Buckingham Palace video confirms why it won't be King Charles' home anymore

When refurbishment work started in 2017, officials had expected Buckingham Palace to remain King Charles’s primary London residence, as it had been since Queen ⁠Victoria became sovereign in 1837.

However, earlier this year officials said the monarch will not live at Buckingham Palace after its 10-year refurbishment finishes next year.

The decision ends nearly two centuries of the London landmark serving as the British monarch’s primary residence.

A recent report in Hola said without a resident monarch occupying the private apartments, officials plan to expand opportunities for visitors to explore more areas of Buckingham Palace throughout the year instead of limiting access primarily to the summer opening.”

A video released by the palace on Tuesday August 3, 2026 further highlighted how the royal family is determined to offer more and easy access to members of the public.

The video announced opening of new lifts at the palace. “As well as replacing core building services, the Reservicing Programme has completed lots of improvements to accessibility since it began in 2017,” read the caption accompanying the video on the official Instagram account of the royal family.

Meanwhile, Prince William has also shown little interest in making Buckingham Palace his permanent home when he becomes the king after his father Charles III.

William’s reluctance to make it his home raises the possibility that the iconic building could remain exclusively a ceremonial and administrative center for future generations rather than a family residence.

Charles' decision not to live at Buckingham Palace and remain at Clarence House, his longstanding London home nearby, comes ahead of the completion next year of a £369 million ($487 million) refurbishment to replace ageing electrical wiring, pipes and heating systems.

Neither Charles nor the late Queen Elizabeth had stayed overnight at the palace since 2019. The king will maintain private rooms there that could be used as accommodation.

Some 700,000 people visit the building every year, and public access will be increased, Chalmers said, without providing details.