Editing Westminster (section)

===Royal seat===
[[File:Bird Eye Pictures of London Westminster in 1909.jpg|alt= B&W photo of Westminster from the air|upright=1.9|thumb|Bird's-eye view of Westminster and the [[River Thames]] in 1909]]
The former [[Thorney Island (Westminster)|Thorney Island]], the site of [[Westminster Abbey]], formed the historic core of Westminster. The abbey became the traditional venue of the [[coronation]]s of the [[List of English monarchs|kings and queens of England]] from that of [[Harold Godwinson]] (1066) onwards.

From about 1200 the [[Palace of Westminster]], near the abbey, became the principal royal residence, a transition marked by the transfer of royal treasury and financial records to Westminster from [[Winchester]]. Later the palace housed the developing [[Parliament of England|Parliament]] and [[Courts of England and Wales|England's law courts]]. Thus, London developed two focal points: the [[City of London]] (financial/economic) and Westminster (political and cultural).

The [[British monarchy|monarchs]] moved their principal residence to the [[Palace of Whitehall]] (1530–1698), then to [[St James's Palace]] in 1698, and eventually to [[Buckingham Palace]] and other palaces after 1762. The main law courts moved to the [[Royal Courts of Justice]] in the late-19th century.