There are two more years left in the extremely expensive renovation of Buckingham Palace. The whole reno ordeal was always scheduled to last ten years, but when Queen Elizabeth II was alive, she still regularly stayed in BP and conducted business there in her final years. King Charles averages maybe two or three daytime events a week at BP, but only during certain periods of time. Most of the state business during Charles’s reign is now being conducted at Windsor Castle or Clarence House. Well, it looks like those changes will likely become permanent. They’re going so far as to move the Royal Mews – aka the stables – over to Windsor.
The royal family is preparing to make another major change. According to the Sunday Times, the Royal Mews will be relocating from Buckingham Palace to Windsor in the new year. The Mews is responsible for the royals’ transportation, most notably the horses, stables and historic collection of royal carriages.
It has been headquartered at Buckingham Palace since the late 1700s; however, a move out of central London into the Windsor countryside makes sense for a few notable reasons.
For one, Buckingham Palace has not been the primary royal residence since the late Queen Elizabeth moved to Windsor during the COVID pandemic in 2020. The historic building is currently undergoing a six-figure renovation, and King Charles and Queen Camilla have been living at Clarence House when in London, where they reportedly intend to remain even after the work is complete.
Likewise, Kate Middleton and Prince William officially moved into their “forever home,” Forest Lodge in Windsor, just a few weeks ago. They also plan to keep the country home as their primary residence, even when William eventually becomes king.
So, it makes sense for the Royal Mews to relocate its historic stables and current fleet of around 30 horses, state coaches, as well as the state motor cars. Coachmen, grooms, chauffeurs and other staff also live on site, in apartments near the carriage houses and stables. The Mews is a major part of royal ceremony, with the family traveling by carriage for events like royal weddings, Trooping the Colour, the Royal Ascot, state visits and more. After a few years of running main operations through Windsor instead of Buckingham Palace, it seems the family is ready to make the change permanent.
Even after renovations on the London royal residence are complete, King Charles and Queen Camilla likely won’t live there. According to The Times, sources who know Charles and Camilla said they are both “very comfortable” at Clarence House, which is a short walk from Buckingham Palace. “I know he is no fan of ‘the big house,’ as he calls the palace,” a source told the outlet. “He doesn’t see it as a viable future home or a house that’s fit for purpose in the modern world.”
Another source added, “It is certainly true that Camilla doesn’t want to live at Buckingham Palace,” and The Times reported that Prince William “agrees that the palace is not suitable for modern family life.”
“…Currently undergoing a six-figure renovation…” More like a nine-figure renovation. The whole decade-long process costs £369 million, although a project of this size will most likely not come in on budget. Let’s say they’re spending something close to £400 million on a decade-long project to make Buckingham Palace more habitable, comfortable and modern. And let’s say that no one ever lives there again, not even the horses. You can say, hey, France just spent all of that money fixing Notre Dame, this is similar. Yeah, Notre Dame is a historic building which is fully open to tourists all year. BP is supposed to be the monarch’s home, both symbolically and literally! And now they’re even moving the horses and carriages out of BP? Wild.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Oh well, perhaps George will want to live there when his turn comes.
They don’t feel at all tied to the people – as in no need to explain what’s going on with this massive castle etc.
I would think a simple – the renovations at BP are coming along splendidly. Current estimates put the renovation completion at 2027 at which time new multiple areas that have always been closed to the public – such as blah blah blah gallery – will be open to the public.
In the meantime, the King continues to use Clarence House as his London base and Windsor castle when in Windsor, both as an individual and for his duties as King.
The horses have been temporarily moved to Windsor (or wherever) for the planned and much needed restoration of the stables.
That sounds highly probable, after all most of the horsey events take place in London.
It sounds more like they added the mews to the renovation project, but don’t want the public to know they are spending even more money.
Yes indeed a deep dive needs to happen to find out just what taxpayers are footing the bill for. If no one wants to live at BP then have it open to the public all the time .
I think that may be the plan. Except keep the king’s office and reception hall just to maintain its cultural identity. (People are always going to be more interested in visiting Buckingham Palace than Buckingham Museum)
Charles has said in the past that BP should be a museum.
ETA – I don’t see a problem with moving to Windsor, especially with all the talk about the RF’s too many homes. BP is an iconic building filled with priceless treasures and should be open to the public.
I could see it working well as a partial museum to honour the life and work of QEII, George VI & The Queen Mother. And P Philip.
Balmoral could host something very similar.
This might explain why they continue to offer Harry an apartment in Buckingham Palace when he visits, which he turns down. It couldn’t be very comfortable there at the moment with all the on-going construction. Not to mention all of the anonymous people milling around that no one is paying any particular attention to.
Yes and it seems like such an insult to Harry when nobody in the family wants to live there and especially now when there is construction going on.
Norman Baker’s new book says Charles is keeping revenues from the high-priced tickets to tour Buckingham Palace, and asks why the revenues of several million £ don’t go to the Treasury instead. Same for ticket sales to multiple other “royal” homes.
Those are very good questions.
Another day, another story about *another* house.
Exactly! Another house, with probably several appartments renovated, with even an indoor pool IIRC, will be sitting empty. The balloon is getting bigger and bigge, and I bet we haven’t heard the half of it.
I hope the horses are treated humanely where ever they are boarded. This seems like a filler story all the royals must have clocked out for the holiday season.
I remember the stories last year about the horses breaking free & galloping down streets bleeding, so probably a good idea to move them to the countryside?
I dont understand this. so they wont keep any of the carriages and such in London? It says they’ve been “running main operations through Windsor” for a few years now so is this just making it official? are they going to have to transport horses and carriages back and forth from Windsor to London for state events like Parliament and Trooping? Or do they already do that?
That was my main question, I don’t see the royals getting in at Windsor then driving the carriages up the M4 into central London each time they’re going somewhere in them.
Good Gaia, he looks like death warmed over in that carriage photo.
Notra Dame cathedral is so iconic that it’s rebuilding cost was from 80% donations from people all over the world. Can’t say same for Buckingham Palace.
Also, French artisans donated free labour. Haven’t heard that any British person offered such love.
British people literally carried pitch forks against the monarchy when Windsor Castle got burnt and the govt wanted to use tax money to rebuild it.
Plus the ND is something loke 800 years old and houses items of cultural importance to the entire catholic community the world over. BP is very important for the Brits, part of their cultural identity, but renovating something to be a museum or to be comfortable to live in are very different. So which is it?
Anything that is going to be a public building like a museum probably has a lot more regulations and expenses. (Multiple restrooms, disabled access, etc )
They already have multiple restrooms! IDK about accessibility. But, remember, the royals don’t have to bother with pesky things like regulations or laws.
I don’t see them moving the carriages permanently. The Royal Mews is a big tourist attraction most of the months of the year. Plus it makes no sense to have the carriage processions begin at Windsor for events like the Opening of Parliament.
I think information may have been misunderstood. The carriages may be being relocated if they’re renovating/repairing the Mews, but I would think they’d be back by spring when tourism picks up.