Buckingham Palace was designed by architect William Winde and expanded by George IV in a French style with two wings around an open courtyard. The palace gardens are the largest private gardens in London, featuring an artificial lake created in 1828 fed by the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park. Important events like royal dances, weddings, and banquets were held in the Crown Room. George IV previously served as Prince Regent when his father George III suffered from mental illness, and ascended the throne in 1820, though he was grossly obese by that point. The palace continues to be an important meeting point for the royal family and is decorated with some Chinese furniture.