英皇室计划奥运期间出租王宫

英国女王已经批准在2012年伦敦奥运会期间将圣詹姆斯王宫出租，每天的租金为3万英镑（约合30.5万元人民币）。

A Royal palace is to be let out to companies for up to £30,000 a day during next year’s Olympic Games.
A Royal palace is to be let out（放出，出租） to companies for up to £30,000 a day during next year’s Olympic Games.

In a break with nearly 500 years of Royal protocol¹, St James’s Palace has thrown open the doors to some of its most lavish²（浪费的） state apartments for private firms to rent during the London Games.

The Queen has personally approved the plans to allow businesses to take their pick of the Palace’s Throne Room, its Tapestry³ Room and the Queen Anne Room for glamorous⁴（迷人的） parties.

And wealthy pleasure-seekers can take advantage of another stately offer elsewhere - with Leeds Castle available to hire for the Olympics at £1million.

Guests at St James's will enjoy an exclusive tour of the Palace as part of the exclusive celebrations.

They will also be close to several key Olympic events, including the Beach Volleyball in Horse Guards Parade, and the marathon, which will start and finish in the Mall.

Nearby Hyde Park will be the venue⁵（场所） for some swimming events.

One source said: ‘The Palace is exploiting its historical heritage and its prime location. Officials have already begun contacting firms and charities who they think might be interested in using the Palace.

'They are targeting organisations who have an existing link with the Royal Household and that includes those who have Royal Warrants.'

All the dates are now reportedly sold out, after an overwhelming response from big businesses looking to throw a soiree（晚会） to remember.

St James’s Palace, which is still the official residence of the Sovereign, is normally closed to the public.

Now, under the hire plan, firms will be able to invite guests to events in the Tapestry Room, which boasts an original Tudor fireplace and a selection of tapestries⁶ woven for Charles II, and the Throne Room, which contains a single throne for the reigning⁷ Monarch⁸.

The third room on offer, the upholstered Queen Anne Room, is dominated by a portrait of George III.

Companies can entertain up to 500 guests for lunch, dinner or a drinks reception. It is understood catering⁹ will be carried out by Palace staff rather than by private firms.

The three rooms have each seen their fair share of history – the treaty which established the Council of Europe, for instance, was signed in the Queen Anne Room in 1949.

David Starkey, the historian and broadcaster, said opening the Palace to the corporate¹⁰ world was perhaps inevitable¹¹. ‘I have attended charity functions at the Palace and it is ideal for this sort of entertaining,’ he said.

'We are in an age where everything is up for sale so we should not be surprised when the Monarchy¹² jumps on the bandwagon（赶浪头，跟随潮流） .

'In a real sense we reap what we sow. If we begrudge¹³ the Royal Family every penny piece, then what else are the Queen and the Royal household to do?

'Buckingham Palace, for instance, is a highly decorated slum which needs tens of millions spent on it.’

But a senior member of the Royal Household attacked the plans as unseemly, The People reported today.

'St James's has the richest history of the royal palaces and it seems improper¹⁴ to hire it out to the highest bidder¹⁵ for corporate booze-ups,' they said.

'The general feeling among staff is that this is entirely¹⁶ inappropriate. The state apartments should be used for ceremonial occasions as normal to retain their prestige.'

A spokesman confirmed they would run for the duration of the Games but declined to give details of fees or the organisations that had booked.

'I think everyone is very conscious that purse strings¹⁷ are tight at the moment and this is an innovative¹⁸ way of raising funds,’ he said.

'All the monies raised will be able to supplement the Sovereign Grant and will be spent on the upkeep of Royal residences.’

Trustees at Leeds Castle in Kent last week hired estate agent Knight¹⁹ Frank to make 'discreet²⁰ enquiries' about who could be interested in staying there during the Games, according to the Sunday Times.

The luxurious²¹ rooms are said to be available at a minimum of £62,500 a night, with an army of staff on hand to attend to guests; every need.

A butler will deliver cocktails²² at dusk and a chauffeur²³（司机） will ferry rich visitors around the 500-acre estate.

The castle - which is around two hours' drive from the Olympic Stadium - boasts a helipad, maze²⁴（迷宫，迷惑） , golf course and 40 opulent（丰富的） bedrooms.

Its wealthy guests will be able to hold banquets for 100 people, or indulge in jousting²⁵, hot-air balloon rides and driving a nearby steam train, said the newspaper.

The castle was built in 1119 and remodelled²⁶（重建） by Henry VIII for Catherine of Aragon. It has been run by a charitable trust since 1974.

It was used for Middle East and Northern Ireland peace talks and was the setting for concerts by stars including Elton John and Luciano Pavarotti.