Within the last hundred years, St James’s has succeeded in merging tradition with innovation through clever, careful management. The area has welcomed the construction of modern buildings whilst respecting its historically significant heritage. Beneath the surface is an on-going commitment and vision from The Crown Estate to secure St James’s future as a defining part of the capital.

St James’s history is closely linked to its royal heritage; King Charles II sold off land adjacent to St James’s Palace in the 1600s. Henry Jermyn, the Earl of St Albans, then developed the land around St James’s Square in 1660 and transformed the area into aristocratic residential developments in close proximity to the Royal Palace and surrounding parkland. In 1664, the square itself took shape and became the centrepiece of this new development.