"[6] Documentary evidence shows that Leverton designed 4 Hamilton Place in 1807 for his client, the 2nd Earl of Lucan, who took up the lease in 1810.

Until the end of the 19th century, the house was occupied by a succession of bankers, the last of whom was the then Viceroy of India, Lord Northbrook,[8] previously Thomas George Baring.

Born on 10 March 1861, he was the son of Simon Albu and Fanny Sternberg, a German Jewish family originally based at Brandenburg.

After some time in Cape Town, they moved to the diamond-fields of Kimberley, accumulated financial interests, and sold out to De Beers at a substantial profit.

[9] George Albu subsequently purchased the ailing Meyer and Charlton Mine, restructured it and, on 30 December 1895, he and his brother Leopold established General Mining and Finance Corporation — changing the name of their firm from G&L Albu — one of the original companies that led to the Gencor consortium that survives.

In 1903, Leopold Albu, managing director of the General Mining and Finance Corporation and chairman of the Phoenix Oil and Transport Company, was granted a new 63-year lease on the property on condition that he spent at least £20,000 on improvements.

Following Mr Albu's death on 19 March 1938 aged 77, a series of auction sales at Christie's and elsewhere appear to have been held in which the paintings, furnishings etc.

[14][15] A successful appeal by the president of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Sir Arnold Hall, raised most of the money for a lecture theatre, which was opened in December 1960.

Alterations were made to the fourth floor, which had been servants' bedrooms in Mr Albu's time, to provide a housekeeper's flat and better office accommodation, and the lease was extended to 2004.

[17] In 1987 the library was removed from the first floor to the third, and Mr Albu's magnificent drawing room is now used for formal dinners, buffet parties and other similar functions.

During 2006 the basement area under the lecture theatre, which for many years had been used as an overflow book and journal store for the library, was cleared and completely refurbished following generous sponsorship by Airbus UK, to create the Airbus Business Suite consisting of three meeting rooms and a members' area with computer access and flat-screen TV.

[21] As part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended a Women's Empowerment reception, hosted by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, at 4 Hamilton Place.