The British Ambassador's Residence in the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is quite distinct from the neighbouring Chancery, or offices of the Embassy itself.

Historical Background of the Residence

A contemporary inventory shows that when the Duke of Wellington bought the building on behalf of George III in 1814, he took possession of the house, furnishings and Empire decoration. The building became the first "British Embassy" abroad, combining the two functions of ambassador's home and diplomatic mission.

The house and two entry pavilions were built in 1720-1723 for Paul-François de Béthune, duc de Charost, tutor to Louis XV. The site of the present garden was occupied by an orchard which soon became cluttered with building materials (and was later used to graze sheep during the 1870 siege of Paris).

During the French Revolution, the house remained unoccupied and in 1803 the widow of the 5th Duke of Charost sold it to the beautiful Pauline Leclerc, Napoleon Bonaparte's favourite sister, then aged 22 and herself a widow. She made major alterations during her 11 years of ownership, adding two wings on the garden side to house a picture gallery and a dining room for her new husband, the collector, Prince Camillo Borghese.

In 1825 the designer of Napoleon's tomb, Louis-Pullius-Joachim Visconti (1791-1853) transformed the picture gallery into a ballroom and linked it to the dining room with a glass gallery. When Queen Victoria visited the Exposition universelle in 1855, the ballroom was used as a throne room.

During the German occupation of Paris, the Residence came under the protection first of the United States and then of Switzerland. The contents of the house were sent to the Loire valley for safekeeping. At the Liberation of Paris, the gardens were opened to convalescent allied servicemen. Over the years the structure and roof of the buildings deteriorated and became in serious need of repair. Since 1981 the British government, with the help and advice of French Monuments Historiques and the Compagnons du tour de France (France's most prestigious gild of craftsmen) has been gradually restoring the building to its former glory.

The Residence Today 

Today, the Residence is much more than a home for the Ambassador and his family. The house is used nearly every day to host a variety of events to promote the best of Britain across a wide range of sectors and activities.

Over a hundred individually tailored events have taken place in the Residence this year attended by some 18,000 guests. Many of these events were sponsored by British or Franco-British partners. They ranged from working breakfasts with top business people or French government officials, lunches and dinners for visiting ministers and senior officials, to commercial receptions, trade shows, science seminars, political lectures and concerts. These events all take place at 39 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, in the Residence itself or in the garden.

Working breakfast at the Residence with Elisabeth Guigou (Socialist Party member), Jean-Pierre Jouyet (French Minister for Europe) and Sir Peter Westmacott.

The Residence is also keen to promote British design and technology, and is proud of its record in attracting wide publicity and commercial success for young British designers and the creative and cultural industries in general. The works of contemporary British artists are also displayed in the Residence to promote young creative talent.

The receptions involve all areas of life and work and can largely be categorised as follows: business, the arts, children and youth, charities and associations, science and technology.