The King is having a big plan for Buckingham Palace and won't be living in the grandeur property in the next five years.
Buckingham Palace, one of the official residences of the British monarchs, has been under renovation since 2017. Despite the place's grandeur, King Charles III does not see Buckingham Palace as a viable future home or a house that is fit for purpose in the modern world.
The tradition of Buckingham Palace
According to the London Pass, Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarchs, but is also used as the administrative headquarters of the monarch. The palace has 775 rooms, including 19 staterooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms. As one of the most important venues of the Royal Family, it also has its own post office, cinema, doctor's surgery, swimming pool, jeweler's workshop, and staff cafeteria.
Townandcountrymag reports that Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of the UK's sovereigns since 1837 after the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837, and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch.
Before that, the monarchs lived in St James's Palace, which is still a royal palace but is no longer the principal residence of the British monarch. Since Queen Victoria's time, the palace has undergone several renovations and refurbishments.
King Charles: A different monarch
Despite Buckingham Palace being the official residence of the British monarchs, King Charles does not see it as a viable future home.
According to sources from the Mirror, the King describes it as 'the big house' and feels that its upkeep, both from a cost and environmental perspective, is not sustainable. He also believes that the palace is not fit for purpose in the modern world.
At the moment, the monarch is having Buckingham Palace undergoing an overhaul that costs up to £369million, including an upgrade to his apartments. The Royal Family last year confirmed that refurbishment won't finish until 2027, at which point the King may move in.
By choosing not to live in Buckingham Palace, King Charles III has become the first British monarch since the 19th century to not use Buckingham Palace as their main place of residence.
According to the Sun, King Charles is having a big plan to turn Buckingham Palace into a more 'inclusive' place that the British public can visit and feel more 'involved'. The plan reportedly include increases in receptions and events for the public hosted at Buckingham Palace, and Strictly Come Dancing - the Royal Family's favorite dance competition, has even been tipped for being held there.
King Charles' collection of homes
According to Marie Claire, King Charles has a massive collection of 11 official homes, including official residences such as Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, and Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. He also has private residences like Highgrove, Sandringham, Birkhall on Balmoral's estate, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, and the Castle of Mey.
Until 2027, he and Queen Consort Camilla will continue residing in their long-term Clarence House in London, with other homes including Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate, and Llwynywermod in Wales.
Read more:
⋙ King Charles struggles to land big stars to perform at the Coronation
⋙ British Royal Family: Is King Charles the richest royal?
⋙ Prince Louis could be granted top honor after King Charles' royal shake-up
