Instead, the King and Queen Camilla will continue living at nearby Clarence House, their official London residence since Charles was Prince of Wales. While Buckingham Palace will remain the ceremonial and administrative headquarters of the British monarchy, it will no longer serve as the King’s primary home.

The announcement was made during the annual briefing on the Royal Household’s finances, where palace officials confirmed that Buckingham Palace would continue hosting state banquets, official ceremonies and royal offices despite the King’s decision to remain elsewhere.

Built in the 1820s, Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of every British monarch since Queen Victoria established it as the royal home in 1837. The palace contains 775 rooms and functions as both a working royal residence and the administrative centre of the monarchy.

The extensive refurbishment programme, one of the largest renovation projects ever undertaken at Buckingham Palace, has focused on replacing ageing electrical wiring, plumbing and heating systems while modernising infrastructure and preserving the historic building for future generations.

The financial briefing also marked another royal first. King Charles became the first British monarch to publicly disclose the amount of income and capital gains tax he paid. According to palace officials, the King paid £12.3 million (approximately $16.1 million) in taxes during the 2024-25 financial year, compared with £11.8 million (around $15.4 million) the previous year.

Although the monarch will continue carrying out official duties from Buckingham Palace, the decision means Clarence House will remain the King’s private London residence for the remainder of his reign, breaking with a tradition that has defined the British monarchy for almost 200 years.