family, and commissioned Caspar Frederik Harsdorff to turn it into a royal residence. They occupied the new residence December 1794. After Christian VII's death in 1808, Frederick VI used the palace for his Royal Household. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs used parts of the Palace from 1852 to 1885. For short periods of time in the intervening years the palace has housed various members of the royal family while restoration took place on their respective palaces. In 1971-1975 a small kindergarten was established at the palace, and later a schoolroom, for Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim. After 200 years the facade, decorated by German sculptor Johan Christof Petzold, was severely damaged, causing parts of Amalienborg Place to be closed to prevent injury. In 1982, exterior and interior restoration began that completed in early 1996, Copenhagen's year as European Capital of Culture. In 1999, Europa Nostra, an international preservation organisation, acknowledged the restoration with by presenting a medal. The palace is occasionally open to the general public for tours. Christian VIII's Palace Christian VIII's Palace, also known as Levetzau's Palace, is the northwestern palace and was originally built for Privy Councillor Count Christian Frederik Levetzau in 1750–60. Queen Margrethe II's grandson Prince Felix currently lives in an apartment in the palace. Prince Joachim and Princess Marie, who reside permanently in France, have also had an apartment made available to them in the palace when they perform engagements in Denmark. After Eigtved's death in 1754, royal architect Lauritz de Thurah carried out supervision of the building's construction according to Eigtved's plans. The palace was sold by the entailed estate of Restrup, which had been established in 1756 by Levertzau, the late owner. The family set one condition when they sold the building— that the Count's coat of arms should never be removed from the building. It can still be seen beside that of the monarch's. The King's half-brother Frederik bought the palace in 1794, and painter and architect Nikolai Abildgaard modernized the interiors in the new French Empire style. The palace was named Christian VIII's Palace after his son, Christian Frederik, who grew up in the palace, took over the building in 1805 upon the death of his father, and would become king in 1839. Christian VIII died in 1848, and the Queen Dowager, Caroline Amalie, died in 1881. From 1885 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs used parts of the Palace,