Although the external appearance of Buckingham Palace has been greatly improved in the last 30 years, it still gives little indication of the splendour and dignity within. At a conservative estimate the furniture, pictures, tapestries and fittings in the King's London home cannot be worth less than ? million. The palace was built just over 120 years ago by the remodelling of Buckingham house, and as it now stands can roughly be divided into 4 sections-the state apartments, the semi-state apartments, the household apartments, and the private apartments. 21 August 1947