Royal court

"Courtier" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Courtesan.

Versailles, near Paris, where the French kings held court. The courtyard at the front of the building is opened up (not entered through an archway). This style became popular throughout Europe.

A royal court or noble court is the household of a royal family—including its advisors and attendants. The building is often called a palace, but the "royal court" means not just the buildings but all the royal household (all the people who live and work there). Someone who has a rank in a royal court is called a court official or courtier. A royal court can also include the wives and concubines of the ruler.

It is called a court because in early times the palace would have a court (an enclosed space) at the front.

In history there were great rulers who held important courts, e.g. Charlemagne.

A famous example is Hampton Court on the river Thames in London where Henry VIII had his court. Today the King holds court at Buckingham Palace.

Related pages

• court – the court of law where legal decisions are made