museum open to the enjoyment of all. I took as many photos as I could, and I hope you enjoy them. I was very fortunate that the day began cloudy only to turn into a gloriously sunny, warm day.
Built for Anne of Denmark in 1616 to a design by Inigo Jones, this was the first classical building in England. After Anne died, her son’s wife, Henrietta Maria, lived here for only a few years prior to the outbreak of the English Civil War. You can read up about the history of The Queen’s House here.
This was, to my shame, my first visit to The Queen’s House. I know, I know, I should have gone before, especially as I lived in London for a few years.
Let’s start off with the First Floor (Second Floor in the USA). This floor has the following:
1) History of the House
2) Historic Greenwich
3) The Great Hall
4) Tudors at Greenwich
5) The van de Velde room (a major Dutch painter during the late 17th-century).
6) Orangery
7) South-east Parlour which contain J.M.W. Turner’s Battle of Trafalgar.
For the purposes of this blog, I have only photographed the things which deal with our century. We’ll start with the stairs one needs to ascend to get to the Great Hall.
Yes, that’s right, those are portraits of Queen Henrietta Maria and King Charles I. 
Next, we have the Second Floor (USA 3rd floor):
This floor contains Art for the Nation: world-class art celebrating Britain’s long relationship with the sea. Highlights here include:
– Earl of Sandwich by Gainsborough.
– Admiral Nelson and Emma Hamilton
– Captain Cook’s voyages.
– World War II art.
As I quite like the details in these great old places, look at the intricate detail on ceiling beams:
From this level there is a gorgeous view of the Old Royal Naval College!
This next room was my favourite – a sumptuous blue and gold decorated room, chock full of 17th-century paintings! You can see James II above the mantelpiece.
I hope you enjoyed the photos!
<3, Andrea the Seventeenth Century Lady x
Wonderful photos Andrea. Looks like you had an amazing tour.
Thank you, Susan – yes, I had a great day after my morning session at the Maritime Museum. I’m glad I was alone, as I can concentrate better on getting the details of places. 🙂
Great pictures.
I am soo looking forward to seeing this in person….Having never been to the HOMELANDS to see the places that my ancestors inhabited….I am simply agog with genuine awe that this was home for some…..My Family traces to Tacinda Tudor via the Rice’s of Goggerdan and Scottsborough line of Sir Rhys Ap Thomas…..Margaret Mercer is connected to the daughter of Lady Jane Grey and thus back to Jacinda and Jasper….To say the least….my Nebraska family is having a very hard time accepting this, even though there are 7 double-ganger Tudor, Stewart, and Plantagenet faces among us…..Im working on a book to explain it in DNA Science, but suffice to say that X chromosomes carry all the facial information passed from both father and mother to daughters, but not the Y chromosome….Many thanks for you work here…I am a FAN! DCRice of the Nebraska Rice’s….