How Clarence House was transformed into a thoroughly modern home by Prince Philip after his marriage to the Queen

• Princess Elizabeth and Philip moved into Clarence House in July 1949

When they moved into Clarence House in the summer of 1949, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip had everything a young couple-to-be needed – and more.

The 19th-century London home where King Charles now resides when he is in the capital, near St James’s Palace in Westminster, has been renovated at a cost of more than £50,000 – the equivalent of almost £1.5 million today.

The kitchen had stainless steel worktops, a £2,000 (£60,000 today) fridge that could make ice for cocktails, and an electric oven.

Elizabeth and Philip each had their own sitting room furnished to their tastes, while a private cinema was installed in the wine cellar – although there was a delay in its commissioning as the Department of Works was slow to issue a permit.

In his dressing room, Philip had a wardrobe that allowed him to make a suit or uniform at the touch of a button, as well as an electric trouser press.

The heir to the throne and her husband, who married in November 1947, previously lived in a rented house on Wendelsham Moor, Surrey, where Charles was initially raised after his birth in November 1948.

They remained there until the renovations to Clarence House were completed.

It was at Clarence House that Princess Anne was born in August 1950, with the Mail reporting how the Queen Mother – then Queen Elizabeth – first saw her wearing a face mask.

Designed by architect John Nash, Clarence House was built between 1825 and 1827 for Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence.

He lived there as King William IV from 1830 to 1837.

Later, Queen Victoria’s third son, the Duke of Connaught, used the house from 1900 until his death in 1942.

During the Second World War, while it was used by the Red Cross and St John Ambulance, the house was damaged by German bombs.

Elizabeth and Philip were the first members of the royal family to live at the property since Prince Alfred, Queen Victoria’s second son. He died in 1900.

Much of the money spent on its renovation went towards installing electric lighting throughout, as well as central heating and water heating.

During the work, the royal couple’s London base was at Kensington Palace, in the apartment of Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone.

Elizabeth and Philip finally moved into Clarence House in July 1949, but also spent much of the year until 1951 living in Malta.

The Mail reported at the time of Clarence House: “The Princess’s kitchen is lined with polished daffodil-yellow tiles, the floors being covered with quarry tiles.

“The kitchen is gas, although there is a small electric oven for occasional use.”

In addition to the stainless steel work tables, there was a modern glass canopy suspended above the stove, steamer and boiler to “clear the head and fumes”.

The Mail added that “last but not least” there was the “wedding fridge, a luxurious £2,000 item, with separate containers for vegetables, game, fish, poultry and frozen food, and capable, if necessary, of producing 20 pounds of ice at a time for the royal cocktails.”

The royal estate was also large enough to accommodate many other wedding gifts from Princess Elizabeth and Philip.

As for the choice of furniture, the Mail describes how Elizabeth “furnished her husband’s drawing room in the style of a smoking room, with cream leather chairs and sofas and with her own family portraits above and beside the fireplace.

“Clad in white Canadian maple panels, the room appears restful and warm.

The article continues: “Her own living room is more elaborate, more feminine. It has a beautiful glass chandelier, a gorgeous Chinese rug, aquamarine walls (her favorite color) and tone-on-tone chintz blankets.”

The report adds: “Probably the most comfortable and welcoming room in the house was the small room they called ‘The Quiet Room.’

“Both the Princess and the Duke plan to use it as a private hideaway where they can escape when they want to be alone together.

“It is lined with Australian jarrah wood and furnished with chintz-covered armchairs clearly designed for comfort rather than elegance.”

The room designed for “elegant receptions” was the drawing room, which had “the air of a French drawing room of the Louis XIV period, elaborate and decorative.”

In November 1949, the Mail reported that Elizabeth was “still waiting” for the private cinema to be installed in the wine cellar.

The facility was a gift from the film industry, but was delayed because the Department of Public Works refused to issue a permit for the structural modifications that were necessary.

Princess Anne was born at Clarence House on 15 August 1950.

The Mail said: “Princess Elizabeth and her daughter continue to do well, Clarence House was told last night.

“The new princess has blue eyes and weighs 6 pounds.”

Queen Elizabeth, the future Queen Mother, saw Anne for the first time the following day.

Nurse Helen Rowe gave her a mask to wear. The Mail report said: “Sister Rowe gave the Queen a fine-knit cotton mask.

“The queen placed it on the lower part of her face before leaning over the cradle.

“Isn’t she lovely?” the queen remarked. She tiptoed away from the cradle before removing the mask.

Queen Elizabeth then spent 90 minutes drinking tea and chatting with Prince Philip.

After the death of George VI in 1952, the grieving new Queen and Philip were very reluctant to move into Buckingham Palace.

However, Her Majesty’s Private Secretary Sir Alan “Tommy” Lascelles and Prime Minister Winston Churchill insisted.

Philip made the most of his new lifestyle by working to modernise the running of Buckingham Palace with his friend Mike Parker, who became his equerry of honour.

Parker later recalled: “Philip and I were friends and I felt I could be a useful ally to him at court. The king was very good, very friendly, very helpful, but traditional courtiers were not always so easy.”

Valentine Low’s book, Courtiers, reveals how Philip and Parker set out to explore the underground of Buckingham Palace.

He quotes Parker as recalling: “We were fascinated by the wine cellar, which went on for miles and miles.

“There were actually one or two very old wines, and some very old menus from the Victorian period, which were absolutely fascinating.”

After Elizabeth and Philip left Clarence House, the Queen Mother moved in and it remained her home until her death in 2002.