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Built in 1514 as a private residence for Cardinal Wolsey, the palace was presented to Henry VIII to secure the King's favour. Along with St James's Palace, it is one of only two surviving palaces out of the many owned by King Henry VIII. In the following century, following the accession of William and Mary, King William III's massive rebuilding and expansion project was intended to rival the Palace of Versailles. During this work, half the Tudor palace was replaced and Henry VIII's state rooms and private apartments were both lost; the new wings around the Fountain Court contained new state apartments and private rooms, one set for the King and one for the Queen. Work ceased in 1694, after the death of Queen Mary; this left the palace in two distinct contrasting architectural styles, domestic Tudor and Baroque.

No monarch has ever resided at Hampton Court since the reign of King George II and during the reign of Queen Victoria, the palace was opened to the public. Today, the palace and its gardens are open to the public and a major tourist attraction; the structure and grounds are cared for by an independent charity, Historic Royal Palaces Link , which receives no funding from the Government or the Crown.

Hampton Court Palace is a grade I listed building (English Heritage Building ID: 205384 Link British Listed Buildings).

Link Hampton Court Website
Link Wikipedia page