White Lodge- The Royal Ballet School

L3 Day33 Lovely to see sun and blue skies so ventured out via deserted Kingston to Richmond Park and back via Ham. White Lodge in Richmond Park, the home of the junior Royal Ballet School looked very shut. This house has a long History. It was built in 1720 as a hunting lodge and has had Royal connections ever since. In 1857 Prince Albert decided it would be a suitable secluded location for his son the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII. He was kept there with only five companions, two of whom were his tutors. In 1894 the Duke (future George V) and Duchess of York lived there and had their first child ,the future EdwardVIII. His great grandmother Queen Victoria visited and was present at the christening in the Green DrawingRoom of White Lodge in 1894. In 1925 the building was leased out by the Crown estate until 1954 when the Sadlers Wells Ballet School was granted use of the Lodge on a permanent basis. It was later granted a Royal Charter and became the Royal Ballet School 1956. Pupils aged 11-16 can attend the school and all will board, with an annual intake of about 25.