King Charles will not host any state visits at Buckingham Palace until 2027 whilst the iconic landmark undergoes a £369 million renovation.
The Emir of Qatar, who is planning to visit the royal palace next month, will be the last royal hosted at the palace for three years until the overhaul is complete. In the meantime, all state visits will be held at Windsor Castle.
According to The Times, refurbishments at the 775-room palace have resulted in the King moving out of his private office space in the north wing, which was previously Queen Elizabeth II’s private apartment.
Charles, who is self-funding the overhaul of the west wing, has now moved his office, meeting rooms, and dining area—where he has afternoon tea daily—to the Belgian Suite on the ground floor.
The renovations at Buckingham Palace are one of the late Queen Elizabeth's lasting legacies, as the project was initially launched in 2017.
What else is being refurbished?
The official royal website explained: "The palace's electrical cabling, plumbing, and heating have not been updated since the 1950s. The building's infrastructure is in urgent need of a complete overhaul to prevent long-term damage to the building and its contents."
Speaking about the project, Master of the Household Tony Johnstone-Burt said: "I am absolutely convinced that by making this investment in the palace now we will not only avert much more costly and potentially catastrophic failure of the building in the years to come but, in the short term... will provide the opportunity for even more people to see this remarkable collection."
The renovations have already had a significant impact on Charles and Queen Camilla, as they were due to move into the palace, which has served as the official London residence of the UK’s sovereigns since 1837.
In June, the couple confirmed they will move into the palace when refurbishments are complete. In the palace's annual Sovereign Grant report, it was revealed that the couple will relocate from Clarence House to Buckingham Palace. It remains unclear whether Charles will still retain Clarence House as a secondary residence or allow other members of the family to reside there.
