King Charles III will not live at Buckingham Palace after completion of costly, decade-long refurbishment

Key Points:

• King Charles III and Queen Camilla will not reside in Buckingham Palace after a 10-year, £369 million refurbishment, instead choosing to live in nearby Clarence House to increase public access to the historic palace.
• Buckingham Palace will remain the ceremonial and operational center of the monarchy, hosting official events and royal offices, while the refurbishment upgrades outdated infrastructure to ensure the building's future use.
• The decision follows efforts by the royal family to modernize and increase transparency, including King Charles III publicly disclosing his personal tax payments for the first time as monarch, paying £12.9 million in income and capital gains taxes for 2024-25.
• Prince William also released his tax details, paying £7.76 million in the same period, signaling a broader move toward openness amid recent controversies involving former Prince Andrew.
• Experts view these moves as attempts to reinforce the monarchy as a public institution and to distance the current royal family from negative publicity surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.