King Charles to stay at Clarence House after Buckingham Palace refit

London,UPDATED: Jun 26, 2026 03:12 IST

King Charles III will not move into Buckingham Palace after a 10-year refurbishment programme ends next year, with the monarchy instead planning to use the building more for public access. Royal officials said the king and Queen Camilla will continue to work from Buckingham Palace, but will remain at nearby Clarence House for the rest of Charles' reign.

The announcement came on Thursday during a briefing on royal finances, where Charles also became the first British monarch to disclose the amount of tax he paid to the government. He paid 12.9 million pounds in income and capital gains taxes in 2024-25, up from 11.7 million pounds a year earlier.

Officials said Buckingham Palace will remain central to the monarchy's work. It will continue as "the ceremonial and operational centre" of the royal household. James Chalmers, the senior royal official responsible for managing the king's financial affairs, said: "It is and will remain Monarchy HQ, the crown jewel of our national buildings."

The announcements come as the royal family tries to move on from months of headlines about links between convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the former Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The focus on Mountbatten-Windsor has overshadowed Charles' attempts to modernise the monarchy and show that the 1,000-year-old institution can change.

Built in the 1820s, Buckingham Palace has been the London home of every British monarch since Queen Victoria. The 775-room building houses royal offices and hosts state banquets for visiting heads of state. It is also a major public symbol of the monarchy, with crowds gathering outside for landmark moments, from royal weddings to national celebrations and ceremonies along The Mall.

In 2017, the royal household began a 10-year project to replace outdated plumbing, wiring and heating systems, and to upgrade the palace so it can continue to serve the monarchy for another 50 years. The work is due to finish next year. But Charles and Camilla have decided to stay at Clarence House, where Charles had lived as Prince of Wales.

Chalmers said that decision would allow more public use of the palace, including more events and an expansion in visitor access and tours. Buckingham Palace already receives about 7,00,000 visitors a year. Royal watchers are now waiting for more detail on how the palace will be used. Ed Owens, author of "After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself," said it would be a shame if parts of the building were left unused for much of the year. "I'm hoping for a second act in terms of this decision," he told The Associated Press. "I'm waiting to see whether there will be a sort of a more radical proposal for what Buckingham Palace might be in the future."

The other major development was the release of tax details. Charles had published details of his personal taxes when he was Prince of Wales, but this is the first time he has done so since becoming king after Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022. Although the monarchy is funded from several sources, the king pays tax only on his personal income, much of it from his privately owned estates at Balmoral in Scotland and Sandringham on England's east coast. He also paid capital gains tax linked to the sale of assets.

Prince William, the current Prince of Wales, also released his tax details on Thursday. His office said he paid 7.76 million pounds in income and capital gains taxes in 2024-25, down from 8.34 million pounds the previous year. The figures offer the public a clearer sense of the king's personal wealth, separate from castles, jewels and artworks linked to the role but not owned by the monarch personally.

Charles was not required to publish his tax affairs, which are normally private. But the move is being seen as part of a wider effort to make the monarchy appear more open and accountable. Craig Prescott, an expert on constitutional law and the monarchy at Royal Holloway, University of London, said: "If they're open and as transparent as possible, then the contrast with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor becomes all the greater." Taken together, Thursday's announcements set out how Buckingham Palace will remain at the heart of royal work while being opened up further to the public, alongside a fresh push for greater transparency around the monarchy.

With PTI Inputs

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