Clarence House


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I think one reason that Clarence House was dear to HM and the DoE is because that is where she resided with her parents when they were still the Duke and Duchess of York. Its her childhood home. I imagine that's one reason the Queen Mum moved in there. She must have had some very fond memories in those rooms.

Edit: I did some checking and it wasn't Clarence House but rather Royal Lodge. I should check facts before I hit that save button.
 
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If BP is only for formal functions and not as a residence then if only makes sense if Charles & Camilla are to stay in CH & not move into BP even when Charles becomes king then William and Kate will remain in KP while William is king and George will remain in CH while he is king. They can alternate between CH & KP apt 1A and no one move into BP.
 
If BP needs major renovation, I could a temporary stay at Clarence House like what happened with the White House. When Truman was President, the WH was in very bad shape, he and his family moved across the street to Blair House which is a used for guest of the WH. The gutted the WH and rebuilt it from the inside.

I don't BP is that bad. However, like the WH, BP is a symbol. The US president lives in the WH and the Queen lives at BP. BP is still needed to be the office of the royal household and for the state areas and balcony. It would still need to be heated and lighted and guarded.

I think some of this I don't want to move to BP, is that you don't want to leave the comfortable surroundings. At the time of the King's death, they had just renovated CH and had a small staff with Philip in charge of the household. All that would change in BP.

Clarence House didn't become home to the heir or Dowager until Princess Elizabeth. It was Marlborough House that had that function but it was still being used by Queen Mary.
 
Osipi said:
Isn't there a lot of repairs that are needed for BP? Perhaps that would be one reason for Charles to stay at Clarence House and allow for renovations without worrying about the King being in residence. The work could shut down for the times that tours or garden parties or investitures and state banquets are scheduled.
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Perhaps a solution could be for Charles to stay put after the Queen dies, to allow for refurbishment of BP, until his coronation which would be 18 months or so later, when Charles and Camilla could move in.
 
The Coronation could be much sooner than 18 months. I have read that the government don't want to wait over a year again and the 18 months between The Queen's accession and coronation was due to George VI's death occurring in February and a desire to have a summer coronation.

I could even see a winter death followed by a summer coronation in the same year in the future as the idea of 'mourning' being an official state for 12 months etc has gone out the window these days.

BP will take millions to refurbish and the government may not be prepared to stump up for it to happen. I believe the figure is already around 30 - 50 million in arrears for repairs and that doesn't include the fact that there has been no major refit since the 1940s.
 
:previous: that's why Charles wont live there - he'll sort out the refit. Having done similar work on smaller properties he would do

1. Outer structure (safety issues)
2 Infra structure (boilers, electrics, any asbestos, new windows kitchens etc)
3. State apartments, (get the tours going) and guest quarters
4. Staff quarters (they havent been upgraded either)
5. Private accommodation

Will take years (estimate c. 10)and only if Government let them carry over "savings" yr on yr to support the capital works. Normally this is not allowed with public expenditure budgets.

Charles stays in CH; Marlborough House as well as SJP can be used for "events"
 
The wait between George's death and the coronation was to prepare the Abbey. It was closed and structures built to increase the capacity from 2000 to 8000 people. You had a similar delay with George V. With the next coronation, maybe they don't do this and it could be staged quicker.

Marlborough House was given by the queen for Commonwealth HQ so may not be option for things not Commonwealth related. Why not just move to Windsor? It is close to London plus has reception areas.
 
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Perhaps Charles could divide his time between CH and WC when he is King. BP could then be fully refurbished by the time William is King. This would mean no royals would have to move, other than Charles to WC, and also taking over Sandringham and switching from Birkhall to Balmoral.
 
royal-blue said:
Perhaps Charles could divide his time between CH and WC when he is King. BP could then be fully refurbished by the time William is King. This would mean no royals would have to move, other than Charles to WC, and also taking over Sandringham and switching from Birkhall to Balmoral.
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I really do hope that they look into making BP and other historical national buildings structurally sound and safe so that they do last into the centuries ahead. Contrary to the public believing that this is done for the royals, it is preserving British history.

There is nothing written in stone that the King needs to reside at Sandringham or Balmoral or Windsor Castle. We're just so used to it being that way with a Queen that has been on the throne for over 60 years. The one place I do think Charles will have a very hard time giving up (if he has to) is Highgrove. I think he's poured his heart and soul into that place.
 
Skippyboo said:
The wait between George's death and the coronation was to prepare the Abbey. It was closed and structures built to increase the capacity from 2000 to 8000 people. You had a similar delay with George V. With the next coronation, maybe they don't do this and it could be staged quicker.

Marlborough House was given by the queen for Commonwealth HQ so may not be option for things not Commonwealth related. Why not just move to Windsor? It is close to London plus has reception areas.
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George V was crowned in June 1911 - 13 months after his father's death.

Victoria was also crowned just over a year after her predecessor's death.

The other more recent coronations have had a longer lead in time - because the monarch has died in winter and they wanted a coronation in summer and needed at least a year for mourning.

There have already been reports that they don't want to have an 18 month lead in again (can't remember when or where I read that but have done so).

It only took them 5 months to prepare the abbey in 1953 so could be done again in 5 months.
 
I read in what I believe was a book a few years ago, that the Queen Mother demanded to move in to Marlborough House after Queen Mary's death in 1953 because she felt that Clarence House was too small. Prince Philip put his foot down because it was too expensive for her to manage. Is there anyone who have heard this story?
 
Didn't the Queen Mum "give" Clarence house to Charles after her death? So does Charles personally own it ? Is it part of his Duchy Trust?
Any chance that it could be given to Harry for his London residence? After all William gets a bunch of other huge residences
 
Clarence House, along with many other royal residences are part of the Crown Estates. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother never owned it nor does Charles. Even Charles' Highgrove is not Charles' personal property but is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall.

Balmoral and Sandringham, though, are the Queen's private properties. This list might help you out. Anmer Hall where William and Kate live in Norfolk is on the Queen's Sandringham estate so their "landlord" is William's grandmother. :D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_royal_residences#Crown_Estate_2
 
I rather like the interiors of Clarence House. Charles (or perhaps it's his sister-in-law) seems to have something of a knack for making rooms appear regal and yet cosy. A very difficult balance to strike.
 
I agree with Petticoat lane about Clarence House looking cosy and regal at the same time. it looks like a home and not just a royal residence.

There was one thing that did disappoint me though. Clarence House is Camilla's home as well as Charles' yet all the photographs are of his family. I know it's the official residence of the POW and all that but would it kill them to have a photo of Camilla's children and grandchildren, or her parents.
 
VictoriaB said:
There was one thing that did disappoint me though. Clarence House is Camilla's home as well as Charles' yet all the photographs are of his family. I know it's the official residence of the POW and all that but would it kill them to have a photo of Camilla's children and grandchildren, or her parents.
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I expect the rooms which are open to the public will depict in the main the Royal Family; Camilla is a member, her family are not.

As far as I'm aware, Camilla retained her own family home/s(?) following her marriage to Charles and often lives there. It was suggested as being one of the reasons of the high success of the marriage!
 
Are these the official rooms that Charles and Camilla use in their everyday life?
 
Not a single photo of Camilla or her family. :(
 
I'm sure there's pictures of Camilla's side of the family around the residences she share with Charles.

Interior Designer, Robert Kime, helped Charles and Camilla decorate Clarence House. It do look like home rather than just a royal residence.
 
Whether it was Philip or The Queen the suggestion was certainly made but the government said 'No. The London home of the monarch is Buckingham Palace.' and made them move there.

Another issue though was if The Queen and Philip were to stay in CH where would the Queen Mum and Margaret go? Queen Mary was still in Marlborough House. It wouldn't have been right for the Queen Consort of the previous king and the younger daughter of the monarch to stay in BP.

There weren't spaces in KP at that time (e.g. Philip's mother was living in an apartment there along with other older royals.)
 
BP must be one of the most unloved Royal residences in the world! No-one has ever really wanted to live there-- not William IV, not Victoria, who fled to Balmoral and Windsor as often as possible, down to the present Queen, who seems very happy at Windsor, and Sandringham and Balmoral.

Charles and Camilla seem to have made a very comfortable and cosy home for themselves at Clarence House. I still think Charles may make the decision to keep it as home and use BP for official business.

After all, it is all mostly official business nowadays. Deb presentations have gone, balls have gone for the most part, (when was the last one?) evening functions aren't that common, even State Visits have been hosted at Windsor on occasion and will be again, no doubt. There's no reason why an elderly couple shouldn't enjoy the comforts of home when King and Consort instead of being in a palace that's been complained of for its coldness and inconvenience for 150 years plus.
 
Curryong said:
BP must be one of the most unloved Royal residences in the world! No-one has ever really wanted to live there-- not William IV, not Victoria, who fled to Balmoral and Windsor as often as possible, down to the present Queen, who seems very happy at Windsor, and Sandringham and Balmoral.



Charles and Camilla seem to have made a very comfortable and cosy home for themselves at Clarence House. I still think Charles may make the decision to keep it as home and use BP for official business.



After all, it is all mostly official business nowadays. Deb presentations have gone, balls have gone for the most part, (when was the last one?) evening functions aren't that common, even State Visits have been hosted at Windsor on occasion and will be again, no doubt. There's no reason why an elderly couple shouldn't enjoy the comforts of home when King and Consort instead of being in a palace that's been complained of for its coldness and inconvenience for 150 years plus.
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I don't agree there are something's we need to keep and to stand outside BP and see the flag flying and turn to the person next to you and say "oh she's home " is one. The RF brings in the dollars and these things are what people come for


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I find it quite feasible that when Charles becomes King, he'll opt out for staying at Clarence House and head over to BP for "work". Quite a bit has been said lately about how repairs are sorely needed at BP and this would put the monarch in comfortable surroundings while the work is being done.

As far as the tourist angle, it may be quite the draw to see the King going to and from work. :D
 
Osipi said:
I find it quite feasible that when Charles becomes King, he'll opt out for staying at Clarence House and head over to BP for "work". Quite a bit has been said lately about how repairs are sorely needed at BP and this would put the monarch in comfortable surroundings while the work is being done.



As far as the tourist angle, it may be quite the draw to see the King going to and from work. :D
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Sorry can't agree with that


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royal rob said:
I don't agree there are something's we need to keep and to stand outside BP and see the flag flying and turn to the person next to you and say "oh she's home " is one. The RF brings in the dollars and these things are what people come for


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community
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There's no reason why that can't happen. If Charles uses BP as his day to day work office, the flag will still fly. If he goes home and stays at Clarence House it's no different to The Queen going to Windsor for the weekend.

Buckingham Palace is in dire needs of repairs, and frankly should be shut for a year or so to make the necessary work possible. It would benefit everyone.
 
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