It was confirmed on Thursday night that King Charles will never live in Buckingham Palace again, even after the 10-year £369million resurfacing works end next year. It is also unlikely that the Prince and Princess of Wales will ever move there when the time comes, as they moved into their "forever home", Forest Lodge in Windsor, last year.
St James's Palace: The Highest-Ranking Royal Home
Many people may believe that the most senior royal palace in London is Buckingham Palace, as it has been an official residence of the monarch since Queen Victoria's reign; however, that isn't the case. Despite Buckingham Palace's 775 rooms and iconic reputation as the centre of public celebrations, it is St James's Palace, around the corner, that is considered the highest-ranking royal home.
St James's Palace was built by order of King Henry VIII in the 1530s and was considered the second most important London residence by most Tudor and Stuart monarchs. First was the Palace of Whitehall, which was destroyed by a devastating fire in 1698. St James’s was used increasingly by the Georgian monarchs and was considered the official and ceremonial home of the monarch. Yet, it was once again sidelined when Buckingham Palace became the principal royal residence upon Queen Victoria's accession in 1837.
Royal Residences Through History
Both King George I and King George II used the palace as their principal London residence and housed their mistresses there. King George III, however, found St James’s too small and instead favoured his new home, Buckingham House (later Buckingham Palace) and Windsor Castle. The tradition set by George III was formalised by Queen Victoria in 1837, with the official residence of the monarch at Buckingham Palace and St James’s used for formal occasions and public audiences.
The royal website explains that St James's Palace was a "residence of Kings and Queens of England for over 300 years until the reign of Queen Victoria". The site also touches on the importance of the home as it is where "the accession of a new Sovereign" takes place. Famous events that have taken place there include the weddings of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert and of King George V to Queen Mary. Several royal christenings have also taken place at the palace, including those of Prince George in 2013 and Prince Louis in 2018.
King Charles and Buckingham Palace
While the red brick palace has links that stretch back to the times of King Henry VIII, King Charles has only briefly called it home following his divorce from Diana, Princess of Wales and before he moved into neighbouring Clarence House when Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, died in 2002. The confirmation that the Royal Family won't live in Buckingham Palace again marks a significant shift in royal residence traditions.
