After two years living in Windsor Castle in Berkshire, the Queen has no plans to return to Buckingham Palace in London. The Queen will never live again at Buckingham Palace, making Windsor Castle her permanent home and main official residence, The Sunday Times has reported today. It is understood the monarch, 95, who has lived at the palace for most of her 70-year reign, has come to prefer life at Windsor Castle, where she has spent much of the past two years since leaving London to isolate with Prince Philip at the start of the pandemic.
Windsor was previously only the Queen’s weekend home and her residence for Easter and Royal Ascot week in June.
It means Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall are set to be the next members of the Royal Family to take up residence at Buckingham Palace as King and Queen Consort.
Charles, 73, is known to prefer his London home, Clarence House, but has conceded the palace should remain “monarchy HQ” once he ascends the throne.
Buckingham Palace, which has been the official London residence of British sovereigns since 1837, is midway through a 10-year, £369million reservicing programme.
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The Queen originally planned only to temporarily move out of her private apartments, and relocate to another part of the palace while her quarters were renovated.
But now she will only return to London for occasional engagements, and she reportedly has not spent a night at the palace since March 2020.
But what is it like inside Buckingham Palace?
Despite its 775-room grandeur, while the Queen was in residence at Buckingham Palace, she often preferred a less grand way of life.
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In 2003, Ryan Parry, an undercover tabloid reporter posing as a footman who worked at the palace for two months, revealed how her breakfast table was simply laid with cereal in Tupperware.
The palace has a whopping 775 rooms and includes a gallery, stunning gardens and a ballroom.
Back in October 2020, Kate Middleton and her husband Prince William were photographed in the throne room with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena.
The room was stunning and regal with red and gold furnishings and a large marble fireplace.
Gold framed mirrors and bold red carpets made the room look even more eye-catching.
The Palace Ballroom has similar decor to the throne room and has been used to host guests and state dinners.
The room has red carpets and a white horseshoe table in the centre.
The White Drawing Room was where the Queen formerly made her yearly Christmas Day speech.
The room is truly spectacular with white walls, gold borders and red and cream carpets.
Discussing the Queen’s permanent move to Windsor, Hugo Vickers, a royal author said: “Windsor is the place she loves. She has her memories with Prince Philip there, she has her ponies there and family nearby. It makes sense.”
Prince Andrew lives at Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate and Sophie Wessex and Prince Edward are based nearby at Bagshot Park, Surrey.
The Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Anne also visit the Queen regularly at Windsor.
However, for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations this year, Buckingham Palace will be at the heart of festivities, with the Queen and core members of her family set to appear on the balcony on June 2 for her official birthday parade, Trooping the Colour and at the “Platinum Party at the Palace” on June 4.
Buckingham Palace has been the setting for some of the most memorable moments of the Queen’s reign, from royal newlyweds kissing on its balcony to the scene of her starring role in the James Bond skit for the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony.