Buckingham Palace is getting a pricey facelift. A spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth's household revealed that the palace will undergo renovations in the New Year ringing in at a price tag of $458 million.
Her Majesty's London residence will have essential building work, some for the first time in 60 years, carried out during the course of the ten year project. The Queen will continue to reside in the palace and hold her annual garden parties as the critical work commences in April. Popular events such as the Trooping the Colour and the Changing of the Guard will remain unaffected by the renovation work.
Buckingham Palace is set to undergo major renovations Photo: PA
Buckingham Palace is one of Britain's most recognized attractions, with over half a million people visiting the landmark every year. It also houses the iconic balcony where the royal family annually gather for Trooping the Colour, and where Prince William and Kate Middleton shared a kiss on their wedding day, as crowds of royal well-wishers cheered from below.
"They will have to move rooms and they are totally behind it," a senior royal official told HELLO!. "The Queen knows the Palace better than anybody, having lived here all her life. She's completely willing and content to move around."
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He added: "The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and other members of the family are all fully aware of what is going on. They're completely supportive, 100 per cent behind it. The Prince of Wales is taking a particular interest in the environmental side of it."
The Duke and Duchess shared a kiss on the palace's iconic balcony Photo: Getty Images
In a statement regarding the renovations, the Master of The Queen's Household, Tony Johnstone-Burt said, "Buckingham Palace is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and this program me is designed to extend its working life by a further fifty years."
He continued, "On completion of the work, we'll have a Palace fit for purpose until 2067. The programme addresses parts of the structure you can't see from the outside: the plumbing, electrics and other essential building services which have gone six decades without a comprehensive upgrade.
Events such as Trooping the Colour won't be affected Photo: Getty Images
The 10 Year Phase Refit will see aging cables, lead pipes, electrical wiring and boilers replaced, after a specialist report concluded that without urgent work the palace risked serious damage. Once essential projects are completed, there will also be a wing-by-wing renovation, including the East Wing which faces the Mall.
The works program is also expected to help increase public access and improve visitor facilities, as well as create a more energy-efficient working environment for the 300 people who work there, including members of the royal family, reducing the palace's carbon footprint by 40 percent over time.