The Royal Palace Where a King Built a Secret Passage to His Lover's Bedroom

In 1622, King James I of England did something extraordinary: he personally financed the construction of a secret passage connecting his royal bedchamber to the apartments of George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham—the man who was both his closest advisor and speculated lover. This architectural evidence of their relationship still exists today at Apethorpe Palace, one of England's most remarkable yet forgotten royal residences.
Apethorpe Palace hosted more monarchs than almost any other private house in England—at least thirteen extended royal visits between 1566 and 1636. Queen Elizabeth I dined here three times. King James I called it one of his favorite residences and spent enormous sums expanding it into a true palace. It was here, in August 1614, that James first met George Villiers, beginning one of history's most famous royal romances. The palace features the last complete set of original Jacobean state apartments surviving in England, with extraordinary carved fireplaces and plasterwork ceilings that took James's personal funds to create.

But by 2004, this architectural treasure stood on the brink of total collapse. Water poured through holes in the roof. Priceless plasterwork crumbled. The British government took the unprecedented step of forcibly seizing the property—only the second time in history they had used such powers. What followed was one of the most dramatic rescue operations in British architectural history, culminating in a controversial sale to a French baron who committed to spending over £20 million of his own money to restore the palace.

This is the story of Apethorpe Palace: from medieval manor to Tudor treasure, from James I's secret love nest to near-total ruin, and finally to its current resurrection. It's a tale of royal passion, architectural brilliance, aristocratic decline, and the extraordinary efforts required to save England's heritage from disappearing forever.

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#gildedage #oldmoney #forgottenhouses