Origin of 10 Downing Street

10 Downing Street and the role of Prime Minister of Britain came to be because of King George 1. He was brought into Britain from what is now Germany when his mum Sophia who had been previously elected as the Heir-Presumptive died the same year the last Stuart monarch Queen Anne died without an heir in 1714. George was born in the German state of Lower Saxony (the Duchy of Brunswick-Lliineberg in his day) and thus spoke more German than English. This was difficult and so when an economic crisis due to the collapse of the South Sea Company arose as a result in 1720 which made George and is ministers unpopular, Robert Walpole was made paymaster general. It was through this important role that in April 1721 Walpole was made First Lord of the Treasury and for the second time in his life since 1717, Chancellor of the Exchequer, a political role now called Prime Minister of Britain.
He had this role for 20 years! When given a house on Downing Street during King George 2nd's reign, Walpole wanted it to be suitable for not only him but for future First Lords of the Treasury. Walpole officially moved in on 22 September 1735 and since then, the British Prime Minister resides in 10 Downing Street. As of 2026, the current British Prime Minister is Keir Starmer.