Royal family: The reality of living in royal homes is not as glamorous as you think

The Royal Family has a vast catalogue of properties in which its members can live. The most famous of these is, of course, Buckingham Palace which sits in the heart of London and is the symbol of the British Monarchy for the millions of tourists who visit it every year.

Over the last few years, royal houses have gathered a lot of attention especially because of repeated scandals. For instance, Prince Andrewis in a tiff with King Charles III over his stay at Royal Lodge and a few weeks ago Meghan Markle and Prince Harry finally vacated Frogmore Cottage.

But while many royals choose to live in those gorgeous houses they come with strict limitations that other home owners don't have to worry about.

Buckingham Palace: No one wants to live there

Buckingham Palace is the most famous royal house in the world. When there are royal events such as weddings, Trooping the Colour or a coronation, millions of people wait for the moment when the Royal Family will stand on its iconic balcony.

But while to many commoners, the palace appears as a dream home, royals have a tendency to stay away from it.

On 9 July, The Telegraph published an article in which they explain why monarchs do not want to live in the iconic house.

The publication reveals that late Queen Elizabeth and her husband had ‘no affection for the place’ even though the Queen signed off for its renovation in 2017.

The Telegraph continues and reveals that the Queen ‘the epitome of duty, was reluctant to move in when she became sovereign in 1952.’ The paper even reveals that according to legend it is Winston Churchill who made the Queen move to the Palace.

The current monarch, even though keen to be different from his mother, shares the same lack of affection for Buckingham Palace. Indeed, King Charles and his wife have lived at Clarence House for over 20 years. They have made it their home.

But why is Buckingham Palace so unpopular with royals?

According to The Telegraph, the magnificent palace ‘is a physical representation of the responsibilities that weigh heavily upon them.’

The writer talked to a former servant who explains why Buckingham is not a royal’s favourite place.

They say:

You are basically living above the office, so it doesn’t lend itself to privacy and it’s not an easy place to relax.

Another servant interviewed by The Telegraph says:

Ironically, you couldn’t describe the Royal living quarters at Buckingham Palace as palatial (...) When private citizens buy a big house, they use all of it as their living space, but at Buckingham Palace they are confined to a small corner of quite a draughty building.

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Over the centuries many royals have complained about living at the Palace. The Telegraph reports that ‘Edward VIII complained about 'the gloom of Buckingham Palace'.

Moreover, the palace apparently has a pest problem… not as regal as we would have thought.

Prince William and Kate Middleton aren't regular home owners

When royals move into a new Royal House they usually choose to do some renovations. For instance, when King Charles III moved into Clarence House, he made the house his own by working with designer Robert Kime. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also put Frogmore Cottage through some renovations.

However, while we hear a lot about those building renovations they are not as easy to do. Indeed, the Royal Houses, just like the Royal Family itself, are a part of history. That means that most of the Royal residences are listed as such and therefore cannot undergo through unapproved work.

The Royals are far from being normal owners. The houses they live in belong to The Firm and to history more than it does to them as individuals. For instance, Prince William and the Duchess of Wales have to be very careful about what they want to do with Adelaide Cottage.

The couple moved to Windsor to escape what Hello! calls ‘the fishbowl of London’ and to be closer to the Middletons. But the cottage which was built in 1831 by Jeffry Wyatville used parts from Royal Lodge and was often visited by Queen Victoria making it a Grade II Listed Building.

Historic England explains:

A building is listed when it is of special architectural or historic interest considered to be of national importance and therefore worth protecting

The cottage being listed means that the future King and his wife will need approval before undertaking any kind of work in the house.

Read more:King Charles owns this 'blue house' in Romania where you can stay for £100 a night (PHOTO)

Sources:

Hello Magazine: Prince William and Kate Middleton's strict rules at family home Adelaide Cottage

The Telegraph: Why nobody wants to live in Buckingham Palace

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