In 1608, the French explorer Samuel de Champlain established the settlement that would become Quebec City on the site of Place Royale.

A fire in 1682 ravaged the wood structures of the settlement, prompting the construction of new stone buildings that would establish the architectural style of the square.

[6] In 1686, a bust of King Louis XIV was erected in the square by Intendant Jean Bochart de Champigny, inspiring its current name of Place Royale.

The advent in the 19th century of the industrial revolution, which favored metal over wood, and the growth of the port of Montreal led Place Royale to lose its role as a commercial hub.

A restoration project in the second half of the 20th Century removed additions made to the square from the period of British control onwards, returning to the space its original French colonial character and architecture.