King Charles Won't Live at Buckingham Palace After Refit
Neither King Charles nor Queen Elizabeth II slept at Buckingham Palace after 2019.
Thursday's announcement made that quiet reality permanent: for the rest of Charles's reign, the palace will not be his home.
What Was Announced and by Whom
James Chalmers, the King's treasurer and keeper of the privy purse, confirmed on Thursday that Charles and Queen Camilla will remain at Clarence House — the stately home near the palace where Charles has lived since his time as Prince of Wales — after the £369 million refurbishment of Buckingham Palace concludes next year.
The palace will remain what Chalmers called "the ceremonial and operational centre" of the monarchy, and the King will maintain private rooms there that could be used as accommodation.
"It is and will remain Monarchy HQ, the crown jewel of our national buildings, with the sovereign's standard flying proudly from the roof whenever his majesty is in London," Chalmers told reporters.
The refit, which began in 2017 and is due to finish in 2027, involves replacing ageing electrical wiring, pipes and heating across the 775-room building.
When the programme was launched nine years ago, according to the AP, the expectation was that the palace would continue as the monarch's primary London residence once work was complete.
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The Tradition Being Broken — and When It Was Already Broken
Buckingham Palace has been the London home of every British monarch since Queen Victoria moved in following her coronation in 1837.
Charles is the first monarch since Victoria to choose not to live there.
The announcement has been described widely as a historic break with royal tradition. The more precise framing is that the break happened years ago without anyone being told.
Neither Charles nor the late Queen Elizabeth had stayed overnight at the palace since 2019, according to CNN's reporting. Thursday's announcement formalises a living arrangement that has quietly been in place for six years.
The decision opens the door to significantly expanded public access.
The palace currently receives around 700,000 visitors per year. Chalmers said that figure would increase, with more events hosted and more tours offered, though specific details have not yet been released.
Royal historian Ed Owens, author of *After Elizabeth*, told AP he hopes the decision leads to something more transformative than the palace simply sitting empty for much of the year, describing the announcement as a potential "second act" for the building.
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The Tax Disclosure — and What It Reveals
The Buckingham Palace announcement came alongside a separate disclosure that attracted significant attention in its own right.
Charles paid £12.9 million in tax in the 2024/25 financial year — the first time the figure has ever been made public by the palace.
The disclosure places him among Britain's top 100 taxpayers.
Prince William, heir to the throne, paid £7.76 million in the same period and separately instructed that £1.5 million in rent from a closed prison on his estate go to the local community rather than to the royal household.
The disclosures are part of a push toward greater financial transparency the royal family has pursued since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, amid growing public and political scrutiny of royal finances.
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The Sovereign Grant — a Cut Charles Requested Himself
The same financial report confirmed that the Sovereign Grant — the government funding that pays for royal staff, palaces and travel — will stand at £137.9 million in 2026/27.
For the first time, it will be cut in 2027/28, to £100 million, where it will remain until 2031/32.
Chalmers confirmed the reduction was made "in line with his majesty's clear wishes" — meaning Charles asked for the cut himself.
The current figure is still almost £60 million higher than the 2016 level, when the funding formula was changed specifically to pay for the Buckingham Palace renovation.
Critics have noted that Charles and William both face ongoing scrutiny over charging the army, health services and schools rent on properties held by the Crown Estate and the Duchy of Cornwall.
The reduction in the Sovereign Grant, and the publication of tax figures for the first time, are being positioned by palace officials as steps toward a more accountable model of royal finances.
Whether the decision not to live at Buckingham Palace forms part of that same repositioning — a monarchy seen as leaner, more accessible and less insulated from public expectation — is a question royal observers say the next few years will answer.
Key Takeaways
- King Charles III will not live at Buckingham Palace after the building's £369 million refurbishment concludes in 2027 — the first monarch since Queen Victoria to make that choice.
- Charles and Queen Camilla will remain at Clarence House for the rest of his reign. The palace will stay "the ceremonial and operational centre" of the monarchy.
- Neither Charles nor Queen Elizabeth II had slept at the palace since 2019 — Thursday's announcement formalised an arrangement already six years in practice.
- Charles paid £12.9 million in tax in 2024/25 — the first time the figure has been publicly disclosed, placing him among Britain's top 100 taxpayers.
- Prince William paid £7.76 million in the same period.
- The Sovereign Grant will be cut from £137.9 million to £100 million in 2027/28 — at Charles's own request.
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World News Correspondent
Rachel Hayes reports on international affairs, geopolitics, and breaking world news. Based in London, she covers stories shaping the UK and global political landscape.
