The Banqueting House Whitehall London

About the venue

The Banqueting House is the last surviving part of Whitehall Palace, the sovereign's principal residence from 1530 until 1698 when it was destroyed by fire.

Designed by Inigo Jones for James I and completed in 1622, the Banqueting House was originally built for occasions of state, plays and masques. In the main hall, guests can dine beneath the magnificent Rubens' ceiling paintings commissioned by Charles I in 1630 to glorify the life and government of his father, James I. It is perhaps the greatest irony that 19 years later, this series of paintings, which celebrate the 'Divine Right of Kings', was the last image seen by Charles I as he stepped from a first-floor window on to a scaffold and his ultimate death The undercroft was designed as a drinking den for James I, where the King could relax and enjoy a quiet evening with his friends. A recent refurbishment has ensured our guests can now indulge in a candlelit supper or reception in this more intimate space.