The Royal Palace of Naples is one of four royal residences used by monarchs during the Bourbon Kingdom of Two Sicilies, while the other three are above the royal palace of Capodimonte in Naples, the Royal Palace and the Palace of Portici on the slopes of Vesuvius.

Very large, the building overlooks the majestic Piazza del Plebiscito on the current and was built in 1600 by Domenico Fontana, commissioned by the Count of Lemos Viceroy . It would have to host King Philip III of Spain, awaited n Naples for an official visit with his wife that never happened. The palace became the residence of the Spanish viceroy, then those of Austria and, later, the kings of Bourbon. After the unification of Italy was elected Neapolitan residence of the kings of the House of Savoia.

During the years 1806-1815 was enriched by Gioacchino Murat and Carolina Bonaparte with neoclassical furniture and decorations, from the Tuileries, was damaged by fire in 1837 and later restored from 1838 to 1858 at the hands of Gaetano Genovese who extended and adjusted without upsetting , the former factory.

During that period were added to the structure's wing parties and a new facade facing the sea, featuring a rusticated basement and a lookout-tower. At the corner of the Teatro San Carlo was instead created a small place in front of the Palazzo Vecchio of Don Pedro de Toledo.

In 1888, for desire of Umberto I, the external niches were occupied by giant statues of the kings of Naples: Ruggero the Norman, Federico II, Carlo I of Angiò, Alfonso  I of Aragona, Carlo V, Carlo III of Bourbon, gioacchino Murat, and Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoia.

In 1922 it was decided (by Decree of the Minister Anile) to transfer the National Library (until then in the building of the Museum), the transfer of library collections was completed by 1925.

The bombing occurred during the Second World War and subsequent military occupation caused serious damage to the building that made it necessary for a restoration by the Superintendency of Monuments.