Lancaster House
Plan your event
A Grade I Mansion Beside Buckingham Palace
Begun in 1825 for the Duke of York, and now the Foreign Office’s house for government hospitality.
Lancaster House was begun in 1825 for the Duke of York, to designs by Benjamin Dean Wyatt, and was first known as York House. The Sutherland family lived here from 1829 to 1913, when Lord Leverhulme bought the lease for the nation. Chopin played here for Queen Victoria in 1848, and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office now uses it for government hospitality.
The Grand Hall, with its sweeping staircase and great skylight, takes 200 for a reception. The Long Gallery, over 35 metres long, holds up to 350 standing or 150 for dinner, and Winston Churchill gave a Coronation banquet there in 1953. Events follow FCDO guidelines and use the FCDO’s approved caterers, so please talk to us early about your plans.
Planning an event here? See our corporate event catering in London and our Christmas party catering.
Lancaster House at a Glance
Location
Stable Yard, St James’s, SW1A 1BB. Five minutes’ walk from Green Park station, entered via Cleveland Row.
Capacity
Up to 350 standing or 150 seated in the Long Gallery, and 200 for receptions in the Grand Hall.
History
Begun in 1825 as York House. Chopin played here in 1848; Churchill hosted a Coronation banquet in 1953.
Good to Know
Run by the FCDO with approved caterers. Room capacities can change at short notice under government guidelines.
Plan Your Event at Lancaster House
Tell us about your plans and a party planner will call you back within 48 hours.