LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – King Charles III will not move into Buckingham Palace once its decade-long refurbishment is completed next year, ending nearly 200 years of the iconic London residence serving as the primary home of the British monarch.
The decision means the King will continue living at Clarence House, his longtime London residence, even after the £369 million ($487 million) renovation of Buckingham Palace is finished.
The extensive refurbishment, which began in 2017, has focused on replacing ageing electrical wiring, plumbing, and heating systems throughout the palace. When the project was launched, officials had expected Buckingham Palace to remain the monarch’s principal London residence, as it had since Queen Victoria established it as the royal home in 1837.
According to Reuters Chief Correspondent Michael Holden, the decision is likely to carry greater symbolic significance than practical consequences.
“Symbolically, I think people might find it slightly odd that after 200 years of it being the primary residence of the British monarch, the monarch will no longer be there,” Holden said.
He noted that, in practical terms, little would change because Charles has not lived at Buckingham Palace since ascending the throne in 2022.
“On a day-to-day basis, it doesn’t really change much. He hasn’t lived there at all since he became king,” Holden explained.
Royal officials said the King’s decision would allow Buckingham Palace to become more accessible to the public, as there would be less need to restrict access for security reasons associated with the monarch’s residence. While Charles will retain private rooms at the palace for official and occasional overnight use, Clarence House will remain his permanent London home.
The announcement coincided with the publication of the King’s annual financial records, which disclosed for the first time that Charles voluntarily paid £12.9 million ($17 million) in tax during the 2024/25 financial year, placing him among the United Kingdom’s highest taxpayers.
Neither King Charles nor the late Queen Elizabeth II had stayed overnight at Buckingham Palace since 2019, reflecting the gradual shift away from the historic residence even before the refurbishment project began.
Buckingham Palace will continue to serve as the headquarters of the British monarchy, hosting state occasions, official ceremonies, and royal receptions, despite no longer being the sovereign’s primary residence.
Source: Reuters
