Renovation costing 750 billion won wraps up next March

Buckingham Palace to remain administrative headquarters

Clarence House to serve as official residence

First such arrangement since 1837

700,000 visitors annually

Expanded public access could boost royal revenues

The Royal Air Force aerobatic display team, the Red Arrows, flies over Buckingham Palace in London as members of the royal family stand on the balcony following the Trooping the Colour ceremony marking the king's official birthday, on June 13. [Reuters]
The Royal Air Force aerobatic display team, the Red Arrows, flies over Buckingham Palace in London as members of the royal family stand on the balcony following the Trooping the Colour ceremony marking the king's official birthday, on June 13. [Reuters]

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will not move into Buckingham Palace even after its sweeping renovation is complete, marking the first time since Queen Victoria in 1837 that the palace will not serve as the British monarch's primary official residence.

According to the BBC on Thursday, Charles will continue to use Buckingham Palace as the monarch's administrative headquarters once the decade-long renovation wraps up next March, but will keep Clarence House — where he currently lives — as his official residence.

The renovation has cost 369 million pounds, or about 750 billion won ($485 million), covering large-scale work to replace aging electrical wiring, plumbing and other infrastructure. The project is set to be completed next March.

Charles has lived at Clarence House since his 2005 remarriage to Queen Camilla, when he was still Prince of Wales. The residence sits near St. James's Palace. When the king is in London, the royal standard flies over both Buckingham Palace and Clarence House.

Buckingham Palace became the official residence of the British monarch after Queen Victoria moved in in 1837. While successive sovereigns occasionally spent extended periods at other royal residences such as Windsor Castle or Balmoral Castle, Buckingham Palace remained the primary home and symbol of the monarchy throughout.

King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II, stayed at Buckingham Palace throughout World War II, and Elizabeth II gave birth to three of her children — including Charles — there. The palace's name has since become synonymous with the royal family itself, and official royal announcements are issued in its name.

The BBC said the couple, both in their 70s, appear to want to avoid the burden of a major move into Buckingham Palace. The complexity of managing visitor access and security if the king were to live there is also said to have been a factor.

The prospect of opening Buckingham Palace to the public for longer periods is another consideration. At present, the palace allows general visits centered on the state rooms mainly during summer, with limited openings on select dates in other seasons. It draws around 700,000 visitors a year.

If the king does not reside there, the palace could be opened for longer periods and to more areas, generating additional revenue. For the royal household, it would mean making fuller use of the costly-to-maintain palace as a tourism asset.

Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms in total, including 19 state rooms, 52 bedrooms for royals and guests, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. Official engagements — including state receptions, investitures and audiences — continued throughout the renovation.

The palace will retain its central role in major royal ceremonies. One of the most iconic royal moments each year comes after the Trooping the Colour parade in June, when the royal family appears on the Buckingham Palace balcony to greet the crowds below.

Palace officials stressed that the king "still loves Buckingham Palace dearly and respects its role in the life of the royal family and the nation," adding that it "will continue to be the ceremonial and operational headquarters of the monarchy."


kwater@heraldcorp.com