The garden on the south side of St James’s Palace has been enjoyed by the occupants of Clarence House since the nineteenth century, however there has been a garden on this site since the sixteenth century when the walled privy garden was created for use by Henry VIII and his family. In the seventeenth century, it was planted with a parterre de broderie for Charles I and Henrietta Maria, and by the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries the garden was composed of two large rectangular areas of lawn surrounded by walks, as depicted in paintings and engravings of the period. Today, Clarence House is the official residence of TRH The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall and the urban garden of half an acre continues to flourish.

Discover the stories behind Clarence House's garden in the Royal Collection by clicking on the items below.