Cinema in the basement, a fancy fridge in the kitchen and an electric wardrobe in the dressing room: How Clarence House was turned into a thoroughly modern home by Prince Philip after he and the Queen married

When they moved into Clarence House successful nan summertime of 1949, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip had everything immoderate up and coming young mates needed – and overmuch more.

The 19th period London location – now wherever King Charles lives erstwhile successful nan superior – adjacent St James' Palace successful Westminster had been refurbished astatine a costs of much than £50,000, nan balanced of astir £1.5million today.

The room boasted stainless alloy activity surfaces, a fridge costing £2,000 (£60,000 successful today's money) that could make crystal for cocktail parties and an electrical oven.

Both Elizabeth and Philip had their ain sitting rooms furnished to their tastes, whilst a backstage cinema was installed successful nan vino cellar – though location was a hold successful getting it up and moving because nan Ministry of Works stalled connected issuing a permit.

In his dressing room, Philip had a closet that would nutrient a suit aliases azygous astatine nan property of a button, on pinch an electrical trouser press.

The heir to nan throne and her husband, who joined successful November 1947, had antecedently been surviving astatine rented Surrey location Wendelsham Moor, wherever Charles was initially raised aft his commencement successful November 1948.

They stayed location until nan renovations to Clarence House were completed.

It was astatine Clarence House wherever Princess Anne was calved successful August 1950, pinch nan Mail reporting really nan Queen Mother – past Queen Elizabeth – saw her for nan first clip while wearing a look mask. 

Designed by designer John Nash, Clarence House was built betwixt 1825 and 1827 for Prince William Henry, nan Duke of Clarence.

He lived location arsenic King William IV from 1830 until 1837.

Later, Queen Victoria's 3rd son, nan Duke of Connaught, utilized nan location from 1900 until his decease successful 1942.

During nan Second World War, erstwhile it was utilized by some nan Red Cross and St John's Ambulance, nan location was damaged by German bombs.

Elizabeth and Philip were nan first royals to really unrecorded successful nan spot since Prince Alfred, nan 2nd boy of Queen Victoria. He died successful 1900.

A ample portion of nan money that was spent connected renovating it went connected nan installation of electrical ray throughout, on pinch cardinal and h2o heating.

While it was being done up, nan royal couple's London guidelines was astatine Kensington Palace successful nan level of Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone.

Elizabeth and Philip yet moved into Clarence House successful July 1949, but besides spent overmuch of nan twelvemonth until 1951 surviving successful Malta.  

The Mail reported connected Clarence House astatine nan time: 'The Princess's room is lined pinch polished tiles of daffodil yellow, nan floors laid pinch quarry tiles.

'Cooking is by gas, though location is simply a mini electrical oven for occasional use.'

Along pinch nan stainless alloy activity tables, location was a modern solid canopy hanging complete nan cooker, steamer and boiler to ‘carry distant caput and fumes.’

The Mail added that 'last, but not least', location was nan 'wedding-present refrigerator, a luxurious £2,000 affair, pinch abstracted containers for vegetables, game, fish, poultry and stiff foods, and capable, erstwhile necessary, of making 20lb of crystal astatine a clip for royal cocktail parties.'

The royal spot was besides ample capable to accommodate galore different of Princess Elizabeth’s and Philip's wedding presents.

As for nan prime of furnishings, nan Mail described really Elizabeth 'furnished her husband's sitting room successful fume room style, pinch pick leather chairs and settees and pinch his ain family portraits above, and flanking, fireplace.

'Panelled successful achromatic Canadian maple, nan room looks restful and homely.

The portion went on: 'Her ain sitting-room is much elaborate, much feminine. It has a good solid chandelier, a magnificent Chinese carpet, walls of aquamarine bluish (her favourite colour, and chintz covers to tone.'

The study added: 'Probably nan cosiest and homeliest room successful nan location is nan small room they person called 'The Quiet Room.'

'Both nan Princess and nan Duke scheme to usage it arsenic a backstage hideout wherever they tin flight erstwhile they want to beryllium unsocial together.

'It is lined pinch Australian jarrah wood and furnished pinch chintz-covered armchairs intelligibly designed for comfortableness alternatively than elegance.'

The room designed for 'elegant entertaining' was nan drafting room, which had 'the aerial of a French salon of nan elaborate and ornamental Louis XIV period.'

In November 1949, nan Mail reported really Elizabeth was 'still waiting' for nan installation of nan backstage cinema successful nan vino cellar.

The set-up was a gift from nan movie manufacture but location was a hold successful its installation because nan Ministry of Works refused to springiness a licence for nan structural alterations that were needed.

Princess Anne was calved astatine Clarence House connected August 15, 1950.

The Mail said: 'Princess Elizabeth and her girl are continuing to do well, it was stated astatine Clarence House past night.

'The caller Princess has bluish eyes and weighs 6lb.'

Queen Elizabeth, nan early Queen Mother, saw Anne for nan first clip nan pursuing day.

She was handed a disguise to deterioration by caregiver Helen Rowe. The Mail's study said: 'Sister Rowe handed nan Queen a fine-meshed fabric mask.

'The Queen placed it complete nan little portion of her look earlier bending complete nan cot.

'"Isn't she lovely," remarked nan Queen. She tip-toed distant from nan cot earlier removing nan mask.'

Queen Elizabeth past spent 90 minutes drinking beverage and talking pinch Prince Philip.

After nan decease of George VI successful 1952, nan bereaved caller Queen and Philip were very reluctant to move into Buckingham Palace.

However, Her Majesty's backstage secretary, Sir Alan 'Tommy' Lascelles and premier curate Winston Churchill insisted.

Philip made nan champion of nan caller surviving statement by mounting astir modernising nan workings of Buckingham Palace pinch his friend Mike Parker, who became his equerry-in-waiting.

Parker later recalled: 'Philip and I were mates and I felt I could beryllium a useful state to him astatine court. The King was fine, very friendly, very helpful, but nan accepted courtiers weren't ever truthful easy.'

Valentine Low's book Courtiers reveals really Philip and Parker group astir exploring nan basements of Buckingham Palace.

He quotes Parker recalling: 'We were fascinated by nan vino cellar, which went connected for miles and miles.

'There were 1 aliases 2 very ancient wines indeed, positive immoderate very aged menus making love from nan Victorian period, which were utterly fascinating.'

After Elizabeth and Philip's departure from Clarence House, nan Queen Mother moved successful and it would stay her location until her decease successful 2002.