The Convent features in new book on official residences

Launched on Thursday it features Gibraltar’s historic Government House, known as The Convent, and looks at the unique histories of over fifty Vice-Regal Residences of the Crown in the Commonwealth Realms, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories across the world.

Illustrated with over 250 photographs of the exteriors and interiors of these official residences, it explores the relationship between the Royal Family and these Government Houses from the time of Queen Victoria to the present day.

Having been interested in royalty since an early age and writing occasional articles over the years, writer Jeffrey Hyland was inspired by a visit to Government House in Sydney’s Botanical Gardens in New South Wales, Australia to write about the histories of the current Vice-Regal Residences of the Crown across the Commonwealth.

This new book explores over fifty official residences of the Crown, most of them still in use by Governors, Governors-General and officials in Commonwealth Realms (including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica and Barbados), the Crown Dependencies (Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man) and the British Overseas Territories (including Bermuda, Cayman Islands, St Helena and the Falkland Islands).

“Government Houses play a central role in the official and ceremonial life of each of these Commonwealth nations and territories, hosting receptions, investitures and formal ceremonies as well as garden parties and charity events. This book on Government Houses explores these unique residences and their relationship with the British Royal Family from the time of Queen Victoria to the present day. Many of these official residences continue to play host to visiting members of the Royal Family on their overseas royal visits today. Queen Elizabeth II has visited more Government Houses than any other member of the Royal Family during her many travels around the Commonwealth,” said writer and photographer, Jeffrey Hyland said.