King Charles III and Queen Camilla have confirmed they will continue living permanently at Clarence House rather than moving into Buckingham Palace once its decade-long renovation is complete — a decision that breaks with 189 years of royal precedent and could reshape how future monarchs use Britain's most famous residence.
The Announcement
The decision was announced by Buckingham Palace on June 25 during a briefing on royal finances, at which Charles also became the first British monarch to publicly disclose the taxes he personally pays the government — 12.9 million pounds ($16.1 million) in income and capital gains taxes for the 2024-25 financial year, up from 11.7 million pounds the year before. James Chalmers, the Keeper of the Privy Purse, described the residence decision as "a change from the past and a recognition of the future," while stressing Buckingham Palace would remain "the ceremonial and operational centre of royal life."
Ending Nearly Two Centuries of Precedent
Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of the reigning sovereign since Queen Victoria moved in in 1837. No monarch has chosen another permanent London residence in the nearly 200 years since — until now. A monarch hasn't actually lived at the palace since 2020, when Queen Elizabeth II relocated to Windsor Castle during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it had widely been assumed Charles would eventually move in once the ongoing refurbishment was finished. That assumption has now been officially put to rest.
Why Charles Is Staying at Clarence House
Clarence House, located just steps from Buckingham Palace along The Mall, has been Charles's London home since 2003 and the couple's shared residence since their 2005 marriage. Palace officials say the decision reflects both practical and symbolic considerations: Charles and Camilla, both in their late seventies, are understood to have been reluctant to undertake the upheaval of relocating after more than two decades in their current home. A palace spokesperson said the King "retains huge affection for Buckingham Palace and a deep respect for its role in royal and public life," describing it as a "buzzing hive of royal activity" that "will remain a working home."
The Case for Wider Public Access
Officials have framed the decision partly around expanding public access to one of Britain's best-known landmarks. With its 775 rooms, Buckingham Palace functions more as a working government building than a private residence, and royal aides have described it as the headquarters of the monarchy rather than a comfortable place to live. By formally separating the King's personal residence from the palace's ceremonial and administrative functions, officials say they're seeking to "widen public access precisely to maximize the national benefit of a publicly-funded building."
The Cost Question
Not everyone views the decision favorably. Critics have questioned the optics of the arrangement given that taxpayers funded the decade-long Buckingham Palace Reservicing Programme, a refurbishment effort costing 369 million pounds ($487 million). Some have argued it's difficult to justify such a significant public investment in a building the monarch himself has now confirmed he won't live in on a permanent basis.
What It Could Mean for Future Monarchs
The decision's implications may extend well beyond Charles's own reign. Reports suggest Prince William has no plans to live at Buckingham Palace either — when he and his family moved into Forest Lodge in Windsor last year, it was described as their "forever home," even accounting for his eventual accession to the throne. If that holds, Charles's decision could mark not just a personal choice but the start of a lasting shift in how the monarchy uses the palace going forward, with the building potentially transitioning permanently into a ceremonial and administrative headquarters rather than a royal home.
Part of a Broader Modernization Effort
The announcement comes as the royal family works to shift public attention away from months of difficult headlines tied to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and Prince Andrew — now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — which had overshadowed Charles's broader efforts to modernize the 1,000-year-old institution. Supporters view the residence decision, alongside Charles's unprecedented tax disclosure, as further evidence of the King positioning the monarchy as more transparent and accessible.
What's Next
With the Buckingham Palace Reservicing Programme still underway and the King's decision to remain permanently at Clarence House now formally confirmed, attention turns to how the fully renovated palace will function going forward as a public-facing, ceremonial headquarters rather than a royal home — and whether Prince William's own reported preference for Forest Lodge cements this shift as a lasting change to how the British monarchy operates, well beyond Charles's own reign.