Location

• Belgravia is a district of central London within the City of Westminster, located to the south-west of Buckingham Palace and its boundaries are Knightsbridge to the north, Grosvenor Place and Buckingham Palace Road to the east, Pimlico Road to the south, and Sloane Street to the west.

Historical facts

• Most of the area was owned by Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster, and first developed during 1820s with Thomas Cubitt as the main contractor. Belgravia is characterised by its grand terraces of white stucco houses focused on Belgrave and Eaton Squares, and is a fashionable residential district. It continues to be a relatively quiet district in the heart of London, contrasting with neighbouring districts which have far more busy shops, large modern office buildings, hotels, and entertainment venues. The quality of life in Belgravia is proven by the large number of foreign embassies, and ambassador’s residents – especially in Belgrave Square.
• After World War II some of the larger houses ceased to be used as residences, but their leases restricted usage to certain categories, including embassies, charity headquarters and professional institutes. By the early 21st century offices in old houses were no longer as desirable and with the increasing levels of London’s new super-rich, several houses were reconverted back to residential making the large houses, especially those in Belgravia and Eaton Squares, amongst the most expensive anywhere in the world, often costing more than £15 million.

Historical facts

• The interior staircase of Seaford House, on Belgravia Square is made of pure Onyx, and was used as a film location as the first class passenger accommodation in the film Titanic, and the corner house opposite was rented by Queen Victoria for her grandmother.

Famous residents

• Belgravia has always attracted the rich, famous and powerful, namely aristocratic landowners Lord, Ladies, Prime Ministers, Members of Parliament.
• Brian Epstein
• Dame Edith Evans
• Frederic Chopin
• George Peabody
• Ian Fleming
• Lord Tennyson
• Mary Shelley
• Neville Chamberlain
• Roger Moore
• Sean Connery
• Stanley Baldwin
• Vivien Leigh
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Current residents include:

• Baroness Margaret Thatcher
• Elle Macpherson
• Joan Collins
• Nigella Lawson
• Roman Abramovich
• Sarah Brightman