The official headquarters of the British monarchy are getting a lengthy (and expensive) revamp. But is it bad news for royal fans planning to visit?
Buckingham Palace Is Undergoing a Huge Renovation—Here’s How It Will Affect Visitors
Published on Dec. 03, 2024
Where do they sleep, where do they eat and what else do they do in their hundreds of fancy rooms? If you follow the lives of the British royals, or you’re a fan of the Netflix hit The Crown, you’d probably love to peek behind the palace walls and snoop around a bit. Well, when visiting the U.K., you can do just that—literally! Where better to get some insights than right at Buckingham Palace, the heart of the British monarchy and the most well-known of the royals’ many estates?
If you’re planning a trip to London in the near future, however, take note: Some major renovations might throw a wrench into your sightseeing plans. The king’s official residence is getting some urgent updates—and given the size and age of the palace, they’re taking years rather than just weeks.
So how will this affect a potential trip to the palace for the millions of people who visit every year? We have all the details below.
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What kind of renovations will be happening at Buckingham Palace?
Buckingham Palace is getting all of its cables, pipes, boilers and heating units replaced, including in the famous staterooms. According to the official palace website, the infrastructure is “in urgent need of a complete overhaul to prevent long-term damage to the building and its contents.” The new systems will not only ensure safety but will also come in cheaper in the long run. Plus, they’re more environmentally friendly, something King Charles is known to be especially passionate about.
While Buckingham Palace looks shiny and glamorous from the outside, we shouldn’t forget that it was built in the early 18th century—and these systems haven’t been updated since the 1950s. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some parts of the building are not quite state-of-the-art.
When will the renovations start?
The renovations at Buckingham Palace are already well underway—but now the most important rooms are getting an update. The palace is gradually being refurbished over a span of 10 years, ensuring that it never has to fully close its doors. The work started in 2017, seven years before Charles was crowned, and it’s scheduled to be finished in late 2027. Over the next three years, the Ballroom, White Drawing Room, Music Room and State Dining Room will be refurbished.
The complete palace revamp costs around £369 million (approximately $467 million) and is mostly paid by the British taxpayers. The only exception? Redecorating Charles’s private suite. He’ll pay for that out of his own pocket, according to royal insiders.
How will this affect visitors?
Luckily, royal fans can still visit Buckingham Palace while the renovations are happening. The palace is traditionally open to the public during the summer months, when the senior royals enjoy some time off in their vacation homes. The refurbishment will be completely paused from July to September, ensuring royal fans can continue to visit during this period. The annual special exhibition taking place at the same time will also remain unaffected. Outside of the summer months, visitors can book guided Buckingham Palace tours on limited dates.
While nothing really changes for the general public, the royals themselves did have to adapt: Charles had to clear his private office space in the north wing of Buckingham Palace (formerly Queen Elizabeth II’s apartment) and move to the western part of the building. Among his new rooms at Buckingham Palace is the Orleans Room, the very place where he was born in 1948.
The other big change? All state visits will temporarily take place at Windsor Castle rather than Buckingham Palace. The last state visit to Buckingham Palace until 2027 just began, with the emir of Qatar arriving in England on Dec. 3.
What kind of access is Buckingham Palace now offering to the public?
Despite the renovations, visitors will still be able to check out the staterooms, where Charles and other senior royals welcome and entertain their guests on formal occasions. These rooms still look pretty much the same as they did when Queen Victoria moved into the palace in 1837! Highlights include the Ballroom (where the state banquets take place), the Throne Room (including the chairs that were built for Elizabeth’s and Prince Philip’s coronation in 1953 and used again when Charles and Queen Camilla were crowned in 2023) and the Picture Gallery (featuring works by the likes of Rembrandt and Rubens).
That’s not all. Buckingham Palace recently started offering visitors even more behind-the-scenes access to the royals’ lives. Starting earlier this year, tourists have been allowed to visit the East Wing and the famous palace balcony (where every royal couple, from Charles and the late Princess Diana to Prince William and Princess Kate, kissed on their wedding day).
And in 2025, Charles plans to open even more parts of the palace to the public. One highlight: Visitors will soon be allowed to enter Buckingham Palace through the front gates, just like the king’s and queen’s official guests at royal parties and other events. Unlike his mother, Charles sees the palaces as public spaces rather than closed-off private buildings for just a lucky few.
Will Charles and Camilla ever move into Buckingham Palace?
Charles and Camilla currently live a stone’s throw away from Buckingham Palace, in Clarence House, and they don’t seem too keen to move—even after all the refurbishments are completed. According to a royal insider the Times spoke with, Charles is “no fan of ‘the big house,’ as he calls the palace” and “doesn’t see it as a viable future home or a house that’s fit for purpose in a modern world.” Another one adds that Camilla, especially, doesn’t want to live there.
That being said, Buckingham Palace—with its five floors and 775 rooms, including 19 staterooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms—will remain the official HQ of the monarchy, even if no royals actually call it their home.
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Sources:
- The Times: “Buckingham Palace’s £369m refurbishment means no state visits until 2027”
- The Times: “King Charles to open palaces for the people”
- The Telegraph: “Buckingham Palace to open front gates to tourists for first time”
- Royal.uk: “Reservicing Buckingham Palace”
- Royal Collection Trust: “Who built Buckingham Palace?”
- Reuters: “King Charles welcomes Qatar’s emir as state visit begins”
