Throne room

For the album, seeThrone Room (album).

Athrone roomorthrone hallis the room, often rather a hall, in the official residence of the crown, either apalaceor a fortifiedcastle,where thethroneof a senior figure (usually amonarch) is set up with elaborate pomp—usually raised, often with steps, and under acanopy,both of which are part of the original notion of the Greek wordthronos.

The throne room at thePalace of Fontainebleau,France.

Function

A throne room is an impressive setting for a monarch to preside 'in majesty' over official ceremonies, to hold council, to grant audiences, to receive homage, to award high honors and offices, and to perform other official functions. Any of these could just as well be transferred, even on a permanent basis, to one or more other rooms, even outside the palace or ambulant. It can also be where theroyal courtcan gather.

A common misconception is that kings and other ruling princes governed their lands seated on a throne for most of the working day. This may have been true in earlier times, for some rulers who actually presided over their council; yet often, another room was used, but only in peacetime.

Many others were almost constantly on the move with an ambulant court. It could even have been that the crown did not have an effective capital, as inEnglandduring most of the time before theNorman conquest.Or it could have been that the crown had, rather, a series of alternative residences, as did theHoly Roman Emperors.In their case, these developed intopalatinatesunder theHabsburgdynasty when they also acquired extensive crown lands outsideGermanyandAustria,and their court often travelled on an almost continental scale.

Other monarchies frequently changed their capital, but then they would have used a mobile throne, possibly in addition to the permanent one used forenthronementand/orcoronation.There are cases inAfricaandAsiawhere the very name of the 'capital' is not a fixed place, but was the place wherever a king settled for a few years. In some climates court migrated annually between a summer and a winter capital. It has also common to spend quite some time, without need for practical reason, in secondary residences, not in the least hunting lodges.

Even when their capitals were fixed, English and FrenchRenaissancekings used to travel extensively, and maintained many royal castles, in addition to paying visits tograndeesof the realm.Henry VIII's most frequently used residence was, in fact, atHampton Court,which was then outsideLondon.

Even when in the main or only palace, the monarch often spent much time in other parts of the residence, such as the dining hall, the chapel, private quarters (for rest and family life), possibly a separate presence room, the council chamber, ballroom, gardens, court, theatre, and other recreational facilities.

Nowadays, throne rooms are only used for occasional grand ceremonies. Paperwork is done in an office, and most guests are received in a salon.

Notable examples

The following are notable throne rooms. Others are listed in the article onthrones.

Austria

Hofburg

Once the seat of theHoly Roman Empireand theAustrian Empirefor over 600 years, theHofburg Imperial Palace's throne room now serves as a conference centre, used by the Austrian Congress and for other international events.

Canada

The chamber of theSenate of CanadainCentre Block,which takes many of its design cues from the chamber of theBritish House of Lordsat thePalace of Westminster,contains three thrones at its head. These thrones are used for the annualSpeech from the Throne,which can be seen as a form of royal audience forParliament,and thus the Senate chamber can be seen as a throne room in the royal presence.

China

The principal imperial throne of China, in the Hall of Supreme Harmony

In theForbidden City,China's last imperial palace, the principal throne rooms are the three halls of the Outer Palace: theHall of Supreme Harmony,theHall of Central Harmonyand theHall of Preserving Harmony,of which theHall of Supreme Harmonywas the most important.

Denmark

Rosenborg

Denmark's anointing throne

The throne in the throne room atRosenborg Castle(now a museum) inCopenhagenwas commissioned byKing Frederik IIIin about 1663, and used by the absolutist kings of Denmark from 1671 to 1840 for the anointing ceremony. It was probably created byBendix Grodtschilling.It was inspired by King Solomon's throne which, according to theBible,was made ofivoryand had six steps with lion figures on each. Tooth ofNarwhalwas chosen as the material, both because it was found in Danish waters and owing to its mythical associations with theunicorn;twelve lions were also commissioned, three of which, in silver, have been preserved in the room.

Christiansborg

The throne room actually used for receiving ambassadors is atChristiansborg.

The Throne Roomat Christiansborg is where foreign ambassadors present theircredentialsto theKing.

France

Versailles

The throne was commissioned byKing Louis XIVand was in use until 1789. In 1837, theChâteau de Versaillesbecame a national museum. As part of the greaterVersaillesmuseum, the room is open to the public.Compare:Lit de justice.

Fontainebleau Palace

Preferring Fontainebleau over Versailles,EmperorNapoléon IhadKing Louis XV's bedroom converted into an Imperial throne room, and it was here that Napoléon abdicated. The palace was last used byNapoléon III;it was later declared a national monument in 1871, after the collapse of theFrench Empire.

Monaco: Prince's Palace,

For over 700 years, theGrimaldifamily have ruledMonaco,and it is in this throne room that many historic festivals and ceremonies have taken place since the 16th century. It is also where most civil marriages of thePrincely Familyoccur, before then having a religious ceremony elsewhere.

Germany

Thrones of the King and Queen,ResidenzofMunich,Bavaria

Residence of Munich

TheResidenzof theWittelsbachmonarchs ofBavariahas one celebration room, which was the former throne-room, but completely destroyed by the bombing ofMunichduring theSecond World War.It is now reconstructed and again visitable; the (smaller) throne room was rebuilt in theclassicismstyle of the 19th century. Once, bronze figures of twelve rulers of the house of Wittelsbach stood there, between corinthic columns on a rostrum. These were the honourable monarchs of Bavaria for centuries.

Neuschwanstein

Note that the throne room of this beautiful, dream-like castle,Neuschwanstein,does not have a throne in it - the reason being thatLudwig II of Bavaria,its commissioner, did not live to seeNeuschwanstein'scompletion, therefore one was never installed.

Iolani Palacethrone room

The Senators' Chamber in theWarsaw Royal Castle,Poland

Hawaii

ʻIolani Palace

The throne room atʻIolani Palacewas used byKing David Kalākaua,his wifeQueen Kapiʻolani,and his successorQueen Liliʻuokalani.Kalākaua and his wife actually disliked sitting on the thrones, instead preferring to stand in front of them while receiving guests.King Kalākaua held formal audiences, diplomatic receptions, and state balls, receiving and entertaining guests from all walks of life, from royalty and diplomats to writers, entertainers, and sportsmen. Following her overthrow, the trial of Queen Liliʻuokalani also occurred in this room where she was found guilty and imprisoned within the palace by theRepublic of Hawaii.The throne room, like the rest of the palace, is open to the public.

Portugal

Ajuda National PalaceThrone Room

Grand Throne room inPeterhof Palace

Ajuda Palace, Lisbon

The Portuguese Throne room (pt.Sala do Trono) is in thePiano nobileof theAjuda National Palace(Palácio Nacional da Ajuda) in Lisbon. The present decoration is from the 19th century, with walls covered with crimson velvet, gold gilded French mirrors and a majorTabriz carpetfrom the 18th century in the precious wood floor. The ceiling is covered with Máximo dos Reis allegorical fresco and a huge crystal chandelier. The thrones are from Portuguese fabric, second half of the 18th century with the Portuguese coat of arms on the top handled by two angels. Thisfauteuilsware made to substitute theJuste-Aurèle Meissonnier’s throne made toJohn V of Portugaland destroyed in the1755 Lisbon earthquake.This throne was inSilver-gilt,with winged dragons, the heraldic symbolf of theHouse of Braganza,and the arms of Portugal supported by two allegorical statues, Europe and America. The Throne room is still used for state events of the Portuguese Republic.

Russia

Peterhof

Used by theTsars of Russia,thedaisand throne of thePeterhof Palacedominate the eastern wall with a large picture presentingCatherine IIon her horse. The room also holds numerous oil paintings and eleven chandeliers.

Winter Palace

Regarded asthethrone ofRussia,the throne ofSt. George's Hall(or large throne room) is set atop the seven-steppeddaiswith a proscenium arch above and the symbol of the imperial family behind (thetwo-headed eagle).

Peter I's Room(the smaller throne room) is modest in comparison to the former. The throne was made forEmpress Anna Ivanovnain London and the picture behind displaysPeter the GreatwithMinerva.

Spain

Royal Palace of Madrid

Royal Palace of MadridThrone Room decored in the reign ofCharles III of Spain

TheRoyal Palace of Madridwas theofficial residenceof theSpanish monarch.The throne room is unique, as it retains the original decor from the days ofCharles III.The sumptuous room has gold garnishing with crimson-velvet wall coverings complemented by aTiepoloceiling, lit by a rock crystal chandelier. Adorning the room are huge mirrors made in the royal glass factory ofLa Granja.

Theroyal familydoes not reside in the palace, instead choosing a smaller, more modest palace, theZarzuela Palace,on the outskirts of Madrid. However, the Royal Palace of Madrid remains the official residence of the Spanish monarchy and is used for state occasions.

Sweden

Stockholm Palace

The Silver Throne in the Hall of State.

The throne located in theHall of Stateat theStockholm Palaceis called theSilver Throneand was commissioned for the coronation ofQueen Kristinain 1650. It was last used by the present king,Carl XVI Gustaf,on his accession to the throne in 1973 and at the State Opening of Parliament in 1974.

Throne in the Lovisa Ulrika audience chamber at Stockholm Palace.

For the coronation of kingAdolf Frederickand QueenLouisa Ulricain 1750 two coronation thrones were made. Both are placed at the Stockholm palace, and one is on display in theLovisa Ulrica audience chamber.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom monarchs almost always had their own personal throne constructed. Until 1900, each throne was usually given or melted down at the end of the monarch's reign for the next throne. The thrones after 1900 were saved. The exact number of thrones in the United Kingdom is unknown, though there are at least more than five. The United Kingdom differs from other countries as it has instead of one or two thrones, numerous thrones, some of which are 800 years old. The “throne” used for the anointing and crowning of the monarch during the Coronation of the British Monarch is called theChair of St. Edward,or St. Edward’s Chair. The Chair, which is centuries old, is usually on display atWestminster Abbey.

Buckingham Palace

The Throne Room ofBuckingham Palace,the official residence of the British monarch inLondon,is used for court gatherings and as a second dancing room. It is dominated by aproscenium archsupported by a pair of winged figures of 'victory' holding garlands above the two Chairs of Estate, which were originally made for QueenElizabeth II’scoronation in 1953and were refurbished for KingCharles IIIandQueen Camillafor theircoronation in 2023and embroidered with the cyphers of the new King and Queen.

It is in the throne room that the sovereign, on special occasions, receives loyal addresses. Another use of the throne room has been for formal wedding photographs. The throne room is usually not used for ambassadors' arrival, which is usually in the ambassadors room of Buckingham Palace.

Apart from the Thrones in the room actually named Throne Room, there is also a pair of Thrones in the Buckingham Palace Ballroom, that is a larger multi-purpose hall within the palace. The ballroom is also used for investiture ceremonies in the UK's honours system.

There are also other thrones in the Throne Room. To the right of the sovereign's throne isQueen Victoria's throne and opposite that on the other side of the room is the throne chairs of KingGeorge VIandQueen Elizabeth.There are also two further thrones in the room.

St James's Palace

Although Buckingham Palace has been the primary official residence of the British monarchs since 1837,St James's Palaceremains thesenior palaceof the British monarchy.St James's remains a busy working palace, and also retains an important ceremonial function: it still is the place where theAccession Councilcustomarily meets to proclaim the new sovereign and to receive from them the required oath. This was last seen upon the accession of King Charles III.

St James's Throne Room is used for official occasions. For instance it is in this room that the lord mayor and councillors of the City of Westminster usually present an address of welcome to visiting heads of state on state visits.

While the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace has two thrones on the dias, one for the reigning monarch, and another for the monarch's consort, the Throne Room at St James's Palace contains only one throne, for the use of the sovereign. As in the case of Buckingham Palace, the throne is placed under a canopy.

The velvet cloth behind the throne is dominated by the coat of arms of the United Kingdom.

This room was more recently the setting for theannouncement of the engagementofPrince William, Duke of CambridgeandCatherine Middleton,and in September 2022, the Accession Council met to proclaim Charles III as King of the United Kingdom.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Throne Room of thePalace of HolyroodhouseinEdinburgh,which has been the principal royal residence inScotlandsince 1505, was originally the King's Guard Chamber, but has been used as the throne room since the visit ofGeorge IVin 1822. The present pair of thrones were made in 1911 forGeorge VandMary of Teck,and sit upon thedaisbeneath the Royal Arms of Scotland. Following thedeath of Elizabeth IIatBalmoral Castlein September 2022, her coffin was transported to the palace, where it lay in repose in the Throne Room, before being taken in procession toSt Giles' Cathedral.

Palace of Westminster

Although the primary purpose and reputation of thePalace of Westminsteris as the seat of theParliament of the United Kingdom,it is also officially a royal residence. While the palace has no throne roomper se,theLords Chambercontains at its head a throne, used by the monarch for addressing Parliament in theSpeech from the Throne,arguably making the Chamber something of a throne room.

Clerks and officers of the House of Lords bow to the throne when crossing the chamber.

The Palace of Westminster also has a second throne under a canopy in the Robing Room, a room of the palace that remains under the authority of the Crown (and not of either House of Parliament), under the direction of the Lord Great Chamberlain, and that is used by the monarch to robe and to unrobe before and after the State Opening of Parliament.

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castlehas a throne room known as the Garter Throne Room, where a chapter meeting of the Order of the Garter, including, if necessary, the investiture of any new Knights and Ladies, takes place once a year. The room accommodates two rows of chairs for all Knights and Ladies of the Garter, with the sovereign's Throne at the head. The current throne housed in the Garter Throne room is another personal throne of Queen Elizabeth II although sometimes the Indian Throne, a gift to Queen Victoria, is used.

Colloquial usage

In British English, "throne room" is also used as aeuphemismfor "lavatory".

Ireland

Dublin Castle

Throne Room in Dublin Castle, Ireland

Located in the State Apartments, the Throne Room inDublin Castleis preserved intact from the period when Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, when bothLords Lieutenantand visiting monarchs from Britain would use the room during important ceremonies held in the Castle. These included the investing of a new Lord Lieutenant every five years, the presentation of débutantes to the Lord Lieutenant during the Castle Season held leading up to St. Patrick's Day, and the presentation of subjects to visiting monarchs on official State visits to Ireland. The throne canopy dates to the late 18th century, while the throne was made for the visit ofGeorge IVto Ireland in 1821, and was last used byGeorge Vin 1911. The Throne Room no longer has any role in modern-day State ceremonial. However Dublin Castle still plays an important role in this respect, serving as the location for the inauguration of thePresident of Irelandevery seven years. This takes place in the much larger and grander St. Patrick's Hall, the 18th century ballroom of the Viceregal Court, positioned almost adjacent to the Throne Room.

Malaysia

Malaysia's head of state, theYang di-Pertuan Agong(commonly glossed as "King" ), is a position rotated every five years among the nine royal houses of its nine hereditary states. Each has separate palaces and throne rooms for each of the individual states, while the King resides in theIstana Negara(National Palace) inKuala Lumpur.This and theold palaceboth had throne rooms called theBalai Rong Seri(Royal Audience Hall), where several state ceremonies including the King'sInstallationoccur.