Since its construction between the 18th and 19th centuries, and its designation as the official royal residence since 1837, Buckingham Palace has been the official residence of the monarch since the reign of Queen Victoria.
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The woman who would become known as the Empress of India and who is the great-great-grandmother of Elizabeth II held the record for the longest reign of the British monarchy. This feat was broken by Queen Elizabeth II on 6 September 2015, when she reached 63 years, 7 months and 2 days of reign.
Although the late Queen Elizabeth II had deserted it somewhat in favour of Windsor Castle, where she spent most of her time in the last years of her life, it remains a symbol of the British monarchy, where tourists flock every year to watch the changing of the guard or Britons at major events such as royal weddings.
Prince Charles, now King Charles III, might move there, but it's not quite what he had in mind.
Where will Prince Charles live after taking the throne?
As soon as his mother's death was announced, Charles became the new King of the United Kingdom. It has been speculated that he might not be as popular as his late mother and wants to use this opportunity to modernize the monarchy. Charles, now King, would like the royal residences to be opened to the public more widely. This is already the case for Buckingham, which can be visited in part between June and September when the Queen used to retire to Balmoral or Windsor for the summer.
Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the place where the monarch died, would be transformed into a museum dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II, while Buckingham would open its doors all year round.
According toHello!,the King will maintain Clarence House as his residence. However, a source told Daily Mail that he will also have accommodation at Buckingham Palace. They said:
Despite what everybody thinks about him not wanting to live there, he will certainly have accommodation there – but it will be a much more modest flat-above-the-shop situation akin to that of the Prime Minister at Downing Street.
Beyond reducing the surface area of the royal residence, this would be a way of financing the renovation of this excessive palace, thanks to the sale of potential tickets to visit it all year round, just like Balmoral, Elizabeth II's favourite residence.
King Charles III is also said to be planning to reduce the number of royals who receive public subsidies in order to focus on those who are really involved. This measure could, among other things, silence those who criticize the exorbitant cost of the Crown to the British taxpayer and thus boost his popularity rating.
Where did Prince Charles and Camille live before?
Before potentially occupying an official flat in the Royal Palace in London where the Queen lived before her coronation, the royal couple lived not far from there. Previously, Prince Charles and Camilla had settled in Clarence House, a building just across the Mall from Buckingham Palace.
Before Prince Charles moved in, it was the official residence of the Queen Mother, Elizabeth II's mother, from 1953 at her coronation until her death in 2002. Princess Margaret also stayed there until she married in 1960 and moved to Kensington Palace.
Prince William and Prince Harry also lived there for a time, between 2003 and 2011 and 2003 and 2012, respectively. Before Queen Elizabeth came to power in 1952 on the death of her father, George VI, it was also her official residence, which she occupied for a few months with the Duke of Edinburgh after his marriage.
Buckingham Palace, the most expensive property in the world
While architects are working hard to build the most luxurious homes in the world, none has surpassed Buckingham in terms of value. Experts estimate that the British monarchy's main royal palace could be worth £1.3 billion ( $1.55 billion).
What was once Elizabeth II's home covers almost 77,000 square metres and contains 775 rooms, including 52 bedrooms, 78 bathrooms and 188 servants' rooms.
Inside, there are:
- a chapel
- a post office
- a swimming pool
- a restaurant reserved for employees
- a doctor's surgery
- a cinema
To manage this small city, nearly 800 employees in the service of the Queen are employed. A colossal building, which fascinates, but which has also been criticized for its cost.
This article was translated from Oh!MyMag FR.
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