King Charles will not live at Buckingham Palace after the £369m refurbishment works are completed next spring, despite previous insistence from officials that it would become his London home. The Prince and Princess of Wales also have no intention of ever moving into the 775-room home, as Forest Lodge on the Windsor Estate has been billed as their “forever home”.
Announced as part of the annual royal finance reports, which revealed that the King and Prince of Wales have paid over £50m in tax during the Carolean era, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Charles and Camilla will continue to reside at their London home, Clarence House, when the 10-year refurbishment of Monarchy HQ concludes in March 2027.
The Palace will remain the symbol of the Royal Family, home to state banquets, dinners, Garden Parties and investitures, as well as the central headquarters of the monarchy – but it will cease to be a residential home.