Whitehall Palace was located in central London, along the Thames River, in what is now the area around Whitehall, between Westminster and Charing Cross. Today, the Banqueting House—one of the only remaining structures from the original palace—stands at the northern end of Whitehall near Trafalgar Square. This area is now occupied by government buildings, including the Ministry of Defence and various offices of the British government, as Whitehall itself has become synonymous with British political power.

During its peak, Whitehall Palace stretched over 23 acres and encompassed more than 1,500 rooms, sprawling across an area from St. James's Park in the west to the Thames River in the east. The palace connected Westminster Palace to its south and was integrated with what is now Downing Street, effectively anchoring the monarchy in the heart of London.

Whitehall Palace was one of the largest and most significant royal residences in London, with a history that spans centuries of political and social upheaval. Originally built as York Place, a medieval mansion for the Archbishops of York, it transformed dramatically after being taken over by King Henry VIII in the 1530s. Following his break with the Catholic Church and the subsequent execution of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (who had owned the house as Archbishop of York), Henry acquired the property, renaming it Whitehall and expanding it into an enormous palace complex.

The Palace of Whitehall became the principal residence of the English monarchy, serving as the royal seat of power from Henry VIII’s reign up to 1698. It housed hundreds of rooms, galleries, banquet halls, and gardens, and featured the "Banqueting House," designed by Inigo Jones in the early 17th century. The Banqueting House is famous for its stunning ceiling, painted by Peter Paul Rubens, depicting the divine right of kings—a notion that eventually played a role in the English Civil War. This hall also bears historical significance as the site of King Charles I's execution in 1649.

Whitehall was an epicenter of Tudor and Stuart England, witnessing royal weddings, births, and political affairs, but tragically, most of the palace was destroyed by fire in 1698. The Banqueting House, however, survived and still stands today as a testament to Whitehall’s grandeur and its central role in English history.