The Admiralty Arch, which takes its name from the nearby Royal Navy Headquarters, was designed by Sir Aston Webb, a noted English architect who is also credited with working on such landmarks as Buckingham Palace. The structure was completed around 1911, after King Edward VII had passed away.
The Admiralty Arch was part of a masterplan created by Aston Webb to turn the Mall into a stately royal boulevard. The arch was a majestic barrier between the crowded Trafalgar Square and the more distinguished area around the royal palace.
A Latin inscription on one side of the arch pays tribute to the famous queen: “In the tenth year of the reign of King Edward VII, to Queen Victoria from a grateful nation, 1910”.
The Admiralty Arch was originally used as the offices and residences for the Sea Lords, leaders of the Royal Navy. Today, however, it is home to several British government offices.