Charles to use £369 mn to renovate Buckingham Palace to make it ‘fit for king’

Charles has ruled out reducing the Crown’s extensive property empire, including Balmoral and Buckingham Palace, both of which were reportedly considered for nationalization or conversion into tourist attractions when Charles ascended the throne last September. However, Charles does want to open up more of the royal residences to the public and is working on plans to do so.  

Royals are reducing number of family residences

A report by The Daily Express cited, the move comes despite predictions that his efforts to move Prince Andrew out of his Windsor home and give him the keys to nearby Frogmore Cottage, after evicting Harry and Meghan, heralds a wider plan to reduce the number of family residences to cut costs.

Andrew’s 30-room, seven-bedroom Royal Lodge is said to be in need of major renovations, including a new roof and repointing and redecoration of the elaborate frontage. 

The property’s 98-acre grounds, which include six cottages inhabited by former royal staff, are also said to have become shabby. A team of three gardeners has been reduced to one by Andrew, whose income was cut after settling a sexual assault case filed by Virginia Giuffre in the US. Although Andrew is said to be reluctant to move out of the Royal Lodge, Charles has vowed that he will not leave his brother “homeless or penniless.”

The king has 11 homes, including official residences such as Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, and Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland, as well as private residences like Highgrove, Sandringham, Birkhall on Balmoral’s estate, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, and the Castle of Mey. 

Camilla has her own residence, Raymill at Lacock in Wiltshire, where she spends time relaxing and entertaining family.