With a decades-long passion for sustainability and the environment, Prince Charles is said to have been looking for ways to make Buckingham Palace work more efficiently when he takes up residence there.
Although plans to turn more areas of the building into a museum have been steadily gaining traction, it is a proposal that is said to have faced opposition from Queen Elizabeth II.
“She’s not very keen on that particular idea and believes, of course, that it should remain a family home of sorts,” a source recently told the Daily Mirror.
The wrought iron gates were thrown open in 1993, when Buckingham Palace was opened to the public for the first time and has since proved a popular destination for visitors.
Often selling out tickets months in advance, the palace helped contribute towards the £49.9 million ($65.8m) the Royal Estates generated in ticket sales between 2019-2020, according to statistics website statista.com.
The queen makes permanent move to Windsor Castle
Following the 1936 abdication by her uncle Edward VIII, Queen Elizabeth II's father, King George VI, became the king, while she became the heir presumptive, the family moved into Buckingham Palace, which would become her main residence for the next nine decades.
Moving to Windsor Castle in March 2020 during the height of the pandemic, the queen has since made the Berkshire castle her permanent base and will not be returning to take up full-time residence at the palace.
With Windsor Castle, along with Balmoral in Scotland, her favourite second residences, it is where her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, died in April 2021, aged 99.
“Windsor is the place she loves,” royal author Hugo Vickers told The Sunday Times. “She has her memories with Prince Philip there, she has her ponies there and family nearby. It makes sense.”
The future of Buckingham Palace
While plans concerning succession have been in the making for a long time, the question of Buckingham Palace has often been a thorny one.
According to royal sources, Prince Charles, who would be expected to move into the palace when he becomes king, has in the past expressed disdain for “the big house”, telling courtiers he would prefer to rule from his formal London residence, Clarence House.
“I know he is no fan of ‘the big house’, as he calls the palace," a source told the Sunday Times. “He doesn’t see it as a viable future home or a house that’s fit for purpose in the modern world. He feels its upkeep, both from a cost and environmental perspective, is not sustainable.”
That said, sources recently told the Daily Mail Charles has come around to the idea that he would rule from the palace, reporting he is “firmly of the view that it’s the visible symbol of the monarchy in the nation’s capital and therefore must be his home”.
More of the Royal Collection to be made public?
A shake-up of Buckingham Palace and the 26 royal residences in the UK looks likely when Charles becomes king. Among those, perhaps plans to open up more of the palace and show more of the Royal Collection.
The collection, which features pieces owned by The Crown and also by the queen as a private individual, is made up of more than one million objects, including tapestries, furniture, ceramics, carriages, armour, jewellery, musical instruments, manuscripts, books and sculptures. That’s before the 7,000 paintings, including many Old Masters, 30,000 watercolours and drawings, about 450,000 photographs and a stamp collection valued at over £100 million.
“The Royal Collection has been formed from the private collections of monarchs over 500 years,” a Royal Collection spokeswoman told The Guardian. “It is held in trust by the Queen as sovereign, however, not as a private individual.”
While some of the Collection is on display to the public in the Picture Gallery and Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace, including works by Canaletto, Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer, drawings and sketches by Leonardo da Vinci, as well as countless pieces by Faberge, the majority is not.
Displays are changed and themed over the years, but the discovery of a lost Caravaggio in a store room at Hampton Court in 2006 proves that when it comes to public access to the Royal Collection, the surface has barely been scratched.
Here are 5 items and rooms visitors might see more of if larger parts of Buckingham Palace are turned into a museum…
1. 17th-century Japanese Samurai armour
The Japanese collection includes armour, weaponry, porcelain and fans, and is thought to be the most comprehensive in the Western world.
One of the oldest items in the collection is the samurai armour which was sent to King James I by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, the military leader who governed Japan on behalf of the imperial family.
The armour was given to the royals soon after the first contact between England and Japan had been made.
2. Twopenny Blue Mauritian stamp
The queen is the fifth monarch to inherit the Royal Philatelic Collection, the centrepiece of which is an extremely rare Twopenny Blue Mauritian stamp from 1847.
Valued at £2 million in a collection worth more than £100m, it was the first stamp to be issued by a colonial post office and was bought at auction by the future King George V in 1904.
3. Faberge Mosaic Egg
The egg was made by the Russian jeweller for Tsar Nicholas II to give to his wife Tsarina Alexandra in 1914.
Made of platinum and gold, and decorated with emeralds, rubies and diamonds, it holds a cameo of the couple's five children inside. Four years later, the family would be killed by the Bolsheviks.
4. The Court Post Office
Not all of Buckingham Palace’s rare treasures are items — some are rooms.
As well as an unseen swimming pool, cinema room, NHS doctor’s surgery and an ATM machine in the basement, Buckingham Palace also has its own post office.
The room hasn’t been seen publicly since 1948, when it was instrumental in dealing with post-wartime communications.
5. Eardley Norton astronomical clock
Bought by George III for his dressing room at Buckingham Palace, the 1765 Eardley Norton clock was cutting-edge technology for its era.
It shows the time at 30 locations across the globe relative to Greenwich Mean Time, an orrery of the solar system, ages and phases of the moon, a year calendar, and high and low water at 32 sea ports.
Scroll through the gallery below to see Queen Elizabeth II's colour-blocking style:
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Queen Elizabeth II, wearing red, waits to thank local volunteers and key workers for their efforts amid the coronavirus pandemic, at Windsor Castle on December 8, 2020. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing red, arrives to welcome Qatar's Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to her Windsor residence on October 26, 2010. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing red, during a visit to HMS Queen Elizabeth at HM Naval Base ahead of the ship's maiden deployment on May 22, 2021 in Portsmouth, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing orange, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, at Buckingham Palace on October 7, 2021, for the launch of the queen's Baton Relay for Birmingham for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth ll, wearing orange, attends The Vivari Queen's Cup Final at Guards Polo Club on June 17, 2007, in Windsor, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing orange, attends Royal Ascot on June 20, 2015, in Berkshire, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing peach, arrives to unveil a memorial to the Queen Mother on The Mall on February 24, 2009, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing peach, formally opens the new South Lynn Fire Station on February 2, 2015, in King's Lynn, Norfolk, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing yellow, at Epsom Downs Racecourse for the Oaks Stakes, Surrey, 1960. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing yellow, attends the first day of Royal Ascot on June 15, 2004, in Berkshire, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing yellow, walks to the Royal Enclosure June 21, 2001 at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing yellow, attends Derby Day of the Epsom Derby on June 5, 2010, in Epsom, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing yellow, attends Royal Ascot 2015 at Ascot racecourse on June 19, 2015 in Ascot, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing yellow, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrive at New Scotland Yard on July 13, 2017, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing yellow, waves to the crowds during a visit to Greenfaulds High School on June 28, 2019, in Cumbernauld, Scotland. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing light green, during a visit to The Royal Australian Air Force Memorial on March 31, 2021, near Egham, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing lime green, meets members of the public in Chester, England, on June 14, 2018. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in light green, attends a ceremony to mark her official birthday at Windsor Castle on June 13, 2020. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing green, opens the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre on June 7, 2016. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing green, attends a service to mark the Centenary of the Order of the British Empire at St Paul's Cathedral on May 24, 2017 in London, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing green, shelters from the rain during a garden party at Buckingham Palace on July 19, 2011 in London, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing green, arrives to formally open the new headquarters of asset management company Schroders on November 7, 2018, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing green, during a visit to the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, as part of her traditional trip to Scotland for Holyrood Week on July 1, 2021, in Edinburgh. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing dark green, arrives for the opening of the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament on October 2, 2021, in Edinburgh. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing turquoise, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, attend the official open the National Cyber Security Centre on February 14, 2017, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing turquoise, opens Newtongrange Station on September 9, 2015, in Newtongrange, Scotland. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing turquoise, visits The Lexicon shopping centre during a visit to Bracknell, England, on October 19, 2018. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing blue, attends the traditional Royal Maundy Service at Windsor Castle on March 24, 2016. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing turquoise, hosts a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 31, 2018. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing blue, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, after the christening of Prince George at St James's Palace on October 23, 2013, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in light blue, during a visit to the headquarters of British Airways at Heathrow, London, on May 23, 2019. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in blue, arrives at Hull train station during a visit to the English city on November 16, 2017. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in blue, attends the Ceremony of the Keys on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing light blue, waves to well-wishers as she departs for Melbourne on March 15, 2006, in Canberra. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in light blue, attends a military ceremony in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle to mark her official birthday at Windsor Castle on June 12, 2021. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in light blue, attends the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 21, 2019, in London, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in light blue, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, await the arrival of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait at Windsor Castle during a three-day state visit on November 27, 2012. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in blue, attends events to mark the centenary of the RAF on July 10, 2018, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in blue, and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, visit the scene of the Grenfell Tower fire on June 16, 2017, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in blue, visits St John's College at the University of Cambridge, England, on April 27, 2011. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in blue, and Anne, Princess Royal, visit Skypark in Glasgow, Scotland, on June 30, 2021. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing blue, attends the inauguration ceremony of the Memorial Gates at Constitution Hill on November 6, 2002, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing navy blue, attends a service of Thanksgiving to mark the centenary of The Royal British Legion at Westminster Abbey on October 12, 2021, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in purple, leaves a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey on April 7, 2017, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing purple, leaves Sandringham Church after attending the Christmas Day service on December 25, 2004, in Norfolk, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing purple, attends the opening of the rebuilt Jubilee Gardens on October 25, 2012, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in lilac, attends the Solemn Drumhead service at Royal Hospital Chelsea on June 28, 2014, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing purple, leaves Chester Cathedral after the wedding of Lady Tamara Grosvenor on November 6, 2004, in Chester, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing purple, after officially opening the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum at Stirling Castle June 29, 2021, in Stirling, Scotland. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing mauve, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrive for Evensong in celebration of the centenary of the Order of the Companions of Honour at Hampton Court Palace on June 13, 2017, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing claret, visits the headquarters of MI5 at Thames House, London, on February 25, 2020. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing pink, during her visit to Berkhamsted School as part of its 475th anniversary celebrations on May 6, 2016, in Berkhamsted, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing pink, meets veterans during the D-Day 75 Commemorations on June 05, 2019, in Portsmouth, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing pink, during the Patron's Lunch at The Mall, London, for her 90th birthday celebrations on June 12, 2016. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing pink, pictured during a visit to the Bailey caravan factory as part of her diamond Jubilee tour on November 22, 2012, in Bristol, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing pink, visits The Royal Welsh Regimental Family to mark St David's Day at Lucknow Barracks in Tidworth, England, on March 3, 2017. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing pink, during an inspection of the Balaklava Company, 5 Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, at the gates at Balmoral, Scotland, on August 9, 2021. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing pink, arrives for the opening ceremony of the sixth session of the Senedd at The Senedd on October 14, 2021 in Cardiff. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing pink, and Prince of Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrive at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh on July 12, 2010. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing pink, visits the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down science park near Salisbury, England, on October 15, 2020. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing pink, waits for the arrival of US President Joe Biden at Windsor Castle on June 13, 2021. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in light pink, with members of the royal family, arrives at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham Estate for the Christening of Princess Charlotte of Cambridge on July 5, 2015, in King's Lynn, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing light pink, during a garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 16, 2017, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing light pink, arrives to the Chichester Theatre while visiting West Sussex, England, on November 30, 2017. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing light pink, attends the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 29, 2019 in London, England. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing white, talks to Rob Holden, chairman of HS1, as she unveils a plaque at St Pancras International in London on June 5, 2014. Getty Images -
German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes Queen Elizabeth II, wearing white, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to the Chancellery in Berlin on June 24, 2015. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, in black, leaves St Paul's Cathedral after attending the National Memorial Service dedicated to victims of the July 7 bombings on November 1, 2005, in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing black mourning attire, leaves a memorial service for her sister, Princess Margaret, on April 19, 2002, at Westminster Abbey in London. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth II, wearing black, greets well-wishers at Howe Barracks in Canterbury, England, on November 9, 2004. Getty Images
