The Royal Pavilion is a former royal residence. It was built in three stages, as a seaside retreat for George IV, Prince of Wales, who became the Prince Regent in 1811. Initially it was rented farmhouse , later George transformed it into a lavishly furnished villa, also known as Marine Pavilion. In 1815, once he had become Regent he employed John Nash to transform it into a Oriental Palace. It was here that George VI at the age 23 (1785) secretly married Mrs Fitzherbert, a 29-year-old Catholic widow. George VI presence in Brighton over 40 years was instrumental in the town’s meteoric transformation into a fashionable and slightly racy “London by the sea”.

Architect John Nash transformed and greatly extended the Pavilion, and it is his work that can be seen today. The Palace has an Indo-Islamic appearance on the outside, whilst the fanciful interior design is influenced by both Chinese and Indian fashion. For the Royal Pavilion Nash drew heavily from Islamic buildings such as Taj Mahal, but called this design “Hindu Style”. Royal Pavilion the exotic exterior was completed in 1823 and has remained largely unaltered. Queen Victoria sold the Pavilion to the town of Brighton in 1850. The delightful Regency Pavilion hardens have been restored following Nash’s original 1820s plan. It is this building, an instantly recognisable symbol of Brighton, which we see today.