Queen Of England To Rent Out Palace For Olympics

A Royal palace is to be let out to companies for up to £30,000 a day during next year's Olympic Games.

In a break with nearly 500 years of Royal protocol, St James's Palace has thrown open the doors to some of its most lavish state apartments for private firms to rent during the London Games.

The Queen has personally approved the plans to allow businesses to take their pick of the Palace's Throne Room, its Tapestry Room and the Queen Anne Room for glamorous parties.

And wealthy pleasure-seekers can take advantage of another stately offer further north - with Leeds Castle available to hire for the Olympics at £1million.

Guests at St James's will enjoy an exclusive tour of the Palace as part of the exclusive celebrations.

They will also be close to several key Olympic events, including the Beach Volleyball in Horse Guards Parade, and the marathon, which will start and finish in the Mall.

St James's Palace, which is still the official residence of the Sovereign, is normally closed to the public.


Now, under the hire plan, firms will be able to invite guests to events in the Tapestry Room, which boasts an original Tudor fireplace and a selection of tapestries woven for Charles II, and the Throne Room, which contains a single throne for the reigning Monarch.

The Palace was shown to the world after Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge chose one of its rooms to announce their engagement