King Charles III is in the midst of considering which castle, palace or stately home to call home, it has been reported.
The newly crowned monarch, who had his coronation ceremony last weekend (Saturday 6 May), may be in “perpetual orbit” if he tries to divide his time between his more than a dozen properties across the country.
However, there is one royal residence – the most famous one in the world – that the King is not keen on using as his base, royal experts have suggested.
Buckingham Palace is not His Majesty’s “style”, according to Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine. Royal historian and biographer Hugo Vickers also said Charles would rather not live in the palace, but could run his office and hold state occasions there.
Seward told The Times: “Maybe in the end he will have to move into Buckingham Palace, but I don’t think he wants to.
“Buckingham Palace is so huge and impersonal and red, with red carpets and curtains. It’s not his style. He may decide that it should be available to the public all year round.”
Vickers added that he thought the King would stay at Clarence House, adding that this was what the late Queen Elizabeth II wanted to do, but “Winston Churchhill made her go to Buckingham Palace”.
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s beloved family residence is Highgrove House, located in Gloucestershire. The gardens there, overseen by Charles, are a major attraction and draw thousands of visitors between April and October every year when they are open to the public.
He also owns Birkhall, a Scottish estate, and Llwynywermod, a Welsh farmhouse.
The King’s property portfolio includes seven palaces, 10 castles, 12 homes, 56 cottages and 14 ancient ruins. He inherited The Crown Estate, as well as his mother’s private estates such as Balmoral Castle in Scotland when she died last September.
According to the report, Charles prefers living in smaller properties than grand palaces, and it is likely he will use Balmoral in the same way as Buckingham Palace.
One source said that, when in Scotland, Charles would prefer to stay at his eight-bedroom home in Birkhall compared to the 52-room Balmoral.
“He absolutely loves Birkhall,” the source was quoted as saying. “I would be amazed if he abandoned that. I think it’s far more likely that he will stay at Balmoral when there are prime ministerial visits but treat it like an office, as he does with Buckingham Palace.”
The Independent has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.
The King’s decision over his royal residences come after reports suggested that his brother, the Duke of York, is “refusing to budge” from Royal Lodge.
Prince Andrew was understood to have been offered the keys to Frogmore Cottage after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were asked to vacate the property earlier this year.
However, the disgraced duke is reportedly unwilling to downsize from his 30-room residence, which he has lived in for the past 20 years.
Sources close to Andrew said he is “concerned that now the coronation is over, the knives are out” and fears that Charles may “turn off the utilities to get him out of there”.
Previously, it was reported that Andrew was worried that he would no longer be able to afford to maintain Royal Lodge – where he lives with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson – after the King cuts off his annual £250,000 allowance.
