King Charles has never wanted to move into Buckingham Palace. BP is reportedly drafty, cold, uncomfortable and simply not a great living space. The palace is also in the middle of a decade-long renovation, much of it structural so that the whole palace won’t crumble or collapse. Even if Charles wanted to move into BP, he probably wouldn’t be allowed given all of the work being done. Still, he doesn’t want to move in at any point of his reign. He’d prefer to continue living at Clarence House and simply using BP as office space for receptions, dinners and meetings. Not only that, he wants to open up BP for tours all year round – under QEII, you could only take official tours in the summer, when QEII was in residence at Balmoral.
The King plans to give the public greater access to Buckingham Palace all year round as members of the Royal family vacate royal residences, the Telegraph understands. His Majesty is also keen to “repurpose” the historic buildings following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
It raises the prospect that large parts of Buckingham Palace or Sandringham, for example, could be remodelled in the vein of Dumfries House, the King’s 18th-century mansion in Ayrshire, which is used as a base for his own charitable foundation and hosts numerous educational courses and training programmes.
Meanwhile, the King and the Queen Consort have indicated that they would prefer to keep Clarence House as their main residence, leaving the palace largely unoccupied. A palace source insisted that work was under way to make Buckingham Palace ready for Their Majesties in due course.
Around 500,000 people a year visit Buckingham Palace each year, with the state rooms open from July to September. There are otherwise exclusive guided tours offered at limited times from Friday to Sunday during the winter months.
Some of this was always Charles’s plan, although his mother disagreed – she fundamentally believed that BP should always be “the home” of the monarch. Then again, she moved to Windsor Castle permanently in the last years of her life. I say… why not? Open Buckingham Palace to the public permanently. Do the same with St. James’s Palace, Kensington Palace and Windsor Castle. It’s always said that the Windsors “bring in tourism,” but really, people just want to see the palaces and stolen jewels. I actually think this might get the ball rolling on Charles’s plan for a lean, mean “working royal” structure – kick out all of his family members and open everything up for tourists.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.
King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, London, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government. Picture date: Tuesday October 25, 2022.,Image: 733097445, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon 
King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, London, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government. Picture date: Tuesday October 25, 2022.,Image: 733097474, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon 
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 22: (L-R) King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort during the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on November 22, 2022 in London, England. This is the first state visit hosted by the UK with King Charles III as monarch, and the first state visit here by a South African leader since 2010.,Image: 739544905, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 22: (L-R) King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort during the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on November 22, 2022 in London, England. This is the first state visit hosted by the UK with King Charles III as monarch, and the first state visit here by a South African leader since 2010.,Image: 739545375, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon 
King Charles III during a luncheon for Members of the Order of Merit at Buckingham Palace, London. Picture date: Thursday November 24, 2022.,Image: 739915338, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon 
King Charles III during a luncheon for Members of the Order of Merit at Buckingham Palace, London. Picture date: Thursday November 24, 2022.,Image: 739915448, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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