Clarence House

[Countessmeout]

A permanent home at Clarence for King Charles? No. But a year or so for repairs? Yes. He wouldn't be the first not to move right away. They can do other repairs now. May also make transition easier, not moving right into mom's rooms.

 

[Osipi]

With the historical buildings getting older and, as we've seen, much in need of repair with the estimate of renovation and restorations clearly estimated in millions, one change that Charles may find feasible is to remain at Clarence House as a residence and walk over (yes, there's been many stories of him preferring to walk) to BP for whatever he needs to.

With BP not as the primary residence of the King, it may even be possible to open up the palace more for visitors and tourists which will generate more revenue for the work needed.

I think it is far more important to assure that historical building that have been around and so much a part of British history be kept well maintained than to be a primary residence.

We'll see what happens when the time comes which hopefully won't be for a very long time.

 

[tommy100]

I think CH could well be used as King Charles' residence if, as reported, BP needs lots of repairs. A new reign would provide the perfect opportunity to begin the work (after allowing for coronation events etc) and I can well see Charles staying put at CH while the work goes on. That being said I think Charles understand the importance of the symbols of the monarchy and the need for some continuity so could see him moving into BP after the work is finished.

Equally I sense William wants to keep his family life as private as possible and can full well see him moving into CH rather than BP full time if his children are still kids when he becomes king.

 

[Denville]

Sorry can't agree with that


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

with the idea of Charles going to and from work? I think it woudl be nice, though I suppose there woudl be security implications.

 

[Bine221]

.... or cycling by bike ....

BYe Bine

 

[BeatrixFan]

At some point, we're going to have to face upto the reality which is that the Victorians built very pretty facades but they aren't really made to last! A parliamentary report says that Buckingham Palace needs renovation as a priority and the only way it can happen is for the Queen to move out. But I doubt she'd want to consider that at her age. So the idea of Charles using Clarence House as a temporary residence as King? Perhaps but I don't know how practical it would be.

The biggest challenge will be when they have to finally renovate the Palace of Westminster!

 

[Spheno]

@ClarenceHouse 20h20 hours ago
Introducing the beautiful @ClarenceHouse Christmas tree!

https://twitter.com/ClarenceHouse/status/806910648999378944

 

[An Ard Ri]

@ClarenceHouse 20h20 hours ago
Introducing the beautiful @ClarenceHouse Christmas tree!

https://twitter.com/ClarenceHouse/status/806910648999378944

I wonder where the tree came from,one of the royal estates?

 

[Skippyboo]

I think the trees come from Sandringham. The Queen also donates a tree to the churches they go to when they are at Balmoral and Sandringham.

 

[Spheno]

kitchen


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/02/22/15/3D86DEB900000578-4249272-image-a-6_1487776753142.jpg

 

[SLV]

Can I have some of that cake?

 

[Kronprinz]

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.

I'm sure the Queen Mother would have loved to have stayed at Buckingham Palace as long as she could.

 

[MARG]

Ouch!

 

[Missjersey]

Didn’t it take the QM 18 months to leave BP? I think she had a hard time “stepping down “. I’ve read she was reluctant at first going to Clarence House because it was to small

 

[Kronprinz]

Didn’t it take the QM 18 months to leave BP? I think she had a hard time “stepping down “. I’ve read she was reluctant at first going to Clarence House because it was to small

Yes. She moved to CH in May 1953, a couple of weeks before the coronation. She called it "that horrid little house" and didn't think it was fit for her status.

Even though she couldn't have moved to CH immediately after the King's death, she certainly overstayed her welcome at BP.

 

[Kronprinz]

Are William and Kate moving to CH once the Charles becomes King?

I don't think it would be appropriate for them to stay at KP as Prince and Princess of Wales. They need a grand house for themselves, not a palace crammed with minor royal relatives.

 

[Pranter]

I think if anyone moves to CH it would be Harry and his family. Kate and William have KP just like they want it..renovated etc. No reason for them to move.

LaRae

 

[Iluvbertie]

Nothing has been announced.

It would be way more appropriate for William and Kate - the future King and Queen to move into Clarence House than Harry who is only going to move further and further away from the throne as the years pass.

We are assuming that Charles even intends on leaving CH which it has been rumoured he doesn't want to do anyway.

 

[jacqui24]

Are William and Kate moving to CH once the Charles becomes King?

I don't think it would be appropriate for them to stay at KP as Prince and Princess of Wales. They need a grand house for themselves, not a palace crammed with minor royal relatives.

KP was Prince Charles and Princess Diana's London home. So I think it's more than appropriate. Besides, they have a much bigger apartment.

 

[Gawin]

Even though she couldn't have moved to CH immediately after the King's death, she certainly overstayed her welcome at BP.

What is your source for your statement that she "certainly overstayed her welcome"?

 

[O-H Anglophile]

Yes. She moved to CH in May 1953, a couple of weeks before the coronation. She called it "that horrid little house" and didn't think it was fit for her status.

Even though she couldn't have moved to CH immediately after the King's death, she certainly overstayed her welcome at BP.

Where do you suggest she and Margaret live (in London) if not at Buckingham Palace while Clarence House was being renovated?

 

[muriel]

Are William and Kate moving to CH once the Charles becomes King?

Charles is certainly not moving to BP for at least another decade, irrespective of him becoming King. BP has just started a decade long programme of renovation, so if Charles does become King sometime over the next decade, he may prefer to get the builders out before he moves in.

I suspect W&C can take a view then if they want to move to CH, or carry on at KP. Even if they move, IMO, the work they have done on the KP apartment will not have been wasted, and would have been used for at least 15 years. CH itself may have to be updated (having last been renovated in 2002) before the next occupants move in.

 

[Kronprinz]

KP was Prince Charles and Princess Diana's London home. So I think it's more than appropriate. Besides, they have a much bigger apartment.

Well, there wasn't much of a choice for Charles and Diana at the time.

Had the Queen Mother not been alive when they married, I believe they would have set up residence at Clarence House.

Where do you suggest she and Margaret live (in London) if not at Buckingham Palace while Clarence House was being renovated?

I'm sure something could have been arranged for them at Kensington Palace or St James's Palace but that would not fly with the Queen Mother.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Clarence House didn't need renovating in 1952. Elizabeth and Philip had just spend the equivalent in today's money of a lot more than William and Kate did on KP in 1948 - 1949.

 

[Gawin]

I'm sure something could have been arranged for them at Kensington Palace or St James's Palace but that would not fly with the Queen Mother.

It probably didn't make much sense for the Queen Mother & Princess Margaret to move from Buckingham Palace to Kensington/St. James's Palace only to move once again when Clarence House was ready.

Clarence House didn't need renovating in 1952. Elizabeth and Philip had just spend the equivalent in today's money of a lot more than William and Kate did on KP in 1948 - 1949.

It was redecorated & altered for the Queen Mother & Princess Margaret after the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh moved out. Part of this was necessary to accommodate the QM's taste as well as her larger collection of paintings, objets d'art, etc. Elizabeth and Philip had only been married a few years and hadn't had time to amass a collection of their own.

I have no idea how extensive the alterations were but according to William Shawcross the QM wasn't happy when Members of Parliament commented on the cost. She apparently asked "perhaps they would like me to retire decently to Kew and run a needlework guild?" (William Shawcross, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother: The Official Biography, p. 677).

She also purchased the Castle of Mey during this time. She liked to live very extravagantly.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Clarence House: How it looked in 1874
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-london-clarence-house-1874-the-graphic-122697353.html

 

[MARG]

Nothing has been announced.

It would be way more appropriate for William and Kate - the future King and Queen to move into Clarence House than Harry who is only going to move further and further away from the throne as the years pass.

We are assuming that Charles even intends on leaving CH which it has been rumoured he doesn't want to do anyway.

It is worth noting that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip did not want to move to Buckingham Palace either finding it cold and cavernous and just having just got Clarence House the way they wanted it.

They moved at the behest of the government and the Prime Minister and, I fear that Prince Charles will find himself in the same position. The Queen or King Regnant live in Buckingham Palace, the masses and tourists come to photograph a Palace that is in daily use. They stop to watch 'The Changing of the Guard', but would it be worth it if nobody lived there and it was just a museum?

It is a status symbol and I think the government learnt their lesson when they short-sightedly retired The Royal Yacht Britannia, that moveable diplomatic palace.

As to Clarence House? That will remain to be seen as it has been the heir's home, the Queen Mother's home and the heir's home again.

 

[muriel]

Also, irrespective of when Charles becomes King, Buckingham Palace will probably not be ready for him to move onto for another decade or so because of the ongoing programme of renovations.

 

[Osipi]

Its kind of fitting that as the British Royal Family is in a slow, transitional stage between monarchs, so is Buckingham Palace undergoing a transition. Things change and who knows what will be the way of things once all the renovations are completed.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

It is worth noting that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip did not want to move to Buckingham Palace either finding it cold and cavernous and just having just got Clarence House the way they wanted it.

They moved at the behest of the government and the Prime Minister and, I fear that Prince Charles will find himself in the same position. The Queen or King Regnant live in Buckingham Palace, the masses and tourists come to photograph a Palace that is in daily use. They stop to watch 'The Changing of the Guard', but would it be worth it if nobody lived there and it was just a museum?

It is a status symbol and I think the government learnt their lesson when they short-sightedly retired The Royal Yacht Britannia, that moveable diplomatic palace.

As to Clarence House? That will remain to be seen as it has been the heir's home, the Queen Mother's home and the heir's home again.

The King can simply use Buckingham Palace for all official acts but live at Clarence House. In most monarchies this separation is made: Drottningholm + Kungliga Slott Stockholm, La Zarzuela + Palacio Real Madrid, Château de Laeken + Palais Royal Bruxelles, Huis ten Bosch + Noordeinde in The Hague, Schloss Berg + Palais Grand-Ducal in Luxembourg.

In fact Queen Elizabeth is already more in other royal residences (Windsor, Balmoral, Holyrood) than at Buckingham Palace.