LONDON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- London's hidden royal palace has finally opened its doors to the world, with a new interactive tour available on the internet.
Lancaster House, in the center of the British capital, has hosted many high-profile diplomatic events, including former U.S. President Barack Obama's state visit in 2011, the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and British Prime Minister Theresa May's famous Lancaster House speech when she first unveiled her Brexit plan.
It has also hosted major international conferences and summits since the end of the Second World War, and is where the aims and structure of NATO were agreed by the 12 founding foreign ministers.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), who runs the building, launched Monday a new 360-degree photography virtual tour of Lancaster House, showcasing its unique interior.
The virtual tour allows anyone to gain unprecedented access to the magnificently preserved Louis XIV-style rooms online for the first time, said the FCO.
Lancaster House has doubled as Buckingham Palace in a number of blockbuster movies and television dramas, such as The Crown, Downton Abbey and The Kings Speech.
Once the most expensive private house in London, Lancaster House was built in 1825 as a royal residence for the Duke of York, before being acquired by Marquess of Stafford.
From the grand hall with its sweeping staircase and Corinthian columns to the magnificent internal "French" decoration of the state rooms, Lancaster House's stunning interior remains beautifully preserved.
The buildings and rooms remain largely unchanged from the visits of the composer and pianist Frederic Chopin, who played a recital in 1848 for Queen Victoria, the Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1864, and those who attended the Queen Elizabeth's coronation banquet in 1953.
"Lancaster House is a unique and splendid building with a rich history. Today it plays an important role supporting government international diplomacy and hospitality. The Foreign Office's stunning new virtual tour gives the public the opportunity to explore this special building and discover its fascinating stories," the FCO director Neil Holland said.
The public will have a chance to visit Lancaster House during Open House London weekend in September, according to the FCO.
