Buckingham Palace is still the site of official engagements and banquets, even though King Charles, 74, and his wife Queen Camilla, 76, have not moved from Clarence House.
The Audience Room, where the monarch greets presidents, prime ministers, and other dignitaries, is one space that is frequently used. You might not have noticed, but Charles has made some notable adjustments.
When it comes to the pictures on exhibit, His Majesty seems to have changed, and it looks like both of his sons have been replaced by European royals.
During a July 2019 meeting between the late Queen Elizabeth and the then-new Prime Minister Boris Johnson, sentimental pictures of Prince William and Princess Catherine as well as Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle were on display.
When Charles was meeting Professor Hugh Heggie on October 25, the wooden table was clearly visible. However, this time, the picture frames included European royals instead of just the usual ones.
Queen Silvia and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden are shown in the other photo, and Queen Beatrix appears to be in the one on the left.
Although Prince Harry, the son of King Charles, has not publicly discussed the strain in the family, he has been vocal about the fallout from his father’s decision to resign as a senior royal.
Harry did, however, acknowledge that he wished to make amends in an interview with Tom Bradby of ITV. “A family, not an institution, is what I want. “I wish to reunite with my father and my brother,” he expressed.
“They feel as though it is better to keep us somehow as the villains,” he said. “They’ve shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile.”
Photo: ITV
In addition to small but meaningful adjustments to the photos, His Majesty has made adjustments regarding environmental causes that are dear to his heart.
According to the annual Sovereign Grant report, in order to save energy, the household temperature was kept at 19C during the winter and even a few degrees lower when rooms were unoccupied.
A ten-year project to update the historic palace’s plumbing, heating system, and electrical wiring is presently underway.
Photo: Getty Images
“The building’s infrastructure is in urgent need of a complete overhaul to prevent long-term damage to the building and its contents,” reads the explanation of the renovations on the royal website.
“The most cost-effective way to replace these essential services, and to ensure that The Palace is fit for purpose for the next 50 years, is to undertake a phased programme of works over ten years.”
Photo: Getty Images
For this reason, Charles and Camilla have not yet moved into the palace; instead, they will make the significant move in 2027, when the project is expected to be completed.
