8th September 1761

Tuesday the Queen arrived at St. James abt. 20 minutes past 3Oclock in the afternoon see her get out of the Coach & see the King hand her into the Drawing Room the Park was croed with people they was marri'd the same night at St. James in the Chappell the Town was iluminated particular the Earl of Northumberlands House & Chareing cross Spent 18


Here is a real gem. Joshua Reynolds did the 18th century equivalent of a Wedding photo for us. Now we can see the tapestry Thomas mentioned yesterday. Sadly there is no sign of the chairs or the looking glasses.



The new Queen, previously Duchess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, had only arrived in England on the Sunday, met the King and his family on Monday and then the wedding was the next day! It took place at 8 p.m.

I suppose it is obvious that Thomas gets the day of the week right, but now and then I feel the need to check his information. Yes, 8th September 1761 was, indeed, a Tuesday.


Northumberland House, home of the Earl of Northumberland (later created Duke), was demolished in the late 19th century but this is the house Thomas saw. The painting, by Canaletto, was done in 1752. Northumberland House stood near enough where the building of the same name stands today, overlooking what is now Trafalgar Square.

There was no Cross (or railway station!) at Charing Cross, the Eleanor Cross having been demolished in 1647.

6th September 1761

Went to see the Kings Chappell now fitted up for the marriage of the queen it was hung with Tapestry & Eight Looking Glass & 2 Large armed Chares covered with Crimson Velvet gave the men 6d

George III's wedding took place in the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace. The Chapel Royal is a department of the Royal Household. Wikipedia explains it here. A distinctive feature of Chapels Royal is that the choir wear red. Strictly speaking, no other Anglican Choir may do this, however, it tends to be honoured in the breach!


I'm guessing that the chairs probably looked much like this (which was from the Chapel of the now vanished Chandos mansion.

There are not many pictures of the inside (or the outside) of the chapel and, to confuse things, there were two Chapels Royal in St James's Palace at the time. Now one of them is the Queen's Chapel and is outside the modern boundaries of this palace.

This must be a later picture and the chapel was redecorated in 1836. Many Royal Weddings have taken place there including that of Queen Victoria in 1840.

Here is a modern photograph of the chapel