When King Charles III took on the role of monarch after his mother Queen Elizabeth II passed away he also inherited the responsibility of a portfolio of royal residences.
Keen to make his mark, His Majesty has implemented a few changes at his royal homes since his coronation, and here we take a look at the positive switch-ups as well as the controversial decisions…
Balmoral has been opened to visitors
Charles decided to open Balmoral to members of the public for the first time in 2024, and this summer he will throw open the doors once again. However, his late mother preferred to keep the residence for private use.
An Instagram post advertising the tickets explained what the intimate tours would be like. "Journey through history, from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's purchase of the Balmoral Estate to the present day. You’ll have the rare opportunity to view a selection of rooms within the Castle that are still used by Their Majesties The King and Queen, as well as other members of the Royal Family," it read.
Locals to pay for Windsor Castle entry now
In 2024, it was announced that the scheme to let residents living in the same borough as Windsor Castle in for free was ending. Now, neighbouring visitors must pay for their tickets, but they still receive 50 per cent off the admission fee. Understandably, local residents were not too happy about this change.
© Photo: Getty ImagesHasn't chosen to live at Buckingham Palace yet
Queen Elizabeth II has the grand residence, Buckingham Palace, as her main London base but Charles and his wife Camilla still remain living at their existing home of Clarence House. Although this is a change from the normal proceedings of a monarch, there’s a good reason behind the choice. The palace is currently undergoing reservicing works and parts of it are still building sites so it makes sense that the royal couple wouldn’t move in yet. At the moment, 2027 is when the King is set to relocate.
Adding solar panels at Windsor Castle
During renovations at Windsor Castle to replace the old leaking roof, Charles took the opportunity to give the historic home an eco upgrade. "Roof-mounted photovoltaic panels" have been installed at the property, and this is testimony to His Majesty's passion for the environment. He already runs organic farms and has turned down the thermostats in royal residences to reduce costs.
© NurPhoto via Getty ImagesEnforcing air restrictions over Sandringham
In March this year, a no-fly zone was enforced over Sandringham after unannounced drones were spotted flying above the property. This change is to ensure the safety of the royals and their VIP guests. The restrictions were requested by security services on 4 March, days after the King hosted Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. This is a relatively new problem because of the growing prevalence of drones but making changes to ensure privacy is likely to be an action that the late Queen would have agreed with.
The launch of Heritage Live Concerts
In 2023, Charles allowed Heritage Live Concerts to host incredible shows at his Sandringham Estate, where the likes of Robbie Williams have performed. While this decision came after his mother’s passing, merging royal homes and public entertainment is a concept the late Queen knew all too well. A-listers and fans flooded to Buckingham Palace for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee concerts, and they were a great success.
